Putting on bad greens... what to do?

[senorchipotle]

Ok, so there's a course i play from time to time, which is relatively challenging, but boy do the greens suck. they are incredibly slow, and it's hard for me to take my putting seriously there. i've had eagle and birdie opportunities and because of some blemish in the green, and speed inconsistencies, i've completely blown it. sometimes they're so slow i feel like i'd be better off putting with a hybrid. last time i played i was incredibly happy with my irons and driver, but i kept missing putts because they weren't rolling true. so, should i omit putting all together on this course? because it seriously screws me up when i play courses with good greens.

thoughts...

[Fat Slice]

I'd stop playing there and tell them why. Either you mess up your putting tempo by training yourself on that crappy green, or you skip putting althogether, and what's the fun in that?

[mcfc_nick]

take a lawnmower with you and cut the greens before you putt

[CG031]

There is a local 9 hole course near my house that has similar conditions. The greens are like putting on most country club's fairways or first cut of rough. They are WAY too long. I'm talking like 5 or 6 on the stimp meter.

The sad part is they are in pretty good shape, the owner is actually the guy who works on the course - there is no mateinance crew...and he knows nothing about/doesn't play golf...so he just doesn't understand.

Otherwise the course is pretty fun, but I've played there once all summer because I just can no longer stand the greens.

[Kcas77]

There is a local 9 hole course near my house that has similar conditions. The greens are like putting on most country club's fairways or first cut of rough. They are WAY too long. I'm talking like 5 or 6 on the stimp meter.

Just wondering is the course Bel-Aire because I recently played there and the greens were stupid slow.

[Ed_Bighead]

I know how you feel. The muni I play occassionally is the same way. Played today - great golf shots except for putting b/c I couldn't get used to it. Shot a 46 (Great for me) with three 3 putts >.< Which is quite uncharacteristic of me. Usually putting is where I shine.

[Forest]

My local course has some slow greens, but nothing drastic. They are soft as hell, and they hold any shot, even a semi-bladed wedge. Most of the greens there are not brown, and they are mostly a dark green. I also played another course where a few of the greens had a combination of walking on/too much water, and it made it really bumpy. Sometimes I intentionally aim to miss a green, and get it within 3 feet with chipping. I'm a much better chipper than a putter, therefore it is easier to sink shorter putts.

[CG031]

Just wondering is the course Bel-Aire because I recently played there and the greens were stupid slow.

No, haha. I'm sure there are numerous courses like that around the country, but it was just a local course in my town.

[imtomtomim]

I've been having this problem a lot recently. All the rain has kept these greens really lush and slow around me and most the courses around me are bermuda greens. I went and played on bent greens that roll at pretty much tournament speed (over 6 inch stroke can take you off the green going uphill haha) and I was sinking putts from all over. These past 2 weeks, my ball striking has been brilliant but I have not been able to put a putt in the hole, every time just burning the edge or lipping out. Slow greens are tough. There are more subtle differences, you gotta read grain into it too, and still, every inch will react differently to the roll.

I'd say, keep putting. That's how you score. It's not gonna ruin your game. It's only gonna make you consider more into your shot planning. You may not score as well as you would on nicer greens, but that's golf. Get the ball into the hole.

[bIGwIRE]

Slow greens are ok, as long as all the greens on the course are consistent. When they switch it up from green to green, or worse yet, when its a different speed on one side of the same green , is when its time to play elsewhere.

Cherry Hills, a course near me, is like that. I never can play my handicap at this course, and the only reason is the horrible greens.

[David in FL]

Life is too short to play in sub-par ( ) conditions. You're miserable for a 3d of every round you play....... If at all possible, I'd find another course.

[PiKapp23]

For these type of greens it helps to the ball rolling forward as quickly as possible. The backspin that is generated by the initial stroke slows the ball down and also causes bounces and unexpected results often on imperfect greens. There are a couple ways to do this. One way is to either buy a putter with more loft or have your putter adjusted to add a degree or 2 more loft. Another is to check out the putters that claim to generate top spin off the face (including the new Nike Method putter). The best way without buying a new putter may be the forward press. Just set up to ball as you normally do, but before you strike ball press your hands ahead of ball then strike ball, keeping your hands ahead. This creates a little top spin quicker because of catching ball higher on the face. For many players this tends to create a truer roll due to top spin happening sooner.

[case31]

Greens that are inconsistent speeds is a course maintenance problem. Greens that are scarred due to unfixed ballmarks are an issue that players AND the course should take care of. I was taught at an early age, and still believe, that fixing a ball mark was a badge of honor. You hit a shot into the green, you have a chance at birdie, fixing the ball mark is almost like showing off. If nothing else, it literally takes 5 seconds to do!
I'm in a Tuesday league, and last night we played at a course where the greens were not only beat up with unfixed ball marks, it had numerous scuffs from golf shoes. On one hole, there was a divot right near the cup from a careless (and idiotic) golfer. Of course, it affected one of my putts.
People don't give a rip about helping to maintain the quality of a course (no, it's not just the course's responsibility), then complain when a course is in bad shape...when they are contributing to the problem!!! Ridiculous!

[out_in_30]

When I play on greens like that I try and just hit good quality putts.. Thats all I can do. After the ball leaves the putter face it is up to the green. I try not to get down on myself for hitting a good putt that got disabled by a bumpy green because on a good green it would be in. If it is a tournament on crappy greens, everyone is dealing with the same conditions so it comes down to who hits the right bumps, lol. A guy once said it perfectly to me: "The bumps giveth, and the bumps taketh away"

[PrairieParson]

I sympathize, but golf is a game where you have to deal with "conditions." There are all kinds of obstacles to a good score, beside our own skill level. Dry conditions, wind, cold, heat, greens with ball marks, hard greens, uncut greens, etc. When I was growing up, they would leave the cup in the same place for days, so around the hole it is beat up and matted down pretty bad, except for 2 inches around the cup. That would kick the ball left or right and cause missed putts. The only way to avoid these kinds of problems is pay your golf on a computer. Otherwise, unless you have a lot of money, you are going to pay on a course that is less than touranment perfect.

I'd advise you lighten up a bit. For example. West Texas is pretty dry so our fairways tend to be on the thin side. I've never seen lush out here. If I hit in a spot with thin or no grass, I find myself a decent lie. (Winter rules if you will) I'm out to have fun, not win the Masters. Find yourself some way to equalize the "unfairness" and have fun.

[right handed phil mickelson]

Obviously you played my home course.

[Greg]

theres a couple courses near me with crappy greens, one of the courses with a little work, could be a nice course, i think the budget is so low that either one of them doesnt have the resourses or manpower to make them nice courses but they're cheap and for the most part one of them is a place I like to play, not long but has some challenging holes which require some accuracy just to keep the ball in play. The greens are bumpy and have a lot of brown spots but putting more firmly usually works, ive actually holed a few longer putts in the 12-15 range so I guess ive gotten somewhat used to the conditions. For $10 for 9 w/cart on mon and friday and $12 any other day, cant complain too much. I just hope it doesnt close, they're not making much money as very few people play there which means the course is never crowded during the week, hardly ever have to wait on anyone or have anyone rush you.

[sean_miller]