How to read the greens

[Queen of the Beach]

Just wondered if any of our TGN members are consistent putters?
Do you have any tips for a beginner that is having trouble reading the greens?

I am getting better at judging distance and weight but sometimes the breaks in the green just kill my score. Especially when I'm counting on a 2 putt to save bogey or double bogey. I'm going to be involved in match play this weekend so any putting tips will sure help me out. :$

[Rule35]

I always find a quick glance from behind the hole will give you a better perspective. When you are behind the hole pick a spot you see your ball rolling over and trust it!


remember a quick glance, and a first impression are the key.

Trust me, I havent 3 putted in almost one round!

[mikemakeitso]

Here's the best putting advise I ever heard to date... I'm copy and pasting this from a previous posting...

"Was watching ther Golf Channel, and Dave Peltz (sp?) was giving one of his putting lessons.

He sampled players in the 30, 20, & 10 handicap... as well as scratch players.

The interesting thing here is that the 30, 20 and 10 handicappers always were below the hole after their putt, we're talking 100% of ALL the players sampled. That's amazing...

The scratch players were alittle better, and were approx. 86% always below the hole. Still that's unbelievable - when you talk about scratch players who basically always look at their putt from the front and back...

The bottom-line here ladies and gent, is what ever break you "think" you read... double it... And on your score card, score - on each putt, mark if you wnet above or below the hole...

Next time your on the links give this try... and see if this helps..."

[Queen of the Beach]

Wow that was fast guys! Mikemakeitso I'll try to remember to double my read of the break. So if I'm interpreting this correctly... if I think it breaks 3 inches left to right I should make it 6 inches? And my putt will end up above the hole? Therefore at least giving it a chance to go in by not shorting it?

Rule 35 what if from behind the hole it looks like its straight in? I've been fooled more than once per round *sniff*

[Rule35]

f it looks straight in from behind and in front, its straight...

Pace and distance is the key...
Practice makes perfect...
haste makes waste...
always look on the bright side of life...
caveat emptor...
semper ubi sub ubi...

[aaagc]

.. if I think it breaks 3 inches left to right I should make it 6 inches?
What do you do if you think it breaks 3 inches left to left ?:D

[SW20 MR2]

One tip I found useful from my instructor was to look at the "big picture". From behind your ball, look at each side of the green (left and right). Figure out which side is higher, and from there, you will know which way it will break. Then you need to determine how much, and mikemakeitso's tips are very good.

[Ego Woods]

if you have time to practice, practice doing about 100-200 putts from 4-6 ft with diff't types of breaks..... practicing how to hit those shaky putts goes a long way towards 2-putting on the greens....

[el tigre]

Just wondered if any of our TGN members are consistent putters?
Do you have any tips for a beginner that is having trouble reading the greens?

I am getting better at judging distance and weight but sometimes the breaks in the green just kill my score. Especially when I'm counting on a 2 putt to save bogey or double bogey. I'm going to be involved in match play this weekend so any putting tips will sure help me out. :$ A few more pointers:

1) The right weight is ALWAYS more important than the right line. Unless the hole is cut into the side of a hill and you misread the line badly, the right weight will virtually guarantee a 2 putt at least. The right line will not.

2) Look at the green from the fairway. Reading a green starts from about 50 yards away after hitting your approach. Look for general trends like a slope from back to front, left to right, crowned, etc. It is easy to overlook these when you are standing on top of it looking at the small undulations.

3) Break at the end of the putt is more important than at the start. The slower your ball is rolling, the more it is affected by the break.

4) Downhill putts break less than uphill putts. However, the correct weight is much harder to get with downhill putts, so you are still better off trying to chip on the green below the hole so you'll have an uphill putt.

5) Watch everyone else's putt. Even if it is not on your line, every putt can tell you something. You're all aiming for the same spot.

Good luck on the weekend.

[tjhayko]

Wow that was fast guys! Mikemakeitso I'll try to remember to double my read of the break. So if I'm interpreting this correctly... if I think it breaks 3 inches left to right I should make it 6 inches? And my putt will end up above the hole? Therefore at least giving it a chance to go in by not shorting it?

Rule 35 what if from behind the hole it looks like its straight in? I've been fooled more than once per round *sniff*

I've been trying to follow Mike's advice on this for a while now, and I do think it makes a difference. Hard to believe so many of us are so wrong when reading the greens.

[TeetoGrnr]

Question:

Don't downhill putts break less than uphill putts?

I thought because of the speed coming down the hill the break is less. When the ball goes up the hill it loses speed and is more susceptible to the break.

[Sir Thomas Guns]

Regarding wieght. If you ever played marbles when you were young this one should help. Take your back hand (right hand for right handed swingers) and pretend you are throwing a marble into the hole. This should be the same swing speed that you want your hand to move as you putt.

Also, take a couple practice swings and try to remember that the ball will go the same speed as the putter head.

As for aim, I always try to find my line and then try to pick a mark or target running along or near the line within 12" of the ball. Good targets to use are dirt or pieces of sand, dark spots on the grass (dead grass), shadows, a leaf, dents in the green etc.

[boo1]

Just don't use a bug.. they tend to move around on you:rofl: :rofl:

[el tigre]

Question:

Don't downhill putts break less than uphill putts?

I thought because of the speed coming down the hill the break is less. When the ball goes up the hill it loses speed and is more susceptible to the break. Oops sorry, you are correct. I have amended my original post accordingly.

[aaagc]

Here's the best putting advise I ever heard to date... I'm copy and pasting this from a previous posting...

"Was watching ther Golf Channel, and Dave Peltz (sp?) was giving one of his putting lessons.

He sampled players in the 30, 20, & 10 handicap... as well as scratch players.

The interesting thing here is that the 30, 20 and 10 handicappers always were below the hole after their putt, we're talking 100% of ALL the players sampled. That's amazing...

The scratch players were alittle better, and were approx. 86% always below the hole. Still that's unbelievable - when you talk about scratch players who basically always look at their putt from the front and back...

The bottom-line here ladies and gent, is what ever break you "think" you read... double it... And on your score card, score - on each putt, mark if you wnet above or below the hole...

Next time your on the links give this try... and see if this helps..."Passing the hole on the uphill side is called passing on the professional side

[Bellyhungry]

Just wondered if any of our TGN members are consistent putters?
Do you have any tips for a beginner that is having trouble reading the greens?

I am getting better at judging distance and weight but sometimes the breaks in the green just kill my score. Especially when I'm counting on a 2 putt to save bogey or double bogey. I'm going to be involved in match play this weekend so any putting tips will sure help me out. :$
After absorbing all the tips given above, be sure to develop a consistent pre-shot (or pre-putt) routine and stick to it each time.

Others:

- First one to putt out should always be the one putting the pin back in
- Take turn to pull the pins as a courtesy to the group you play with
- Read the green before it is your turn to putt -> to save time
- Aaron Baddeley on the PGA Tour has a great putting routine for new golfers to emulate
- Repair any pitch marks, not just yours
- Divot repair tool is also known as Dirt Diggler

[Raptured]

Sounds good.

[framer]

I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS CORRECT, I WOULD THINK A DOWN HILL PUT WOULD BREAK MORE THEN AN UPHILL PUT, DUE TO THE FACT THAT YOU NEED THE MOMENTUM TO GET UP THE HILL. ONCE THE MOMENTUM STOPS THE BALL STOPS OR ROLLS BACK. I ALWAYS PLAY MORE BREAK FOR THE DOWN HILL .


I GUESS THE REASON WHY DOWN HILL PUTS SEEM TO BREAK MORE IS BECAUSE THE BALL IS ALMOST ALWAYS MOVING FASTER ON AN UPHILL PUT TO MAKE IT UP THE HILL. FOR INSTANCE, WHEN YOU HAVE A PUT THAT HAS TO GO UP AND OVER A RIDGE TO A STEEP DOWN HILL, THE PERFECT PUT WOULD BE HIT HARD ENOUGH TO JUST GET TOO THE TOP OF THE RIDGE AND THEN SLOWLY MAKE ITS WAY DOWN THE HILL. THE LONGER THE DOWNHILL THE MORE SPEED THE BALL WOULD GAIN THERFORE IT WOULD BREAK LESS LATER.

I COULD BE COMPLEATLY WRONG, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER THOUGHTS

THANKS
Oops sorry, you are correct. I have amended my original post accordingly.

[aaagc]

I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS CORRECT, I WOULD THINK A DOWN HILL PUT WOULD BREAK MORE THEN AN UPHILL PUT, DUE TO THE FACT THAT YOU NEED THE MOMENTUM TO GET UP THE HILL. ONCE THE MOMENTUM STOPS THE BALL STOPS OR ROLLS BACK. I ALWAYS PLAY MORE BREAK FOR THE DOWN HILL .


I GUESS THE REASON WHY DOWN HILL PUTS SEEM TO BREAK MORE IS BECAUSE THE BALL IS ALMOST ALWAYS MOVING FASTER ON AN UPHILL PUT TO MAKE IT UP THE HILL. FOR INSTANCE, WHEN YOU HAVE A PUT THAT HAS TO GO UP AND OVER A RIDGE TO A STEEP DOWN HILL, THE PERFECT PUT WOULD BE HIT HARD ENOUGH TO JUST GET TOO THE TOP OF THE RIDGE AND THEN SLOWLY MAKE ITS WAY DOWN THE HILL. THE LONGER THE DOWNHILL THE MORE SPEED THE BALL WOULD GAIN THERFORE IT WOULD BREAK LESS LATER.

I COULD BE COMPLEATLY WRONG, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER THOUGHTS

THANKS
I think you are confusing 'BRAKE' with 'BREAK' :confused:

The first means to slow down. The second means to veer (or turn) to one side.

[framer]

GIVE ME A BRAKE. I APOLIGIZE ONCE AGAIN FOR MY SPELLING AND GRAMMER.

BUT I WAS REFERRING TO BREAK

I MIGHT NOT HAVE EXPLINED MYSELF CORRECTLY. I EXPLAIN BETTER ON THE GREEN.
I think you are confusing 'BRAKE' with 'BREAK' :confused:

The first means to slow down. The second means to veer (or turn) to one side.

[framer]

LET ME TRY AGAIN.

SET UP FOR A UPHILL PUT. AND HIT IT. YOU HAVE TO HIT IT PRETTY HARD TO GET IT UP THE HILL. IT WONT BREAK MUCH.

THEN SET UP FOR A DOWNHILL PUT, AND HIT THE BALL HARD AGAIN, IT STILL IS'T GOING TO BREAK MUCH.

THE QUESTION IS , WHEN DO WE EVER HIT A PUT HARD DOWN HILL ON THE GREEN. ALMOST NEVER.

THERFORE MORE SPEED LESS BREAK , AND LESS SPEED MORE BREAK.

DOWN HILL PUTTS BREAK MORE.

PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF I'M LOST.

OR IF I'M RIGHT, SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME EXPLAIN BETTER

THANKS

[mikemakeitso]

LET ME TRY AGAIN.

SET UP FOR A UPHILL PUT. AND HIT IT. YOU HAVE TO HIT IT PRETTY HARD TO GET IT UP THE HILL. IT WONT BREAK MUCH.

THEN SET UP FOR A DOWNHILL PUT, AND HIT THE BALL HARD AGAIN, IT STILL IS'T GOING TO BREAK MUCH.

THE QUESTION IS , WHEN DO WE EVER HIT A PUT HARD DOWN HILL ON THE GREEN. ALMOST NEVER.

THERFORE MORE SPEED LESS BREAK , AND LESS SPEED MORE BREAK.

DOWN HILL PUTTS BREAK MORE.

PLEASE PROVE ME WRONG, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF I'M LOST.

OR IF I'M RIGHT, SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME EXPLAIN BETTER

THANKS
Sounds right, no further explaination required, you don't nee to be a physics major to understand this stuff... it's mostly common sense :rolleyes: .

[TeetoGrnr]

You said: MORE SPEED LESS BREAK , AND LESS SPEED MORE BREAK.

A downhill putt will pick up speed almost immediately because of gravity, as a result the break has less effect on it. On the other hand a uphill putt will start losing momentum (gravity is pulling it) - as a result it breaks more.

You can push/putt hard uphill but it will lose momentum quickly and start falling with the break. You can't hold back a downhill putt, it will continue to gain momentum, and so fall with gravity regardless of the break.

Pretty sure I read this in Dave Pelz's putting bible. Does someone have the book and can they shed some light on the subject.

[el tigre]

You've explained it pretty well, TeetoGrnr. Here's the physics lesson from Dave Pelz:

http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/instruction/putting/article/0,17742,469133,00.html

[framer]

next time your on a green find a spot on the green that has a uphill with alot of break in it.

stand at the top of the hill and imagin a hole at the bottom of the hill.
now hit the ball with just enough weight to stop right on that spot.

then hit the ball from the spot where the ball stoped, back to the spot you originally hit it from and no further.

you will see that you must start the uphill shot more directlly in line with the target, then the downhill shot.

sometimes you have to tap the downhill putt 2'' compleatly left of the target, just to get there. you could never do that with an uphill putt.

try it

i'm definatly going toYou said: MORE SPEED LESS BREAK , AND LESS SPEED MORE BREAK.

A downhill putt will pick up speed almost immediately because of gravity, as a result the break has less effect on it. On the other hand a uphill putt will start losing momentum (gravity is pulling it) - as a result it breaks more.

You can push/putt hard uphill but it will lose momentum quickly and start falling with the break. You can't hold back a downhill putt, it will continue to gain momentum, and so fall with gravity regardless of the break.

Pretty sure I read this in Dave Pelz's putting bible. Does someone have the book and can they shed some light on the subject.

[Focker Singh]

Rule 35 what if from behind the hole it looks like its straight in? I've been fooled more than once per round *sniff*
Thats when you know you need to get your eyes checked. Kidding. Shadow's or glare can also make reading greens a little trickier. I like to read snaky putts from behind the ball and behind the hole. I also read in GD that walking your putt sometimes helps too. Obviously keeping in mind your own line and your fellow golfers and making sure you don't walk in it.

[Queen of the Beach]

Thank you everyone. I hope I kick some @ss this weekend using your tips. hehehe

[TourIQ]

Just concentrate on making 'center contact' with the putter & ball. Don't think about anything else, otherwise the stroke gets too technical. Putting is about 'feel'.

Surprising how the ball will get close if its not hit off the toe or the heel of the putter.

Thanks Harry S
www.TourIQ.com

[LuckyLuke]

For a long shot, I break my putts into three different parts.

1= the speed to get to the first part and bites less. (big arc)

2= the last 6 feet as it slows down bites more. (medium arc)

3= the last 6 inch it bites the most. (small arc)

You must look at all parts :rofl: and make them one, you can do it O B 1.:)

Up or down hill definitely plays a part, but this helps me, and its part of my game. Wet geens will also affect it as it bites more and when its dry bits less.THe direction of the blade of grass will also play a part, becouse it grows in the direction that the water flows so against it its slower and with it its fast. I read all this in a golf book by Tiger, hope it helps.
There's a lot more thing that will help but nothing is better then practice.
:eeek:

[Gligster The Amatuer]

I think having confidence and being able to picture your ball rolling in is key. I read every put from both sides of the hole. To be honest I dont think doubling the read is good as i dont miss many putts below the hole. I think just making sure you have a straight and consistent stroke and putt the ball towards your target and maybe the right edge of your target your will be succesfull. If you still leave all your balls below the hole your reading it wrong.

[Thimble]

i'm fairly decent at reading putts. it's rare when a putt goes differently than i expected. no, i'm not a great putter - i'm not so great at controlling weight.

the key to reading the green is ALWAYS read a putt from both sides. and read the putt on the side you're on. there's no point reading the break near the hole when you're 40 ft away. yeah, i know this can slow play down. i gotta do it, tho - it's too big of an edge. to make it look like i'm not wasting time, i read from my ball, then i read the green near the hole while others are putting, then when it's my turn, i walk over to my ball and hit it right away (no more reading).

[LuckyLuke]

Speed is what u need to think of . when its fast it bites less and when it slow it bites more, when at the same distant for example. When u hit up hill, u hit hard so its faster and bites less. Going down hill u might tap it so it go's slow and bites a lot especially the last 6 inch because thats the line at its slowest speed will bite hard. me thinks :rofl: But all things I said before will have play on your ball.

[hogannut]

Just wondered if any of our TGN members are consistent putters?
Do you have any tips for a beginner that is having trouble reading the greens?

I am getting better at judging distance and weight but sometimes the breaks in the green just kill my score. Especially when I'm counting on a 2 putt to save bogey or double bogey. I'm going to be involved in match play this weekend so any putting tips will sure help me out. :$

Go to a putting green and roll the ball to the hole with your hand like you are bowling. Try it a couple of times and then putt it with your putter. This builds your eye-hand co-ordination. Earl Woods did this a lot with TIger when he was a kid. If I can recommend a book....Putting out of your mind by Dr, Bob Rotella. I have just finished the book and it is quite good and deals with the mental side of putting. Unfortunately the reality is you will have to put time in to develop a putting routine that is good for you. You should try to develop a routine for yourself and when you feel you have a routine you are comfortable with go to a pro and they can assess your routine and make any recommendations, but in my opinion you should not take a lesson without developing a routine. Putting is such a personal thing so there is no right or wrong way.

[punchcutdriver]

I seem to be very good at keeping the ball below the hole and always having an uphill putt. This is quite easy as I am 280lbs......

[simar]

next time your on a green find a spot on the green that has a uphill with alot of break in it.

stand at the top of the hill and imagin a hole at the bottom of the hill.
now hit the ball with just enough weight to stop right on that spot.

then hit the ball from the spot where the ball stoped, back to the spot you originally hit it from and no further.

you will see that you must start the uphill shot more directlly in line with the target, then the downhill shot.

sometimes you have to tap the downhill putt 2'' compleatly left of the target, just to get there. you could never do that with an uphill putt.

try it

i'm definatly going to

Umm, not to try an over simplify this, but, if we take a look at this as a 3 dimensional plane. Then we should agree on a few of the following:

1) uplhil puts require more effort than downhill puts

2) the vector at which a ball has to travel is determined by the following factors:
a) distance to target (the cup)
b) mass of the ball
c) force required to mitigate the friction the ball incurrs while travelling to hole (with grain or against)
d) wind and moisture that may impede momentum
e) elevation delta (directional influence by slope aka. the break, and obstructions eg. pebbles, divots, fact that many many folk have walked all over a potentially soft green and left shoe prints/indentations/spikemarks, etc...)
f) efficency of force delivery, to counteract gravity and the other concerning factors; with the coefficent of restitution of the ball/club in mind.
g) temperature also impacts efficency of delivery of force and frictional coefficents.

3) Gravity will always want to help follow the slope/grade/break

4) Moving against the grain incurrs additional friction

5) wind can impact direction and add friction

6) moisture can bleed momentum by adding weight and friction

If we agree to these then, a simple mathematical equation can be constructed to determine what vector your ball will have to take. However, since most of use dont travel to the golf course with proper surveying tools, and a laptop to crunch the numbers, we need to stick to the most powerful computer and sensors we have available; the brain, and our external organs. Or guess at it and see if you make it :)

[Mister_Clutch]

Here's the best putting advise I ever heard to date... I'm copy and pasting this from a previous posting...

"Was watching ther Golf Channel, and Dave Peltz (sp?) was giving one of his putting lessons.

He sampled players in the 30, 20, & 10 handicap... as well as scratch players.

The interesting thing here is that the 30, 20 and 10 handicappers always were below the hole after their putt, we're talking 100% of ALL the players sampled. That's amazing...

The scratch players were alittle better, and were approx. 86% always below the hole. Still that's unbelievable - when you talk about scratch players who basically always look at their putt from the front and back...

The bottom-line here ladies and gent, is what ever break you "think" you read... double it... And on your score card, score - on each putt, mark if you wnet above or below the hole...

Next time your on the links give this try... and see if this helps..."

mike's right on the money... I saw that episode too...

I average 27 putts a round player and the thing that made me such a good putter was two things...

visualize where the ball is going to roll... when you visualize (kneeling down) you should be able to tell yourself where the ball is going to go... and
As per Dave Peltz (sp?) aim a little higher when in doubt... chances are if you don't you'll be in the 100 percentile and be below the hole... if you do, chances are more will go in...Remember a lot of it is in your mind... you have to convince yourself cause your mind likes to convince you otherwise...

[Queen of the Beach]

Great feedback! I am so glad that I asked this question on TGN.

Thanks guys!

[Samick]

I personally look at the green as I approach it. From 40 yards out or 20 yards out, you get the "jest" of the changes in elevation and see where the high points are. When I get to my ball I only look from behind the ball and visualize the ball rolling towards the cup and look for the spot where I want to ball to fall in the hole. A good thought is to look for a spot where if you poured a bucket of water.....where would you pour it to let it fall in the hole? I use this methology because I like to die the ball in the hole, people who like to ram it in obviously play less break.

As for the other little discussion about which putt breaks more, the uphill or downhill.....its the downhill. I have to start a ball waaaayy out there for a downhill put because the ball moves slower and a ball moving at a slower pace is more suseptible to break. Thats why the very last part of the uphil put breaks more than the first part...it has less speed. You have to "feather" a downhill putt, and "hammer" an uphill putt.;)

[Grobar]

Just three tips:

1. whatever you think the weight is, hit it 20% harder... Most putts that I've seen ended short of a hole.

2. whatever you think the break is, double it... 90% of players don't calculate enough break

3. short swing and accelerate through the putt... biggest problem with novice players is that they take too much of a swing and then decelerate on impact, thus loosing the feel, not to mention the line...

[Mule56]

Just three tips:

3. short swing and accelerate through the putt... biggest problem with novice players is that they take too much of a swing and then decelerate on impact, thus loosing the feel, not to mention the line...

Grobar,
I'll share a little tip that comes from Roger Gunn (Roger can be seen on Your Game Night on The Golf Channel and is former PGA player as well as a top rated instructor. It's all about the misconception of decelerating.
Mule

From: Gunnsmoke1 (javascript:OpenNewWindow(1383881, 1);)(1 of 10) 3/15/2006 11:15:19 AMTo: AllDeceleration, the source of all golfer's putting woes. Not in my experience! I've had hundreds of golfers come to see me about their putting. I can remember only a handful that actually decelerated. What's it all about then? Well, hopefully the next few minutes can shed a little light.

There is a misconception in putting that as long as you swing it straight back and through and accelerate, you'll be fine. We discussed in the first putting piece about why straight back and through might not be the thing to do, so I'd like to address the second element, acceleration.

When you are lagging a putt across the green, assuming solid contact, there is a specific speed the putter head needs to travel to send the ball a specific distance. NOT JUST ANY OLD SPEED ACCELERATING! Let's give it some numbers...Let's say we have a 30 foot putt, and let's say it's going to take 30 mph of clubhead speed to roll the ball that 30 feet. Now, if I take the clubhead back only five inches, then I need to accelerate from zero to 30 in that short space. Lot's of change going on right near the ball...very difficult to hit my 30 mph consistently.

Now let's take a long flowing stroke. Instead of going zero five inches from the ball, the clubhead is traveling much closer to my 30 mph. Not so much change around the ball. This is the reason long flowing strokes lag the ball better. Crenshaw is a perfect example of this in action.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO FEEL LIKE YOU'RE DECELERATING:

By far and away, when someone claims to feel deceleration, what is usually happening is the backstroke is far to short. When they don't slam at it hard enough with muscle force, the ball comes off dead, as though they've decelerated. Actually they needed more stroke, more time to have the putter head gain some momentum. Remember, a pendulum will accelerate until it gets to the bottom of the arc. The same thing with a putter, let it swing like a pendulum, with plenty of backstroke! The ball will jump.

On those long putts, really let it flow!

I hope that helps,

Rog

www.GolfLevels.com

[Grobar]

I was talking about "novice" players and short putts. Certainly for those 60 footers you do have to make a bigger swing.

However, too often have I seen beginners swing their putter back almost two feet, and its only a 10 foot putt. With a longer swing its harder to stay on line, not to mention that putter face may open or close ever so slightly, and we know what happens then.

Regardless... thanks for the info!

[wc17]

I was talking about "novice" players and short putts. Certainly for those 60 footers you do have to make a bigger swing.

However, too often have I seen beginners swing their putter back almost two feet, and its only a 10 foot putt. With a longer swing its harder to stay on line, not to mention that putter face may open or close ever so slightly, and we know what happens then.

Regardless... thanks for the info!

I tend to agree with you on this one. I changed last year to a much shorter backswing on my putts and tried to accelerate through the ball better and it has helped me big time. It just helps me control the ball much better.

[Mule56]

I was talking about "novice" players and short putts. Certainly for those 60 footers you do have to make a bigger swing.

However, too often have I seen beginners swing their putter back almost two feet, and its only a 10 foot putt. With a longer swing its harder to stay on line, not to mention that putter face may open or close ever so slightly, and we know what happens then.

Regardless... thanks for the info!
Yeah it's all proportional. A short putt does require a shorter stroke. Regardless of novice or not they should get the the feel for a flowing stroke. Roger's point is that the stroke can be too short and become more of a snap shot than a stroke. Not sure what you mean by "open or close ever so slightly, and we know what happens then", and it funny you should mention it because Roger has also covered that topic and due to the psychical structure of the human body it hard to disagree his points.
Mule
From: Gunnsmoke1(1 of 54) 3/7/2006 1:09:56 AMTo: AllHey there everyone. I hope you're starting to thaw out! I thought I would make a few posts about putting. In the Golf Levels series, we simply didn't have the time to finish the putting sections, so they were not done. The following is from the scripting used for the series. I'm sure we'll shoot it sooner or later. I hope you enjoy it!

Great putting, is it really all about luck? Sometimes it can feel that way, but an airtight method sure goes a long way toward putting well day-in and day-out. The technique behind great putting is not complicated, but there are fundamentals just like any other shot in this game that should be understood. With that being said, along with those fundamentals are a host of variations that are perfectly acceptable. I will help you in understanding how a simple putting stroke works, but if you feel more comfortable in holding the club just a little differently, or standing a little differently, then have at it! The main thing is to feel comfortable and to hit some good putts!

Obviously, a mountain has been written about how to swing a putter. I’m going to cut through that mountain and try to give you the most straightforward and repeatable technique possible…one that you can rely on for years to come.

Here’s the way it works: Golf is a side-on game. We are standing to the side of the ball and we are not moving our bodies too much when swinging. That means that as we turn ourselves back and forth, the club will track a circular path around us. The amount that I bend over at address will have an influence on this motion. In other words, if I am standing tall, preparing to hit a driver, then my swing will go more around me. As I bend over more, then the club will not go quite as much around.

Now, the reason I like to clarify this part of swinging a putter is that there are a fair amount of players and teachers that make an effort to swing the clubhead straight back and straight through. At first glance, this might seem to be the simplest method of all, since the clubhead doesn’t deviate from the target line, even a bit. What could go wrong?

I think it’s because of this premise that the idea has taken such a strong hold. The problem, however, in trying to swing a putter in this fashion is that it is not natural to do so. I can manipulate the club in an effort to make the clubhead swing back along the target line, or rock my body to make it do so, but this sort of manipulation makes its outcome much more difficult to repeat over time. The bottom line? The club swings back and forth on a gentle arc, not straight!

The second element of a great putting stroke is to understand what happens to the clubface during the stroke: Much like my hands when I swing them back and forth to clap, they open and close, in relation to one another, like a door. I don’t hold my hands "straight" to clap, and neither should I hold my putter straight to putt!

Now we’re standing at the crossroads between knowing what the putter is supposed to do and putting that knowledge to good use. I’ve seen countless players understand the concept of how the putter is supposed to swing, only to have them struggle when attempting to put that method to good use. It sort of goes like this: "Oh the putter swings on an arc…I get it!" and the golfer proceeds to make a very exaggerated circle around himself with a clubface that turns wildly from opened to closed.

Here’s the deal: you are to let the putter swing in the very natural fashion we’ve discussed, but you are not to make it do so. That’s right, all you are supposed to do is swing the putter back and forth without thought. If you do so naturally, then the putter will track a nice gentle arc, with the putter opening and closing just as it is supposed to.

Can it really be that easy? You bet. That’s why the game’s best players look so incredibly natural when playing this stroke. Yours can look just as natural, if you employ these principals. I see it at the course every day, with either adults that have never played, or junior golfers who are new to the game: The club swings very naturally around them, as they have not yet been told to manipulate the club!

Okay, Okay…I haven’t said anything yet about the grip and stance. Simply, just put your hands opposing one another with the thumbs down the top of the shaft. Your stance should be comfortable, with the ball slightly forward of middle, and the clubshaft straight up and down.(neither leaning forward or backward)

(new scene; Indoors) Welcome to one of the greatest practice tools for your putting game: The wall! We’ve been speaking about the shape of a good putting stroke and what happens to the clubface as you swing the putter. Here’s one of the best ways to keep a pulse on your putting stroke to see if you’re in the ballpark.

First, simply stand comfortably and hold the club out in front of you, around knee-high. Now just turn yourself back and forth and let the putter swing where it wants. You’ll see instantly that the club swings beautifully around you without your having to try to do so. After you get a feel for that motion, just bend over and flex your knees until the putter is on the ground. Now make the same motion and you’ve got it!

Now, to double check that you’re doing it correctly, just move over to the wall and place the putter just a whisker away from the wall. Now swing the putter back and forth in the same manner. You should see the putter drift gently away from the wall on the backstroke and gently away from the wall in the through stroke.

This is one of the simplest and most effective way to always keep your stroke in the ballpark. I would recommend a few minutes against the wall each week to make sure of your motion.

A good start to having a nice putting game! More to come.

Rog

www.GolfLevels.com

[Queen of the Beach]

Can't wait to play! My goal is definitely to make more 2 putts and tap-ins.
Thanks to all the reading I've done on TGN I think I'm getting better at controlling my distance. Now all I have to do is practice reading the line when putting. That is one thing that I could not do during the winter at a golf dome.

[landlord]

A good tip I use, especially when break is not obvious, is to try to picture which way water would flow if the green were saturated. Think of the Jolly Green Giant, God, or some other big guy with a huge pail of water pouring it down on the green. Whichever way the water would then flow is the way your ball will tend to go. It's called gravity, ahem, thank you very much.

Factor in speed (slower = more break), trust and commit to your assessment, then just hunker down, remove all previous thoughts, and hit it.