Mickelson And Donald Clash Over Green Reading Books

The pair locked horns on Twitter over greens books, with Donald saying that they should be banned

Mickelson And Donald Clash Over Green Reading Books

The pair locked horns on Twitter over greens books, with Donald saying that they should be banned

Mickelson And Donald Clash Over Green Reading Books

Phil Mickelson took to Twitter earlier this week to have his say on green reading books after they were, along with many other things, blamed for slow play.

Slow play is a huge talking point in the world of golf right now, but Lefty said that anyone who thinks the greens books slow down play is "idiotic."

That's because, according to Phil, they help him do "80%" of his read before he has even got to the green.

Someone who disagreed with that was former World Number One Luke Donald who said "Guess I'm an idiot then", with Mickelson replying "We agree one [sic] one thing at least."

Donald wrote: "Guess I’m an idiot then. One thing I don’t understand here is for a greens book to be effective you have to know exactly where your ball is on the green relative to the hole - how can you have done 80% of your read then before you’ve even got to the green?? #banthemisay."

Mickelson wasn't interested in discussion so just replied with: "We agree one [sic] one thing at least."

Eddie Pepperell, who upset Bryson DeChambeau this week before apologising for calling him a "single minded twit", replied saying: "Alright, let’s calm down guys and keep the infighting to me and Bryson."

Four-time PGA Tour winner Woody Austin was on the side of Luke Donald, replying: "Well said Luke. The golf media would believe anything and everything Phil says as gospel!! Everyone knows it’s more information which adds more time to your reads which “oh s***” adds time!!!"

PGA Tour caddie Kip Henley also says that greens books slow the game down.

"Anyone that says Greens Books speed up the game just aren’t looking at the whole picture," he wrote on Twitter.

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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