Gary Player On Greens Books: 'If You Can't Read A Green, Go Sell Tomatoes'

The nine-time Major winner wants to stop the use of green reading books in the professional game

Gary Player On Greens Books: 'If You Can't Read A Green, Go Sell Tomatoes'
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The nine-time Major winner wants to stop the use of green reading books in the professional game

Gary Player On Greens Books: 'If You Can't Read A Green, Go Sell Tomatoes'

Slow play has been a huge talking point recently and one of the many factors that have been blamed are green reading books.

The books are a divisive issue with some professionals saying that they speed up play and some saying the complete opposite.

Last week, for example, Phil Mickelson said that they allow him to do 80% of his read before he gets to the green, with Ian Poulter agreeing.

However, former World Number One Luke Donald disagreed, using the hashtag #banthemisay.

Related: Mickelson and Donald clash over green reading books

One man who agrees with Donald that they should be banned is nine-time Major champion Gary Player, who told this week's Golf Monthly podcast that golfers should "sell tomatoes" if they can't read greens.

"Stop these pros from reading a green on the green with a book," Player told Golf Monthly.

"I mean it's the most ridiculous thing.

"The best putters are not now, the best putters were in the past.

"Bobby Locke, Billy Casper, Bob Charles they were better putters than anybody I've seen today. Better, really.

"And they played it on lousy greens.

"If you can't read a green you should go sell tomatoes."

Player spoke to Golf Monthly on a number of different issues in a fascinating interview.

Listen to the interview in full below (begins at 18 minutes) -

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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