For beginner golfers — and even seasoned players — green-reading is one of the most challenging parts of the game. There are plenty of ways to approach it, like envisioning which direction a bucket of water would run if it was dumped out over your putt, or paying attention to the direction the grass is growing. But when it comes time to verbalize your aiming intentions (or perhaps accept direction from a playing partner or caddie), things can get confusing quickly.

Common directional terminology like “left edge” “right center” and “one cup out” may sound straightforward in theory, but what do they really mean? If you read a putt as breaking one cup to the right, are you anticipating putting through the middle of that imaginary cup, or on the outer edge?

Ensuring agreement on that topic is key if you’re planning to discuss a putt’s break with someone in your group, or accept advice from a caddie. Many players have a different idea of what it means to aim one cup or one ball to the left or right — a fascinating debate that my colleague Alan Bastable discussed in detail here.

For those who aren’t sure where they stand and need some guidance on the issue, though, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Brian Manzella recently shared his take on the matter on X with a helpful labeled illustration.