There are two keys to a successful putt. One, a good read. Two, good speed.
Regardless of skill level, putts count for almost half the number of strokes in a round of golf. So, a good putting technique can have a hugely positive impact on your game.
There are various ways to improve your putting accuracy. One such method that has been adopted by numerous pro and amateur golfers is AimPoint.
In this article, you’ll learn everything about AimPoint putting — from how to read greens by feeling the slope, to aiming and executing the perfect putt.
Ready? Let’s begin!
AimPoint Putting
AimPoint putting is a green-reading method designed to help you read the slope of the green, and make more putts. The technique combines physics with feel, helping golfers get a consistent read every time. A number of pros have used the system, including Justin Rose, Adam Scott, and Stacy Lewis.
What Is AimPoint Putting?
Most golfers under-read their putts. In fact, 70% of putts miss on the low side of the hole. To give yourself the best chance of making a putt — or at least getting it close to the hole to prevent three putts — you need to correctly read the break of the green.
AimPoint is a green-reading system that helps golfers locate a target point to aim for when putting. By understanding the break and speed of the green, players can putt directly toward a point. Gravity brings the ball down the slope, toward the hole.
There are several variables affecting a putt, such as wind, rain, and even the direction of the turf’s grain. However, the most significant factor is the slope of the green.
Mark Sweeney is the creator of the AimPoint system. With a background in software development and a passion for golf, he set out to build technology that could accurately predict where a putt is likely to break, and by how much.
“Aimpoint began as a very complex software program that was designed to accurately predict break on any green”
— Mark Sweeney, founder and developer of AimPoint Golf
While AimPoint started as a technology project, it evolved into a repeatable green-reading system used by over 50,000 golfers today. This includes over 250 touring professionals, such as Justin Rose, Adam Scott, and Stacy Lewis.
Ultimately, AimPoint helps golfers get a consistent read of the slope, increasing their chances of getting the ball close to the hole, and reducing three putts.
Next, we’ll share how you can use the AimPoint putting system — so read on!
How Does AimPoint Putting Work?
Essentially, AimPoint putting works by using your feet to gauge the slope of the green, which translates to the number of fingers you hold up to find your target point.
AimPoint follows a simple three-step process:
- Feel the slope with your feet
- Use your fingers to find the AimPoint
- Stroke the ball with the correct pace
Let’s dive into each step in some more detail.
1. Feel the Slope With Your Feet
The first step is to measure the approximate gradient of the slope with your feet. To do this, straddle the putting line by standing between the ball and the hole — where you’d expect the line of the putt to be — with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Focus on the horizon and feel the slope by the amount one foot is above or below the other. Most AimPoint golfers use a scale of 0 to 5 degrees, where 0 is flat and 5 is the steepest gradient you’d find on any green.
The theory behind this is that the human body is highly tuned into balance via weight distribution. By straddling the putting line, you can estimate the amount of break in the putt by feeling the amount of slope with your feet.
PRO TIP: It will take some practice to accurately grade the slope with your feet. The more you play, the better you will get!
2. Use Your Fingers to Find the AimPoint
Next, you need to use the number found in step one to generate a target AimPoint.
Here’s a fundamental part of the system: When you hold a finger in front of your eyes at arm’s length, the width of the finger just so happens to equal about 1 degree of slope.
So, using the number from step one — AKA the degree of slope — determine the number of fingers to hold up. Line up one edge of your fingers with the center of the hole, and the other edge is your AimPoint.
For instance, if you see a tour pro holding up 3 fingers when reading a putt, then they have determined the gradient to be around 3 degrees.
Having found the AimPoint, you now have a target to aim your putt towards.
PRO TIP: You might be surprised by the amount of break the AimPoint method suggests you play for. However, most golfers miss their putts on the low side of the hole as they under-read the break.
3. Stroke the Ball With the Correct Speed
Finally, we get to the most important step — stroking the ball at the correct pace.
While the AimPoint system is valuable for helping you locate a target to aim for, you still have to use the correct speed to avoid playing the ball through the break.
Aiming at your target point, try to stroke the ball so that it will stop a few inches past the hole. Initially, the ball should travel toward the AimPoint. However, gravity will cause it to follow the gradient of the slope toward the hole.
Ideally, the ball will drop in the hole! But if not, you’ll be left with a short return putt. The most important thing is that the second putt is short enough to prevent a three-putt.
PRO TIP: A useful drill to improve distance control is to practice putts from various distances with your eyes closed. Each time, tell yourself — without looking — if it’s short or long. Over time, your natural ability to judge speed will improve!
In the video below by Me And My Golf, Jamie Donaldson of AimPoint Golf demonstrates how the method works, and the benefits of having a putting system:
Does AimPoint Work?
The AimPoint system is by no means a putting cheat code. While it can help you locate an accurate target spot to aim for, it doesn’t account for distance control at all.
However, AimPoint is a valuable skill to learn as it gives you a repeatable process that helps you gain consistency in your putting system.
I personally have struggled in the past with finding consistency on the greens without having a repeatable pre-putt routine. Much like a pre-shot routine on the tee box, it can really help maximize your chance of getting the ball near the hole.
In addition, over 50 tour pros have used the system! These golfers are playing for their careers — it doesn’t get more validating than that.
Ultimately, the AimPoint putting system helps you thoroughly read each putt, giving you the best chance of making a putt while preventing the dreaded three-putt.
Conclusion
To summarise, AimPoint putting is a green-reading system that helps golfers generate a target to aim for when putting. By aiming for a spot on either side of the hole, you allow gravity to naturally feed the ball down the slope, toward the hole.
Used by more than 50,000 golfers around the world, it follows a three-step process:
- Feel the slope with your feet
- Use your fingers to find the AimPoint
- Stroke the ball with the correct pace
While it can take time and practice to understand AimPoint, it’s a great tool to improve your green-reading abilities, helping you make more putts and lower your score!
