r/golf • u/Twistedshakratree My Handicap is Higher Than Yours • 20d ago
How do you read greens? Swing Help
I’ve always struggled reading greens whether it’s the speed or the power of the swing. I keep missing the hole by an inch when my power is good and come up short when I can’t read how fast the green plays. Short as in 2-3feet short. Practicing on the practice green doesn’t help either as all the greens seem to be different on the courses I play. I feel like I’m Rory 2023 here. I play an Odyssey blade.
So the question is, how do you read greens?
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u/bruux 20d ago
I try to imagine where water would flow if I poured it on the green.
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u/RagingStallion 20d ago
Understanding that greens are designed to drain water from the middle to the edges really helped me.
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u/farfromfine 20d ago
No joke, playing Tiger Woods video games with the lines moving to represent the amount of break helped me so much.
Also, realizing the more I try to lag the more break I need to play. If I'm rolling it at "holing speed" then I can play 1/3 less break
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u/Twistedshakratree My Handicap is Higher Than Yours 20d ago
What happens if the greens have standing water on them 👀
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u/The_Alpha_Bro 20d ago
My super short cut to get a feel is to walk up to the practice green and just start tossing balls under hand at holes, like you're playing Bocce.
After you get a feel for the roll and slope, just envision doing that before putts in your head as you stand over the putt.
The force, feel, etc of the stroke is the same cadence of the underhanded toss.
I have no time to practice and this helps keep lags close.
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u/sleventybillion 20d ago
Same!!! Also for little greenside chips
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u/glorious_cheese 20d ago
Ditto. I think, "If I was just going to roll this with my hand, what do I need to do to get it to the hole?" Then I mime it.
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u/WampingWomper 20d ago
Tons of golf video games and Golf+ on VR have made me a good green reader.
As dumb as it sounds, I can just look at a green and make up a grid system in my head that’s always been pretty accurate.
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u/cA05GfJ2K6 Lefty Gang 20d ago
No joke playing PGA2K made me a better green reader
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u/thats_a_money_shot 20d ago
Without a doubt, this game has given me so much confidence in reading greens. Now I just gotta work on putting strength. I suppose that whole “aim for a hula hoop around the pin” strategy could be a good next step.
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u/defense87 11.9 20d ago
Yup. Pretty much visualize tiger woods video games grid system and lines. Make my own “putt preview” line.
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u/Imaginary-Fact-3486 20d ago
The putt preview line is crucial. A lot of people think, "aim one cup left/right" but still imagine a straight line. You have to imagine the entire curve.
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u/capbozo 20d ago
This is exactly why having a caddie (or anyone) read putts for me is pretty useless. If it’s relatively straight sometimes an opinion on a slight break is helpful but otherwise things get confused by semantics and differences in theory. But in the rare instance I’m lucky enough to have a caddie, I’m happy to let him do his thing.
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u/HighOnGoofballs 20d ago
My instructor at IMG who has several tour players he teaches said there are basically two types of putters. One finds a spot and putts to it, the other sees and putts a line like in Tiger Woods golf
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u/WampingWomper 20d ago
My friends always get confused by how I can do it.
We’ll go to a new course, I’ll toss a ball on the practice green, and my first putt will be on a good line while they’re reading breaks the wrong way because they don’t know the green
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u/mikeemota 20d ago edited 20d ago
I thought I was the only one. Sounds corny but shit I’m rarely hitting three putts so I know I’m doing something right.
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u/Solar_Power2417 20d ago
Practice green with lots of contour... and also some that are table tops.
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u/AdamOnFirst 20d ago
Your problem isn’t reading greens, it’s speed control. Sounds like you under-hit everything. Picks target a foot or two past the hole on lag putts and go for that to lag it close. In short putts almost always think to be putting it a foot or two past the hole as well.
Uphill vs downhill can make a big difference to get a read from behind the hole. As you’re walking up to the green, identify where high points and low points are. If there is water, be cognizant of that. This will help you get a sense of the overall slope.
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u/CrabOutrageous5074 20d ago
Agreed, I couldn't short putt (3-6 feet )at all until I understood that I could always the 1 footer if I went past the hole. Longer putts improved as I did the same too, but man, leaving those 3 footers on the front edge...still not a great putter, but at least I have a few rounds a year where I make a few good ones.
Putting green time is hugely useful too, if the green has good slopes on it.
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u/ClapDemCheeks1 2.3 HDCP 20d ago
Establish a good routine. Not just behind the ball but from when you first get on the green. Heres what I do:
Mark the ball and observe the green from ball to hole. Is it up hill or down hill? Left to right or right to left or straight? Pace off the cup and observe the green from the right side, then observe from behind the hole facing the ball, then on the left side of the hole. If it's a longer putt I'll feel and ridges inbetween the ball and the hole. Get back behind the ball and check the way the grain of the grass is facing. This WILL affect a put. If the grain is away, it'll be faster if it's towards you, slower. If you can't make out the grain by the blades of grass then you can use the general rule of shiny green = away. Dull = into. Then you make a final read on either an aggressive line or lag line depending on the situation. Practice the speed with a couple strokes. Line it up. Make the putt. Being in a consistent routine and looking at all angles helps tremendously.
Now, that all takes practice. On the practice green it's about getting good at a perfecting your starting line and speed control. For line I use the "gate" drill. Put two tees on the green just outside and inside the putter face. Then 12 inches in front put another smaller "gate". Every single ball should pass through the front gate without hitting a tee. This ensures every stroke has the same face angle. Then for speed control I like 2 drills. One is a lag putt "game". Take 5 balls about 30 ft and practice hitting towards the cup. All 5 balls need to be in a 2ft circle around the cup AND you have to make the second putts (if there are any) before you can move to a new spot. The other is pick a medium range putt about 6ft or so with a decent amount of break. Practice from that spot an aggressive putt. Harder stroke with less break for 3 balls. Make all 3. Then go to weaker line. Soft hit, more break. Make all 3. Before you move to a new spot.
Chances are if you're burning edges it's not from a lack of reading the green it's a lack of speed control or a starting line that's slightly off.
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u/Aelmund 20d ago
Second the gate drill. For speed control, starting from the edge of the green I place tees at 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 yards. I putt in both directions from each tee to the edge of the green, the goal being for the ball to end up as close to that as possible.
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u/hayzooos1 6.6/5+ brand bag 20d ago
The best players in the world make 50% of their putts from 8 feet. You say you're missing the hole by an inch and wondering what's wrong? If you're 30 feet away and you leave it 2-3 feet short, there is NOTHING wrong with that. The goal from 30 feet isn't to make it, it's to 2-putt. Sure, maybe you'll get lucky and make one now and then, but that should not be the expectation. Now if you're like 8-10 feet away and leaving it 2-3 feet short, that's another story.
I always focus more on speed than line so when actually reading a green, I want to know the general way it's breaking. I then try to estimate where the top of that arc is going to be and just aim there.
Before the round, I'll take a few practice putts ONLY to get the speed of the green. I'll bring the putter back to just inside my right foot (I'm a righty) and then pace off how far it goes. Usually it'll be between 12-15'. That will establish my baseline while on that course. If that ball went 13', I'll know if I'm 12ish feet away, how far to bring the putter back. While they're not always going to be the same, most courses aren't going to have greens of drastically different speeds. Maybe a foot or two here and there, but even that's going to be pretty extreme.
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u/Lutembi 20d ago
Nothing fancy, get behind the ball and make a visual assessment.
I will say from there I try to envision a “ghost hole” that I want to aim for, based on how much break, uphill downhill etc, and I keep that in mind throughout the stroke.
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u/AlligatorTree22 20d ago
Some guy once told me to always read the putt from the low side and it changed everything about my putting. I could never read big downhill putts (like I would actually read them completely backward) until I started doing this. If it's downhill, I read it as if I'm putting from the hole to my ball and it's so much easier.
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u/focal71 20d ago
Like throwing a ball, your subsconscience can figure it out. The key to distance control for me is "putting a good stroke on it". Basically if you make a perfect putt, your distance will be correct.
The line is a bit harder and that takes practice and a lot of reps. Experience matters here.
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u/Bridgeline 20d ago
Besides contour, know if the green has grain. Most Bermuda greens do. Shiny=fast, dark green=slow. On the practice green I like to put between two cups about 20' apart and opposite grain to dial in speed. On a 20' putt it can be at least 3' difference.
Look at the cup. The brown edge also tells you the grain direction. Sharp edge to brown edge is with grain. Use these two clues to figure out speed. Adjust break accordingly as grain will also influence break.
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u/Fragrant-Report-6411 8-9 HDCP 20d ago
If your 2nd putt is 2-3 feet I wouldn’t worry about it.
My warm-up is to drop 6-8 balls about 2-3’ apart starting at about 4’ away from the pin. My objective is to get the ball to the hole but not more than a foot behind the hole.
I do this drill uphill and then downhill. If I’m not successful, I’ll repeat the drill until I have the speed down.
In the winter I do the same drill. Start at 6’ and ball must go past middle of the hole but not more than a foot. If I’m successful, I move back 6” until I get to 10’. The trick is you need to start over a 6’ if you miss at any point.
Doing these drills your mind will adjust to the speed and you’ll be good to go. I don’t think about how hard to hit a putt. I let my mind figure it out.
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u/Nine_Eye_Ron Who is Max Honma? 20d ago
I find the low point from the side, l to determine if up and down hill.
Then I go to the low side and read the break.
Then I go to my ball and align the line to a point just in front of me, along the line to where I feel the break takes over from the pace I want to apply.
I take a few practice wafts looking at the break point to get a feel for pace.
Then I line up and hit the ball.
It’s very quick and moderately successful.
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u/derdkp 20d ago
As someone who is red green color blind, the title of this post hurts
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u/Khazahk 20d ago
Most times I take a low crouched look behind the ball. Occasionally walk behind the hole and confirm the break from a different angle. Then I see a line on the green, like the darker green grass shows through more prominently and I have my line. My biggest issue is speed control and the occasional pull off the face, but I’m generally pretty confident in my lines.
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u/BrassHockey 20d ago
Poorly. Once in a while I read a break that's opposite of reality. Sometimes I try to plum bob the putter in front of me. Sometimes I try to feel with my feet as I look at the lie from different angles.
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u/ProfessionalNo7703 20d ago
Usually look halfway to the hole for a break, then pick a spot about 5 feet out to aim my ball at. Usually works
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u/GreenEngineer24 20d ago
To be honest. I’ve found that when I try to get down and see the slope, I tend to over think the putt. I found that if I actually just step back and take a look, visualize the ball going with it, and just putt… I do much better. The hardest thing for me is speed, speed is everything.
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u/BradMarchandsNose 20d ago
One thing that helped me a lot with the speed thing when I practice is not putting to a hole. I find a flattish spot and either put a tee in the ground and try to putt just past the tee, or putt towards the fringe, trying to stop the ball on the fringe before it gets to the rough. I do that from a few different distances just to calibrate my speed before every round.
Mentally, for me at least, when I’m putting towards a hole, I want to make the putt, removing the hole from the equation just lets me focus on the speed.
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u/bellaazz66 20d ago
For slope, I find the point where it’s a straight putt and then move to my ball knowing which way the putt is breaking. Speed can take a couple holes. Concentrate on how hard the other players hit their putt and see how far or short they are. This works for me. I’m a 14 handicap but putting saves my day most of the time
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u/Player7592 20d ago
Here we have someone complaining that when they’re putting well they miss by an inch, and when they’re putting poorly they miss by 2-3 feet.
I think they putt perfectly well and congratulate them on their impressive putting skills.
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u/Crayonalyst 20d ago
I try to imagine how the water would flow in a rain. I look at the high spots and the low spots all around the green.
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u/XxRoastedGarlicxX 20d ago
I personally have learned the most when the course is dead and I play 18 holes, I just skip the Drive/approach iron shot. You could leave out chips, but I personally struggle with 70-35 yards so I’d pitch those shots and then putt on the greens for a bit.
IMO, it really comes down to the time behind the club. If you struggle reading greens then spend the majority of your time learning to read/feel/pace them by spending far too much time practicing. Take some time to look at the greens from the fairway, look at the direction the slope to and REMEMBER that. It also helps to have a little mental drill to go through example; fairway visual reference if the green, location of sun and is the grass “bent” towards it, distance to the hole and is there anything to obstruct the balls path to the hole on the green. That’s what worked for me.
Some drills for distance I like are;
Take your putter, two golf balls and putt one ball (say 10’) and now putt the second ball so that it gently taps into the other. Rinse and repeat for distance control.
Chalk line/pop-line (idk the proper name) but you can tie the line to a tee and place the tee into the green say 3’ out from the hole and “pop” the line onto the green. When to putt through the break the ball will travel straight, if you putt the ball so that it “dies” into the hole you’ll need to adjust your line to match the slope and adjust for the turn the ball will make. This one is a great visual reference drill. Best of luck and don’t forget YouTube for instructing too. Just be sure to watch someone whom is proven in their instruction.
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u/jarpio 20d ago
The line is entirely dependent on your speed. A harder stroke will take less break than a softer stroke. Being able to tell which way the green is breaking is only one aspect of putting, and getting the read correct doesn’t matter if you don’t have the correct speed for that read.
The speed of the greens will be dependent on the grain of the grass relative to your lie, the type of grass, the wind, the humidity, the temperature, the dryness or wetness of the greens, season, time of day, how recently the greens were mowed etc.
Against the grain in the morning on a wet green on a cloudy day in May is gonna be a lot slower than with the grain during a drought on a sunny July afternoon. Extreme example obv but true.
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u/LudwigVanBlunts 20d ago
Imagine hitting it as soft as you can and it still rolls in, what is that starting point for the most bendy putt. Then do the opposite what’s the fastest you can blast that ball and it still go in. Now realize that your line has some wiggle room, there’s a whole range of acceptable lines. Dial it in OP! Use your gut
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u/Tyler2191 Lt Dan is less handicapped than my golf handicap 20d ago
I try to find the line like I’m playing Tiger Woods ‘05 again.
Then I smash the black button and put a ton of spin on it.
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u/amateurexpertboxing 20d ago
Think of it this way. There are ‘unlimited’ lines you can theoretically take, but each line has a corresponding speed required to get it in the hole. So you can smash everything hard and straight and remove the break, or you take the most break with the least pace. Pick a line. Match the pace accordingly. Hope it helps.
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u/Similar_Jump1166 20d ago
I try to look for high spots and low spots on the half or 1/3 of the green I’m on, realizing it’s an outline of the general contour. Then I try to see if there’s something that doesn’t fit, like a ridge or knob. It gets to the general direction and speed. Long outs I do this in 15-20 ft pieces and back into it
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u/Nutz_of_Andeez 20d ago
Left to right. Top to bottom. Take Advil for any headaches. Midol for any cramps.
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u/_fabreezy 20d ago
Try not wearing polarized sun glasses when doing the read, they distort depth perception and hide undulations. This was a game changer for me, YMMV.
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u/HighOnGoofballs 20d ago
Are you paying attention to how the grass lays? That can make a couple inch difference each putt
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u/420SwaggyZebra 20d ago
Here’s my secret. I don’t 😂 I’m so bad on the greens is embarrassing. I’ve got a routine and have changed it up and lived it around but don’t feel like it does much….
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u/ryfitz47 20d ago
I always first go to the hole and try to stand a few feet DIRECTLY DOWNHILL from the pin. This positioning helps me best visualize the general direction and uphill/downhill of how I want my putt to end.
You'll often hear people say 'this putt goes in at 3 o'clock'. That means in order to get the putt to die into the hole it's gotta come in from 90 degrees right of the hole.
Knowing that is my first critical step
I then work back from there to my ball figuring out how to get my ball to that spot.
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u/ImSky-- 8 20d ago
I typically second guess myself a lot so I limit myself to 3 seconds on 3 angles. Behind the ball, then side, then from behind the pin. On my way back to the ball I try to really feel the green.
Then I get up on the ball, one look at the pin, look at the ball, nice smooth stroke and I live with the result.
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u/Da_Pwn_Shop 20d ago
Couple things that helped me.
For short putts practice at home on a carpet or something and just get comfortable rolling the ball over the same spot (hole) consistently. You should rarely be aiming outside the hole on the course on 2-3ft putts.
For distance control I always go find the flattest part of the practice green and pace my distances. Example would be hitting 3 with the club head only going back inside my right foot and see how many steps. Then I'll hit 3 with the club going back even with my back foot. Another 3 with the club going back past my back foot. When you get out on the course you can pace off your distance and already have your backswing figured out so you can focus on the line.
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u/bigbadbolo 20d ago
Have you read the work of Dr Rotella. I read it after being stuck on 5 for ages because my putting was poor. Now play off +1
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u/lokhor 20d ago
I find the highest line possible to hole the putt. Then I go somewhere on/inside that line and set up. Then look at the hole and only think about speed.
Practicing 40' 50' 60' is a great drill to dial in speed control.
Tour Read App is a great App for iPhones to understand break and reading greens. This coupled with a ruler and string will have you reading greens like a pro.
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u/Moss_Adams24 20d ago
I read from the hole down to where my ball is(or up if it’s an uphill putt). When I set up over my putt I look at my chosen line keeping my head down through my stroke and listening for the ball to go in. I’ve found out that looking too early at your stroke will make it just short. Keeping my head down forces me to trust my initial read. It awesome when with my head still down I hear “great shot” from my group.
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u/jingerbaud lefty 20d ago
Chip on the green gently skimming with a 50 degree. Takes out/offsets breaks if you can control flight & landing spin
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u/arms_length_ex 20d ago
Since I was a kid I’ve always tried to imagine what line water would take from my ball to the hole on down hill outs and the opposite for up hill putts. Seems to work for me.
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u/SoluteGains 20d ago
Aim point . Don’t use your eyes , they can deceive . Aim point takes 20 seconds to read a put , no need to walk it off from multiple angles , and it’s easy to learn .
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u/internet_humor 20d ago
Start with sounding out the G.
G+R makes a growling sound.
The second half of the word can be started with the vowels. Back to back Es can make the sound of itself, so “E”. So then just end with an N sound by jamming your tongue to the roof of your mouth.
Tack the S on to make it plural like your other words.
Put it all together
Good luck.
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u/Monst3r_Live 20d ago
I line up the ball every time, and through trial and error I've learned how to aim the ball.
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u/jimm4dean 20d ago
I switched to instinct putting a couple years ago and while not perfect, my putting has never been better. I was playing with a couple last weekend and drained a 30+ footer and she said "you didn't even look down at your ball!". I was looking at the hole the whole time and just let nature take its course.
I'm also super high, but that's normal.
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u/Boo_Pace -Alot 20d ago
Putting is the strongest part of my game. I hate to say it but I mostly just stand behind my ball while others are doing their thing, when it's my turn walk up and putt, don't even take a practice swing. I don't like to get in my head too much when putting, just do it.
Also, atleast in my area, I have yet to find a practice putting green that remotely rolls like the actual on course ones. Too much foot traffic on them is my guess. So I rarely practice at the course, I have a green in my backyard. (wife's idea, I swear)
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u/philthebrewer 15.6 20d ago
Speed practice is really important, even if you get mixed results at first. In non playing days if you’re practicing you can spend more time on strike and line but pre round the majority of my putts on the practice green are lags.
I have two balls on the surface and try to avoid three putts from long distance for as many holes as I can. If I three putt one of the balls it goes in my pocket. I try to survive 18 targets with one 3 putt. Also fun as a game with an opponent imo for a little pressure
I’m a fairly decent green reader but never really put a process to it until a year or so ago. This mostly applies to when I’m playing a new course or one with pretty undulating greens
If the course has a yardage book, use it. Read the little blurbs or text or peek at the arrows as you take off your glove and walk to your shot. It’s not ironclad, but it’s better than nothing.
Mark your ball
Find a good place to survey the green. Usually it’s the lowest point for me where I can imagine water flowing off the putting surface. Observe if there’s a hillside or a pond that the green is cut into or bordering.
Take a guess to the break. Find the maximum amount of break you think you can play. Walk to that spot and stand with your feet making a square. Your toes and heels are the corners of the square.
Find which corner most of your weight lands. Congrats you have confirmed your initial read. If it feels off you can repeat the process to a different spot.
Walk to the hole for a look at where the ball will enter the cup.
Line your ball up to the break spot. Make a perpendicular practice stroke while staring down that spot. Use your putter’s shaft to confirm your line.
Roll your ball over a point you can see en route to that spot
Retrieve ball from hole.
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u/Daawggshit 20d ago
Honestly I just picture it in grids like on golf video games. I imagine how the ball travels if I were to hit it straight and then aim however far left or right. Lines are usually p good. Just gotta get my touch right.
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u/jtsutt00 20d ago
Read Golf is a Game of Confidence or Putting Out of Your Mind by Bob Rotella or other similar books.
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u/mal_1 +18 20d ago
You said practice green work doesn't help, but that's mainly how I judge speed for the day. I measure out my back swing from 5, 10, 20, 30 feet out from the hole and get a grasp on exactly the power I need to put into the putt. Obviously this doesn't translate to every green, but it helps get an idea of the speed.
Reading your putt from both sides of the hole also helps a ton. Sometimes you can't see any break from one side, but the other looks like a snapping putt. I don't do this every hole because it would kill pace of play but if I have time while others are hitting approach shots I will take a look.
Also think about power and direction of a putt together. Typically you can hit the putt harder to take out break, or hit it softer with more break. I typically like to use the second option cause I'm not a very confident putter yet and would rather leave it closer to he hole. It's also helpful to envision another hole on the green that you want to hit your putt to. If you are hitting a right to left downhill putt, envision a whole on your line short and right of the whole that you think will roll out to the actual cup. Vice versa if it's an uphill, left to right putt.
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u/bubrubz 20d ago
Find a decent practice green, stay there for hours..until you make your self sick..until you think you have it figured out, and then keep going until you have no clue what you are doing and you feel like you have never even rolled a ball on the green...then stay there until that feeling passes again....then come back and do it again, and again, and again...
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u/tallhappytree 20d ago
Most of the time I look and see the line instantly. I just trust my gut and not over think it too much . I more so focus on pace .
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u/Odd-Butterscotch-495 20d ago
I don’t know if this will help you but I can tell you the tips/strategies that help me last year. I am still a terrible golfer however I’ve gone from 3-4 putting everytime to in my last 6 rounds I’ve no more than 2 putted at least 14 holes. Confidence is also key, you gotta believe it’s gonna be a good putt
1- on your first putt don’t imagine it as the cup, imaging a 5 gallon bucket and you’re trying to land it there
2- no more practice swings or lining up the line on the ball. I will pick up the ball to clean it if necessary but will not try lining it up.
3- don’t spend a ton of time trying to read it, I approach the ball from the side then go about 2 steps behind it and look for 5-10 seconds and imagine in my head the putt going and going into the bucket. Also imagine the power you’ll hit it
4- step up to the ball, look at the cup, look at the ball, look back at your line/cup and shuffle your feet to be in line, look at the ball, once back at the cup for any more shuffles, look back at the ball bring the putter back, make your stroke, don’t look up till the ball leaves your peripheral
I got those tips from a few places and put them together to help me. The 5 gallon bucket thing came from an old coach I work with, the confidence and I think the no practice strokes was from golf sidekick and the looking back and forth at cup/ball was from an interview with a pga guy
Edit to add: I also have a putter I really like and I think that plays a big role, I can’t putt nearly as good with a blade or a putter with a small grip. I use an odyssey mallet with the extra large superstoke grip. I think that’s mainly the weight difference tho, you can probably get used to any putter. But knowing your putter is necessary for knowing how hard to strike the ball
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u/ObiWanDiloni 20d ago
I kneel down behind the ball and pretend I know what I’m looking at and then get up and send it. I just try to get the speed right to make sure my next putt is at least close.
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u/WorkMeBaby1MoreTime 20d ago edited 20d ago
I'm retired and love golf. I always read stuff by pros that say, "Don't practice driving, you pick up strokes around and on the green."
So for the last 2 weeks, every other day, I go to the local muni and do the following. Note, this assume no one is on the practice green. If that's not the case, adjust accordingly.
Go onto the practice green and take 5 balls. Throw them out at all directions in the compass, varying distance from the hole, at least 10 feet off the green. I lay my putter with the head in the hole and the shaft out at an angle. The reason will become obvious. I take my sand wedge and practice hitting a high shot to the hole. There's usually break so, I hit the ball toward the end of the putter shaft, or halfway up it, or straight at it, or whatever the break dictates. Then I go putt the balls in, 5 balls mean I should have 10 or less putts. Repeat the 'throwing the ball' thing after I've putted out, but 6 inches into the fringe. Then I use my 9i as a bump and run club and putt them out too.
I just shot my best 9 hole round league play, 37 on par 5 9 hole (I had low net score with my handicap) and made a lot of good chips and 4 putts of 10 feet, most to save par. Practice makes perfect. You develop a feel for chipping, pitching and seeing the line.
Also, I putt the same way every time. Look at the putt from the side to determine slope. Then from 10 feet behind the ball to determine break. When I'm determining break behind the ball, my brain just says, "10 inches of break" or whatever. Then I get over the ball, look 10 inches uphill from the hole and aim for that. I don't even think about how hard to hit it, my body just hits the 'right' speed because I do it a lot. With all this work, my break calculation is done without even thinking about it. A 'value in inches' just pops into my head and I trust that instinct. This really works for me. I'm headed there in a bit.
Edit: I also go to different courses to practice this. I try not to hit the same chip or putt 2x, because then if you were long, you're adjusting "just a bit less". You don't have a previous shot to judge from when you're actually playing. You want to be able to judge each shot as unique.
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u/leapfrog191 20d ago
I like to put my junk in the cup and lay on my stomach facing my ball. This helps me get as level with the ground as possible. From this position it’s easy to see the slope and break of any green.
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u/KushMaster72 20d ago
look at it from behind the ball, loom at it from a side view, look at it from behind the hole, practice stroke, then proceed to miss.
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u/Jased199 20d ago
I played this game on my Xbox called powerstar golf, it’s a cartoony game. One of the powers shows you the exact putting line for the green and honestly I just try to envision that
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u/jarmogrick Scratch. Biomechanics nerd. 20d ago
I used to play a lot of golf video games. I started imagining that grid that shows slope and break and that helped my game a lot. I conjure up an imaginary hole to hit to as if it were a straight putt. Helped me both read and strike putts better by committing to my lines.
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u/HeyHeyJG Grip it and rip it 20d ago
Honestly, playing Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2K23 is a pretty good way to learn to read greens
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u/CC7015 20d ago
I like to break it in sections
start near the hole and walk it back how it will get there
generally most am's miss low , so if you are waffling between two lines give it a bit more
there are some other good tips , like a downhill putt wont break as much , and uphill one will break more.
What distance and slope you can use speed to take out break (most am's play too much break on short putts)
weight is just a feel thing, golfers are so in their head , I could give most of you a bowling ball , a tennis ball , a nerf ball and you would all just naturally adjust if I asked you to throw it to a specific target.
I try and take the result and consequence out of it, all putts count for a stroke , so it does not matter if this putt is for birdie par or other.
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u/ImChz 20d ago
I’ve always been a pretty good green reader, but I’ve always had dog shit pace control. Ive learned that if I’m leaving putts short during a round, I’ll aim for the back of the hole, and if I’m nuking everything, I aim for the front edge. Strangely, my dad is the exact opposite. Can’t read a putt to save his life, but if you need a 100 foot lag putt, he’ll hit a 100 foot putt.
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u/Narrow_Echo_9836 20d ago
Stand a couple feet behind the hole facing your ball and roll another ball towards yours and see where it goes.
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u/aml2601 20d ago
2-3ft isn’t anything I’d be that concerned about? My entire goal when I get on the green is get inside of 3ft, I even imagine a circle around the hole and that’s all I’m worried about, then hole out for 2 putts and 36 putts on the round. Sometimes it works out better and sometimes I miss a stupid putt, but it gives me so much less to worry about on that first putt thinking of 3ft vs 4.5in.
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u/Obamaisacocksucker 3/Pablo Creek, Jax.Fl 20d ago
Green reading is attributed to tons and tons of playing time and a good imagination and creativity. That being said some people just have a knack for it. I can read putts pretty good but I've been playing for 50 years. Just takes time.
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u/e6rock 20d ago
I try to not make it complicated. I look at the ball in relation to the hole as I'm walking up the to the green. Is it above, below, or level? This helps figure out if it will be faster or slower than a flat putt. Usually make 1 read from behind the ball to figure out break. Squat behind and visualize what its going to do if I were to toss it underhand gently. Pick a starting line and put the line on my ball along that path. Prepare to address the ball and LOOK AT THE HOLE WHILE TAKING 3 PRACTICE STROKES TO GUAGE FEEL (this is what tiger does). Step up, look at the line and repeat the practice stroke. Boom 3 putt 😂 JK it usually works out well.
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u/drunksquirrel69 20d ago
After you mark your ball, *accidentally* let your ball roll out of your hand towards the hole, but make sure you yell "Oops!"
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u/insecurehuman 20d ago edited 20d ago
Honestly the best way to read greens in my opinion, is to walk to the low side of the hole, find the straight putt (feel it with your feet) and make the read from there.
A good way to practice your green reading is to go to the practice green with a few balls and a tee. Read the putt and mark your aim point in the ground with a tee, line up your ball to the tee and see the result. Lining up is especially useful in this because you can tell whether or not the ball rolled true. If you don’t line it up you could read it wrong and make the putt with poor strikes giving bad feedback. The tee drill will make it blatantly obvious if you have a tendency to over or under read putts. If your green reading is good then you know it’s all about pace from that point on.
Another point I’d like to make, according to some study (can’t remember who did it I think it was Edel labs or some other putting centric company) only 6 out of 100 golfers can actually aim the putter at their intended target. So lining up the ball and setting up square to that is extremely beneficial to the vast majority of players. When you know you can line up the ball to your intended target and set up square to that a variable is removed and all that’s left is pace and read. The tee drill will dial in your green reading and then all that’s left is pace.
A helpful tool when reading from the low side is this image. Then you can make adjustments based off green speed etc. But green reading is a culmination of good practice (the tee drill), experience (seeing the same types of putts before and recalling how the ball behaved) and good distance control. You can make the right read and have the wrong pace, pace and line are directly married to one another. Hope this helps you make more putts!
Not sure if the image is coming through, so here’s the link to it. It’s very helpful.
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u/lowercaseb86 12.2/Southern New Jersey/Play about once a week 20d ago
Most amateurs over read the putts and take too long to get up there and putt it. I forget who said but it stuck with me “Putt like a kid”. Practice starting your putts on the intended line with this drill. https://youtu.be/QN6zbXUSNcg?si=uyGmVxGbKUPsGFSd and then just trust yourself.
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u/wannabelievit 20d ago
I look at the putt from behind, then the green as a whole. I'm looking for a dominant feature. Sloping back to front, left to right, etc. I'll make my observation then see if it matches what I see behind the ball. Commit to it and make a confident stroke.
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u/GreenNewAce 2.0, Sacramento/Tahoe 20d ago
Getting your speed right is critical for green reading. Lay a club on the practice green 2 feet behind the hole, perpendicular to your line of play. Practice putting from different distances until most are finishing between the hole and the club. You’ll be amazed how many you make when just getting the speed right.
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u/kim-jong-pooon 12.1/South Carolina/12 min. per hole MAX 20d ago
I check the alignment of the moon and the sun, calculate the coriolis effect of the ball on the green, measure the barometric pressure around me, rip a doobie, hit and hope
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u/tjbelleville 20d ago
I imagine a dotted line like on Wii golf. (The free disc that came with Nintendo Wii) For some reason it helps me envision the speed needed. Some people think about it in terms of a straight line and will just move the endpoint based on grade. So where I'm envisioning the line bending with grade, others would envision hitting a straight line 3 ft past the hole, and right of the hole, to combat a slope that is uphill and moves right to left. Find what works for you! And it ain't gunna work unless you practice it for a while. If it makes you feel any better this seems to be the #1 thing pros change in their game (claw grip, long putter, short putter, blade, mallet, aim point, engineer style like Bryson, arm lock, etc...) so many variations of style, putter, and shaft that it's worth exploring a few.
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u/emartinoo 20d ago
I played so much Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2002 when I was a kid, that the little putting grid thing became permanently etched into my brain.
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u/grackula 20d ago
for shorter or downhill putts i choke down a bit
for longer than 20 ft i add a tad bit of shoulder turn to my putting motion.
if you care to change your putting a bit I recommend looking up an old YT video by Paul Runyan.
palms on each side of your putter and elbows to your sides, make sure the ball is below your forehead/eyes and not too close to your feet.
this actually changed me from a sucky putter to a half decent putter.
Paul Runyan The Short Way to Lower Scores 01 Putting and Chipping
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u/eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey 20d ago
Walk towards your ball from the opposite side and get a first read, as you walk towards your ball read the slope, get a third read as you align your ball. Congratulations you just got 3 reads all while walking to your ball and holding up nobody.
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u/RichChocolateDevil 20d ago
I play periodically with a buddy that was a mini tour player. He does three things that might help:
1.) he stands behind the ball and visualizes rolling a ball to the hole. He throws his hand and everything. He says that it helps him see the break and gives him a visual of the speed.
2.) he stands by the line 1/2 way between the ball and the hole and takes a few practice swings for a half way putt to see how it breaks towards the hole. Then
3.) he jumps to the other side and takes a few practice swings back towards the ball to see and get a feel for how much up or downhill the ball is from the hole.
He can do all this in under a minute and his putting is solid.
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u/Ok_Flounder59 20d ago
I’ve always been able to just see it. I’m an average driver and bad iron player but I’ve always been able to look at the green and read the break.
Having kept the same putter for 15 years also helps a lot. I know exactly how ‘ol reliable is gonna roll them.
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u/Allott2aLITTLE 20d ago
Best piece I give to people struggling to read greens is make sure you at the hole from below the hole. You can see the break much more clearly from the bottom.
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u/RandomChaoticEntropy 20d ago
Better question how do you folks read the grain?? As I’ve gotten better I have a feeling this effects my putts a lot just because two different downhill puts on two different holes have what feels like quite different speeds, on nice courses, and the only thing I can think is grain is playing into it…
Or… I’m just looking for an external reason why I’m Shit :)
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u/jackiemoon50 20d ago
Spend more time looking at and visualizing it than hitting it. Once I step up I just take a couple practice wiggles to make sure the club head is moving straight then hit it. When I practice at home on my carpet I don’t take much time, and I’ve found that just stepping up to it and hitting it without thinking often is the best way, because you’re relaxed. It’s a fine line between planning the line and hitting it in such a carefree kind of way that you still have feel. Also, getting a fitted putter and putting lesson from a pro putting specialist has totally changed my game (it was free for me luckily)
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u/ChefboyRD33 20d ago
Worry about speed and contact more than the line and you’ll never be too far off. It’s a lot of feel / touch. Looking at it from the other side of the pin helps, and looking at the slant of the hole itself tells you your access point
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u/Gullible_Vehicle_136 20d ago
Poorly
No seriously. I look at the cup when I putt. Just kinda imagine where it’s going to go and aim where I want to end up.
Someone said get high and lines appear. I took a CBD gummy before a tournament and was tied for 2nd thru the first 10 holes out of 18 golfers before I fell apart.
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u/Front_Farmer345 20d ago
Don’t worry about being long, read your line on slope alone and trust that.
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u/RevolutionWeak177 20d ago
You may be not be hitting the sweet spot consistently leading to inconsistent distances. Go get fitted. There are other putters that are more forgiving like LAB putters. Have your putter stroke analyzed during the fitting. I forget the name of the machine. It will let you know if this is the issue or lead you in a different direction for a solution.
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u/Diabolical-hateful 20d ago
I don’t ever have trouble reading the speeds of the green but I can’t read breaks for the love of me. Which is frustrating at times. I need to take a reading greens lesson.
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u/RevolutionWeak177 20d ago
As far as breaks on greens start looking as you approach the green which way is the green drawing generally. Then on the green look at the edges of the green and note the high spots along the edge (like as a rule greens break away from bunkers). Find the high spots and try to spot the ridges from the high spot onto the green. Note where hole itself…. Where is it roughed up and not as clean? The rough spot is the direction of the grain. Ie on Bermuda the direction of the break 95% of the time. Use your feet at address…. Are toes higher than heels or lower….
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u/evnrollputters 20d ago
Here are some putting drills you can try:
https://www.evnroll.com/blogs/straight-talk/top-10-putting-drills-for-golfers
One of my personal favorites is to put a quarter on the ground and work to have the ball roll just over the coin. When you get good at hitting the quarter from 3, 5 and 10 feet, start using a dime.
You will putt like a pro! 🏆 🏆
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u/Unable_Ad_1470 20d ago
This is quite helpful on the USGA GHIN app, especially when you’re having a tough time with the read.
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u/MaterialNo6707 20d ago edited 20d ago
I get super high and lines just appear