How to read grain?

Hi,
Could someone please explain "grain" to me? I hear people talking about it and would like some info. How does it affect putts, and how much? How do you identify it? And how do you read it when you are looking at a putt?
Cheers
Nathan

Grain is nothing more than the direction the blades of the grass growing. They usually follow, or point in the direction of the sun, assuming there is not much shade on the green. Putts against the grain will run slower, or shorter, than putts that run with the grain. If the grain is running across the line of the putt, it can cause the putt to move in the direction of the grain. If you look at the grass and it appears to be shiny, then the grain is pointing away from you. If the grass is not shiny, but appears darker in color, the grain is pointing at you. Greens that are freshly mowed will point in the direction the mower was moving when cut. A while after the mowing is completed, the grain will start to point at the sun. As for judging the break of the green due to the grain direction, that is a feel situation, and is learned by practicing.

That's all I know about it. More important to me is the condition of the green about a 1 foot diameter around the hole, where the ball is losing speed and is more impacted by any grass issues. Hope this helps. GJS

As stated above, the easiest way is to simply look at the hole, you can see pretty easily which way the grain is running, it will hang over the side of the cup, or be real sharp on one side of the cup, the sharp side is the direction of the grain.

I personally only worry about reading grain when playing on certain putting surfaces. Bermuda greens require thorough grain reading while Bent greens do not. Just my 2 cents. Have fun.

Bart

bartpapke you are quite right about bermuda grass. The greens keeper cannot cut bermuda grass as close as Bent grass can be cut. Since bent grass can tolerate a closer cut, that is the reason it is the faster of the two. The faster the putting surface, the less the grain will effect the ball. Now later in the evening after a sunny day, and a very early morning cut, the grain of Bent grass will be more pronounced.

Another place where grain can have an effect is on the different cuts just off the fairway. If the blades of grass are pointing towards the target, the farther the ball will fly, and roll. If the grass is pointing away from the target it will reduce the distance, and roll of the shot. In both instances a golfer needs to further evaluate which club they need to use for the required distance. GJS