Ball Path Line

You have a 12 yard long putt down and side hill across a very fast green. Two putts from there and any golfer would be happy so your first mission is to figure out the line or path the ball will take from where it is on the green on into the hole. You want to 'see' the line clearly - as if it has been painted on the green. To see the line clearly you can draw on your experience, knowledge and imagination. If you've experienced a similar length putt on a fast green with the same break you can recall what the ball did as it rolled across the green. Even if you are new to the game you will know by looking at the contour of the green what the ball is going to do once it starts rolling. Using your experience and or knowledge should encourage your imagination to see the ball in motion, the path it will take across and down the green and into the hole.

There are several vantage points on the green to help you judge the line. The first is from behind the ball. Squat down 2 or 3 paces behind the ball and you will see the slope in the green. You can begin to do some 'line painting' while you're down there, imagining the ball rolling across and down the green. If you are unsure, you can imagine the ball starting straight at the hole and then visualising how far to the low side of the hole the ball will finish. The distance to the low side of the hole can help you figure out how far to the high side of the hole the ball needs to start.

The second vantage point is from below the hole from where you can look up the slope back towards the ball. Since you are near the hole you can look around it to see how much slope there is. The third vantage point is side on to the putt. From here you can see how far the putt is and you can also see the slope from a different perspective.

I would recommend that if you look for the line from any of the 3 vantage points you end up at the first one I described - behind the ball.There is a reason for this. You want to pay close attention to the first part of the ball's path - say the first half yard or metre or 18 inches and the best place to do this is behind the ball. Why concentrate on this part of your line? You look there to find a 'something' , a sprig mark, a discoloured piece of grass, a bare patch in the grass - anything that is on the line you've chosen.You can then use that something as a point of reference to aim your putter face. You want the ball to roll over the 'something' since it is on your line and to do that your putter face must be facing the 'something'. How much better are you going to putt knowing the line the ball is going to take? Knowing too that you have aimed your putter face so that you can putt the ball down that line?