Harper Lin
AimPoint Golf is a green-reading technique based on feeling the slopes on the greens with your feet, rather than trying to spot them with your eyes. Developed by putting coach and data analyst Mark Sweeney, AimPoint was originally designed for junior and amateur golfers to quickly become expert green-readers. It has sparked controversy on the PGA Tour, with some arguing that it contributes to slow play, but pros continue to use it, and it has proven effective for many.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To help golfers read the green |
| Method | Using feet to feel the slope of the green |
| Training | Requires a certified AimPoint instructor |
| Pace | Designed to be used quickly |
| Accuracy | High |
| Use | Controversial, but popular among pros |
| Tools | Digital level, AimPoint Express |
| Founder | Mark Sweeney |
| Additional Features | Emmy Award-winning TV Virtual Putting Line, Green Heat Map |
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What You'll Learn
AimPoint Golf's AimCharts
The AimCharts are designed to help golfers read greens and understand how to read their putts so they can know where to aim. This is especially useful because there are a lot of optical illusions on putting greens, and people often only see about 50% of the correct aim line. By teaching people to measure the slope, AimPoint enables players to quickly learn where to aim by feeling the slopes. The ball breaks differently across different slopes, so this system helps golfers know where to aim on all putts, regardless of the type of slope or distance.
The AimCharts are available in a “Pro Version” that shows where to aim on greens with a stimpmeter reading of 9 to 13 and a slope ranging from flat to steep. However, they only work on certain types of sloped putts and from 20 feet away. To obtain the AimCharts, one must either participate in an AimPoint Green Reading clinic or watch one of Mark Sweeney's videos.
AimPoint has proven to be effective, with top players in the world such as Viktor Hovland, Dustin Johnson, and Adam Scott using it to win tournaments. It has also received endorsements from golf instructors and coaches, who believe it is an absolute must for any serious instructor.
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AimPoint Golf's Green Heat Map
AimPoint Golf is a green-reading method that combines physics and feel to help golfers get a consistent read on the greens. It is a highly controversial and polarising technique that has been adopted by several professional golfers, including Adam Scott, Justin Rose, and Stacy Lewis. AimPoint Golf was the first to create and patent angular AimCharts, which are used to validate the AimPoint Express green-reading method. This method can only be learned accurately from a certified AimPoint instructor.
The AimPoint Green Reading Method involves understanding the slope of the green by straddling the ball's path to the hole at about the halfway point. This technique helps golfers make strategic decisions with their putting by indicating the slope's severity and the direction in which putts break.
AimPoint Golf's Emmy Award-winning technology includes features such as Wind Adjustments, Drop Point Read, and Entry Speeds. However, their most popular feature is the Green Heat Map, which visually represents the slope of the green. This innovation, introduced in 2005, has been provided to players, golf courses, architects, and major golf tournaments, allowing golfers to enhance their understanding of the green and improve their play.
The Green Heat Map is a graphical representation of the green that indicates slope severity and the direction in which putts break. This information empowers golfers to make more confident strategic decisions. By understanding the slopes, golfers can adjust their aggressiveness and lower their scores. The Green Heat Map is a valuable tool for players, golf course management, and architects, providing a detailed understanding of the green's contours and slopes.
In conclusion, AimPoint Golf's Green Heat Map is a revolutionary tool that enhances golfers' strategic decision-making by providing a detailed understanding of the green's slopes and contours. This Emmy Award-winning technology has become a popular feature in golf broadcasts, adding drama and excitement for viewers. AimPoint's Green Heat Map is an innovative solution that empowers golfers to improve their play and achieve better results on the green.
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AimPoint's training and education program
AimPoint is a training and education program that teaches golfers a systematic approach to reading greens and making putts. The method is proven to be accurate, and professional golfers are having success with it. It mixes physics and feel to reduce guesswork in reading greens.
The AimPoint method uses the golfer’s feet to feel the slope of the green. Players straddle the line of their putt and sense which foot feels heavier. The heavier foot gives some indication as to the direction of the slope of the putt. Once the estimate is made, golfers must determine the scale. The scale in AimPoint is rated from 0 to 5. The 1% or less scale shows that there is essentially no break in the putt. The break significantly increases as you move closer to the 3% scale.
Once the feel of the slope is determined and then converted to the slope scale, golfers can pick their line using their fingers. Each finger represents about 1% of the slope. If you feel a 2% slope, you would hold two fingers up and aim that far to the side of the hole.
AimPoint can be learned through an AimPoint certified instructor, of which there are more than 300 in the United States alone. The training process consists of the application process and a one-full-day training period that can be conducted in select locations in the US, England, and Asia. Once you understand the method, you can bring it to the course.
AimPoint also offers a simplified version of its method called AimPoint Express. In this version, golfers can complete the process a little faster and focus more on feel. Golfers may not see players holding up fingers. Instead, they think more about the weight on their feet and how that translates into feel on the greens.
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AimPoint Express
The system was founded by Mark Sweeney, who sought to provide a factual solution to the issue of reading greens correctly. He used sophisticated computer models and analysed hundreds of thousands of putts to develop a system that could predict where a putt would break and how much. The first iteration of AimPoint Golf was considered too technical, but the Express version is a simplified method that has become popular among golfers of all levels.
To learn AimPoint Express, golfers can attend a class or clinic taught by a certified instructor. The basic method involves golfers standing behind the ball and feeling the weight distribution in their feet to gauge the slope. They then use their fingers to determine where to aim based on the slope they feel. With consistent use, golfers can become more proficient at estimating the slope and the method becomes faster.
One of the key benefits of AimPoint Express is that it helps golfers feel more confident in their read and commit to their line. It also helps golfers to aim their putter better and start the ball on their intended line more frequently. While some critics argue that the method is slow, supporters claim that it gets faster with practice and is worth the time investment for improved accuracy.
Overall, AimPoint Express is a green-reading system that has gained popularity among professional and amateur golfers for its ability to help golfers read greens more effectively and improve their putting accuracy. With sufficient practice, golfers can use AimPoint Express to correctly read greens and lower their scores.
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AimPoint's critics and controversy
AimPoint is a modern green-reading technique that has sparked debate among golf fans and professionals. Developed by putting coach and data analyst Mark Sweeney, it is based primarily on feeling the slopes on the greens with one's feet rather than trying to spot them with the eyes. Traditionally, golfers would read greens by crouching behind the ball and visually surveying the putting surface for slopes.
Critics of AimPoint argue that it significantly contributes to slow play in professional golf. PGA Tour player and 2009 U.S. champion Lucas Glover stated, "It needs to be banned. It takes forever." Similarly, Paige Spiranac, the golfing world's outspoken influencer, stepped into the fray with her bold statement, "Ban Aim Point," which garnered resounding support from fans.
However, defenders of the technique refute these claims, arguing that AimPoint was designed to be used quickly. They contend that the pace depends more on the individual golfer than the technique itself. Some golfers, like Collin Morikawa, believe that the criticism stems from a lack of understanding of how AimPoint works. He suggests that while it may slow down play in certain spots, it is not inherently a slow technique.
Another controversy surrounding AimPoint involves the use of greens-reading materials. Collin Morikawa, for example, was penalised for violating a rule regarding such materials. His caddie, J.J. Jakovac, used a level to assess the slope on the practice putting green and noted the information in Morikawa's yardage book, an act deemed illegal.
Additionally, there has been criticism of AimPoint being used for very short putts. A screenshot of A Lim Kim using AimPoint roughly one foot from the hole during the Honda LPGA Thailand circulated on social media, sparking widespread criticism. Many took issue with Kim's use of AimPoint so close to the hole, with CBS on-course reporter Dottie Pepper posting the screenshot to her Instagram with the caption, "We've lost the plot."
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Frequently asked questions
AimPoint Golf is a system that uses angular AimCharts to help golfers better understand the break.
AimPoint uses the golfer's feet to feel the slope of the green. Players straddle the line of their putt and sense which foot feels heavier. The heavier foot gives an indication as to the direction of the slope of the putt.
AimPoint was originally designed for junior and amateur golfers to quickly become expert green-readers. However, it is now used by tour players and professional golfers all over the world.
AimPoint Express is a simplified version of the AimPoint method. It focuses more on the weight on the golfer's feet and how that translates into feel on the greens.
The only way to correctly learn the AimPoint method is through an AimPoint Certified Instructor. Golfers can also subscribe to AimPoint+ to access exclusive video content, drills, and tutorials from AimPoint experts.
