You might of heard of the pros using Aimpoint and wonder what they’re actually referring to. Well, Aimpoint is a type of green reading that uses as an algorithm that helps to work out the slope and break of a putt, with over 99% accuracy, if performed correctly.
My career in golf was turned on its head several years ago when I was asked by a group of students for advice on reading greens, ideas that would enable them to develop the art of surveying a putt, judging slopes, adjusting pace accordingly and generally becoming more competent on the greens.
I went home and searched the internet for ideas only to find there was actually very little good information on what is, obviously, a hugely important part of the game.
What my research did turn up was some fascinating insight on a coach in New York, John Graham, who was teaching a new method known as ‘AimPoint’. I’d never heard of it and so I did some more digging.
The story, it turns out, is a good one. Back in 2004, Mark Sweeney, a com- putter software wizard from Texas, had been watching golf on TV when it occurred to him how cool it would be if it were possible to produce a graphic showing the line to the hole before the player actually set the ball in motion.
Sweeney set to work and developed a 3D laser scan that could plot every slope, every nuance of a green, enabling TV producers to run the graphic – a ‘shot tracer’ for putts.
So smart is the technology behind all this that in the last six years the AimPoint graphics on Golf Channel coverage in the States have been accurate to within a 32nd- of-an-inch, with a 1% error rating.
The success of the project taught Sweeney that putting was a science, that it is predictable, and he set about figuring out how to apply those same principles to coaching.
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It was around this time, in 2010, that I invited Mark to meet me in Cambridge, keen to explore what my experience as a PGA coach might offer in terms of creating a system that would help ordinary golfers.
Between us, we took a very technical system and watered it down to offer a practical solution to all golfers. In fact, the ‘Express’ read, which is what we use today, was originally designed to be so simple we could teach it to kids – and it is this ease-of-use that has made AimPoint so popular.
AimPoint is a game-changer. I honestly believe that, and I’ve seen the results at first hand working with world-class players such as Adam Scott, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Lydia Ko, Stacey Lewis and dozens of other golfers who play this game for a living.
Aimpoint Putting Method
Use Weight Distribution to Gauge Slope
Make sure you trust your sense as you survey the green. To start the process, stand directly behind the ball with your feet comfortably positioned and get a sense of which foot carries the most weight.
Grade the slope
The next step is to grade the level of the slope. Most golfers who use AimPoint run a scale of one to six (one being the least and six being the most severe).
Repeat the process
Walk along the line of the putt and repeat the last two processes. Walk around halfway to the hole, stand as before and get a feel for the slope through your feet.
Remember, your eyes alone can deceive you. How often have you looked at a putt you thought was dead straight only to see the ball deviate off line? Using your feet will help you to determine even the most subtle of slopes.
Aimpoint Putting Tip: Gateway Drill
Clearly, the best ‘read’ in the world is of little use unless you have the ability to consistently start the ball on your chosen line.
This is an area tour players are constantly working on with various drills and checkpoints to make sure they align the putter-face squarely to their intended line. Repeat a stroke that sees the putter return square and roll the ball on that line.
There are a number of ways in which you can help yourself here. A chalk line is one of the most popular; Poulter uses this all the time, running a line from about 6-8 feet on a dead-straight putt. Repeat this and set up rolling the ball down that line to the hole.
Another drill you can try is to create a ‘gate’ to a straight four-footer. Make sure the gate is just wide enough for the putter head to fit through. Make sure the gate is perpendicular to the line and then rehearse your routine. Align the putter, complete your set up, make the putt. How many can you make in a row?
Conclusion
Don’t be fooled into thinking that Aimpoint is just for the pros. It’s designed to be a quick and simple way of reading putts without having to scan every angle of the green. There are hundreds of Aimpoint certified coaches worldwide, you can locate them on the Aimpoint website.
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