Reading green speed

[TKellogg86]

My biggest issue here in Iowa is one green is hard, ones soft, ones wet, ones dry, one has sand all over it.

I wish I had nice golf courses, however it makes me such a better golfer!

 

That’s how some of the courses are in my area too.

[SNIPERBBB]

The courses where you have inconsistent greens, the holes that are fast or slow are going to have similar features. Generally the slower greens are going to be protected from the wind so they won't dry out as fast. Beware of the ones that have fans placed around the green, if the course actually uses them they should quicker than usual. Should be able to feel how the green is through your feet as you get to the ball.

 

Obviously the opposite for greens that are in the open are going to dry out quicker and be harder if not watered enough to maintain them at the speeds of the protected greens. Later the day goes they will get quicker than the protected greens.

[pheenomz4774]

Make sure you're hitting putts consistently in the same spot on the putter face. Easy to throw in some lower body movement on longer putts which will likely cause strike to vary.

 

Impossible to control speed and adjust to different greens if you don't eliminate that variable.

 

This. Speed control will be all over the place if you aren’t striking it consistently.

[TKellogg86]

So I did putt better this Thursday. Only had 15 putts on 9 holes. I’m going to try a flowneck putter to see if it helps any.

[Mikey5e]

While putting, I think the last thought a golfer should have in their mind before they strike the ball is lagging it close. I think many golfers do the opposite by thinking of making the putt as their last thought. Now I am speaking generally of longer putts like 15 ft and beyond, not shorter putts where a golfer should think about making the putt. It may seem counterintuitive, giving the impression that making the putt is not an issue, but it is an issue, just not the last thought before stroking the ball. I have better success making the putt and lagging it close with this method.

[SNIPERBBB]

While putting, I think the last thought a golfer should have in their mind before they strike the ball is lagging it close. I think many golfers do the opposite by thinking of making the putt as their last thought. Now I am speaking generally of longer putts like 15 ft and beyond, not shorter putts where a golfer should think about making the putt. It may seem counterintuitive, giving the impression that making the putt is not an issue, but it is an issue, just not the last thought before stroking the ball. I have better success making the putt and lagging it close with this method.

 

I dont think either of those thoughts are particularly useful as your about to pull the trigger for the putt. Mainly because they dont mean anything to the part of your mind controlling the stroke. Its better if you can empty your head of thought as you start to pull the trigger. Except perhaps on unusually slow or fast putts and thinking "hit it firm" for the former and "just breath on it" for the latter.

[Mikey5e]

While putting, I think the last thought a golfer should have in their mind before they strike the ball is lagging it close. I think many golfers do the opposite by thinking of making the putt as their last thought. Now I am speaking generally of longer putts like 15 ft and beyond, not shorter putts where a golfer should think about making the putt. It may seem counterintuitive, giving the impression that making the putt is not an issue, but it is an issue, just not the last thought before stroking the ball. I have better success making the putt and lagging it close with this method.

 

I dont think either of those thoughts are particularly useful as your about to pull the trigger for the putt. Mainly because they dont mean anything to the part of your mind controlling the stroke. Its better if you can empty your head of thought as you start to pull the trigger. Except perhaps on unusually slow or fast putts and thinking "hit it firm" for the former and "just breath on it" for the latter.

The thoughts don't mean anything to the part of your mind controlling the stroke? Really? You say empty your mind of such thoughts but then you suggest putting thoughts in the mind like 'hit it firm' or 'just breathe on it'? Ok, whatever. My method works for me very well. The mind has to be thinking about something!

[SNIPERBBB]

While putting, I think the last thought a golfer should have in their mind before they strike the ball is lagging it close. I think many golfers do the opposite by thinking of making the putt as their last thought. Now I am speaking generally of longer putts like 15 ft and beyond, not shorter putts where a golfer should think about making the putt. It may seem counterintuitive, giving the impression that making the putt is not an issue, but it is an issue, just not the last thought before stroking the ball. I have better success making the putt and lagging it close with this method.

 

I dont think either of those thoughts are particularly useful as your about to pull the trigger for the putt. Mainly because they dont mean anything to the part of your mind controlling the stroke. Its better if you can empty your head of thought as you start to pull the trigger. Except perhaps on unusually slow or fast putts and thinking "hit it firm" for the former and "just breath on it" for the latter.

The thoughts don't mean anything to the part of your mind controlling the stroke? Really? You say empty your mind of such thoughts but then you suggest putting thoughts in the mind like 'hit it firm' or 'just breathe on it'? Ok, whatever. My method works for me very well. The mind has to be thinking about something!

 

I think you missed the part about "unusually slow or past putts". You dont have to have active thoughts. When your stroke is good and speed control is good, you mind can go into autopilot mode. All your thoughts should really be done before you address the ball.

[TKellogg86]

Just wanted to update. I spent roughly an hour at my local putting green today. I tried to not worry about how hard to hit it and just let my “instinct” take over. I was very happy with the result. I wasn’t overly worried about line just getting the speed. I feel like a new golfer. THANKS for all the help!

[me05501]

best advice I've ever gotten on putting distance and control was from Michael Brreed who basically said let your mind guide you, meaning your brain truly knows what it takes to get the ball to the hole. Just don't get in the way of that thought process.

 

I believe this as well, and my pro tends to agree.

 

The pro says that before a round at a new course he wants to try and reset his inherent putting distance control to the greens there. He'll get about 30 feet from the fringe and just putt toward the fringe, trying to have the ball end up either right on the edge, just short of it, or up onto the fringe.

 

If you do this with 6-8 putts uphill and downhill, it lets you sense the distance without worrying so much about the direction. Putting to a cup is helpful of course, but you can easily let your misses start to dominate your thoughts during a moment when you really want your body to be sensing just the distances.

[nowitski41]

Last season I practiced for hours on my home course putting green. I knew every break of the 7 pins that were out there. But when I played different courses I would 3 jack like crazy. I figured out that I was ingraining the green speed at my home course(which is slow) and had a terrible time adjusting to faster greens. So I stopped spending all of my practice putting on just that one green. I try to spend more time before rounds adjusting to the green speed for that day.

 

Secondly, I have instituted a method that seems to be working so far. Envision tossing your golf ball at the hole to try and gauge the speed with which you need to stroke the ball. Envision tossing the ball and it rolling out. Then let go of any thoughts, take one last glance at the hole and just trust your stroke. My speed has improved quite a bit since last season so far.

[me05501]

Last season I practiced for hours on my home course putting green. I knew every break of the 7 pins that were out there. But when I played different courses I would 3 jack like crazy. I figured out that I was ingraining the green speed at my home course(which is slow) and had a terrible time adjusting to faster greens. So I stopped spending all of my practice putting on just that one green. I try to spend more time before rounds adjusting to the green speed for that day.

 

Secondly, I have instituted a method that seems to be working so far. Envision tossing your golf ball at the hole to try and gauge the speed with which you need to stroke the ball. Envision tossing the ball and it rolling out. Then let go of any thoughts, take one last glance at the hole and just trust your stroke. My speed has improved quite a bit since last season so far.

 

I may get flamed for this, but I sometimes putt on the practice greens at clubs I don't belong to. (: /)

[cwglum]

1st thing I do on the practice green is figure out speed for 20 and 40 footers. Count them off with steps, Drop 2 balls at each distance, rinse and repeat in the opposite direction.

[crapula]

Use your feet, you get to walk on the green before you putt.

 

Practice tossing the ball underhand. It's fun.

[dave5405]

My distance control with the putter has improved dramatically by focusing only on the rhythm of my stroke and nothing else.