Reading the angles and speed of a putting green can be exasperating to most golfers, sometimes even professionals.

You may ask yourself "Why did that ball go straight when it should've broke left/right?"

Well we won't be able to solve the mystery of putting totally in this lens but hopefully by the time you read through this putting tip some of the mysteries of this part of golf will become a little more clear.

Lets go over some of the factors that each golfer needs to be aware of for successful putting:

1. Uphill/Downhill - Where is the ball relative to the hole? Uphill putts will have to be hit more firmly than a downhill putt. Pros love uphill putts; it's less guesswork for them to hit it straight. Most of the time you will run into situations where you'll have to know how to play...

2. Breaks - Does the putt break left to right, right to left, or will it be straight? Here's where it gets tricky. You may see many professional golfers crouch down behind the ball. They are trying to see the subtle slopes in the green beginning from the ball to the hole. When you look at the green you will probably see predominantly one angle. This takes lots of practice but it doesn't take long to get the hang of it.

3. Speed - This can be a factor in uphill putts but you will notice it more in downhill putts. The slower you putt the ball the more you have to factor in the break; this means on a putt you're hitting extra soft due to a steep downhill putt you will really have to exaggerate (perhaps allowing an extra inch or so) the way you putt into the break. Uphill putts are generally hit harder and therefore the ball will have the tendency to run right through the break.

4. Weather - Is the green moist or dry? Many times as you play your round the speed of the greens can be faster or slower than when you started. Greens can dry out in the daytime, which will make your putts faster, or if you play in the evening the green can become a little moist again which will slow down your putts.

These are general putting tips that will help the average person understand why a golf ball reacts the way it does when a golfer putts the ball.

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