We've launched the new forums! Read more here

How Many Commit to a Partner's Green Read?

I trust 2 guys, and only when I play their course.

My cousin who's a +1 at his private club in Dallas

My buddy played on tour in the 80s, when I play his course, Lawsonia, in Green Lake Wi. Very hard to read those greens

Otherwise, it's tough for me to commit on what someone else sees

I do ask partners if it looks uphill or downhill from their side (y)
 
I rely on a partner’s read but not necessarily the break but show me the speed .....
 
Space Bandito said:
I disagree here. Those that ask for a read do not necessarily lack confidence. That would be like saying a tour pro lacks confidence for getting a read from their caddie. I think it's more about confirming. If you see it one way, and another does not confirm that thought, it's worth a discussion.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'd even say that it takes self confidence to know and admit you might need help, and ask for it. People without it tend to silently suffer bad outcomes for fear of looking foolish not knowing something.
 
Space Bandito said:
I disagree here. Those that ask for a read do not necessarily lack confidence. That would be like saying a tour pro lacks confidence for getting a read from their caddie. I think it's more about confirming. If you see it one way, and another does not confirm that thought, it's worth a discussion.
Click to expand...
A pro hires a caddie...It's his job to read a putt for his employer. Not applicable... If you offer me a read of left edge and I see right edge...What shall I do? Hence my position that no advise is better. Cuz actually even if I know absolutely that it is a left edge putt...how often will I execute properly? It's a different ballgame when we are teammates and playing together...Then team work works....But in your post you spoke of offering a read or asking a playing partner...Those are different things.
I use to play with a work associate who was a Scot....We would play his course Manasquan River in NJ...Great course...At the time 25 years ago....it wasn't marked really well with distance markers...He would give you incorrect info....on purpose in my mind....as all he cared about was beating me....My cap was a few below his...We'd finish have a beer and he would go on about how he won....It wasn't until about the 3rd time I played with him that I saw him give bad yardage that it struck me what his strategy was....
 
It it’s Phil Mickelson, a lot. 😂. I know I could learn a ton playing a round with him coaching me.

In the real world, it is totally dependent on the player. There definitely are players who could help me read a putt. Others, not so much... There are many times where I have asked, “What are you seeing here?”
 
If it’s someone that I’ve played with enough that’s a good putter or understands green reading I’ll pay attention, otherwise I just won’t ask because I feel like I’m a good putter with good green reading skills.
 
If offered, I’ll probably take it into consideration depending on how good I know the person. I am pretty confident in my reading ability too so unless it was way different that made me take another look, I’d probably just go with mine.
 
grain of salt, but I consider it a bit in my information. Arccos has me at a -.01 putter since I got that rat off you so I tend to trust myself lol @Space Bandito
 
I'm really only considering this when playing in a team format because in individual stroke play, I'll extremely rarely if ever ask for a read. If one happens to be offered unsolicited, I'll acknowledge the input and quickly consider it if I deem it valid but most often, I'm too busy indulging in my own read.

As to team format... when I'm sure, I'm sure. But when I play with a partner whose putting is superior to mine, when not independently sure, I will most often commit to their read.

Similar with a partner who may be less skilled at putting. Because when I'm not certain, any 2nd-set-of-eyes input can help greatly in alerting me to something I maybe haven't taken note of.
 
Last edited:
OldandStiff said:
Yeah, I'd even say that it takes self confidence to know and admit you might need help, and ask for it. People without it tend to silently suffer bad outcomes for fear of looking foolish not knowing something.
Click to expand...

I agree. It’s far less embarrassing asking for an opinion that it is to read 5ft of left break and have it break 3ft right. Yes, I suck at reading greens.
 
My partner’s chief weakness is putting. I don’t ask for or listen to any of his thoughts or reads. Did once or twice over the years with negative outcomes so that was the last of that.
 
GolfTravelDude said:
A pro hires a caddie...It's his job to read a putt for his employer. Not applicable... If you offer me a read of left edge and I see right edge...What shall I do? Hence my position that no advise is better. Cuz actually even if I know absolutely that it is a left edge putt...how often will I execute properly? It's a different ballgame when we are teammates and playing together...Then team work works....But in your post you spoke of offering a read or asking a playing partner...Those are different things.
I use to play with a work associate who was a Scot....We would play his course Manasquan River in NJ...Great course...At the time 25 years ago....it wasn't marked really well with distance markers...He would give you incorrect info....on purpose in my mind....as all he cared about was beating me....My cap was a few below his...We'd finish have a beer and he would go on about how he won....It wasn't until about the 3rd time I played with him that I saw him give bad yardage that it struck me what his strategy was....
Click to expand...
Calm down. That's a lot of ellipsis...
 
GolfTravelDude said:
A pro hires a caddie...It's his job to read a putt for his employer. Not applicable... If you offer me a read of left edge and I see right edge...What shall I do? Hence my position that no advise is better. Cuz actually even if I know absolutely that it is a left edge putt...how often will I execute properly? It's a different ballgame when we are teammates and playing together...Then team work works....But in your post you spoke of offering a read or asking a playing partner...Those are different things.
I use to play with a work associate who was a Scot....We would play his course Manasquan River in NJ...Great course...At the time 25 years ago....it wasn't marked really well with distance markers...He would give you incorrect info....on purpose in my mind....as all he cared about was beating me....My cap was a few below his...We'd finish have a beer and he would go on about how he won....It wasn't until about the 3rd time I played with him that I saw him give bad yardage that it struck me what his strategy was....
Click to expand...

I once read a funny story about a round where Ben Hogan and Sam Snead were paired. Snead wasn't tending to his business strictly enough and Hogan and his caddie noticed. They also noticed Snead's caddie watching them like a hawk! They reach a par 3 with water tight up against the front of the green. Hogan and his caddie pretend to be all confused about what club to hit, and "settle" on a 2 iron. Hogan chokes up and hits this little "pitty-pat" 2 iron that barely clears the water and trickles up on the green. Snead asks his caddie "What do you think here"" The caddie says, "It's a good 2 iron, Mr. Snead!" So, Sam laces out a 2 iron that clears the pond, the green, and winds up in the woods behind the green! Snead looks after it and says, "Hell boy, that ain't no 2 iron!" Well, Snead should have known that. Hogan played him!
 
Buckeyegolfnut said:
I once read a funny story about a round where Ben Hogan and Sam Snead were paired. Snead wasn't tending to his business strictly enough and Hogan and his caddie noticed. They also noticed Snead's caddie watching them like a hawk! They reach a par 3 with water tight up against the front of the green. Hogan and his caddie pretend to be all confused about what club to hit, and "settle" on a 2 iron. Hogan chokes up and hits this little "pitty-pat" 2 iron that barely clears the water and trickles up on the green. Snead asks his caddie "What do you think here"" The caddie says, "It's a good 2 iron, Mr. Snead!" So, Sam laces out a 2 iron that clears the pond, the green, and winds up in the woods behind the green! Snead looks after it and says, "Hell boy, that ain't no 2 iron!" Well, Snead should have known that. Hogan played him!
Click to expand...
So Sam beat this guy like a drum all summer. The guy lost like 5000 to him. End of season he tells Sam he wants to play one hole for what he had lost. Sam says sure....And tells the guy you know I know every hole out here at Homestead like the palm of my hand. The guy went out to 7 tee and played to 5 green...Got it down pat. Next day he meets Sam and says we will play 7 tee....Sam says that's my favorite hole... He tells Sam but we play to 5 green, Your honor....He beat Sam.
 
Pretty much if I ask for a read I'll definitely take it into consideration. If it's a team match, i will definitely talk through the read with my team.
 
If it is their home course that I haven’t played often, I will give it a bit more weight than I would in the course of a normal round. Also, I am more of a firmer putter to take some break out, if they are a die it in the hole putter, they will always over read break for my speed.
 
I absolutely HATE being told which way the putt is going unless I ask, and I usually only ask when I can't see something. Even then, I prefer to ask "which way is this one going do you think" rather than 'how much break' kind of thing.

In scrambles, I can't go last. If I do, I don't look at the first three haha! I think it's 100% confidence relevant.
 
For me it depends who I'm playing with. A couple guys I trust, but some not so much.
 
About the only time I'd do any consultation for a read would be in a scramble/team event. Other than that, I don't ask for/discuss reads - but I definitely do pay attention to others' putts whenever they might provide me some useful information for my own putt. Even a missed putt can provide you with something useful sometimes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top