How To Deal With Sloping Greens

Reading slopes correctly is vital to putting well. All putts start out straight, but the green's contour curves the ball. If you're going to improve your putting and lower your golf handicap, then you must learn how to read a green's slope.

Reading a green's slope comes with experience, like a lot of things in golf. The more you play, the better you'll become at it, as I stress in my golf lessons. Nevertheless, there are some proven techniques I've used that will make learning how to deal with sloping greens faster.

Technique #1: Get used to the differences between fast and slow greens
The green's slope determines the degree of break on a putt. How much the putt breaks depends on two factors: the ball's speed and the green's speed (In other words, whether the green is fast or slow). In the summer, the ball tends to break more because the grass is shorter than in the winter, making the green faster. In the winter, the ball tends to break less because the grass is longer than in the summer, making the green slower. Take note of how fast or slow the greens are the next time you play. Get used to the difference between them.

Technique#2: Assess the green's slope as you approach it
Studying a green as you approach it from the fairway yields a wealth of information, which can prove vital to sinking the shot. In general, a green tends to slope more one way than another does. Take an overview of the green as you approach it to determine its slope. Note which way it slopes. Also, check to see if the grass is cut with the putt, in which case the grass will appear lighter, or against the putt, in which case the grass will appear darker.

Technique #3: Practice putting long-range
Learning to make long-range putts is difficult enough without adding slopes or borrows. Adding slopes between the ball and the hole takes long range putting to another level of difficulty. The best way to learn how to putt in this situation is to practice it. Try this drill to improve your long-range putting. Stand on one side of the green and putt the ball all the way over to the other side. Try to get the ball as close to the green's fringe as possible, without going off the green Make a game of it with your friends.

Technique #4: Play every putt as if it were straight
One way to deal with slopes is to play every putt as if it were straight. This approach seems contradictory, but Greg Norman relies on it when dealing with a sloping green. Norman, one of the tour's top money winners, uses this method when confronted with a sloping green. And he's not the tour that does. When dealing with a sharply sloping green, identify the putt's breaking point-the exact spot wide of the hole indicating the amount of break the ball will take. Then putt the ball straight to it.

Technique #5: Deaden the impact on downhill putts
Most golfers would rather putt a ball uphill than downhill, especially on a fast green. But if you play a lot of golf, you'll face a downhill putt on a fast green sooner or later. One way to do this is to hit the ball off the putter's toe or off the putter's heel, close to the hosel. Either way deadens the ball enough so you can take a somewhat normal putting stroke without hitting the ball well past the hole. Which approach you adopt is a matter of personal choice.

These five strategies on dealing with sloping greens will help you learn to read the slopes on greens faster. But no golf instruction, whether golf lesson or golf tip, can teach you how to putt well. Only practice can do that. Remember improving your putting is the fastest way to lower your scores and your golf handicap.