It is common for golfers to neglect their green reading for no reason other than the fact that they want to hurry up and get out of the way. This feels like a time-consuming part of the game, and golfers who are self-conscious about playing slow will often just walk up to the ball and send it on its way. Obviously, this is not an ideal plan, and it is going to lead to poor results.
At the same time, it is important to play at a reasonable pace. You don’t want to be out on the course all day long, and you also don’t want to hold other people up as they play their own rounds. To make sure you read your putts in a timely manner, the first thing you should do is have a process in place (like the one described in the previous section). With a plan that you can follow over and over, it will be easier to stay on time. Also, the tips below can help you read your putts more efficiently than ever before.
Start the read as soon as possible. If you are walking the course, you can begin the process of reading your putt before you even arrive at the green. As you walk up, take an overview of the green complex to gain an understanding for the major slopes that you will need to consider. When you get up to your ball, you will already have a start on your read, and you can go from there.
Do your work while others play. There is something of an art to moving around the golf course properly. You need to walk to specific locations in order to get the information you need, but you also don’t want to bother others as they are playing. With experience, you will get better and better at moving around in a way that is not a problem for others. Remember, you shouldn’t just stand off to the side and wait until it is your turn to putt to actually start reading the green. Get to work right away, and be ready to putt when it is your turn.
Keep it moving on short putts. This is a tricky point, because we are not encouraging you to rush on your short putts. At the same time, you don’t need to take all day to get ready for a three-footer. Most likely, there isn’t going to be much involved in the read of such a short putt. Once you have your line, get over the ball, take a practice stroke, and knock it in. Standing there for a long period of time is only going to decrease your chances of making the putt. The pace of play tends to slow down dramatically when golfers take too much time on short putts, so don’t contribute to this problem.
If you have never before thought about improving your green reading skills, now is the time. Get to work on this important part of your game and you will be happy with the results. Not only will your putting performance improve, but your overall confidence on the course will be boosted as well. We hope the advice offered in this article will lead to more made putts as soon as your next round – good luck!
