Often golfers wonder as how to judge golf greens while putting to ensure if the ball breaks left, right or continues straight. Reading golf putting greens and trying to determine how the ball moves can help you score well and improve your handicap!

Golfers must therefore view the greens from all angles and then give the gentle stroke. Professional golfers look at the green from the side that they are standing, from the other side of the hole and also judge the grain of the greens!

Putting Green Tips

One can have a fair estimate of the putting green by looking at the area 50-100 yards out. The contour of the green can of course tell you in which direction the ball is likely to move. If there is a hill near the green, then the ball will roll away from it and if there is lake nearby, then the ball is likely to move towards it.

Grain of the grass is again an important factor that determines how further a ball would move. Putts against the grains would not move fast while putts in the grains would naturally do so. In order to judge the grain of the grass, observe the green at both sides of the grass and also from behind the grass. If the grass appears shining, then the grain is against you, if not then the grain is towards you.

Reading Golf Putting Greens For Better Putting

One must remember that greens are designed in such a way that they are low in the front and high in the back Thus, one must attempt to read how steep the slope of the green is after the approach shot. Then one should observe if the green has a lot of grass which might affect the putt. You must ask yourself: is the green uphill, downhill or flat. What would be the speed of the putt? Fast, normal or slow? It also helps to cut the green into four parts as you approach the ball. Middle, from front to back and fro side to side.

Before even attempting to hit the ball, a good golfer knows the slope of the green and the grains which makes it move.

Putting Green Tips

It is advisable to read the putt behind the ball and below the hole. In uphill putts, “behind the ball” and “below the hole” is the same thing. But when one is on the downhill, one should be careful about judging “below the hill” before making the shot.

Judging The Breaks In The Putting

Most golfers ask themselves if only they could know where the putt would break. Would it break left or right? In order to know that, keenly observe the green from behind the ball. And then there is the question of speed of the ball. In uphill puts, you have to hit slightly harder so that the ball runs through the break. Be extra soft on downhill putts. Try to judge the moisture level of the green. Generally as day time lengthens, the grass becomes drier. Thus, in the early hours when the green is more moist, the speed of the ball would be affected.

Getting to read the golf putting greens right can help you putt well. Needless to say that putting is important as 43% of the golf scores are based on how well you putt.