The average golfer reads a four foot break as a one foot break, or off by 75%.



The pros did slightly better than the amateurs, but they were still significantly off the mark.

Not reading the break correctly causes two problems, the adjustments arent enough and the putt still misses and it destroys the golfers hopes of making a straight stroke.

A result of this is that they never truly know what a straight stroke feels like or how to make one happen.

There is no easy fix to this problem, but it can be changed over time, begin this change the next time you have to play a breaking putt.

Start by doubling your read, if you see a one foot break; play it as two foot of break. Learn to use a straight stroke without any type of manipulation.

Putt using a string tied to two pencils, and watch to be sure the putterhead goes straight back and straight through.

Practice between two strings and learn to putt a straight line until you can do it every time.

Your putting will improve as you work on reading the green and your stroke, because your mind is no longer working overtime to adjust your errors, you can concentrate on the stroke.

Eventually your putts miss consistently on the high or low side, simply adjust your reading to account for this.

It will take time to correct these mistakes in your golf game, and to learn to consistently work with a good stroke, until that time, double your read and use a straight stroke.