Golf Tips From The Professional

Read any good greens lately?

People are starting to become aware of how important putting is to one’s overall score.  However, this awareness can lead to pressure and frustration when the putts aren’t going in.  To increase your chances of making more putts, let’s review six different points of view that are vital to improving your perception and your ability to accurately read the greens.

1.  > 40 yards away (the big picture):  After hitting your approach shot or parking the golf car take a big picture of the green and note the highest spot and lowest spot of the green.  Also, add information about the local terrain such as, water hazards, wind direction, and mountains. 
2. Behind the ball:  Stand or kneel behind the ball keeping the ball between you and the hole. This is a great point of view to determine the slope of the putt and ultimately the line of the putt. 
3. Behind the hole:  Take time to walk to the opposite side of the hole keeping the hole between you and the ball. This view will give you more information about the direction of the putt.
4. High side:  Stand halfway between the ball and the hole on the high side of the putt. From this perspective your eyes can give you accurate information about the length of the putt and therefore the speed.
5. Low side:  Stand halfway between the ball and the hole on the low side of the putt. This view will also improve your ability to judge the distance of the putt and will reaffirm a lot of the data you collected from the other points of view. It’s a great idea from this viewpoint to read the putt backwards, starting at the hole and visualizing how the ball is going to get there.
6. Putting stance:  Position your eyes directly in the spot where you will stroke the putt.  Many golfers who fail to read the putt from this perspective will setup and address the ball then look at the hole and actually see something different from what they learned in the other five perspectives.  Therefore, to eliminate doubt, confusion, and any last second adjustments, it is important to spend time reading the putt from your actual putting position.

Reading a putt for distance and direction can be instrumental in improving your golf scores.  A new or different point of view can help you to see things that you couldn’t before.  Accurately reading the greens is about awareness, visualization, creativity, and mental imagery.  By staying engaged through reading the greens you will naturally increase your ability to judge distance and direction.  Our instructors can help you learn how to improve your green reading skills and teach you drills to help you make more putts.

Robbie Fritz, PGA
Director of Instruction
John Jacobs’ Golf School
at Port Royal Golf Club
10 Clubhouse Dr.
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
rfritz@jacobsgolf.com    
(919) 971-5099