You're Correct!

Reading a green is one of the most difficult areas of putting for club golfers, and then if you add in some undulations, a change in level or even a double break then it gets much more difficult

The biggest problem with double breaking putts is not knowing how to read them, and if you stop and think for a moment, the best way to read this putt is in its name. A double breaking putt is one that moves in one direction for the first part of the putt and then in the opposite direction for the last part. So why not break it down into sections and read it as two separate putts?

• Firstly, you need to walk the length of your putt to gauge the distance and also feel the changes of the slopes with your feet. From here, you can start to think about the length of the putts as you separate them into individual right to left and left to right breaking putts.
• You need to have a look at the putt from behind your ball. This will give you the perspective of the whole putt and allow you to see where the first putt will end and where the second putt will begin.
• It is important to look at the second putt in the first instance because as your putt start to slow down, the break will move the ball more, so it is vital to your success rate that you allow enough break on this putt.
• Finally, you can focus on the first putt, and because you know the line you want the second putt to start on, reading this putt is now fairly straight forward. The biggest part of getting this putt right is controlling your speed. If you start this putt on the right line with the wrong speed then the end result could potentially leave you with a difficult second putt. From here, three putting becomes a real possibility.

Hitting a double breaker straight at the hole is very common, and mainly due to the fact that club golfers dont have a formula to help them read this putt. The biggest thing to remember is that you must simplify the putt by dividing it into the relevant number of sections so you are looking at one putt at a time.

The first six feet of any mid to long range putt are important, but when it comes to a breaking putt then the last six feet should command your attention more. The more your ball rolls, the slower it gets, and the more break it will take. See your ball in your minds eye as it travels the last six feet to give you a better idea of how much break you need to allow for.

The second half of a double breaking putt is incredibly important, but you still need to start the ball on the right line. Remember, the first half of your putt will still break, and although it may be a lot less than the second part, if you dont get your ball to start the second part at the right point then you have less chance of it finishing close to the hole or even holing the putt.