Golfers do a lot of strange things.
In fact, learning the mannerisms and behaviors of golfers takes quite a bit of time and energy.
If you are a new golfer, chances are some of the behaviors look a bit foreign to you.
One of those behaviors is the squatting on the green.
Have you ever watched a golfer squat on a green and wondered what it is they are doing?
Don’t worry, you are not alone!
Why Do Golfers Squat on the Green?
Golfers squat while on the putting green to get a better view of the line to the hole.
Golfers need to see this line so they can decide where they are going to putt their ball.
Not all golf balls take a direct line to the hole.
In fact, it is quite rare to get a perfectly straight putt in golf.
When a golfer squats down, it’s similar to what a baker does when using a measuring cup.
When you use a measuring cup, if you looked down at it from the top, you won’t be able to see the exact measurement.
However, if you bend down and look at the cup while it sits on the counter, you can see the amount that is in the cup.
This is exactly what happens on the putting green.
Trying to see how a green is sloped while standing over it and looking down is very difficult, if not impossible.
To see the way the slope changes on the path from your ball to the hole, you need to squat down.
How to Read a Golf Green
Unfortunately, golf is a little more complicated than just squatting on the green and looking at the hole.
You will have to learn how to read the green, which takes quite a bit of practice.
Here are some tips for new golfers that we have found to be very helpful.
1. Look at the Whole Green
Many golfers get so caught up in determining the line from their ball to the hole that they forget to consider the entire green.
Many greens are built on a slope.
If you look at the entire green and see which way it slopes, it can give you a much better idea as to how your ball is going to roll.
This is something to pay attention to as you are approaching a green as well.
2. Walk Up to the Hole and Back
When you step onto the green, it is not a great idea to go to your ball and just putt it.
You should first take a walk all the way to the hole and then back to your golf ball.
If you do this, you will get a much better idea as to what is involved.
Your brain will understand the distance much better by feeling it as opposed to just seeing it.
When you get back to your golf ball, you will now have a general idea as to how far you need to hit the ball.
3. Look Left to Right, Up and Down
When you read a green, you should look at whether the ball will be going uphill or downhill and then look and see if it will need to turn left or right.
If a ball is traveling downhill, it is going to move much faster and the break may not be quite as severe.
Sometimes, because the ball is rolling so fast, it will not take quite as much of the break.
If a ball is heading up a hill, it is going to be much slower.
These putts are very easy to leave short, and players should be planning and preparing to hit to a spot that is slightly past the hole.
How Can I Get Better at Reading Greens?
It takes a while to perfect green reading.
It’s partly why some of those caddies on tour are making such great money.
Not only do they know how to calm a player down, but they also know how to read a green or two!
The reason caddies are so good at reading greens is that they have had quite a bit of practice.
Typically speaking, a golf caddie has had more than ten years’ experience reading greens.
They are working at different courses each week, and they know what to look for and how certain environmental factors will affect a putt.
For instance, many caddies will tell you that the putts always break away from the mountains when playing in a mountainous area.
These are little things which take time to learn.
In fact, golf has lots of skills like this that take time to learn.
The best thing you can do to get better at reading greens is to practice.
When you are on a putting green warming up for a round, squat down and read the putt.
Play the putt based on the line you chose and then analyze what may have happened (either good or bad).
Once you have done this, you should squat down again and see if you can see what happened.
This will start to give your brain the feedback it needs to increase your abilities around the green.
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