The putting trick pros swear by to read grain on Bermuda greens

If you’ve ever tried to read the grain on Bermuda greens, you know how tricky it can be to correctly determine the direction the grass is growing (which is the key to reading these).

Playing partners and coaches have likely tried to teach you how to read the grain by identifying the “shiny” side and the “dull” side, but this method isn’t always guaranteed to work. Whether the grain of the grass is too subtle, making it hard to differentiate, or the sun is beating down, so everything appears “shiny,” this approach leaves everything up to interpretation. 

However, there’s a trick that the pros use that many amateurs don’t know. It’s a fast, guaranteed way to read the grain and, as Parker McLachlin, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher to Watch, explains in the clip below, all you have to do is remember one thing: the ball breaks toward the dead side of the cup. 

Find the dead side to make more putts

According to McLachlin, a quick look at the cup is all you need to understand how the grain of the green is going to affect your putts.

First, you need to identify the dead side of the cup, which should be pretty easy. It will be the side that’s brown and almost chewed up. If you run your hand across the edge of the cup — not during your round of course — you should notice that the grass falls away into the bottom.

Next, identify the healthy side of the cup, which should also be pretty obvious. This side will likely be very green and the edge should be sharp. If you run your hand across the side — again, not while playing — no grass should fall away.

“This is telling me that the water is moving from here [the healthy side] down this direction [toward the dead side],” McLachlin says. “Water is getting caught on this top side, not making it to the bottom side. That’s why [the dead side of the cup] is falling apart and turning brown.

“This is one of the ways that we can tell the ball will be breaking towards this brown side. The water is trying to funnel down this direction so anytime you get on a Bermuda green and you see a brown side or discolored side or is worn quite a bit on this edge, you know the ball is gonna wanna break that direction.”

Pretty simple: Find the dead side and adjust for your putts to break that direction.

You’ll find more of McLachlin’s advice at ShortGameChef.com, which provides golfers with a comprehensive resource to improve their short games. Through personalized tips, drills and expert insights, McLachlin helps players of all levels gain more confidence and a deeper understanding of their short game to lower their scores. You can browse membership options here.