Reading Greens

[warbirdlover]

This has been a nightmare for me this year. I used to think I could read greens but man am I having trouble picking a line this year. And searching the web this is all I can find on the subject...

Anyone else find some better info throw a link in here..

How to Read Greens - Golf Instruction Article - PGAProfessional.com

[FKA19]

when setting up to the ball, simply get in the zone and visualize the path the ball will take and "watch" it follow that line and drop into the cup. its a good idea to line up a line on the ball or a logo with the line. visualizing the line and staying focused will let you know the line and give you tons of new confidence to sink the putt. i know this has helped me a lot. i went sub 80 6 straight times (till today) and a good part of that was due to putting, and having confidence to hole putts. i consider myself a very good green reader, but sometimes dont hit the right speed for my lines.

[ezra76]

I keep it pretty simple. 1st is to figure out if the putt is uphill, downhill or pretty flat. Next I pretty much picture the ball being rolled from the hole to where I am putting from, reading it backwards. That gives me my line, I burn it into the green with my "mind's eye" and can actually see it.

The most important thing is keep your eye on the ball and where the ball was after it's gone. I also use this exact method with chipping.

[King Par]

I use the K.I.S.S. method, personally. Keep it simple, stupid. I usually find myself screwing up when I get too technical. I look at the path, breaks (if any), then decide my speed.

With chipping, I use a stroke similar to putting. Smooth and calm. 5 out of 7 of my chips today were within 5 feet of the cup.

[BStone]

I don't really have a method for reading greens, I just try and feel what the ball is going to do. Much like Ez said, I keep focusing on the line that I think the ball will take to the hole and see the ball rolling along that line before making my putting stroke.

[gwlee7]

I am a very good putter. I squat down behind the ball and first look to see how I think water would drain into the cup. From there a line from the ball to hole sort of appears and I try my damndest to roll the ball on that line.

The important thing in all of this is to have the attitude that it is "just a putt". It is not a putt for par, birdie, eagle, bogey, triple, double, to win, halve, or save money. It is just a putt like all the other putts that I have made in my life. And, I have made thousands of them, if not tens of thousands of them. So have you.

[flomarilius]

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]

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.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by gwlee7

I squat down behind the ball and first look to see how I think water would drain into the cup. From there a line from the ball to hole sort of appears and I try my damndest to roll the ball on that line.
.

This is how I do it, except I always picture a drop of quicksilver running across the green. Then I visualize a trail likes it's drawn on the green.

For me, the most important thing is actually making sure I concentrate on setting my body up on the line hitting on that line and not at the cup.

[BStone]

Originally Posted by flomarilius

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.

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.

[zaphod]

I use same method as gwlee27. As I approach green I always look for the direction the water is to drain off the green. All greens need to drain.Thats your predominate break and slope. I then like to walk parallel to the path feeling the break with my feet. Reinforces what I see. Get behind for final read. The rest is trust. My most common error is to read some break when there is none. In those cases when I not sure especially uphill I'm firm with the putt.

Most exasperating part of putting is footprints 1-2 feet around the hole on soft greens. Was out at Lake Arrowhead today after rain (Sunday)and they were there. As the ball slows down they really can bounce a ball around. Did roll in a 15 foot downhill breaker for eagle on the 12th hole on Lakes course. Sometimes its better to be lucky than good.

[warbirdlover]

Boy, this is some great stuff. Thanks!!

[JEFF4i]

I squat behind the ball and just envision a line there. It really isn't defined or anything, I just look at it and see where it is going to break more or less, and decide on a point. Nothing fancy like water or quicksilver.

Works for me I guess, kind of simple and not usefull to anyone other than myself.

[TheWOAT]

I usually look around the green and check the direction of where water drains. Its the same as just checking slopes I guess, but for me its a different way to think things and I usually read the green OK... Ive heard greens will break always towards a large body of water, so I make water drainage is my main focus I havent figured out anything about grains of the grass, and I dont really know what bermuda grass is.

[Sandpiper3]

I squat behind the ball and with my ball in hand look at the line, then i yell "look a bear" and bowl my ball to the hole to see the break, then i grab it, line up the putt and let it go

No, i just play it simply, i do everything as little break as possible, im usually lining up off the edge of the hole either way, i try to keep putts as simple as possible. Ill look at it quick, decide quick, and go from there. Always go with your first instinct on reading greens and always stay away from overreading the green.