Routine on the Green

[JB]

I have a routine I follow on the green almost to a T. I mark my ball and then clean it off while getting an intro to the break. Then put the ball back with the alignment arrow. I take a few steps back and then read the green. Come back with one practice stroke and then putt it.

All in all, mine takes about 20 secs. I played with someone today that was about 2 minutes to read each putt. It killed me. What is your Reading the Green routine?

 

[provisional]

My read of the green starts before I even get to it. It starts with my appraoch shot, where I first get a to see how the ball is going to roll after landing on the green. Now if I happen to hit a one bounce and stop shot, that won't work as well as a ball that rolls farther. As I am walking up to the green I look at the green to see if any undulations are visable. After I get to the green, I pretty much mark, pickup, clean up, replace and check my line to the hole. Hopefully I am inside another golfer, and watch the roll of their ball. If it is an important putt, I will make some more reads from various angles around the hole. By important I mean one for the team, and eagle, or just a personal best score. Last but not least I keep a note book on my home course's greens that I might look at while walking to the greens. I guess my actual pre-putt routine takes about 30-45 seconds after I have done everything else while waiting for my turn to putt. Again, it just depends on how important the putt is to me. :clapp:

 

[RocketSauce]

i honestly dont really have a routine. ill squat down to read the break and thats about it. actually, i guess you could say that is my routine

 

[Callaway Girl]

My routine starts when walking to the green. First, I survey the entire green (mounds, slopes, etc). Next, I mark my ball and then clean it off. Then, I walk behind the hole and read the green from backwards. Next, I walk around and read the green from behind my mark. I place the ball back with the alignment arrow pointing on my line. I take two practice strokes imagining the roll and speed of the upcoming putt. Finally, I address the ball and putt the ball over the spot that I picked out on the line of my putt.

The complete routine takes about 60 seconds.

 

[LBlack14]

My routine starts when walking to the green. First, I survey the entire green (mounds, slopes, etc). Next, I mark my ball and then clean it off. Then, I walk behind the hole and read the green from backwards. Next, I walk around and read the green from behind my mark. I place the ball back with the alignment arrow pointing on my line. I take two practice strokes imagining the roll and speed of the upcoming putt. Finally, I address the ball and putt the ball over the spot that I picked out on the line of my putt.

The complete routine takes about 60 seconds.

This to a T except my practice strokes are a 3 stroke pendulum(sp?) Look at hole ball hole ball stroke......darn it, short again!

JB, if you align your ball before you read the putt I guess you don't use the alignment mark on the actual line of the putt as you percieve it?

 

[JB]

That is correct LB. I aim it dead at the hole everytime.

 

[Grogger31]

That is correct LB. I aim it dead at the hole everytime.

Really? I guess I always assumed people aimed the alignment mark on their target line ... not directly at the hole. I assume JB's method is less common?

 

[JB]

Grogger you are right. I have always done it that way, and it works for me. Does not work for most and I do not recommend it.

 

[Badger_Golfer]

Take a few steps back from the ball, read the green, set up to the ball and hit my putt.
I dont use the alignment mark and I dont do any practice strokes.

 

[StLCardsFan]

I don't think I have any real routine. Sometimes it depends on the course, the upcoming putt, who I am playing with, and what I might be playing for. I am a firm believer that if you look at a putt too many times you will only confuse yourself, so I take a quick look, decide on the line and speed and go with it. I play the same courses all the time so I can pretty much tell you how a putt will break after I hit it on the green. If I don't really know the course or a particular putt, I will look at all sides and maybe go halfway to the hole a make a practice stroke to see if I picked the correct line. I don't take too much time on the green at all. While I think I can make anything, I am realistic a lot of the time and just pick a line and speed to nestle it down to the hole for an easy two putt. If it is really makeable, I will take a little more time. If I am last to go from the group, I will take extra looks since I am waiting anyway.

 

[drivingrangejunkie]

My routine is I read the green sometimes from just behind the ball and sometimes all around 360 degrees if I don't feel right about it. Then I'll step up to the ball, make one or two practice putts and then settle down, check the alignment once again, take a couple deep breaths and putt. Sometimes if I'm not sure at all about the read then I'll do the spiderman like Camilo. I've done it a couple times.

 

[Floppy]

I crouch down, read the green, and putt.

No practice strokes. Just whack it lol.

 

[907golfer12]

I follow my routine on every putt.

1. Mark my ball
2. Find the high and low side's of the green
3. Read the break
4. Pick a spot on my line to aim at
5. Put the ball back. I don't use alignment aids or anything. When I put my ball down I just make it so I don't see any of the print on the ball.
6. Take 2 practice strokes beside the ball
7. Address the ball, look at the hole, deep breath, stroke the putt.

I'm not sure how long this takes, I've never timed it, but it doesn't take anymore then a minute long I can tell you that. But while I do all this I clean my ball, usually while I'm reading the putt.