Jon Rahm On Why Green Reading Books Should Be Banned

The World No.2 thinks that green reading is a talent and a skill, which the greens books take away from the game

Jon Rahm On Why Green Reading Books Should Be Banned
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The World No.2 thinks that green reading is a talent and a skill, which the greens books take away from the game

Jon Rahm On Why Green Reading Books Should Be Banned

Jon Rahm says that he doesn't think green reading books should be allowed on tour as reading a green is a talent and a skill that can be developed.

The Spaniard thinks that the books, which show slopes on the greens to help players and caddies with reads, take away from the game.

Greens books are controversial with fans, who, on the whole, would probably tend to agree with the former World No.1's viewpoint.

Some may also believe that they slow play down, too.

"I don't use those books. My caddie gets them," the World No.2 said ahead of the WGC-Workday Championship at The Concession.

"I don't look at them because I'm a feel player, I trust what I see.

"If I have a question, I'll ask him, and he might look at it if we're in doubt.

"I've never spoken of this, I have to be honest, I don't think they should be allowed. That's my opinion.

"I think being able to read a green and read a break and understand the green is a talent, it's a skill that can be developed, and by just giving you the information, they're taking away from the game.

"Again, I think being able to read greens and understand greens, it's a talent, it's part of the game, and like I said, it's a skill that can be developed or not. So that's my take on it."

Rahm isn't the only high-profile golfer to speak up against the books in recent years.

Ian Poulter called for them to be banned in 2017, and two years later Gary Player said that you should sell tomatoes if you can't read greens.

Ian Poulter's tweet in 2017:

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV