Green reading never seems to show up at the top of the list when we head out to practice. The fact is though, if we improved our green reading we’d make more putts. Here are 3 simple strategies from the Aimpoint Green Reading method to help you improve.
1) Find the straight putt.
There should be two straight putts to every hole. One that is straight uphill and one that is straight downhill. Once you locate the straight putts you can see where your ball is relative to it. This will help you determine the direction of the break.
As you get better at finding the striaght putt (aka “zero line) you’ll be able to judge the severity of the break based on how far away from the zero line you are.
2) Improve your speed control.
When you’re learning the Aimpoint Green Reading method it becomes obvious how important the speed you hit the putt is. Even if you have a read dead on perfect, you still need to hit it the correct speed.
Here is a good drill for improving your speed control:
The Best Putting Drill From 6 to 12 Feet.
3) Read the green not the putt.
Too often we get caught up looking at the line of a putt. We’re too focused on the line our ball is going to roll. What we need to do is open up our focus and see the whole green. When you do you may notice colliding undulations that will affect the break. Getting a broader look at the green from every angle will give you a more complete picture of what your putt will do.
I’d venture to say you miss a lot more putts due to miss reads than you think. If you give some time to improving your green reading you’ll not only make more putts, you’ll be more confident over the ball. Being more confident is always a good thing.