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[Clugnut]

Is there any secret to reading greens? I hit so many good putts yesterday that started right where I wanted them and at the correct pace. I missed nearly everything over 3 feet on the high side. It was really depressing.

The worst part is that I am a carpenter by trade, and I can see if something is plum very easily. Yet I can't read a green!

I think that I am hung up on that whole "play more break" thing. Yes, the ball finishes closer, but it never goes in for me.

Anybody have any advice? Tips? Drills?

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by Clugnut

Is there any secret to reading greens? I hit so many good putts yesterday that started right where I wanted them and at the correct pace. I missed nearly everything over 3 feet on the high side. It was really depressing.

The worst part is that I am a carpenter by trade, and I can see if something is plum very easily. Yet I can't read a green!

I think that I am hung up on that whole "play more break" thing. Yes, the ball finishes closer, but it never goes in for me.

Anybody have any advice? Tips? Drills?

Walk slowly from your ball to the flag, with your eyes closed. Feel the slope with your feet.

[Sandpiper3]

I always walk up about 3-4 feet from the hole and stand along my line and take a few practise strokes, you get the feel for the break right at the end of the roll (where it breaks the most).

The biggest thing I focus on is I read more break than I need, and then hit just inside of that all the time (as i always would overread the break).

But the most important factor is speed man, if you have the speed at worst your going to have tap-ins, and then the days you have the lines everything will drop.

[Adam Pettman]

Practice. Find a severe slope on a green and hit 3 putts from that spot hitting them all at different speeds and learn how much the slope effects the ball.

[Bignose]

Originally Posted by Adam Pettman

Practice. Find a severe slope on a green and hit 3 putts from that spot hitting them all at different speeds and learn how much the slope effects the ball.

I think that this is great advice, because Clugnut, you may be reading the breaks exactly right, but how much speed to ball has to it dramatically affects how much break you have to play. Because speed it so important, what kind of putter you are comes into play. Are you a "going to get it past the hole no matter what since if it doesn't get past it has no chance of going in" kind of putter, or are you a "I want it to die right at the cup, and if I leave it short, at least it will most likely just be a tap-in" kind of putter? Both kinds putt are different speeds, so the breaks are different for them. I don't think that there is much more that can be said than to practice and practice and then practice some more. It is a skill that can be learned like anything else, and like a lot of things there aren't many shortcuts. Some people are naturally gifted at it, but most of us have to practice to master the skill.

[zaphod]

I use Eracer's tip of feeling break with my feet. Also the ladder drill of practicing the weight of the putt from different distances until becomes instinctive.

The other tip is to take a final look at the putt visualizing the line the putt the ball within 3 seconds to keep that line fresh in memory.

[TheWOAT]

I cant read greens to well, meaning, I cant tell which way it will break... So I usually look around, see where the water drains to, and assume the ball will break towards the path of drainage... Sometimes there isnt a visible drainage path, then Im screwed.

[The Salt Vampire]

Read the break from the middle of the hole at the angle the ball will enter the hole. By that I mean, if you have a slider, the centre (Canadian spelling) of the cup will not be directly in front of the you, but will actually move around the circle that is the hole.

Also, it sounds like you might be reading the short putts from the edge of the cup and not the middle as well. I got this tip in the off-season. I used to burn a lot of edges, now I make a lot of putts.

Hope that makes sense.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by The Salt Vampire

Read the break from the middle of the hole at the angle the ball will enter the hole. By that I mean, if you have a slider, the centre (Canadian spelling) of the cup will not be directly in front of the you, but will actually move around the circle that is the hole.

Also, it sounds like you might be reading the short putts from the edge of the cup and not the middle as well. I got this tip in the off-season. I used to burn a lot of edges, now I make a lot of putts.

Hope that makes sense.

Very interesting. I read "high-side" whenever I look at a putt with any break in it, and I do tend to shave a lot of edges. I'll try your tip.