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Pelz in his book Dave Pelz’s Putting Bible asked:
“Have you ever trained yourself to see slopes in greens? Can you see, detect, or differentiate between one slope and another? Unfortunately, for most golfers, the answer to both of these questions is no. It's not that seeing a slope is difficult, it's just that most golfers have never looked at slopes with any point of reference (again, no feedback) that would allow them to learn which is what.
The learning process to recognize slopes is almost identical to learning green speeds. There are three ways: (1) measure them; (2) learn to recognize them relative to a reference system; and (3) pay attention when you are on the course and hope for the best.”
He went on to describe 3 ways for gaining experience in recognizing slopes. They are
Here’s how you can assemble your own Slope Meter following a trip to Home Depot. They sell for about $2 a “Line Level Set” manufactured by Empire, which includes two small bubble levels commonly used by carpenters. One bubble level is used to check level conditions and the other is use to check slopes, such as rain gutter slopes. The slope level has 4 divisions with each division corresponding to a slope of 1/8 in per linear foot. Stated differently each division represents 1/96 ft per linear foot. Green slopes are measured in units of % grade which is a slope of 1 ft per 100 ft horizontally. This means that the slope level has a 4% error which is good enough.
The Slope Meter (see Attached file) is assembled on a 10 in square ½ in. plywood board with both levels attached in the center of a clock face (see post [Simplified practice putting around the clock]). The horizontal level is mounted along the 9-3 o’clock direction and the slope level is mounted along the 12-6 o’clock direction.
Typically, it is used to measure the slope of a green near the hole. The procedure is to
“Have you ever trained yourself to see slopes in greens? Can you see, detect, or differentiate between one slope and another? Unfortunately, for most golfers, the answer to both of these questions is no. It's not that seeing a slope is difficult, it's just that most golfers have never looked at slopes with any point of reference (again, no feedback) that would allow them to learn which is what.
The learning process to recognize slopes is almost identical to learning green speeds. There are three ways: (1) measure them; (2) learn to recognize them relative to a reference system; and (3) pay attention when you are on the course and hope for the best.”
He went on to describe 3 ways for gaining experience in recognizing slopes. They are
- You can try to watch and learn as you go, noticing how the putts of other golfers break on different slopes as you play.
- Learning to see slopes by being exposed to a few reference slopes, while knowing their values, one relative to another. In this area he describes a backyard green (made by Sport Court which has 3 reference slopes of 1, 2, and 4 % grade.
- The best way to learn them is to measure them: “ Measure the slope of a green near the hole, look at it as you read your putt's break, then putt on it. Your brain will do the rest. After measuring a number of slopes and putting on them, you begin to recognize their severity without having to measure.”
Here’s how you can assemble your own Slope Meter following a trip to Home Depot. They sell for about $2 a “Line Level Set” manufactured by Empire, which includes two small bubble levels commonly used by carpenters. One bubble level is used to check level conditions and the other is use to check slopes, such as rain gutter slopes. The slope level has 4 divisions with each division corresponding to a slope of 1/8 in per linear foot. Stated differently each division represents 1/96 ft per linear foot. Green slopes are measured in units of % grade which is a slope of 1 ft per 100 ft horizontally. This means that the slope level has a 4% error which is good enough.
The Slope Meter (see Attached file) is assembled on a 10 in square ½ in. plywood board with both levels attached in the center of a clock face (see post [Simplified practice putting around the clock]). The horizontal level is mounted along the 9-3 o’clock direction and the slope level is mounted along the 12-6 o’clock direction.
Typically, it is used to measure the slope of a green near the hole. The procedure is to
- Place Slope Meter board near the hole
- Rotate the board until the level bubble indicates level direction which is in the 9-3 o’clock direction
- Read slope from the slope bubble which is along the 12-6 o’clock direction.
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