CHAPTER13

DEVELOP YOUR ARTISTIC SENSES (FEEL, TOUCH, GREEN-READING)

感觉与果岭阅读（4）

13.4 Develop Your Green-Reading Ability（果岭阅读能力）

*** Measure, Then Admit（测一测，看看自己的问题）

Most golfers miss about 85 percent of their putts below the hole because they don’t play enough break. Prove if this does, or does not, apply to you by keep track of your missed putts over your next five rounds. Mark your scorecard as shown in figure, total the As and Bs at the end of each round, then add all five rounds of data. If your misses are split evenly between zones A and B, you are reading green well. If, however, significantly more (60 percent or more) of your misses were in one zone or the other, your green-reading needs to improve.

许多球手由于没能推够“线”，85%以上错失洞杯的球是从洞杯的低侧滑过。建议在接下来连续的五次下场中，记录错失的推杆，来看看有没有这个问题。像图中一样标示每次推杆，每一轮都统计A和B的数量，五场球后，总计。如果A和B 的数量相当，那么说明读“线”没有偏的问题。如果，其中一项的比重明显过重（60%以上），那么说明果岭的阅读需要有改进。

如果从洞口位置高的一侧错失洞，标记为A，否则标记为B

*** Two Green-Reading Problems （阅读果岭的两个问题）

1.       Golfers don’t see the true break.

2.       Golfers don’t realize that they miss most (80 to 95 percent) of their putts low.

3.       Unless something changes, golfers will never play more break.

Green-reading isn’t one problem, it’s two problem:

1. Golfers under-read how much putts really break

2. Golfers subconsciously form habits to correct for their under-reading, compensating with their aim and in-stroke putting mechanics to play more break than they read.

1.       真实的“线”。

2.       小“线”。

3.        小“线”与补偿动作。

果岭阅读的问题不是一个方面，而是两个方面。

1．    球手们少读了“线”。

2．    球手们的下意识习惯于纠正少读的线，瞄准时，推杆时，把少读的线补上了。

Most golfers usually blame some mechanical error, such as pulling the putts, pushing the putt, or not hit solidly. Some of them try to correct the situation by solving problem 1, so they play more break, miss high, get confused, and ultimately putt no better, and possibly even worse. Or they work on problem 2, try putting accurately (without compensations) on the line they’ve read, miss everything low, and ultimately putt worse. The result is that in either case do golfers learn to read the true break or start putting better. There is only one way to solve this green-reading problem, and that to correct both problems at the same time.

球手们责怪自己的挥杆动作，他们认为自己拉杆、开杆，认为自己击球不实，但是没有想到自己的补偿动作，所以，当他们试着把“线”读大一些的时候，他们的球从洞杯的高侧滑过，于是很困惑了，似乎比以前推得更差了；或者限制自己的双手不要给予补偿，却发现总是从洞杯的低侧滑过，推杆的结果让人很灰心。上面两种办法中其实是读“线”的问题，球手必须同时解决问题的两个方面：读线和补偿动作。

*** The Pelz Proposal for a Solution (戴夫匹兹的建议)

=== Recognize Green Speed and Slope （果岭的速度和坡度）

There are three ways to learn green speeds:

1.       Measure them exactly.

2.       Measure them approximately. Make it a habit to roll three balls on a flat part of green, one with each reference stroke (the 6-, 12-, and 18-inch backswing stroke). Then roll them in the opposite direction to average out any slope or grain effects. Over time you’ll learn what to expect, while each day you’ll get a visual judgment of how the greens are rolling. The accuracy of this method depends on the consistency of your reference stroke.

3.       Observe other golfers’ result over time. This is better than being oblivious to green speed, but there’s no point of reference and at best it gives you only an approximation of the speed.

读果岭速度有三种办法。

1.       用仪器测得精确的速度。

2.      自己测速度。养成这样一个习惯，在果岭上选一块平整的地标定一点，推三个球，每个球不同的上杆高度，6英寸，12英寸，18英寸；然后，相反方向同样方法推三个球，综合坡度和草纹的效果。每天都进行这样的视觉测试估定，一段时间后，经验就慢慢开始形成。这个测试的精确在于三种上杆高度每次的一致性。

3.       观察其他球员的推杆，这个并没有基准的数据来参考，仅仅是速度的一个映像，但总还是有帮助的。

=== How About Slope (坡度)

1.       Measure them; few golfers expend the effort to accurately measure slopes on a real greens. However, there is no better way to learn to recognize slope.

2.       Learn to recognize them relatively to reference system. The Tilt-Green on the right is set at a 4-slope, compared with the 0-slope (dead-flat) green on the left. The difference between zero and 4-slope is pretty obvious, but when you see these greens being set different slopes every day, even the 1, 2, and 3 slopes in between become recognizable. The key is seeing them often enough to learn what they look like. It’s not difficult, it just takes exposure. An even better way to lean to recognize slopes is by practicing on an artificial putting green with precision 1-, 2-, and 4-slope areas. After learning how these known slopes break on your own green, you’ll soon begin to recognize these same slopes and breaks on golf courses.

3.       Pay attention when you are on the course. While this won’t make you an expert at slope recognition, it’s better to develop some awareness of the severity of the slope that you are about to read and putt on than to not think about it at all before you putt.

1.       虽然这是最好的办法，但是很少会有球手这么去做，用仪器来测试坡度。

2.       根据参考系统来估测坡度。右图中的果岭坡度是4，左边是0，两个果岭的差异很明显。如果能经常去看并站着感受不同的坡度，那么久而久之，坡度的辨识能力就会提高。还有一个更好的办法就是按照不同的坡度设置而成的仿真果岭，在这些已知坡度的果岭上观察坡度并熟悉“线”，对真实果岭的推杆能起到借鉴的作用。

3.       在果岭上观察其他球手的推杆。虽然这个办法不是最好的，但是通过看别人推杆，对自己要读的“线”和速度是一种参考，对于一些极度的坡度，也能起到提醒的作用。

 

=== Seeing True Break (可见的“线”与不可见的“线”)

Both figures are the same putt, view from opposite direction. The outgoing track on the right is what you see as you watch from behind the ball. The track on the left is the incoming view, as you would see it if you were standing behind the hole. The worse view is the golfer’s view, from behind the ball, because it shows the less obvious vision of the visible break. It appears smaller from this view.

两张图是同一次推杆，从相对的角度“看”到的滚动轨迹。右边是球手从球后“看”到的滚动轨迹，左边是从洞后“看”到的滚动轨迹。从球后看到的轨迹往往会让人把真实的“线”看小了。

=== Reading Green Better （如何更好地读果岭）

If you understand more and better interpret the meaning of what your eyeball take in from the greens, the more and the better you can see the true break in putting. You’ve already been looking at and seeing all these things every time you putt. But you’ve been interpreting them incorrectly and making your subconscious deal with trying to make things right.

如果能够认识并很好地接受果岭信息，读线就会容易的多，其实，你早就注意到了果岭上的这些信息，但是错误地翻译了这些信息，于是，下意识就不得不出动来做一些补偿。

*** Eliminate In-Stroke Compensation （消灭补偿）

How do you establish a “no-compensations-allowed” condition of practice? It’s simple. You’ve already read how to practice indoors using the Putting Track, Putter Rails, Straws, and the Truth-board. All of these devices help you learn to orient your stroke to your Aim-line and show if you make any compensation. The next step is to take the same approach outdoors on the putting green. Orient your stroke to start all your putts on an Elevated Aim-line, and don’t allow any compensation to take hold.

如何在练习时让自己的推杆动作没有补偿？并不难。我们已经学习了室内的练习辅助设备：推杆轨道，推杆围栏，推杆稻草，和真理板。所有这些设备都是用来练习沿着瞄准线推杆，而且出现的任何补偿动作都会得到及时提醒。下一步，我们要开始室外的练习，在高架瞄准线下练习推杆，不要让任何补偿动作有可乘之机。

1.       Read your putt, which in this example you read to break six inches right to the left.

2.       Mark the spot from which you will practice this putt, because you will practice it repeatedly.

3.       Position one end of your Elevated Aim-line (elastic thread，which is suspended nine inches above the Aim-line of your putt) six inches to the right of the hole.

4.       Stretch the Elevated Aim-line exactly over the middle of your ball, leaving enough room behind the ball to make a backswing.

5.       Place a second ball directly under the Elevated Aim-line, 17inches in front of the ball to be putted. Place a blocking plate with a quarter-inch clearance from the second ball on the uphill side of the Aim-line. Remove the second ball, and you are ready to putt.

1.       读“线”，这一次，我们的“线”是从右向左6英寸。

2.       在置球点做上标记，因为要反复从这一点推球。

3.       把高架瞄准线(距离真实瞄准线9英寸高的弹力线)的一端插在洞右边6英寸处。

4.       把高架瞄准线的另一端插在球后，确保上杆所需的空间，瞄准线刚好通过球的直径圈。

5.       在瞄准线下面置放第二个球，与准备推的球的距离是17英寸。在第二个球的上坡侧四分之一英寸外放一块小挡板，然后把球移走，现在推杆的准备做好了。

If you set up to putt as in the example above, your first few putts probably will hit the blocking plate. The subconscious of most golfers revert to habit and pushes the first few putts a little uphill into the blocking plate. Then, when you finally get your first putt to roll past the blocking plate without hitting it, the ball will probably miss the hole on the low side of the cup if your speed was anywhere near the optimum. The low miss happens because the Aim-line most golfers choose initially is too low and doesn’t allow for enough break once their normal compensation uphill is blocked.

If this happens to you, reset the Elevated Aim-line higher, move the blocking plate again to guard the high side of the new Aim-line, and putt again. Repeating this re-aiming, re-setting, and putting until you can make the putt by starting it along your Aim-line, rolling at the optimum speed.

Yet, this is more trouble than your normal putting practice. I recommend you use Elevated Aim-line and blocking plate on all your breaking-putt practice for at least three to six months, your subconscious will begin to learn that the best way to hole breaking putts will be with no compensations to your pure-in-line-square stroke, starting putts on the true-break Aim-line.

This system works because you learn a non-compensating in-line stroke and learn to read greens better at the same time. This system works because when you do both correctly, with accurate Aim-line, with on compensations and solid compact, you are rewarded by making more putts.

很多人按照上面的方法练习时，刚开始，球会碰到小挡板，因为下意识在做着（小“线”）补偿。然后，当球不再碰到挡板，力度也接近最优时，球却从洞杯低侧滑过。这是因为大多数人的“线”往往看小了，而当补偿动作被限制时，“线”小的结果（从洞杯低侧滑过）就出现了。

如果出现这种情况，把瞄准线调大一些，把小挡板也同时调整，再推。重复这个过程，直到能够以最优的速度沿着瞄准线推杆。

这是个磨人的练习，但是我建议在果岭上坚持使用高架瞄准线3-6个月，直到“线”不再看小，下意识不再做补偿，能够做到直线方正推杆为止。

以上的练习会帮到你，因为你同时学习了正确阅读果岭和没有补偿的直线方正推杆。正确的瞄准线，没有补偿动作，扎实的触球，推杆技术就此跃上台阶。

最初的几个球会撞到小挡板，而后出现的情况是球从低侧错失洞杯

*** My Five-Step Green-Reading Procedure (五步果岭阅读法)

I have one more concept essential for improving your ability to read greens. Its basis is that the more consistent and repeatable you are at performing tasks. The more boring, simple, and habitual they become, the more of a habit you can make green-reading, the less effort and concentration you have to expend doing it. therefore since we have only so much capacity and energy to perform, the less you extend yourself in the rudiments of reading greens, the more you have left to focus on the difficult part, this visualization of how much putts will actually break.

还有一条我认为对阅读果岭很重要：持续性和可重复性。越是单调和机械，越是容易操控，那么在阅读果岭过程中所化的力气和精力就越少。我们的能力和能量都有限，在阅读果岭上所化的越少，我们就能更多地关注“线”在脑中的形象化。

1.       Determine the pure downhill direction around (within six feet) the hole.

2.       Stand behind the hole on the extended ball-hole line and verify in your mind’s eyes that you believe the downhill direction seen step 1.

3.       Walk around and stand behind the ball on the ball-hole line and re-verify your chosen downhill direction. Walk below the ball-hole, never above, where your putt night hit your fresh footprints

4.       Move downhill until you can begin to imagine a perfect ball track rolling into the hole. Visualize the amount of the visual break on the ball track. You must always move down from the ball-hole line so you can look at the possible starting lines

5.       Visually move this visual break distance out to the hole, multiply it by three, and move downhill until you are on the true-break Aim-line and you can “see” the true-break ball track at the perfect “optimum-17-inches-past” speed in your mind’s eye. All these should take no longer than 45 to 60 seconds.

1.       查看洞杯6英尺范围内的坡度。

2.       站在洞后球洞延长线上，核实刚才查看到的洞杯附近的坡度。

3.       走回去站在球后，再次核实你所勘定的坡度。注意要走在球洞线下坡一侧，以免给自己球的滚动轨迹添上新的鞋印。

4.       站到球洞线的下坡一侧，脑中呈现完美的滚动轨迹和球的拐点。注意要在球洞线的下坡一侧，这样才能看到起始推击线。

5.       想象把这段拐点到球洞线的距离以垂直于球洞线的方式推向洞杯，并且乘上3，同时自己再往球洞线的下坡侧移动，直到自己站在真正的瞄准线上，看到脑中的球以最优的过洞17英寸的速度在真正的“线”上滚动入洞。做完这一切的时间要控制在45-60秒内。