That’s great! While there are so many different styles that can work with putting, I think most coaches would agree that lengthening the backstroke as you get further away is a better way to control speed.
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I love practicing the long putts. I am always working on that perfect lag putt. I stray away from the short ones, for now. I feel like I do this because realistically where I am in my game, I’m generally outside of 25ft proximity to the hole. So if I can get the 25-45 footers close it’s an easy two putt. Right now, I’d say I work on lag putting 75% of the time As I start dialing in my proximity, my focus will shift to focusing on the 20ft and in putts for a 1 putt about 75% of the time.
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Reading greens is my bane. I’m just really bad at all types of spatial reasoning. Not just greens.
I’ve read books, articles. But I can’t translate the ideas (looking for shine on grass, using feet to figure it out, applying the ideas like “runs towards the water”). Though I’m open to reading more.
So, per above, often I’ll “read” a practice putt, miss it by 8 feet because I can’t tell neither how up/down or left/right it is. Then 2nd putt to a foot, consistently, once I’ve learned by trial/error.
When a friend reads it for me, or when I’ve played with a caddy, I’m lights out. Just do what I’m told.
My question:
Is there such a thing as getting private lessons JUST on reading greens? Where the whole lesson is just walk on a few greens, he drops a ball and says “read it.” Then we hit it and more systematically learn? To help dopes like me?
Is there any type of 3D video class on reading greens that could help me do this much more cheaply than 1:1 lessons? Just shows 100 putts, perhaps you guess or enter speed and line, and then it reveals “the answer”?
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You need to feel what gravity is doing, and not what your eyes are telling you. Check out our thread on Aimpoint here. It’s a system where you learn to read the greens with your feet, and I’ve found it’s far more effective at determining slope than using your eyes.
Depending on where you live, you can get an AimPoint lesson from a certified teacher. I took one over 4 years ago, and it was really a huge boost to my putting.
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Here is what I recommend as a really new AimPoint user, first by the program, probably the best $50 you’ll ever spend for a golf training aid. Although it’s not a quote end quote training aid it’s a great tool. After you watch the program and take a few notes go to your local practice putting green and feel the gravity as @jon mentioned above. Buy yourself a digital level that measures percent slope to calibrate yourself with gravity. I think you will have great success. I have only done one session using the technique and already saw a vast improvement in my misses. No three putts and only two low side misses.
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Thanks Jon and GisclairJ. Just went to their website. Turns out one of the certified instructors is only 90 minutes drive away…
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That’s awesome. I don’t have any of them near me, so o bought the Express DVD. I would love to go to an actual class.
Hmmm, good point; that is a skill that I need more work on…!
I just watched the Aimpoint 30 minute video. I was able to grasp it, and look forward to trying it.
If I understood it correctly, it only covers Left/Right break.
Does Aimpoint have a similar system on Uphill/Downhill?
Up and downhill don’t matter for beak, only for speed. Speed isn’t a thing that can be taught per sei, it has to be learned by ball striking. Break needs and can be taught.
Without watching the video, I’m going to assume that you learned how to adjust for faster and slower greens. As @Gisclairj says, the Aimpoint Express deals only with left and right slopes. I treat downhill putts as being “faster”, so my fingers move closer to me eye when selecting my aim, the opposite for uphill putts. Also, you can certainly stand facing perpendicular to your line to get an understanding of how much uphill or downhill it is.
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That’s a great point, treat it faster or slower and move hand/arm to relate to the speed of said hill. Something I will definitely take with me as a mental note while using this system. Thanks @davep043
I believe downhill putts break more than their uphill equivalent. I have the aimpoint express on my todo list so perhaps it already compensates for that.
This is discussed in great detail in Broadie’s Every Shot Counts, and is exactly as you say. Putts break more on faster greens, given the same side slope, and putts break more when going downhill.
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Glad you are finding success. Most putting instructors these days suggest taking the putter back the same distance as the follow through… So if you have to take it back 18 inches, then the follow through is 18 inches past the ball. That way you are not jabbing at the ball. So the rhythm is like if you were swinging on a swing! I have listened to several of the Putting Couch podcasts and enjoy them… there is always a "grain of gold’ in the conversation. Just Juan with some random thoughts. Play well.
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You are right on
Putts break more since when they are going downhill they are moving slower, than if you had the same distance for an uphill putt. Since they are moving slower then gravity has more time to act on the ball and moves it more… causing a greater break. For example, if you think about a clock around the hole, with 12 being the straight downhill putt, then a ball at 1 pm would break more than one at 5 p.m. even though the are both 1 off the straight putt (with 6 being the straight uphill putt). I hope my explanation makes sense.
Here is a real life example, … I pulled this from an AimChart which was used in the original version of Aimpoint before it was made simpler with Aimpoint Express. Given a STIMP of 11. A 20 foot downhill putt on a green location with 2% slope from the 1 o’clock position will break 17 inches, while a 20 foot uphill putt from the 5 o’clock position will break 9 inches.
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For years I used a Bryson-esque technique (feet exactly one putter head apart, backswing putter face exactly to outside of trail shoe) as a calibration on strange greens. Compare distance to my “stock” putt distance at my home course. After that calibration, it’s all feel.
To my mind, the perfect putting drill is the Cameron McCormick 3-point drill. It’s got everything! Speed, line, pressure and green reading. Here’s how I do it:
Place a tee two feet from a hole. Pace off about 10’ and drop two ball markers (dimes work great). Pace off another 10’ and place another tee and one ball. One ball forces me thru my entire putting process. I go thru my standard green-reading process. I determine where the line of the putt should pass the dimes. I then position the dimes one putter head apart, straddling the imagined line. They become the “gate”.
Go thru routine, stroke the putt. If the ball rolls thru the dime gate-one point. If ball is between front edge of hole and 2-foot back tee-one more point. If putt is holed-one more point. If putt is short or beyond back tee-no points. Maximum 3 points per (thus the name). If needed, adjust the gate location for proper break. Repeat for 5 putts, record score and number of gate moves. Then change direction, distance and repeat.
If I miss the gate, I need to work on my line and/or face alignment. If I consistently miss low or need frequent gate adjustments, I’ll focus on improving my green reading. Since the total putt is 20-40’ I’m getting lots of speed practice. Because I’m keeping score, there’s pressure. Since I’m recording scores, I can see improvement. Which makes me want to do the drill more.
It is no longer a shock to have a 3-putt free round.
Hope this helps!
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Always chuckled when people say “almost a good putt” about a 20-footer that stops 1/2” in front of the hole. How is that any different to one that misses 18” long?
So good! I will definitely use that.
100%. I never hit a putt without taking a stroke or two looking at the hole. Really helps get the tempo dialed in before taking your stroke. I feel it really really helps with my speed.
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