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PUTTING - reading the break

• SHRUDE 5,835 Posts

  Fri, Sep 23 2011 7:43 PM

  I have read throughmost of the topics here.. but none really give definitive tips on REALLY reading the break.

   

  My length is fine (where have i heard that before?)

  I am sick of missing birdies or eagles by missing the cup just 2"  - 5 " left or right of it.

  occasionally i get a nice break in real curve ball...  but.. have no idea why that worked compared to other attempts.

   

  HAYULP!

• Ecka65 245 Posts

  Fri, Sep 23 2011 11:12 PM

  Like you, I've read all I could find.  I don't think there is a sure fire mechanical / mathematical method.  Just like RL golf, faster the green = more break.  Harder hit the putt = less break.  Uphill takes less break.  downhill = more.

  If there was a way to measure the speed of each "grid", and they behaved like wind effect, I suppose you could work out the various breaks depending on putt speed.  But I went with a more standard approach:

  Play practice rounds and when you get to a green forget the hole.  Pick spots on the green with breaks and putt to them.  Putt back and forth to two points and see how the ball rolls and the effect of slightly less and slightly more speed on the stroke.  When the shots run out, rinse and repeat on the next hole.

  If there are certain holes on certain courses that you end up with similiar huge breaking putts, do the above.  But this time, putt around the green looking for area's where the approach to the hole isn't so diabolical.  Note it, and hit to it next time you play ignoring the pin.  Either that, or keep practicing the putts until you "get the break".

  Best I can offer mate.

• GilbertLB 2 Posts

  Sun, Sep 25 2011 10:39 AM

  One tip I'll suggest is when you're playing a round with other people, watch them putt from the reverse camera angle.  You can see how the ball is breaking on their shots, and take that into account when figuring out your break.

• Glas67 117 Posts

  Mon, Sep 26 2011 7:21 AM

  Not that it helps with reading the break, but on putts where there is a significant break, as well as moving the target to account for the break, I will also intentionally miss the meter bar to the left or right (depending on break) as it seems to hold the break better than the massive curve shots that would normally be required.

  This works well for me, especially those shortish 5-7ft putts that have massive breaks on them.  I will move the target about a cup-width from the hole, then miss the line by, say, 5mm and let that account for the rest of the break.

• SHRUDE 5,835 Posts

  Fri, Sep 30 2011 4:17 AM

  All good valid tip thanks...

   

  NEED MORE TIPS! LOL

• SOYEL1 698 Posts

  Fri, Sep 30 2011 11:14 AM

   

  Maybe this can help you a bit more, the rest is up to you, the putter, luck and WGT meanness...

  http://www.wgt.com/forums/t/60769.aspx

  http://www.wgt.com/forums/t/559.aspx

• SHRUDE 5,835 Posts

  Fri, Sep 30 2011 3:49 PM

  SOYEL1:

  Maybe this can help you a bit more, the rest is up to you, the putter, luck and WGT meanness...

   

  Thanks been to both of those threads, you will see my posts in them.

  My distance control is fine!
  I got that sussed out nicely

   

• mantis0014 8,946 Posts

  Fri, Sep 30 2011 3:52 PM

  1 tip is make sure you click the reverse button when putting. The reverse view gives you a better look at what the dots are doing, Sometimes the dots move slower or faster, even change direction in the reverse view. You can judge your putts better, but make sure you change back to normal view before putting.

  I'm a miss the ding putter, the only time I would move the aimer is on a very fast break and only time I ding it is on straight putts. Taken allot of practice but pretty good at it now.

  This might sound silly,  I started to play Oakmont awhile back just for the evil greens. The scores are bad, but putting on those evil greens with the bad breaks on most of the holes has helped me on other courses when putting.

  Cheers

     Roger

• singingjesus 152 Posts

  Fri, Sep 30 2011 5:32 PM

  mantis0014:

  1 tip is make sure you click the reverse button when putting. The reverse view gives you a better look at what the dots are doing, Sometimes the dots move slower or faster, even change direction in the reverse view. You can judge your putts better, but make sure you change back to normal view before putting.

  I agree with this paragraph until the last clause at the end. I always putt from the reverse view, and here is why; if the dots are moving right to left from the normal or front view, you know you must hit late to get the ball moving in the 'uphill' direction of the break. From the reverse view it's exactly the same, you still must hit the same amount late.

   

   

  I'm a combination miss the ding and move the marker man, and since I bought the TM 'Rossa' putter have been swiftly improving although still not great. I agree with glas67 that this method of putting is best on the large breaks/ long putts, but does take time to get down.

  sj

• JaLaBar 1,254 Posts

  Sun, Oct 2 2011 12:29 PM

  mantis0014:

  I'm a miss the ding putter, the only time I would move the aimer is on a very fast break and only time I ding it is on straight putts. Taken allot of practice but pretty good at it now.

  I'm also a miss the ding putter.  Really, I'm a miss the ding player.  I really only move my target on drives to the fairway, long seconds also to the fairway, and on the green only when the break is severe enough that I can't curve it enough to make it.  Otherwise, I always play curves.

  I always check reverse view, though reverse view isn't always the best view.  Look at the putting grid.  If your view from the front is parallel to the grid lines, you are fine.  I check it anyway to get the feel for the break.  Some people putt from reverse view.  I always putt front view just because I sometimes play dyslexic when I try that and play the break the opposite way.

  The biggest thing is practice.  Watch the break on putts, watch the pace and way it interacts with the ball.  And it becomes just something you know.  I look at a putt and I just have a feel for how much pace and curve to play.  Often times on shorter putts, I hit intentionally strong to eliminate much of the effect of break if I know I can hit center of the cup.  More than anything, putting just takes time.