Jim "Bones" Mackay's 10 Tips for Reading Greens

[Jack Watson]

I would say I personally have not done aimpoint nor have I tried to access the great opportunity to get on something like Sam puttlab (think that's what it's called)

Ive been reading greens since I was a kid and on new courses I don't tend to misread.  I can see the break.

i know I probably can't hit my line as well as I could stroke wise but at times I get hot.

To me it's just what putting is.  Sometimes you get hot sometimes you go cold.

I think the new tech with putting is great though.  For motivated people it's clear that the new tech works great.  

I just have a 'thing'  with my putting.  No outside influence allowed.  Might be to my own demise but I still don't care.  I enjoy deciding how I am going to roll it.  It's part of the fun for me.

 

[cutchemist42]

On 6/15/2017 at 4:15 PM, Antneye said:

$$$$$$

That's all that stands between me and all of the instruction I would love to get

Basically yeah, its expensive to become good at golf unless you're just a natural. Having a decent vid cam in your already-paid-for cell helps at least.

[zipazoid]

On 6/15/2017 at 4:34 PM, iacas said:

For those of you who haven't taken an AimPoint class, too, I'm curious: why not?

There's one in my area, at Doral, next month. $125. So now it's a financial decision. Definitely intrigued by it...just have to decide if I'm $125 intrigued by it. 

[Shindig]

19 minutes ago, zipazoid said:

There's one in my area, at Doral, next month. $125. So now it's a financial decision. Definitely intrigued by it...just have to decide if I'm $125 intrigued by it. 

If there were one in my area at that price point, I'd be there.  I don't know how our finances compare though, but I paid more than that for an AimPoint class back when I was in graduate school and I'm glad I did.

[zipazoid]

11 minutes ago, Shindig said:

If there were one in my area at that price point, I'd be there.  I don't know how our finances compare though, but I paid more than that for an AimPoint class back when I was in graduate school and I'm glad I did.

I'm really intrigued, and I haven't taken any kind of instructional lesson or class in years. Could be a fun day. I'm seriously considering it. 

[colin007]

16 hours ago, todgot said:

 

Could he be talking about the line and grain on Bermuda grass... definitely have to take the grain into consideration.  Do you figure out the line and then take the grain into consideration?  I hardly ever play on Bermuda greens... 

 

[todgot]

21 minutes ago, colin007 said:

 

Unfortunately yes... It was framed as a question not a statement.  Sorry if my ignorance is showing.  I will try to keep it tucked in.  I've only played on Bermuda greens a couple times but I do remember you have to really pay attention to the grain more than on bent grass greens. 

[colin007]

5 minutes ago, todgot said:

Unfortunately yes... It was framed as a question not a statement.  Sorry if my ignorance is showing.  I will try to keep it tucked in.  I've only played on Bermuda greens a couple times but I do remember you have to really pay attention to the grain more than on bent grass greens. 

Ok no prob - Bermuda has very little effect on the line of a putt

[todgot]

18 minutes ago, colin007 said:

Ok no prob - Bermuda has very little effect on the line of a putt

Another conventional wisdom myth slain by TST... 

[BamaWade]

Agree with most everyone's analysis of the 10 tips...fluff.

Re: AimPoint:

I haven't taken an AimPoint clinic as, the few times I've checked, I've not found a scheduled one within a reasonable radius for me to drive.  There are 2 instructors ~60-70 miles from me, but I'm not at a point where I want to shell out the $$$ for a private instructor/session on that quite yet.  But also... My putting game isn't costing me much relative to my current handicap.  In fact, I imagine I likely am a little above average for my index there.  It's my long game accuracy that's losing me strokes relative to my index.  When (if?) my long game tightens up, or if there was a clinic scheduled within an hour's drive, I'd go.

Re: Bermuda grain:

I've played all my life (thousands of rounds) on Bermuda here in the deep south.  I agree that the grain-influence-on-break spiel you hear from announcers, etc., is indeed largely myth, or at least, very overblown.  If there is a noticeable, consistent grained area, it will affect speed, but the effect is marginal.  I hardly ever notice it at all, and when I do, it is normally on substantially uphill or downhill putts (and I do make a slight power adjustment to compensate).  Of course a smoother/quicker roll in one direction vs. the other would have to affect break to some degree, but I've found it so unnoticeable that I either don't account for it at all, or adjust just a little subconsciously.

[iacas]

7 hours ago, zipazoid said:

There's one in my area, at Doral, next month. $125. So now it's a financial decision. Definitely intrigued by it...just have to decide if I'm $125 intrigued by it. 

If that's Express 1 and 2, that's normally $200. I'd jump on it. At $200 I've said it's some of the best money you can spend on your golf game. At $125 it's a steal.

5 hours ago, todgot said:

Another conventional wisdom myth slain by TST... 

Credit here is to Mark Sweeney.

2 hours ago, BamaWade said:

Re: Bermuda grain:

I've played all my life (thousands of rounds) on Bermuda here in the deep south.  I agree that the grain-influence-on-break spiel you hear from announcers, etc., is indeed largely myth, or at least, very overblown.  If there is a noticeable, consistent grained area, it will affect speed, but the effect is marginal.  I hardly ever notice it at all, and when I do, it is normally on substantially uphill or downhill putts (and I do make a slight power adjustment to compensate).  Of course a smoother/quicker roll in one direction vs. the other would have to affect break to some degree, but I've found it so unnoticeable that I either don't account for it at all, or adjust just a little subconsciously.

Yes, it affects speed. Speed can affect break - uphill putts (against the grain) play like slower greens, which have less break. Downhill and thus down-grain putts are faster, which adds break.

But, for example, a cross-grain putt across the slope barely breaks more than a non-grainy green across the same slope. 1-2" over 20'. Yes. (And that's also only because of the speed - you putt slightly up the slope and the ball rolls slightly down-grain toward the end.)

[zipazoid]

27 minutes ago, iacas said:

If that's Express 1 and 2, that's normally $200. I'd jump on it. At $200 I've said it's some of the best money you can spend on your golf game. At $125 it's a steal.

 

It's just Express 1.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, zipazoid said:

It's just Express 1.

Is it just one hour, then?

[zipazoid]

6 minutes ago, iacas said:

Is it just one hour, then?

Correct.

[iacas]

2 minutes ago, zipazoid said:

Correct.

Ah. A bit less of a "deal" then.

You should ask him if he does the 1&2 classes. They're two hours.

[zipazoid]

4 minutes ago, iacas said:

Ah. A bit less of a "deal" then.

You should ask him if he does the 1&2 classes. They're two hours.

Express 1

Jul 29, 2017, 1:30:00 pm

Instructor: John Bloomfield

Host Club: Trump National Doral

Price: 125 USD

1 hour Express Read Level 1 Class starting at 1:30 p.m. Cost is $125.00. Please call to pay directly vs. via PayPal. Email/Call Johnny Bloomfield: BloomfieldGolf@live.com/ 561.251.9000 to register. Private one on one lessons also available.

 

Here's one in Orlando - Express 1 & 2 for $175 - 

 

Express 1 & 2

Aug 23, 2017, 5:00:00 pm

Instructor: Cheryl Anderson

Host Club: Magnolia Plantation

Price: 175 USD

The class will be held at the Mike Bender Golf Academy at Magnolia Plantation Golf Club. Call Cheryl Anderson with any questions (407) 321-0444

 

Edited June 28, 2017 by zipazoid

[iacas]

Cheryl is good.

 

[zipazoid]

2 minutes ago, iacas said:

Cheryl is good.

 

Was she the lady who gave me the lesson at the FSK demo you did in Orlando a few years back that you invited me to? 50-ish, thin, smoker? I liked her.