Reading the green

[Street11]

So I went out yesterday for a quick nine, beautiful day with the sun out. Boy oh boy did I struggle on the greens. Now the biggest issue was reading the greens. My strategy is getting a look from the back then waking the side where I think the slope goes, then getting a last look from the ball to the hole, then stepping up and putting. I must have had 4 or 5 putts where I literally just read it wrong by literally a couple feet. I mean I was putting down the break. I would stand there just thinking, "what in the world was I looking at?"

 

I hope this was a one time occurrence but what do you guys do to get a read on the green?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Big money]

Putting is my only "consistent" part of my game.Im more focused on speed than an exact break.Always felt if I read a green wrong my speed will put me in a good spot.Many a time I see people who read the break well but either leave way short or long.

[808nation]

1.  Walking up the green, survey the green of any slopes

 

2.  Mark my ball and squat down behind the marker looking for any breaks

 

3.  Check if putting down/up hill for speed

 

4.  Step up to putt, look at my line once and pull the trigger....................miss the putt.......doh & get mad!!!!  

[MDGolfHacker]

So I went out yesterday for a quick nine, beautiful day with the sun out. Boy oh boy did I struggle on the greens. Now the biggest issue was reading the greens. My strategy is getting a look from the back then waking the side where I think the slope goes, then getting a last look from the ball to the hole, then stepping up and putting. I must have had 4 or 5 putts where I literally just read it wrong by literally a couple feet. I mean I was putting down the break. I would stand there just thinking, "what in the world was I looking at?"

 

I hope this was a one time occurrence but what do you guys do to get a read on the green?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

I do pretty much what you do. Look at the hole from behind looking at my ball then walk back to see the grain of the grass and potential breaks, the line up my ball and hit away. Or I get lazy and just guesstimate where the ball will go and hit the ball. Either way though, I'm not a great putter, lol.

 

MDGolfHacker

[HighFade]

One thing that people miss is the natural slope. Every green will have a low point for water drainage. While you're walking up to the green, look for it. You may even see a drain cover. A putt will almost always tend to break in that direction.

[downlowkey]

Trying to get any sense of lateral read before settling on the speed (uphill/downhill) is a big no-no in my opinion. I always, always, always decide if my ball is positioned above or beneath the hole before considering apex points of any potential lateral break. I'm much more successful using a formula that calculates lateral break over longitudinal pace with speed being a "known" variable than vice versa.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[ridgewalker]

Was this a new course or one you play frequently? I know I find it tough sometimes putting at a new course because I just don't have a good feel for the greens...i.e. It's a different type of grass and a different speed than what I'm used to.

 

One thing you may consider adding to your present-shot routine is a quick aim point read with your feet. I know it's helped me confirm what I'm seeing or question it.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[eproos44]

As a few people said, I always take a careful look while walking up. That way I can see all the slopes, low points, crowns, etc. it's always easier to see things of that sort from farther away than real close.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Street11]

Yesterday I played 9 with only 17 putts shooting 38 and guys thanks for the advice. I made it a point of looking at the green while walking up and looking for the low spots and identifying where the water is. I lipped out 4 putts so my score could have been way better but all of these tips helped a lot. Oh also thinking about the speed first before putting helped me really concentrate and I didn't miss by more than a couple of feet from any distance. Thanks guys!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[sp0rtsfan86]

I always look for low spots, but also look at general geography. Especially mountain courses, you want to know where things slope from. From there, it's knowing how fast greens are and having a feel. Honestly some days the feel is completely wrong. Other days it's your stroke, it happens.

[TSauer]

Like everyone else, I look at it while walking up and just sorta survey the green to see what possible breaks I'm going to have. When I'm aligning my putt, I imagine where my ball would end up if I putted straight at the pin. I then aim that much to the opposite side. It's something new I've been trying, but so far so good.

[Eseay32]

I'm a big grain reader. Especially if I'm a little confused on what it will do. I squat behind the ball a couple feet to read the putt and when putting the ball on my mark a read the grain to see which way the grass is laying

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Canucklehead]

I always get a read behind the hole, then I walk around and stand between the ball and hole well back trying to be on the lower side of the green to see any the bumps, ridges, etc. Then when I place my ball I confirm what I saw at the other spots I read from.

I've found that reading from more than one angle really helped me. I'm no good at putting but it did improve when I Started doing that

 

Sent from my E6853 using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[RookieBlue7]

I wished I could find someone here that teaches AimPoint and does it correctly. I figure it can't hurt

[JAGolfore]

So I went out yesterday for a quick nine, beautiful day with the sun out. Boy oh boy did I struggle on the greens. Now the biggest issue was reading the greens. My strategy is getting a look from the back then waking the side where I think the slope goes, then getting a last look from the ball to the hole, then stepping up and putting. I must have had 4 or 5 putts where I literally just read it wrong by literally a couple feet. I mean I was putting down the break. I would stand there just thinking, "what in the world was I looking at?"

 

I hope this was a one time occurrence but what do you guys do to get a read on the green?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

So this might sound a little anal but I carry a yardage book for almost every course I try and play. Yes it's difficult to maintain but it helps especially on the greens.

 

My home course I carry one for every round and I almost have ever hole location mapped. But it helps when your eyes want to fool you. I mark what the putt did and it's there for the next round.

 

I have showed the guys I play with when they miss read a green and they ask me to make them one. I do and they will not miss read a putt at our home course again.

 

I'll add photos tomorrow. It's really not too detailed but it helps.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Street11]

So this might sound a little anal but I carry a yardage book for almost every course I try and play. Yes it's difficult to maintain but it helps especially on the greens.

 

My home course I carry one for every round and I almost have ever hole location mapped. But it helps when your eyes want to fool you. I mark what the putt did and it's there for the next round.

 

I have showed the guys I play with when they miss read a green and they ask me to make them one. I do and they will not miss read a putt at our home course again.

 

I'll add photos tomorrow. It's really not too detailed but it helps.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

 

Did you make you own or do you buy a template? I'm very interested in grabbing one of these for the courses that I play normally.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[JAGolfore]

Did you make you own or do you buy a template? I'm very interested in grabbing one of these for the courses that I play normally.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

I use books made by My Caddie Pro. They have a website and sell by packs or individually. Very nice sturdy books. I have had this one over a year. You have to draw everything but I like that. They also sell the holders.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Street11]

I use books made by My Caddie Pro. They have a website and sell by packs or individually. Very nice sturdy books. I have had this one over a year. You have to draw everything but I like that. They also sell the holders. IMG_4935.JPGIMG_4936.JPGIMG_4937.JPGIMG_4938.JPG

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Oh that's great! How many courses can you fit into one pack?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[MDGolfHacker]

I use books made by My Caddie Pro. They have a website and sell by packs or individually. Very nice sturdy books. I have had this one over a year. You have to draw everything but I like that. They also sell the holders. IMG_4935.JPG IMG_4936.JPG IMG_4937.JPG IMG_4938.JPG

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Now that's pretty cool! When I first started out, I just picked up those small top bound spiral pocket notebooks to keep notes in. I wrote everything in there plus drew a few greens on courses I would play again, stats on how I played, course conditions, etc. Now my sky caddie holds most of the stats I keep and doesn't slow me down like it did when I wrote out everything.

 

MDGolfHacker

[JAGolfore]

Oh that's great! How many courses can you fit into one pack?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

In Each book you can keep one course. They come in packs all they way up to 10 books. Not a bad deal depending on how many courses you want to keep.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[JAGolfore]

Now that's pretty cool! When I first started out, I just picked up those small top bound spiral pocket notebooks to keep notes in. I wrote everything in there plus drew a few greens on courses I would play again, stats on how I played, course conditions, etc. Now my sky caddie holds most of the stats I keep and doesn't slow me down like it did when I wrote out everything.

 

MDGolfHacker

I did the same thing in high school. I use these more for reference on my home course and use them all the time in events when gps may not be used.

 

Having a good gps and laser makes it easy to make these things very accurate.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Golfspy_CG2]

I use books made by My Caddie Pro. They have a website and sell by packs or individually. Very nice sturdy books. I have had this one over a year. You have to draw everything but I like that. They also sell the holders. IMG_4935.JPGIMG_4936.JPGIMG_4937.JPGIMG_4938.JPG

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

That's very cool!!

[JAGolfore]

Not that this matters much but Coobs Golf makes very nice holders as well. I did a review last year. They are all 40% off right now. $19 each.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy