Arguably, putting should be one of the easiest parts to the game of golf. However, the putting green is the place where we can waste a lot of strokes. One of the most important pieces of being a great putter is to read the putt correctly. When reading a putt, you will be trying to determine the speed of the putt and the amount of break in the putt. The the speed and the break will affect each other, so it is important to read both. To read both the speed and break you will need to look at the putt from a 360-degree view. Reading the putt from a 360-degree view simply means looking at the putt from four different positions.
First read the putt from behind the ball. From behind the ball, you want to determine the slope of the green. Is the green flat, sloping from left to right or right to left? Also determine if there is any significant grain to the green. If the green has a shiny hue, then the putt is down grain and will be faster. If the hue of the green is darker and duller, then the putt is into the grain and will be slower.
Next walk to the low side of the putt halfway between the ball and the hole. If the putt breaks from left to right, then the low side of the putt will be right side. From this vantage point, look at your putt and determine if the putt is uphill or downhill. Also, look at the slope of the green from this angle and determine if there are any humps or abnormalities in the green that will affect the ball.
Third, look at your putt from behind the hole. Look at the slope of the putt both uphill or downhill and side to side. At this point you will have a good idea for the speed of the putt and the break. The line the ball will take that you visualize from this point will usually be the correct line.
Next, walk to the high side of the putt halfway between the ball and the hole. At this point you will mainly be seeking confirmation of what you have already read from the previous three angles. Once you have confirmed the speed and the break from this angle, you will be able to commit to your read and know what the ball is likely to do when you make your putt. Once you have your confirmation, you have read the green, and it’s time to putt the ball.
Reading the putt from a 360-degree view is simply gathering all the information you need to make the putt. If you gather all the information you need, you will be able to commit to the speed and the line. By reading the putt correctly, you will be able to make more putts.
