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