Master Your Green Reading
From Tom Patri On July 16, 2022
In golf, 3-putt" is a four-letter word. There's not a more frustrating way to waste strokes, because 3-putts are usually quite easy to avoid. They are rarely the result of a physical or mechanical error.... Instead, they usually follow a lapse in concentration or a faulty read that leads to a poor first putt.
If you struggle with 3-putts (and even one per round is too many), Titleist staff member Tom Patri has a remedy. To be a successful putter you need to be proficient at reading greens. And you need to embed that skill into a routine that you follow faithfully. Formalizing this process will improve the quality of your initial putts. This will help you make more 1-putts, but more importantly, it will leave you with shorter second putts, the biggest factor when it comes to avoid 3-putts.
Give Tom's process a try and see what a difference it makes on the final scores you post:
• Initial Linear Read – Take a look at your putt from behind the golf ball, with the hole in the background. Get a general feel for the length of the putt and the amount of sidehill pitch on the green. With this information, develop an initial read and visualize the line your golf ball will need to start on to break towards and finish at the hole.
• Secondary Read – Now, move to the low side of your putt and view the green from half-way between your ball and the cup. This secondary read will show you if you're putting uphill, downhill, or if your putt is fairly flat. It will also help confirm your initial read or give you additional evidence to adjust it.
• Return to the vantage point behind the ball and adjust your initial read and start line, guided by your secondary look at the putt. Standing to the side of your ball, make some practice strokes, rehearsing the speed you'll need to roll the ball. Allow your eyes to see and your brain to feel the putt.
• Step in and address the ball. Square your putter face to your intended start line. Take one final look at the hole, then make a stroke, reproducing the feel you've rehearsed in your mind's eye.
• Retrieve your golf ball from the bottom of the cup or tap in the gimmee you have left..
If you struggle with 3-putts (and even one per round is too many), Titleist staff member Tom Patri has a remedy. To be a successful putter you need to be proficient at reading greens. And you need to embed that skill into a routine that you follow faithfully. Formalizing this process will improve the quality of your initial putts. This will help you make more 1-putts, but more importantly, it will leave you with shorter second putts, the biggest factor when it comes to avoid 3-putts.
Give Tom's process a try and see what a difference it makes on the final scores you post:
• Initial Linear Read – Take a look at your putt from behind the golf ball, with the hole in the background. Get a general feel for the length of the putt and the amount of sidehill pitch on the green. With this information, develop an initial read and visualize the line your golf ball will need to start on to break towards and finish at the hole.
• Secondary Read – Now, move to the low side of your putt and view the green from half-way between your ball and the cup. This secondary read will show you if you're putting uphill, downhill, or if your putt is fairly flat. It will also help confirm your initial read or give you additional evidence to adjust it.
• Return to the vantage point behind the ball and adjust your initial read and start line, guided by your secondary look at the putt. Standing to the side of your ball, make some practice strokes, rehearsing the speed you'll need to roll the ball. Allow your eyes to see and your brain to feel the putt.
• Step in and address the ball. Square your putter face to your intended start line. Take one final look at the hole, then make a stroke, reproducing the feel you've rehearsed in your mind's eye.
• Retrieve your golf ball from the bottom of the cup or tap in the gimmee you have left..
In golf, 3-putt" is a four-letter word. There's not a more frustrating way to waste
...
strokes, because 3-putts are usually quite easy to avoid. They are rarely the result of a physical or mechanical error. Instead, they usually follow a lapse in concentration or a faulty read that leads to a poor first putt.
If you struggle with 3-putts (and even one per round is too many), Titleist staff member Tom Patri has a remedy. To be a successful putter you need to be proficient at reading greens. And you need to embed that skill into a routine that you follow faithfully. Formalizing this process will improve the quality of your initial putts. This will help you make more 1-putts, but more importantly, it will leave you with shorter second putts, the biggest factor when it comes to avoid 3-putts.
Give Tom's process a try and see what a difference it makes on the final scores you post:
• Initial Linear Read – Take a look at your putt from behind the golf ball, with the hole in the background. Get a general feel for the length of the putt and the amount of sidehill pitch on the green. With this information, develop an initial read and visualize the line your golf ball will need to start on to break towards and finish at the hole.
• Secondary Read – Now, move to the low side of your putt and view the green from half-way between your ball and the cup. This secondary read will show you if you're putting uphill, downhill, or if your putt is fairly flat. It will also help confirm your initial read or give you additional evidence to adjust it.
• Return to the vantage point behind the ball and adjust your initial read and start line, guided by your secondary look at the putt. Standing to the side of your ball, make some practice strokes, rehearsing the speed you'll need to roll the ball. Allow your eyes to see and your brain to feel the putt.
• Step in and address the ball. Square your putter face to your intended start line. Take one final look at the hole, then make a stroke, reproducing the feel you've rehearsed in your mind's eye.
• Retrieve your golf ball from the bottom of the cup or tap in the gimmee you have left..
If you struggle with 3-putts (and even one per round is too many), Titleist staff member Tom Patri has a remedy. To be a successful putter you need to be proficient at reading greens. And you need to embed that skill into a routine that you follow faithfully. Formalizing this process will improve the quality of your initial putts. This will help you make more 1-putts, but more importantly, it will leave you with shorter second putts, the biggest factor when it comes to avoid 3-putts.
Give Tom's process a try and see what a difference it makes on the final scores you post:
• Initial Linear Read – Take a look at your putt from behind the golf ball, with the hole in the background. Get a general feel for the length of the putt and the amount of sidehill pitch on the green. With this information, develop an initial read and visualize the line your golf ball will need to start on to break towards and finish at the hole.
• Secondary Read – Now, move to the low side of your putt and view the green from half-way between your ball and the cup. This secondary read will show you if you're putting uphill, downhill, or if your putt is fairly flat. It will also help confirm your initial read or give you additional evidence to adjust it.
• Return to the vantage point behind the ball and adjust your initial read and start line, guided by your secondary look at the putt. Standing to the side of your ball, make some practice strokes, rehearsing the speed you'll need to roll the ball. Allow your eyes to see and your brain to feel the putt.
• Step in and address the ball. Square your putter face to your intended start line. Take one final look at the hole, then make a stroke, reproducing the feel you've rehearsed in your mind's eye.
• Retrieve your golf ball from the bottom of the cup or tap in the gimmee you have left..
404
Videos
Filter:
- Alex Buckner
- Brad Faxon
- Dan Whittaker
- Dr. Mo Pickens
- Matt Leach
- Matthew Johns
- Sophie Walker
- Cameron McCormick
- James Sieckmann
- Mark Blackburn
- Michael Breed
- Trillium Rose
- Jonathan Yarwood
- Dave Phillips
- Brandon Stooksbury
- Justin Parsons
- Layne Savoie
- Dr. Rob Neal
- Dr. Greg Rose
- Skip Guss
- Jason Baile
- John Kostis
- Jennifer Hudson
- Ryan Hager
- Corey Lundberg
- Tom Patri
- Driver
- Fairway
- Hybrid
- Utility Iron
- Iron
- Wedge
- Putter
- Fundamentals
- Shot Shaping
- Anti-hook
- Anti-slice
- Alignment
- Tight Lie
- Long Rough
- Bunker Play
- Consistency
- Distance Control
- Trajectory
The Fundamentals Every Golfer Needs
From Justin Parsons On July 24, 2024
When it comes to the golf swing, there are certain fundamentals that they all...
Golf Statistics You Should Be Tracking
From Justin Parsons On July 10, 2024
On the PGA Tour, ShotLink tracking and Strokes Gained data are making it...
How to Overcome First Tee Jitters
From Dr. Mo Pickens On June 27, 2024
Every golfer gets nervous on the first tee. You're filled with anticipation,...
Two Paths to Hitting the Golf Ball Farther
From Dr. Greg Rose On June 24, 2024
"How do I hit the golf ball farther?" This is the frequently-asked question by...
Five Steps to Get Out of Trouble
From Dr. Mo Pickens On June 07, 2024
In golf it's inevitable - at some point you're going to hit a wayward shot that...
Advanced Technique for Half-Wedge
From Dr. Rob Neal, Trillium Rose On May 16, 2024
Titleist staff member Dr. Rob Neal has spent years studying the best golfers in...
No results
Titleist Instruction Newsletter
Titleist Tips: Make the Most of Your Golf Practice Time
One of the coolest things about the game of golf is the fact that we play the same game as the pros. Most of us will never take batting practice in...
Morgan Hoffmann: #ProvingIt
On Dec. 4, 2017, Morgan Hoffmann penned an article for The Players' Tribune, an online media platform that provides first-person content written by...
Iron Selector Tool
This iron selection tool starts the fitting process by suggesting a recommended and alternative iron set. The next step is to experience a...