Reading Greens

[gwlee7]

One other thing that is certain for me; my first read is always my best. I have missed way too many by trying to over analyze the break. Just role that puppy to the hole and see what happens.

[warbirdlover]

Jack Nicklaus says "I dont even bother reading the greens just checking the grain on bermuda" Apparently the grass can do so many things on Bermuda according to him.

WBL I had 24 putts today and like I think 26 or 27 the last round. First you just step back and look at the overall green. Check where the breaks are. Now just squat behind your marker and look at the path to the green and see what the green does. If the green breaks right just set up far enough left so that if you miss it you miss it high side. I always find it easier to tap in high side rather than low.


flomarilius

The grain of Bermuda grass determines the break more than the undulations of the greens. I have played a lot on these types of greens and have seen first hand putts that break up hill, or do the complete opposite of what I thought they would due to the grain being different than the undualtions. The key to playing on Bermuda is to always know where the sun is, Bermuda grass moves with the sun light, so the grain will be facing one way in the morning and a different way in the afternoon.

tmag

If the sun was on your right would the Bermuda "lean" to the left or right? And bent grass doesn't do this?

[Bravo]

Originally Posted by warbirdlover

If the sun was on your right would the Bermuda "lean" to the left or right? And bent grass doesn't do this?

Bermuda's grain is affected by the angle of the sun, the slope of the green and greenside water (if present). As a generality, the blades will tend to grow 'downhill' with gravity, they will grow toward water and if the sun shines on the green from one angle more than another, the grain will tend to grow in that direction.

Bentgrass' blades are so much smaller that greens with this type of grass essentially have 'no grain'.

Bentgrass is a moderate weather grass and thrives in the north and midwestern parts of North America. It has a tougher time in the south. You will indeed find it here on better public and private courses.

For the most part, there is no bentgrass in Florida. It's all some strain of bermuda.

[Adam Pettman]

hmm this has me wondering what grass we have on our greens in the UK.

[robereno]

Back when I could really play with the big boys I was always a feel putter but whenever I would have an off couple of weeks I would become a spot putter until my confidence came back. Meaning that I would pick a blade of grass or discoloration 6-10 inches in front of my ball and putt at that completely ignoring the hole. It is a good way to stay focused and gain confidence.

[Bravo]

Originally Posted by Adam Pettman

hmm this has me wondering what grass we have on our greens in the UK.

I've asked this question previously and nobody could identify it...

[Adam Pettman]

Thats probably because our golf courses are just fields that have had their grass cut down to appropriate levels.

[warbirdlover]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

BreakMaster Digital Green Reader

http://www.breakmaster.ch/pdf/bmmanual.pdf

[cabinessence]

Originally Posted by robereno

Back when I could really play with the big boys I was always a feel putter but whenever I would have an off couple of weeks I would become a spot putter until my confidence came back. Meaning that I would pick a blade of grass or discoloration 6-10 inches in front of my ball and putt at that completely ignoring the hole. It is a good way to stay focused and gain confidence.

Not that I ever could play with the big boys, but same here. During good putting rounds I used to be able to "read with my feet" -- standing behind the hole was more harmful than anything.

Now I really grind it out on short putts in getting a line and trying to putt the ball as straight as possible -- no thought of the hole at all.

[$2 Nassau]

I take the same approach as I would hitting a wood or an iron, I pick an intermediate target.

As apparently many people do, I envision the "line" from the ball to the hole. Then, along that line I pick an intermdiate target depending on how far the putt is. For a 5 foot putt, I probably pick a spot (off-colored piece of grass or something) 1-2 feet in front of the ball and just try to hit the ball to that spot with the desired speed. For a 30 foot putt, I try to pick a spot approx 5 feet in front of the ball, etc etc.

[ualtim]

Bermuda grass grain reading is more art than science. If the greens are mowed low enough, grain is almost a non factor. With just a little bit more height in the green, grain can be nasty. This one course I play down here, slope of the green means next to nothing. I have had putts break up hill, uphill putts get faster, down hill putts slow down and stop, and a 3 foot straight in/no break putt break 8 inches in the last foot of roll. I am getting better at reading the greans there, but it will catch you out a couple of times a round.

The best lesson I had in grain reading was at a condo complex my parents were staying at down in Naples. When the wife and I went down for a visit, we were told about the "practice green" they had so I was looking forward to spending some time on it. The "practice green" was a slab of concrete with that indoor/outdoor carpeting. I was having a heck of a time trying to read putts on that green until I realized that there was a grain in the carpet and it changed direction at the seems 180 degrees. Dowhill putts down grain could not be stopped. Downhil putts against the grain needed extra power if you hoped to get anywhere near the hole. It was not the best putting experience I ever had, but I sure learned a lot about how the grain affected the roll of a putt. The only problem I have now is reading the grain......

[warbirdlover]

Last couple rounds I've been getting way down low to read the putts. Man, has that made a difference. I'm putting respectable again now. Thanks for that tip. (I look kind of stupid though when doing my Camillo impression... and have a hard time getting back up.)...

[JEFF4i]

Hahaha, that's just funny Warbird.

Also don't think about break on harder greens as one continous line. You can get more gradual, and harsh break lines, even in the same putt, and it doesn't even need to change direction.

[warbirdlover]

True. I look for the spot where the ball will break. Some greens break more then once and sometimes two directions. I've always known that, just not how to see them as clearly as down low. And the heavy putter seems to be keeping me on the line nice. More play with it and I'm getting a better distance feel also. Now that I'm putting better the rest of my game has gone down the tubes but oh well.

[JEFF4i]

Aye, generally if you are strong enough to handle it, a heavy putter will correct some minor flaws.