| Putting is a combination of the mind, reading and | | | | walk all the way up the line, read from behind the hole, |
| execution. I have maintained my 12 handicap over the | | | | then walk down the other side of the line and read |
| last twenty years simply by increasing my prowess on | | | | from behind the ball towards the hole. Your feet and |
| the green, while age has negatively impacted most of | | | | balance during this trek will tell you more than any |
| the other parts of my game. This article deals with the | | | | other thing. If I have any questions remaining, I have no |
| second aspect of the putting triad, reading greens. | | | | problem trampling right up my line to get a better feel. |
| A golf green is like a book, not a sentence. If you are | | | | Let us be honest. When is that last time a footprint |
| on a strange course and didn't take a couple minutes | | | | deflected your ball? |
| on the practice green, it is like you are opening up a | | | | Hopefully one or more of the other players in your |
| mystery novel at chapter 14 instead of the first page. | | | | group will have to putt before you. Caution: All putting |
| That's fine if you want to learn the "plot" during the | | | | strokes are different. Some players cut the ball, some |
| next few chapters/greens, but your score and | | | | hook, some bounce or backspin, some decelerate. But |
| countenance will reflect your early confusion. | | | | watching all these putts will help you. It doesn't matter if |
| Let us assume that you took a little time on the | | | | they are on your line or not. The most value you get |
| practice green before assaulting the course. Do not try | | | | will be watching what happens to their balls around the |
| to fix flaws in your putting technique during your few | | | | hole. Example: If someone putts well off your line and |
| minutes practicing. Instead, determine two things: | | | | the ball slows quickly, his putt was uphill and yours will |
| 1) The speed of the green (stimp) | | | | have to break toward him at the hole. |
| 2) How much the ball breaks at that green speed. | | | | Other terrific clues to help you determine the slant of |
| So instead of concentrating on draining putts, get a | | | | the green along your line are background structures |
| solid feel for the speed. Try various distances along | | | | and terrain. Look for houses, lakes, ocean, and horizon. |
| with uphill, downhill and side hill. Remember how much | | | | All of these are true to the world. |
| your ball breaks on your regular course. The amount | | | | Early in the day, you may still have dew on the greens |
| of break for the same grade on a different course is | | | | for several holes, even after they were mowed. The |
| linear with the difference in speed. | | | | marks left in the dew by previous putts will help to |
| Example: If you have to putt 20% softer on this | | | | some extent. You will not be able to tell if these putts |
| different course, your ball will break 20% more for a | | | | were blown by the hole in many cases, so just get the |
| given length of putt. Why? Gravity has that much | | | | trend from the marks. |
| more time to pull your ball downhill because you had to | | | | We need to address grain of the grass. My opinion of |
| hit it slower. A ten-inch break on your home course will | | | | grain: Most announcers love to talk about it on TV |
| now break twelve inches. | | | | because it is a nuance that most amateurs don't think |
| Ok, we are on the course and you have hit the green | | | | about, care about or know much about. The |
| with your approach shot. As you walk toward the | | | | announcers talk about it like newscasters hype hot |
| green, take in the whole scene. Greens are built to | | | | stories. The problem is, the more attention you pay to |
| shed water, not to hold it and have water pool every | | | | grain, the less attention you pay to factors that actually |
| time the green is watered or when it rains. There is a | | | | mean something. When you begin to get helped by |
| scheme to remove water from all greens. Look over | | | | dealing with the grain, join the Hooters Tour. |
| the whole green to see where to water will run off. | | | | Should you play the wind? Unless it is howling, wind is a |
| This can be more than one place. Hint: On hilly or | | | | very minor factor influencing your ball on the green. Put |
| mountainous courses, 95% of the time water will flow | | | | your hand down next to the green to prove to |
| away from the hill. | | | | yourself how much the wind on your face gets |
| If there is a pond, stream, etc. near the green, the | | | | knocked down all the way down to the ground. I think |
| water run-off scheme will almost always be designed | | | | you will find the effect will always be less than one |
| to allow water to eventually drain to it. Ever hear the | | | | inch along a twenty-foot putt. |
| phrase, "Breaks toward the water"? | | | | All of these factors are going to work on your |
| Greens are also generally built to make us feel good, | | | | subconscious and you will generally develop a "gut |
| so most will have a slant toward the tee box in order | | | | feel". As I talked about in a preceding article, you must |
| to better hold approach shots. Beware of the slope of | | | | not discount this feeling. You can read the green. Begin |
| the green near greenside bunkers. There will normally | | | | your focus immediately following your approach shot |
| be some slope away from the bunker for a distance. | | | | to the green. Use all the clues and believe in your skill. |
| Now you are on the green and "reading". I always | | | | You CAN read greens! |