[andreas]

A lot of courses in this part of the country are switching to the new Mini Verdi Bermuda grass on their greens due to its heat tolerance.I have a problem reading the putts on this type grass versus Bent grass or some of the other greens.The mini verde has a "Camo" look to me with different colors of green and I just can't always "see" the proper line and breaks,Anyone have this problem and can offer any tips?

[Nundduedola]

I'd like to know advice on this as well. Also, how is one to read grain?

[Peter Hill]

I am not an expert by any means, but I look at two things. First, how is the grass growing? It's gotta be leaning one way or another. Then, if I can, I get onto a hill that goes down from the green behind my ball and see how the heck the green slopes. It's been working for me. They say to look at the grass at the hole to see where it's cut neat and where it's cut rough to tell how the graqin goes, but I can't see anything most of the time!

[spineeupsenry]

When looking at the grass, darker shades mean you're looking into the grain, while lighter shades means you're looking down with the grain.

Smallville is also correct in that sometimes you can look at the edge of the cup. The ragged side of the cup is the side the grain is growing towards. Every green is affected by grain, just some more so than others.

Some tendencies of grain.

Grows toward the sun, so it could change from morning to evening. Also grows towards where water drains. Look for drains around the green, or low spots on the course/ water hazards.

[Jifyicyfuhpop]

Yeah, I'd think it has to do with the grain of the green. I've never played on a course with grained greens, at least not that I knew of. I always wondered how much it affected putts.

[Heacechig]

Your eyes can lie to you. Architects purposely do things visually on the green to trick you. Your feet and gravity on the other hand don't lie as easily. Without walking in your line or your opponents line (the latter the most important!), walk the line of your putt and see how your feet feel the ground beneath you. Halfway is really good enough but start out the entire way until you get a little more comfortable with it.

[grattperret]

That "camo" you're seeing is grain. It affects how the putt will react. Light=grain growing away, the putt will be faster and break less. Dark= grain growing into you, putt will be slower and break more. Downhill, down grain...have fun lol

If you're really confused walk up to the hole and see which side of the cup has a little brown around the edges, the grain is growing that direction.

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Tapatalk2

[andreas]

Thanks for the input guys.I can see the grain from different shades of green in the bent grass and the bent grass usually doesn't get cut as close around here .The Miniverde seems to mask a lot of the undulations of the greens for me for some reasons and doesn't seem to show the grain -from mowing or just from growing as much.I thought it was just me ,but my usual playing partners tell me that they have the same problem on some of these greens.
Maybe just an age thing?

[Peter Hill]

When looking at the grass, darker shades mean you're looking into the grain, while lighter shades means you're looking down with the grain.

Smallville is also correct in that sometimes you can look at the edge of the cup. The ragged side of the cup is the side the grain is growing towards. Every green is affected by grain, just some more so than others.

Some tendencies of grain.

Grows toward the sun, so it could change from morning to evening. Also grows towards where water drains. Look for drains around the green, or low spots on the course/ water hazards.

I checked this out today, and it's good info. I guess I couldn't remember this when the time came to look! My putting was on target all day but I couldn't get anything to fall.

Yeah, I'd think it has to do with the grain of the green. I've never played on a course with grained greens, at least not that I knew of. I always wondered how much it affected putts.

I think all greens have grain, as I mentioned above, the grass has to have a tendency to lean one way or another.

[spineeupsenry]

I checked this out today, and it's good info. I guess I couldn't remember this when the time came to look! My putting was on target all day but I couldn't get anything to fall.

I think all greens have grain, as I mentioned above, the grass has to have a tendency to lean one way or another.

They say the last 2 ft of the putt is the most important when looking at the line (because that's obviously what the ball will do before falling), and I think reading the grain right at the cup has really helped me kind of favor one side (left or right) when putting.

And yes, every green has grain, but grass types such as bent are hardly affected by it.

[janeseymore09092]

Next Monday night (30 July 2012) on the show The Golf Fix on the Golf Channel, the show is going to be about reading greens. Should be good information.