Directional control and proper pace on a surface influenced by grain, speed, contour and physical law is a beautiful aspect of golf.
“It’s taking away a skill that takes time and practice to be mastered,” said the 2019 RBC Canadian Open champion during his pre-U.S.
Following last month’s vote by the 16 player PAC, the matter has been passed along to the board for a vote as early as this week.
“I think it’s made everyone lazier,” he said.
London, Ont.-based Gareth Raflewski, one of the world’s top short game and putting instructors, acknowledges the heightened skill required to be adept at green-reading.
“Without training it’s not inherently natural and people struggle with the concepts,” said Raflewski, who coaches multiple LPGA Tour players, including world No.
Thomas, Ont., native Brennan Little, who caddies for Gary Woodland, showed me a book at an RBC Canadian Open a few years back.
“I use one because they’re available and am not opposed to them being banned.
“It’s been said ad nauseam but reading greens is a skill and having technology do it for you was kind of a cop-out in my opinion.
On every tour.
“Sarah and I use it sometimes from the fairway to look at where the pin is with respect to the contours of the green.
PGA Tour rookie Michael Gligic is in the same camp.
“Maybe if we’re unsure of something I might take a quick look to get more certainty, a bit more confidence my read is right but there are rounds where we don’t use it at all.
“It adds up pretty quick but at the end of the day I guess if you believe the green book might save you a shot, well that could be four or five thousand dollars right there, or even one a month it’s paying for itself,” he said.