How to Know the Direction a Putt Will Break
The two primary types of grass employed on putting greens are Bent and Bermuda. There are other various blends of these grasses such as Penncross, Penneagle, L90, and Seaside. Bermuda greens are seen in the southern part of the US where weather conditions are warmer. Bent greens are typically found in the northern part of the US where temps are cooler.
Some golf courses insouthern states do use bent grass on their putting surfaces. This is far more risky, however, because extreme warmth can put significant stress on bent greens. Also, bent grass in the south is a lot more expensive to maintain.
There are substantial differences between these two putting surfaces which can affect the putting stroke .
The major attribute of Bent grass is the capability to mow the greens really short. The shorter one can mow the greens the faster they become, thus, fast Bent greens make pitching, chipping, and putting much more difficult. Additionally, Bent grass greens are generally truer compared to Bermuda greens, therefore, a putt usually should do what you think it should.
On the contrary, Bermuda grass is a thicker blade than bent grass. Even if Bermuda greens are mowed shorter, with the blades being thicker, they are not nearly as fast as bent greens. Also, Bermuda greens are much more grainy then Bent greens.
What in fact is grain? The grain is the direction which the grass grows on the green. Bent grass is a a lot more vertical growing grass. On the other hand, Bermuda grass grows far more horizontal alongside the ground. Bermuda greens impact the role of the golf ball more than Bent grass. Both Bermuda and Bent greens grow towards the setting sun, a body of water, or the primary drainage flow of the hole. Consequently, these factors do influence grain growth.
Reading greens is in fact an art. To do so properly, you need to understand how much grain is on a green. Find out which type of grass a golf course has just before you play. Additionally, figure out where the sun sets and what the general drainage direction is on the course. Knowing this information will provide you with a excellent idea as to how the ball is going to break.
Yet another crucial factor in reading a putt properly is the color of the grass. If you are putting into shiny grass, it suggests you are putting with the grain. If you are putting into dull grass you will be putting into the grain. Also, check nearby the cup. The hole is cut in the morning and should have fresh edges. As the day progresses, the edge of the cup which is worn should be the direction the grain is growing.
Keep in mind, if the grain is growing into you, a putt will be slower. If the grain is growing away from you, a putt will be quicker. Grain growing to the left will make a putt break left, and grain growing to the right will make a putt break right. Don’t forget, when putting on bent greens the ball will break much more with the slope of the green, while, on Bermuda greens the ball will break in the direction the grain grows.
Make sure you work on a few putting drills and hit a few putts before your round. This should help you get a feel for the speed and grain of the greens.
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