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I learn a number of schools and golf clinics, often working with groups of students. One of the most common questions I hear at the beginning of these events is, “How can I read Greens better?”
With the extraordinary displacement and speed of Augusta greens this week, it is a time and important topic. Here are six practical strategies that you can start using immediately to improve your ability to read holidays, slopes and subtle contours on the placement surface.
1. Don’t wait until you reach green
Start reading the green as you approach. Often, the slope and contours are easier to see from a distance. Ask yourself, “Where will the water flow if I poured it into green?” This can help you determine the overall slope. Also, keep in mind that most greens are designed to steep from the back to the front as this helps with the visibility from the road and drainage.
2 so You walk beyond the hole
Whenever possible, park the carriage or choose an approaching path that forces you to walk the hole in your way to your ball. This gives you a valuable opportunity to observe slopes, changes in height and distances from multiple perspectives. It is often difficult to get a full sense of slope and break away from standing behind your ball.
3. Determine if the Putt is uphill, flat or descending first
When faced with medium to length, distance and speed control is more important than the line perfection. Your first task should be to evaluate if your putt is uphill, descending or flat. This will dictate your stroke length and pace.
For example, an uphill blow will require a longer stroke to offer more energy, while strokes in the downfall – like those seen in Augusta – are called for a shorter, more controlled hook. Look at how players adjust their shock size for those quick and descending strokes.
4. Look wide to read the holiday
When trying to determine the direction and quantity of rest, do not only look at the placement line. Instead, you look wider – about 5 meters to the left and right of your target line. Ask yourself, “Which side is higher?” The ball will of course be disconnected from the top.
Once you identify the top side, evaluate the slope rate. The heavier the slope and the larger the distance, the more the ball will break.
5. Share the long settings into sections
For longer strokes, green can have multiple shifts or slopes of change. Trying to read it as a constant break can be overwhelming. Instead, divide the stroke into sections – typically the first half and the second half – and read each separately.
For example, if the first part breaks right to the left and the second part breaks left to the right, they can cancel each other outside. But remember, the ball breaks more as it slows down near the hole, so the last legs are especially important.
6. Do not ignore rest in short casualties
Many players players grow up to short strokes assuming they are right. This is a costly mistake. Almost every stroke breaks down to some extent, and the underestimation of this can lead to disappointing loss.
Take a moment to walk behind your ball and feel the slope with your feet. This quick reading can help you to aim to improve your short conversion more accurately and dramatically.
7. Use a green book
Tools like Golflogix’s green book It can help you visualize the breakdowns more clearly – even in courses you know well. These guides provide accurate mapping of slopes and contours, and I am often surprised by what they discover, even in well -known greens.
Improving your green reading is not just to see rest – it’s to know when and how to look. Practice these habits consistently, and you will begin to see better lines, better speed and more strokes that fall.
You can catch a Golflogix green book in the link below.
Golflogix’s green reading book
Order personalized green books for your golf shop, other tournament or club event. From the front cover to the unique leather covers, we will only fit the pattern for you.
