How To Read Golf Greens: 9 Steps

Written by Todd in Uncategorized

Have you been struggling with your putting lately?

Or maybe you are new to the game and need some help reading greens.

Whatever your situation might be, we are here to help.  Putting is one part of my game that has been a strength over the years.  This includes lag putting and making those 3-8 footers that mean so much in a round of golf.

There are three keys to being a great putter:

  • #1 You must be able to read the greens.
  • #2 You must be able to control your start line.
  • #3 You must be a pace that matches your start line.

If you can master all three of these skills, you are on your way to becoming an above average putter and hopefully a great putter.  The great news about putting is that it doesn’t take great size, strength or athletic ability to be a great putter.  Instead, what it takes is being able to focus on these three keys and working on some skills and drills to improve that putting stroke and your ability to understand what the ball is going to do (green reading).

Today, we are going to dive into how to read golf greens.

How To Read Golf Greens?

There are 9 steps or tips that will help you become a good reader of the greens.  Even the perfectly struck putt on the perfect speed won’t end up in the hole without the ability to first read the green.  

Here are the 9 steps:

  • Read the green as you are walking up to it.
  • Consider what way water would drain overall on the green.
  • Feel the green in your feet.
  • Get a view from beyond the hole.
  • Get a view from behind the ball.
  • Read the grain in the green.
  • Determine your start line and speed.
  • Line up the line on your ball to match the picture.
  • Commit to the shot, don’t adjust when you get over the ball.
Get a good look at the green as your approach it. I can see the front of this green sloping towards the fairway.

Step #1: Read the green as you are walking up to it

Whether you walk or ride a cart, try to always enter the green from the front of the green.  Take note of any severe drop offs in the front, back or sides.  Try to gain an overall feeling for the overall flow of the green.  While there might be little nuances within the green, start with the overall flow of the green.

This is especially important on putts over 20 feet.  The putt is ultimately going to be impacted by the overall flow of the green a high percentage of the time.

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Step #2: Consider what way water would drain overall on the green

If you are struggling to get this overall feeling of the direction of the green, consider what way the water would flow if the green had an excessive amount of water.  A good clue is where the drainage might be on the side of the green.  If you play the course frequently, you might be out there in some rain, take a look next time this happens on the various greens.  Water ultimately flows and runs downhill, find the low spot and keep this low spot in mind as your take your next steps in reading the green.

Helpful Post: How to make more putts (5 Tips)

Step #3: Feel the green in your feet

 As you walk around and stand behind your ball and behind the hole, feel the green in your feet.  Does your body want to tip one way if you were to be a balance.  Can you feel extra pressure on one foot as you look?  What you might be able to see with your eyes, you might be able to feel with your feet.  If you are struggling with this, stop for a second and feel the pressure in your feet.  Try to balance yourself and get in touch with where the pressure might be in your feet.

Helpful Post: When to use a putter (4 situations)

Step #4: Get a view from beyond the hole

This is my number one preferred spot to read a green from.  The behind the hole look provides a great picture of where the ball is going.  Once again, think about what way water would run.  Getting beyond the hole is especially helpful in downhill putts.  Notice if the greens continue to run away or starts to run away after the hole.  Reading the green has much to do with what way the ball will break as much as it does with whether the putt is uphill or downhill.  Take your time, get a feeling of the putt from beyond the hole.  In your next step, you will see if your read matches up with this view.

Step #5: Get a view from behind the ball

My second favorite spot to read the green is from behind the ball. I prefer to squat down and get closer to ground level to get a quality view of what the ball is going to do.  I am confirming in my mind if I am seeing the same thing from behind the hole.  I am once again looking for left to right or right to left and uphill or downhill.  It is getting close to the time to pick my line and commit to a speed.

Step #6: Read the grain in the green

This is especially important when putting on bermuda greens.  The grain of the grass will often grow or lay in one direction.  If the green looks like green or shiny, the grain is going away from you.  If the green looks a darker green, the grain is going towards where you are standing.  On bent greens, this doesn’t really come into play, but the different colors of the green could give you an idea of the overall break if water hand been running in that direction.

Step #7: Determine your start line and speed

It is time to determine the line and the speed.  Ultimately, you have to pick a line and commit to a certain speed.  If the putt is more downhill, respect the comebacker and consider playing the putt with a little more break and a little less speed.  If you are putting uphill and want to hit the ball firmly, take a straighter line to the hole.  Putting takes a combination of line and speed.  One without the other is worthless as there aren’t many perfectly straight putts in golf.

Step 8: Line up the line on your ball to match the picture

There are people that want to putt to a specific spot and those that are better putting to the picture.  I prefer putting to the picture as it keeps me from trying to be too perfect and frees up the tension in my hands and arm to make a slower, smooth stroke that gets the ball rolling in the right direction at the right speed.  The golfer who tries to be too perfect will often try to manipulate the club through the putting stroke.  This often leads to poor speed and poor start lines.  Instead, line up the line and commit.  You have done the work, commit to the putt.

Helpful Post: How to make more short putts

Step #9: Commit to the shot, don’t adjust when you get over the ball

Our eyes are designed to best read a putt from behind the ball or behind the hole, not standing over the ball.  Too many golfers go through their process, line up the line on their ball and then change it when they get over it.  Our eyes are not designed to have a quality view from the position of where we putt from.  This can lead to disaster and you never hitting your line.  Instead, stick with the line and where you set it up and commit to the shot.  To build confidence in this, make sure you are going through this routine during your practice putting sessions.

This green appears to run away in the back left corner.

BONUS TIP: Practice short putts and lag putts

The number one tip I can give you is to practice those 3-8 footers and your 30 foot putts.  The 3-8 footers will help you save par and the 30 foot lag putts will help you two putt when you hit a green in regulation.  3 putt avoidance is huge and making those 3-8 footers is key to keeping the momentum going in your round.

Too often golfers practice that 15-20 foot range, which has a low make percentage no matter how much you practice.  Did you know that the average make percentage form 8 feet on the PGA Tour is only 50%.  Master this distance and you are on your way to making more pars and possibly more birdies.  

Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better

What does this mean for you?  I believe in the following recipe to get better:

1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor.  Here are some options:

Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:

2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed.  Here are some options:

Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:

3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier.  Here is a series on breaking through:

We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.

4 – Practice Frequently

Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system?  It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:

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