Grass varieties are tested at
the Asian Turfgrass Center’s research facility near Bangkok.
Due to numerous requests, this article reappears as
an updated version of one that first appeared last March.
Ever wondered why certain putts don’t behave the way you expect? Why the
pace of some greens appear fast, yet one hole later the pace slows
significantly? What is it about putting surfaces in the tropics compared
to the temperate climates of much of Europe, North America and
Australasia? And why do local caddies say “Lohm” (down) or “Khung” (up)
when there is no slope to be seen?
The answer is grass, or to be more exact, grain.
Grain refers to the direction grass grows, or more precisely, the angle
at which the blades of grass tend to lie. Grain can and does have a huge
impact on the speed of the putt, especially with the types of Bermuda
grass used in tropical climates. It will also influence direction. Some
courses around Pattaya, such as Bangpra and Emerald, are more “grain
obvious” than others. Whereas courses using thinner-bladed grasses on
their putting surfaces, such as Mountain Shadow, Crystal Bay and Khao
Kheow, have grain that is less apparent to the naked eye – but is there
nonetheless.
Reading Grain
The direction of the setting sun, nearby mountains or water is
irrelevant. Over here, there is one simple way to read grain; simply
walk up to the hole you are playing and look in – it should tell you all
you need know. Look at the inside rim of the hole – the cut-line where
the edge meets the surface of the green. You will notice one-third of
the hole’s circumference is ragged. Directly opposite this point is
smooth by comparison. The ragged look is caused by the grass’s tendency
to grow and fray. If your ball is on the same side of the hole as this
rough and ragged portion, you are putting into the grain. If your ball
is located opposite, on the smooth-cut side, you are putting down-grain.
The difference in putting speed between down-grain (lohm – sounds like
loom), and up-grain (khung), is massive.
When putting cross-grain, expect the ball’s route to be influenced by
the direction of the grain, especially when your ball slows as it
approaches the hole.
Tell-tale signs around the hole at some courses may not be as obvious as
others. If you can’t tell by looking at the rim of the cup – and I would
be surprised – check the fringe – the grass on the edge of the green.
Sometimes this grass is sufficiently long where you can see the
direction of the grain simply by looking at it. This method works best
mid to late afternoon, whereas the rim of the cup can tell all from
early in the day.
How do you handle a downhill putt that is also down-grain?
Many courses around Pattaya will give you this very challenge. The one
thing you don’t want is to putt short as that is the worst possible
outcome. The speed of your putt should be determined by two things – the
length of your back-swing and where on the putter-face you hit the ball.
All putts, whether uphill, downhill or level, should be hit with an
accelerating putter-head. If faced with a particularly fast putt, where
you simply want to get the ball started on line, you can hit it
following a short back-swing, or instead of the sweet-spot, use the toe
of your putter. Whatever method is chosen, it is still a hit. Never use
a decelerating stroke.
Now back to your 25-footer, downhill and down-grain; how do you get this
ball to stop? It’s possible that you can’t, so try not to worry about
it. Just ensure you do not leave it short by any distance greater than
18 inches. Using the toe of your putter does have a dampening effect,
but practise it first. Personally, when faced with this type of putt,
where length dominates line, I focus solely on the feel of my right hand
giving the ball a gentle tap. Normally, my hands apply equal pressure in
my putting stroke, but not when putting downhill and down-grain. As with
putting generally, it is whatever works best for you. There is no right
or wrong way regarding grip, stance or swing, so long as the ball is
struck squarely with an accelerating putter-head.
Effective putting in Pattaya is absolutely dependent on reading greens
correctly. A major part of this is to determine grain direction and the
effect it has on line and length, particularly length. Achieve this and
your total putts per round will drop.
How sure am I about all of this?
As any good caddie will tell you, “Ha sip, ha sip.”
Happy golfing!
Golfnutter
