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Green Reading – The Art and Science of Getting Your Ball to Roll in the Hole
By Mark H Wright
You can apply some science to your green reading which will help you to make better decisions but I believe that this should be done in a fairly passive mode. That is, put the information that you are faced with on the green into your mind in a systematic approach, called a putting pre-shot routine. Observe the steps to feed the necessary information to your brain and then… GET OUT OF THE WAY. Stop analysing. Stop thinking. If you let your instincts run the show and you allow the art through to do its work of sending the ball to the target, at the correct pace, you will begin to tread the road to great putting.
Pre-shot Putting Routine, feeding information to your instincts.
1. Pay attention and be observant when you are walking up to the green. Take in the lay of the land and get a feel of how the green lays in its surroundings. How does the land slope generally? Is there water near or around the green? Greens will very often have subtle breaks toward water even if they are not obviously apparent.
2. When reading the ball to target line you should read it from both sides and also stand side on to the putt line (from the low side) and get an idea of it travelling across to the hole. Here you are allowing you brain to get a “feel” of how the green lays from 3 different sides which gives your instinct great information. How many times have you looked at a putt from the other side after you’ve missed it and realised you never saw the slope? If you read from three areas you will pick up far more of the subtle variances in the green. Again let me emphasis that this is not so much for you to use and analyse but rather it is information you are just gently allowing in so your instincts can use it. With that in mind don’t stare hard at anything. Try to simply observe gently by running your eyes over the areas where your brain can gather its own information about the upcoming putt.
3. Watch your playing partners putts carefully even if they are not travelling on the same line as yours they are still giving you some feedback around the hole in that last critical 2ft at the hole. Naturally if the putt is on your line then pay special attention to it but observe etiquette and rules so you don’t infringe either when trying to watch the other persons putt.
4. The line that you imagine the putt taking and the break on the line is only as good as the pace. Change the pace of the putt and you change how much it breaks. Always commit to the line AND pace. This is also where the art comes in because I don’t believe that you should be trying to make pace. I believe you imagine what you want, allow the instincts to give you a pace that takes the ball into the hole with reasonable roll rate and then allow it to happen. Look at the target and then let the putt go. Don’t delay and “think” about it.
The perfect pace is one that takes the ball 12 to 18 inches past the hole if it misses. In fact scientifically it has been shown that 17″ is the best pace for holing the greatest amount of putts, but I am happy with the pace anytime I am between 12 and 18 inches past. So imagine your putts rolling at that speed into the hole and then trust your instincts to reproduce that pace for you.
5. Weather conditions play a part especially if the greens are wet either with dew or rain. In addition the wind will have a real effect on the ball and remember it is a combination between wind velocity and speed of green as to how much the break or pace will be affected. The slicker the greens, the more the wind can “push” the ball. Not only can wind affect the line but also speed if you are putting with the wind or against it.
6. Pick precise targets to putt to. If you can see it then putt to a blade of grass as your target. Putt to a slight disfiguration at the back of the cup if you cannot make out a blade of grass. The rule is pick the smallest possible target you can without straining to see it.
7. Always have two or three practice putts next to the ball and stand in the same orientation as the putt stance required. This mimics your desired putt for real and gives your brain a chance to “Feel and Figure” what it needs to do to get the ball into the hole. Also, make sure that you are fully focused on your target while making these practice putts.
Remember that putting is in my opinion more an art than a science but you can apply some necessary science in an artful way. What do I mean? Follow a pre-shot routine religiously and give your brain all the info it needs by following the steps I have described, but then get out of the way. Don’t over analyse. Go with your first impression and let your gut instincts guide you. They can make better sense of the science and apply it for you. When you have done everything just focus on your target and let the putt go thinking just of your target.
When you are set to go have one last look at the target and then putt. Don’t wait. Try to putt within 2 seconds of your last look at the target.
Finally let me say that great putting comes from instinctive trust and learning but it is not necessarily an overnight change. Sticking to instinctive putting for a period of 6 months will bring great rewards but do it for a week or two and you are wasting your time. Instinctive putting will get stronger with time as your brain builds a bigger and bigger database of information about how to putt so be patient if you are new to the game. The more time you spend practicing and experimenting with instinctive putting the faster your progress will be.
