What Is AimPoint in Golf?
by Frank Longabucco, Professor at Keiser University College of Golf, PGA Certified Professional
Putting is the game within the game. Approximately 40% of all shots are played on the green, causing 80% of your anguish. The ability to consistently make putts separates good players from bad. To be a good putter, you need four skills. Start the ball on your intended line, read the green correctly, match the speed to the read, and believe in yourself. This article is about the AimPoint system. A method to improve reading greens skills.
Although we do not incorporate the AimPoint method into the College of Golf curriculum, students are encouraged to seek individual private lessons from our PGA Instructors. The system has gained popularity with amateurs and professional golfers because it has proven merit.
What is AimPoint?
The AimPoint system was created by Mark Sweeney in the early 2000’s. The method consistently helps golfers predict the break on the green. The system was modified to AimPoint Express over time. It is based on the player’s ability to feel the slope of the green with his/her feet and determine the proper starting line using their fingers. The system helps reduce the guesswork of estimating the break. When guesswork is reduced, the player can putt with more confidence.
Key Principle of AimPoint
The number one key is perceiving slopes through your feet. The player stands halfway between the ball and the hole and assesses how much the green slopes. If the slope is small, it is assigned 1%. A moderate tilt might feel 2%. A steep tilt may be considered 3-4%. Golf training is required to learn to calibrate these percentages. Once the slope % and direction are established, AimPoint uses your fingers as a tool to determine the exact break. This is done by holding your arm out in front of your face and raising the number of fingers to the percentage of tilt by aligning your fingers with the hole. For example, 2% slope is 2 fingers. The edge of your fingers is your target line. This sounds complicated at first, but after repeated practice, it becomes simple.
AimPoint Process Step-by-Step
- Read the Putt from behind the ball to gain a sense of the slope and direction.
- Stand halfway between the ball and the hole, straddling the line to feel the slope using your feet. Assign a slope percentage.
- Identify the direction of which way the ball will break.
- Using your finger measurement, hole up the number of fingers to represent the slope and align your fingers with the hole to find your aim point.
- Commit to the line and trust the read.
Benefits of AimPoint
Traditional green reading is subjective and can be influenced by many factors. AimPoint uses measurable data, which leads to more consistent green reading. Since slope is quantified (2%), the player gains a clearer understanding of how much the ball will break. The most important benefit is that it builds trust, which allows golfers to commit fully to the stroke. Green reading and confidence are two of the four skills to be a great putter.
The Big Picture
AimPoint is used by PGA and LPGA Tour professionals because it works. The system leads to reliable reads and gives golfers a process (routine) for assessing the break when putting. Another benefit is that this process occupies the golfer’s mind. This is beneficial because the golfer can let go (on autopilot) and trust their instincts. When this happens, golfers are less burdened by expectations and perform to the best of their ability.
AimPoint Issues
AimPoint can slow the pace of play when golfers take extra time to feel slopes and use the finger measurements. It also takes time to learn the method, and of course, none of this works if the player can’t start the ball on the line and get the speed right. College of Golf Students have PGA Professionals to help them train properly.
Conclusion
As Shakespear wrote, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” For me, the biggest benefit of the AimPoint system is that golfers believe in the system. When that happens, players can commit to the shot. When full commitment is achieved, players can execute to the best of their ability. My belief is that players should experiment with the system and determine whether it will work for them. I would recommend the system to players who struggle on the greens. Like any aspect of golf, improvement comes from repetition, experimentation, good practice routines, and hard work.
