This Cheat Code Will Lead to Better Green-Reading in No Time originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
I’ve gotten tons of golf lessons from some of the best golf instructors in the country over the past few years, but one thing that I continue to ignore (I know, shame on me!) is learning how to read a green the right way.
While my tee shots have improved and I’m hitting more fairways than ever, and my ball-striking with my irons is superb, it all gets wasted when I’m putting — because I seem to misread everything.
But the Rainmakers Golf Club spent some time picking the brain of Scott Curry, one of the best putting teachers on the planet, who shares some tips on how to read a green like a pro — which should lead to less strokes and lower scores in no time.
How to Read a Green Like a Pro
If you really want to improve your golf scores, it all starts with the short game. I know, trying to bomb your drives with increased club head speed is more fun, but when you can limit putts per round, you’re going to shave strokes faster.
While putting speed is crucial, understanding how to read a green is just as important, since, you know, you need to make sure the thing actually funnels towards the hole.
In the video above, golf coach Scott Curry says one easy trick can help you identify how a ball will break on even the trickiest green.
“Don’t just focus on your ball and your line,” Curry shares.
He then demonstrates what he means by this.
“If I don’t know what my putt is doing, a quick way to figure it out is to take a couple steps over to the right and say that this is definitively going to break left,” he adds.
Now walk the few steps back to your ball and use that information to your advantage.
“[By using this trick], it’s going to help my eyes see that right-to-left break,” Curry says. “So now I know the putt is going to go a little left, I’m going to take my time to line this up, set up to it, and hit a confident putt.”
So if you really want to impress your playing partners during your next golf round, don’t try to flex your muscle with the driver, just use Curry’s easy trick in order to read greens — leading to less putts and lower scores.
Related: How to Increase Club Head Speed With Your Driver
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
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