Putting without reading the green

[Pete]

I played a round last weekend and the only two putts over 2-3 feet that I made, were without traditionally reading the green from behind the ball crouched down. I just walked up to the ball and putting instinctively.

Hmm, have I stumbled on the secret to being a better putter? Or is it just luck?

[dak4n6]

I vote the latter.

[JasonK88S]

Originally Posted by Pete

I played a round last weekend and the only two putts over 2-3 feet that I made, were without traditionally reading the green from behind the ball crouched down. I just walked up to the ball and putting instinctively.

Hmm, have I stumbled on the secret to being a better putter? Or is it just luck?

Most of this could have to do with NOT over-thinking. You should still get "somewhat" of a read, but when you approach the ball try and relax and not stand over the top of the ball for too long letting your mind overtake your technique. Stay loose and let your instincts get you aligned. You have to trust the decision you made when you read the green in the first place.

[iacas]

The latter.

[birlyshirly]

Let us know if it's repeatable luck!

[saevel25]

Doesn't matter, your reading the green no matter what you do, why, because your eyes take snap shots, and your brain processes the information. So as your walking up the green, your already taking in information and reading the green, its impossible not to. So even though you say your not reading the green, you are.

[Pete]

I tend to agree that it was probably just luck. I wonder if anyone putts like this all the time?

I will try it for all 18 greens in this weekend's comp and let you know how I get on.

[saevel25]

This guy reads putts, but he does it standing up and only for about 5-10 seconds, then he goes and hits the putt. Its just a glance, then he putts. He's a pretty good putter. Its the closest i have seen to someone who just goes up and putts the ball

[Righty to Lefty]

Originally Posted by saevel25

This guy reads putts, but he does it standing up and only for about 5-10 seconds, then he goes and hits the putt. Its just a glance, then he putts. He's a pretty good putter. Its the closest i have seen to someone who just goes up and putts the ball

He is probably just tryin to see the putt go in in his mind and then letting everything else just happen. I guess that would work on a straight forward read but I've seen some greens that will have you completely misread the putt if you don't look at it from both sides of the hole.  I have friends that try and complain when I read the putt from both sides of the hole and I just ingore them because the break almost never looks as severe from side that the ball is on but it becomes evident when looking at the putt from the cup back to the ball.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by saevel25

This guy reads putts, but he does it standing up and only for about 5-10 seconds, then he goes and hits the putt. Its just a glance, then he putts. He's a pretty good putter. Its the closest i have seen to someone who just goes up and putts the ball

Who is 'this guy'?

[jamo]

I tend to agree that it was probably just luck. I wonder if anyone putts like this all the time? I will try it for all 18 greens in this weekend's comp and let you know how I get on.

I putt without crouching or "traditionally reading the green" as you said in the OP, but I do read the greens.

[saevel25]

Just someone i play in a golf league with. He's your classic speed golfer (not the running type), but he will eye ball distance for every club, pick his club and hit. If you turn your back to him, the ball is in the air. He's really a total feel player. Its the same with him on putting. He never kneels down to read a putt. He just marks it, cleans the ball, relaces the ball, then when its his turn he putts. I never seen him once sit behind the ball and read a putt. He only glances down the line from a standing position. I know he doesn't take long to read the putt because, i've seen him be the first one to putt, and he'll just walk up behind the ball, take a glance, then he putts.

He's a pretty good golfer, he shoots from high single digit to mid teens for 18 holes. Its really amazing to watch :p

[mdl]

Luck.  Or just those particular putts had a super obvious line.  But as others have noted above, I bet some of the reason you feel good about it is it minimizes any chance to get stuck in your head and over think.  And since saevel said you generally play very fast and by feel, I'd guess you rely on that quick trigger to just flow naturally and let your instincts take over on the course.  I do a pretty standard reading procedure, but I've also found that once I know what point I want to aim for, I putt best if I work quickly from there, a little flow pendulum action to get the feel for how I want to stroke the putt, step up, look at my aim point once, quickly, look back at the ball and just put it where I want it.  If I sit over the ball, looking back at the target a few times, think about mechanics or obsess over distance or worry whether my line is right or anything like that, I putt much much worse.  I'd guess you could get the same nice feeling results still actually reading the green but then once you have an aim point do the same non-chalant, fast set up and immediate stroke.

[boogielicious]

I rarely crouch down behind it anymore.  I use the AimPoint midpoint read with my feet, so I know what the break will be.  I will stand behind and find my target while others are putting, then just walk up, line up and putt.  Perhaps you are very familiar with the greens and have a good idea of the break before putting.

I also have arthritis in my knees, so crouching isn't that much fun.

[JasonK88S]

Originally Posted by boogielicious

I rarely crouch down behind it anymore.  I use the AimPoint midpoint read with my feet, so I know what the break will be.  I will stand behind and find my target while others are putting, then just walk up, line up and putt.  Perhaps you are very familiar with the greens and have a good idea of the break before putting.

I also have arthritis in my knees, so crouching isn't that much fun.

I have heard so much about this AimPoint technique. I am VERY curious as to what it is. I have not the slightest clue but others have said that it will totally change your outlook on putting and make even the worst of putters understand. I guess you could say my cap is 75% because of poor putting.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by JasonK88S

I have heard so much about this AimPoint technique. I am VERY curious as to what it is. I have not the slightest clue but others have said that it will totally change your outlook on putting and make even the worst of putters understand. I guess you could say my cap is 75% because of poor putting.

It will help you learn how to read greens better and be more confident in your putt.  Without Aimpoint, I'm just guessing where to aim, and with Aimpoint I now have a number in my head.  I 'know' that it breaks 14" to the left so there's a level of confidence gained by that.

However, when you miss putts because you can't hit your line very well or can't judge speed very well, Aimpoint isn't going to help you with that part.

[JasonK88S]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

It will help you learn how to read greens better and be more confident in your putt.  Without Aimpoint, I'm just guessing where to aim, and with Aimpoint I now have a number in my head.  I 'know' that it breaks 14" to the left so there's a level of confidence gained by that.

However, when you miss putts because you can't hit your line very well or can't judge speed very well, Aimpoint isn't going to help you with that part.

Understood. I think I need to give this some thought. I will look into it, thanks a lot!

[AmazingWhacker]

I do that a lot (I also 3 putt a lot).  I figure A.  I'm not very good at reading greens and B.  I'm not very good at striking putts . .  So I figure - why waste all that time lining up a putt when I'll probably pick the wrong line and then miss it anyway?