Books to help read greens are ‘absurd’ says Nicklaus

Jack Nicklaus has branded the use of green-reading books in professional golf as “absolutely absurd” as the game’s governing bodies ponder banning them.

The six-time Masters champion delivered his opinion on the detailed books, which are used by many of the top players, after joining fellow honorary starter Gary Player in getting the event under way at Augusta National.

“I think it’s absolutely absurd,” said Nicklaus as the pair talked about all sorts of issues in the game for around an hour and a half. “Now you’ve got a book that tells you how to do it [read greens]. It’s also done by somebody who can’t break 90.”

The 14-time major winner added: “To me, the game of golf is learning how to play the game and be responsible for everything you do. That’s the fun of it. It’s fun to learn how to putt greens and how to play clubs.”

Player also isn’t a fan and believes the books are partly responsible for slow play in the game. “It perturbs me when I see how long a round of golf is being played now, and I think that’s to the great detriment of the game,” said the three-time Masters winner.

Recalling how he preferred to read greens himself, the South African added: “I remember I had a caddie at St Andrews and I asked, where is this putt? He said, ‘it’s a straight putt with left tendencies. Keep it low’. Then I realised, we’ve got to do it ourselves.”

Nicklaus was speaking the day after he’d watched his 15-year-old grandson, GT, make a hole-in-one in the Par-3 Contest, which saw Tom Watson become the oldest winner at 68.

“I didn’t want to be disrespectful because six Green Jackets is pretty good, but that’s about yourself,” said Nicklaus. “But when something happens with your children or your grandchildren, that’s far more special to you.

“And so yesterday was the greatest day I’ve had at Augusta National. It was just absolutely fantastic. I loved it.” Tennis: World No 1 Rafael Nadal will make his return to action today by spearheading Spain’s bid to reach the Davis Cup semi-finals.

The 30-year-old has been sidelined since a hip injury forced him to withdraw from the Australian Open in January.

Spain host Germany in Valencia and the 16-time grand slam winner will face Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second rubber, after David Ferrer takes on Alexander Zverev. Nadal, who has won his last 22 singles rubbers, will then face world No 4 Zverev in the first match on Sunday.

Nadal has not lost a singles rubber since his debut in the competition, when Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic beat the then 17-year-old in 2004.