Applying the pendulum putting stroke6 (Part 6)
More great tips on understanding how to read the greensAs you continue to learn how to read the greens, while setting up for your new putting strategy – using the pendulum putting stroke – pay attention to the following pointers:* The general speed of the greens is important to keep in mind as you look over the putt. On a decent course, the speed of the greens will be consistent. The faster the greens are rolling, the more the ball will break. * When the greens are wet from early morning dew or rain, they will break less than normal. * The faster the ball is moving at any given time, the less susceptible it is to break. When the ball first leaves the putter it's going to be moving the fastest (except when rolling on severe downhill putts), so it's going to break less. It's always going to be moving slowest around the hole, which means it should take more break near the hole. In other words, if there is any contour near the hole, the break of the ball will be magnified at that point. * Uphill putts break less than flat putts (they are moving slower), and downhill putts break more than flat putts. * Putts breaking into the grain – the direction in which the grass grows – break less. Putts running with the grain break more. * If a green looks flat, look for the lowest point on the green around the edges to get some idea of the general tilt of the green. There has to be some place for the water to run off, and the green, or portions of it, usually tilt in that direction. * If a cup looks flat near the hole, take a peek in the hole and check the amount of earth on all sides, the putt may be flat at the hole. If one side of the liner has more dirt showing, the putt could break from that direction as it nears the hole. * On putts that appear to move in two or more directions, remember that the early breaks won't be as severe as the ones near the hole - when the ball is moving slower. * And finally, the grain of the grass has a lot of effect on a putt. The type of grass generally used in warm climates is Bermuda grass. Bermuda grass has thick blades that grow quickly after they've been cut. Bermuda likes to grow toward the setting sun, so keep in mind what direction is west while you're playing on Bermuda greens. If the grain runs across the line of your putt so that your ball breaks into the grain, this slows down your putt just as much as if you were putting dead into the grain. Dead into the grain is, of course, very slow. Down-grain putts are quick. Putts on Bermuda greens will be greatly affected by the grain as the ball loses speed. That means you have to allow for it at the hole. The way you can tell if you're down-grain is that the grass gets a kind of sheen to it – looking a bit shiny. If you're putting into the grain, it looks dark. Lots more for you to digest here but believe me it is well worth remembering these tips. Read the other articles in this series at the links below. More golf training aids How to apply the pendulum putting stroke Setting up pendulum putting stroke pendulum-putting-stroke Applying the technique pendulum putting stroke choosing the correct putter pendulum putting stroke reading the greens Watch out for more great articles Don't forget to book mark us, or even easier subscribe to our RSS feed. New! CommentsHave your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below. |
