How long do you take to read your putt?

[Kingfisher]

I try to read it as I am walking up. Greens I typically play have big mounds so they are difficult to always judge. From the time it is my turn, to when I putt, is about 1 minute. I walk around the hole, go from behind, line up ball, go back behind to confirm lined up well, couple practice strokes step in and gone.

I think there's another guy who mentions it takes him 2 minutes

If you start the clock ticking from the moment it is your turn, then 1 minute is a long time! Watching somebody stalk a putt for 1 minute will feel like an eternity - especially if they run it a few feet by and then go through the same saga again! Furthermore if all the guys in the four ball take the same amount of time, then you're in for a slow round. Generally I am able to do most of the reading whilst other players are playing their shots. Of course, one shouldn't move or get in the way when it's someone else's turn to play, but once the ball is moving you at liberty to move around. Once it's my turn, I'd say the ball is rolling within 10 seconds and usually it doesn't end up very far away from the hole!

[tjy355]

I try to read it as I am walking up. Greens I typically play have big mounds so they are difficult to always judge. From the time it is my turn, to when I putt, is about 1 minute. I walk around the hole, go from behind, line up ball, go back behind to confirm lined up well, couple practice strokes step in and gone.

Too long.

[iacas]

I try to read it as I am walking up. Greens I typically play have big mounds so they are difficult to always judge. From the time it is my turn, to when I putt, is about 1 minute. I walk around the hole, go from behind, line up ball, go back behind to confirm lined up well, couple practice strokes step in and gone.

And then you wake up your playing partners, flip off the people who are screaming for your head in the group behind you, and eventually wander over to the next tee where you notice, for the 14th hole in a row, that there's nobody to be seen in front of you... right?

[Andy_Mac]

If im first to putt Ill usually take 10-15 seconds or so... a quick drop down to get a read and maybe a quick walk behind the hole. If others are putting first Ill be behind my ball marker reading as long as Im not in their line of sight and by the time they get done marking their ball I have my intermediate target and am taking my stance.

For those saying they take a minute or more...

Assuming that you and 3 playing partners each average 1 minute per putt and have 36 putts each per round:

(1*36*4)/60 = 2.4 hours. Thats 2.4 hours of your group just putting. Not other shots, not travel between shots, just putting.

[Crey23]

(1*36*4)/60 = 2.4 hours. Thats 2.4 hours of your group just putting. Not other shots, not travel between shots, just putting.

Well, when you put it that way.....can we add this too:

(5 minutes for lost balls)*(Atleast 14 holes) = 1.16 Hrs searching for balls!

[Leftygolfer]

And then you wake up your playing partners, flip off the people who are screaming for your head in the group behind you, and eventually wander over to the next tee where you notice, for the 14th hole in a row, that there's nobody to be seen in front of you... right?

I have no issues with slow play. I don't lose balls, I don't take any time over the ball on full shots, I pick clubs quickly, I have a range finder for yardages. I would say that is an over estimate in time. I know the greens I play pretty well and if I am not out I will do most of my green reading before hand. From the time I decide my line and putt, no more than 20 seconds.

I know I am not the quickest on the greens but I make up for it in other areas. I don't do use many practice swings or screw around. I refuse to putt without the line and I have been doing it for 4 years so I am pretty accurate. I rarely have to remark it. If I was losing balls left and right, miss hitting shots terribly, I would change. I can play in 4 hours with 1 other guy walking. That isn't slow on a 6700 yard course. Do I have to play quick because I don't lose balls and practically wiff? The fact is the best players/putters in the world take alot more time than I do so why do I have to rush?? To wait on the next tee?

[iacas]

The fact is the best players/putters in the world take alot more time than I do so why do I have to rush?? To wait on the next tee?

None of what you said excuses the fact that your pre-putt routine is still too long. You can do a lot of your pre-putt routine while others are putting, chipping on, etc. At times you can even have your ball lined up if your outside of that "cone" I talked about somewhere.

If I played with a guy who took a full minute from when it was his turn to putt, I'd scream (or at least stop playing with him, or tease him about it in the hopes that he realized how annoying it was, or... etc.). Typically players are quiet while another player is preparing to hit his shot (aside from some quiet chit chat to the side), so yeah, I'd rather wait on the next tee where all four guys can talk and tell jokes and goof around than stare at someone pacing around the hole for a full minute before he putted. In the end, I don't really care what you do because I don't play golf with you. But just because you can play 18 in 4 hours doesn't mean that certain things you do during the round can't be sped up and that others won't enjoy playing with you just a bit more.

[fredloves2golf]

As long as possible. When other players are putting/chipping or whatever I'm usually behind my ball (assuming I am not in the way of anyone else) looking at my putt.

+1

This is what I do. Use all the time available to me, including walking up to the green and watching how the ball released (if visible) on the approach shot.

[Leftygolfer]

None of what you said excuses the fact that your pre-putt routine is still too long. You can do a lot of your pre-putt routine while others are putting, chipping on, etc. At times you can even have your ball lined up if your outside of that "cone" I talked about somewhere.

I over estimated my time. I said that. I do not think I take a minute. I actually KNOW I do not. I have played with my co-worker next to me. I asked if I was too slow. He said no. I want people to enjoy playing with me. I do not believe if you did play with me you would think I am slow or would be annoyed. I am not playing golf to be done. I am playing to enjoy it and shoot the best score possible. Am I deliberate, yes. Do I use the line on my ball then verify that is the line I want to start my putt? Yes. How much extra time do I take during a round to know that I am aiming and starting the putts on the correct line. 18 holes, roughly 4.5 extra minutes (15 seconds a hole). I believe this has helped me hole countless short putts and helped with my confidence inside of 10 feet. I do not think that is too much. I play very quickly tee to green. I play with strangers all the time, I use the same routine on the greens all the time, and I can't the last time someone I played with was annoyed by my speed of play. I think golf is to be enjoyed and not just hurried through.

[mcfc_nick]

i take somewhere in the region of half a minute. this is because i do walk around my putt and get my feet to help (if im walking i tend to be able to feel the slope)!

[Chilli Dipper]

Typically, I take a look at the line from behind the hole, then pace off the distance (it also helps me get a feel of the green), then take another look at the line from the ball, and address. I've never really measured how long that takes.

[Leftygolfer]

I will have my teammate in my league time me. I am curious now. I will have him time me from the time it is my turn to the time I actually putt. I will post the results Friday morning.

[sp33d]

depends, if im out screwing around like 15seconds.

if Im serious as long as it takes.

[goblue107501]

depends, if im out screwing around like 15seconds.

Ditto for me.

[CarlSpackler]

I honestly could not say. I think it varies depending on the difficulty of the putt. If it is a double breaker, I will look at it from several angles. If it appears to be straight in or a single break, about 10 seconds to read it I think. I honestly think I should take more time, but my main focus is the speed instead of the line.

[iacas]

I will have my teammate in my league time me. I am curious now.

Don't do it on my account. If you want to for yourself, by all means, go ahead.

As for actually answering the question for myself (d'oh!) rather than jiving on the answers of others, the truth is "somewhere between 0 seconds and about 20 seconds). Zero if I've already lined it up or I'm just kind of out whackin' the ball around (practice rounds or something, or when I'm out of a hole in a team match or something). Up to 20 if I'm first to putt and haven't had a chance to read it while others were putting. I rarely look from the back side of the hole, and when I'm walking around the green to mark my ball, repair ball marks, etc. I look from above or below the putt (preferring below, of course). So it's rare that I'd take 20 seconds, because staring at the line of a putt for more than about five or six seconds really won't tell you more than staring for 20 seconds.

[bogeyhitter25]

However long it takes to feel right over the putt. It could take 10 seconds, or 1 minute. But if I'm not away I'm always reading my putt. Never lolligagging around and doing nothing. That's something that causes slow play. Those 2 minutes on every hole adds up.

[Kingfisher]

I know I am not the quickest on the greens but I make up for it in other areas. I don't do use many practice swings or screw around. I refuse to putt without the line and I have been doing it for 4 years so I am pretty accurate. I rarely have to remark it.

Lefty,

You don't need to beat yourself up over this, I think you just need to be a bit more aware of the other players around you. Just because playing partners may not be saying anything, it doesn't mean they're not thinking something! I get stuck with slower players quite regularly and often end up trying to speed up my own game to make up for their shortcomings (usually to the detriment of both my score and my enjoyment) and all because I'm probably too concious about everyone else on the course. Maybe if I was a little more selfish, I'd be in single figures Anyway, as players of a reasonable standard, it is up to us to set the example to less proficient players, so ultimately the game becomes more enjoyable for everyone. Lastly, you're right about the best players in the world taking more time over a putt than we do...but then again they are usually playing for a ton of money, as opposed to our $5 skin!