How to Read Putting Greens
Most golfers, even many excellent players, have difficulty reading putting greens. Golfers often hit what they think is the perfect putt and are surprised when the ball doesn't come even close to the hole because they misread the slope of the putting surface. Putting greens will always have imperfections that are difficult for a golfer to factor in when reading the green, but techniques can be employed to improve the chances of getting an accurate reading of the direction the ball will take after being struck.
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Instructions
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Start studying the green before you arrive at your ball. Your goals are to determine the overall shape of the green and which direction the green slopes. Seeing the green from 20 yards away can sometimes help you identify the slope more easily than when you are standing on the green next to your ball.
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Get a feel for the slope by walking on the green. When we walk uphill or downhill, we can feel how severe the slope is. Walk around the hole and try to feel which side of the hole is lower.
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Look at your putt from several angles. Don't just stand behind your ball, bend down and try to see which way the putt will break ("break" is a term for how the golf ball turns as it approaches the hole). Walk past the hole and look back toward your ball. Then take a view from each side, looking back to the hole.
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Identify the grain of the green. Grain means the direction the grass is growing. At the end of the day, grass tends to grow toward the fading sun. If the direction of the grain is against you, the putt will be slower. If you are putting down the grain, you don't have to hit the putt quite so hard.
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Measure distance, not just break. Don't be so focused on how the ball will break that you forget to think about the distance. This mistake is why so many amateurs leave putts short. Pace off the distance from your ball to the hole and think about this measurement prior to hitting the ball.
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Factor in wind and weather. Wind can affect the pace of the ball
or blow it off the line you have chosen. Dry greens have faster putting speed than greens that have recently received rain. -
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Visualize success. Stand behind the ball and look toward the hole. Imagine the ball slowly traveling on the path you have chosen. You may see that you did not allow enough break on the putt, or too much.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't hit the putt until you are confident of the line. Indecision almost always causes the golfer to miss the putt.
Many courses have greens that break toward a topographical feature such as a mountain. Find out about these anomalies before you tee off and take them into account as you play.
Don't assume the practice green on the driving range is the same speed as the greens you will encounter on the course. Use your warm-up time to practice your putting stroke rather than trying to get a feel for the greens.
References
- Photo Credit golf image by Earl Robbins from Fotolia.com
