The Fundamentals of Green Reading

Build the shot before you swing

Good green reading is quiet. It doesn’t feel dramatic; it simply commits your eyes and your feet to one line before the stroke starts. Before you worry about speed, check the pieces you can control: fall line, apex, last six feet, grain. Setting those anchors before you address the ball frees the stroke from second-guessing mid-motion.

For each putt, use this sequence:

1. Find the fall line before reading the break direction.
2. Choose an entry point rather than aiming directly at the hole.
3. Set a speed intention before taking your practice stroke.
4. Walk into your address position only after both decisions are made.

Feel beats perfection

A technically precise read that you second-guess at address is worse than a simpler line committed to fully. The goal is a speed and direction you can lock in and trust before the stroke starts.