Anyone know anything to help me read greens better?

[giddyupgaz]

OK, I have finally realised i am a crap putter because I have no idea what way the ball is going to break!
I am sure this has not always been the case but putts from 10 feet out i am hitting to get them close and hope I have stumbled on the line, no confidence at all in my thought pattern.

Is there a way of improving this or do i just have to stumble my way through this period and hope that it comes back to me?

Help

[BrisVegas]

you're in Vic, so presumably putting on bent greens? You don't even have to worry about grain. I can't help you. Take up lawn bowls. :wink:

[giddyupgaz]

Hmm, seems like a good option

[Chris32]

I was told once to to imagine how water would run off the green in front of you.

If you can work out which way the water will run, then you are well on the way into working out how the slopes and angles will effect the roll of your pill

I've found this helpful on short puts

[giddyupgaz]

Sounds simple enough to be right, anything is worth having a go at the minute - I'm just plain guessing

[Ferrins]

Try this

[giddyupgaz]

Could work not sure it would fit in the stand bag though

[Toolish]

2 things come to mind.

1. Don't look for break that isn't there.
2. Commit to whatever line you decide on, even if it is "I don't know which way this goes so I am going to hit it straight".

Once you start doing this you will work out how bad your green reading is. I have been there, thought I couldn't read greens. Then realised I never really commited to line or pace of the putt and ended up not hitting where I had read it anyway.

Oh, another thing, pace is massive in green reading. Hit 10 x 10-15ft putts on the practice green, see how many finish between the hole and 18 inches past it. Once you can consistently do that finding the line will become easier.

[mike]

Get one of these ...


http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/150419_lg.jpg

[zigwah]

Mate, i have a few tips i could show you.

[virge666]

Google Zero line putting - one of my favourite for people who cannot read greens.

It is also on theputtingzone.com

[giddyupgaz]

Cheers guys,

thanks for the input, not sure how all this started but really have lost confidence in getting the line right. and believe be the spirit level thing would have to help that how bad I am going.

[Smithy]

http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2009/10/10_rules_jim_mackay

[markTHEblake]

Do you stand behind the line of the putt and have a look?

[giddyupgaz]

Funny you should mention that, yes mate I do.

I have just had a few rounds in a row where i have mis-read putts and it is starting to take annoying to a new level. I have good distance control I am fairly sure I'm not legally blind but I seem to be missing some subtle breaks even on my home track due to being a piss poor reader of the short grass. Was just hoping for a few tips

[markTHEblake]

The course i play has lots of whacked out breaks that seem to go the opposite way, you cant pick those from looking from behind, because sometimes the surrounding ground if on a slope really messes with your head. You need to ask the old locals, there may be a trend that all or certain greens break in a certain direction, like towards the water.

Also do you wear tinted glasses playing golf?

if yes, make sure they are brown.
If no, get brown ones.

Grey/dark glasses flatten out contours, brown enhances contours and improves depth perception.

[giddyupgaz]

I wear sunnies, fairly sure they are not brown so i will have another excuse to go shopping - cheers and thanks for the advice

[AndyP]

Start thinking about which way the putt will break as you approach the green. You can get a general feel of the landscape surrounding the green, and the greens usually break the way that is downhill (but not always).

[Tongueboy]

also try just looking at your putt,commit to your first impression of what it does and pull the trigger. don't have a practice stroke a la Baddely.

makes it simple and works for me(sometimes)

[giddyupgaz]

OK, I'm playing today so I am going to give the "commit to your first impression, believe in your line and pull the trigger" idea a run. What's the worst that can happen? Not like I haven't had a 3 or a 4 stab before, may even be better today. Too late to find any brown frames sunnies, it is a pain in the ring being a country boy sometimes, and not looking good for carrying a spirit level so this is all I have, i must believe.

[giddyupgaz]

well I tried to look at the green from walking in yesterday, and then studied more around the ball and hole as others lined up their putts and the results were amazing - a very good day with a resurrected old Anser style putter and the putting mojo is back. Bagged 4 birdies for the round (to compliment the same amount of doubles) to have my best round in a few months.

Thanks for the help guys, sometimes it just pays to ask.

[AndyP]

Excellent. Let's hope it isn't just a honeymoon.

[giddyupgaz]

Oh please don;t put that thought in my head, I really think that I just got lazy and took a few too many things for granted. Getting back to basics was what i needed to do and the results will follow i am sure.

[Chris32]

his bags are packed he's got an airplane ticket, bring him to the airport, send him home

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZaqXSzF-ic&feature=PlayList&p=69FBB0E21F3D5450&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=39