Reaching the green in regulation is one thing, making a successful putt once you are there is another. However good your approach play might be, there will be occasions when you land the ball on the wrong area of the green, resulting in a putt across a multi-tiered green.
Many multi-tiered greens tend to be quite large and therefore, gaining an understanding of just how far your ball must travel to the hole is a good start to a successful putt. To get the full picture, stand off to the side of the green and look at the distance the ball must travel and the change of level it needs to negotiate. Are there any additional breaks during the change in elevation? You need to have these things clear in your mind before setting up for the shot, otherwise you are guessing and leaving it to chance.
With a full understanding of the distance, change of level and break of the putt, step back onto the green and stand roughly 8 feet behind your ball. Crouch down and look for any breaks which may have been hidden from your initial assessment and then walk the length of your putt to check for any others.
This process will not take as long as it sounds and do not be intimidated by other players. You can even make your initial off-green assessment while someone else is playing their shot.
If you putt is going uphill, do not be afraid to attack it. The breaks will be less significant than downhill putts and you must have enough pace on the ball to make the second level of the green. If you do not have enough pace on the ball, chances are it will roll back towards you and you will be playing a second putt from the same position. In which case, it makes sense to attack it first time rather than second time of asking.
When putting down a level, try and judge the pace of the putt so it just has enough speed to reach the ridge, as the downhill section of the green will take the ball the rest of the way. Furthermore, you need to play the break on this putt so always have this in mind. Simply aiming for the hole will not be enough, as the ball will break away and your line will be way off. When putting down a level on a multi-tiered green be patient, it is all about control and you will not achieve this by rushing the shot.
A good little tip when putting down a level on the green, is to hold your putter six inches further down the shaft than you usually would. This will give you a greater fell for the putt and the additional control will allow you to play the putt with confidence.
