The Aimpoint Putting method was developed by Mark Sweeney, and as he tells it, it was almost an accident. Green reading is an art for some people, but we also know that there is a bit of science involved here as well.

Aimpoint putting helps both a professional golfer and an amateur golfer learn how to read greens and make more putts; this is a method you can learn and use on the golf course. If you feel like you are unsure how to read greens and what it takes to get the green speed just right, Aimpoint Putting could be for you.

The majority of strokes that amateur golfers take are almost a guess in terms of break and speed. If you are going to be out on the golf course, you may as well attempt to get the ball in the hole!

What is AimPoint Putting?

AimPoint is a green reading method that helps golfers quickly read a break on a green and determine how much the slope is going to impact their ability to make a putt. If you have seen golfers on the PGA Tour use this method, chances are you have seen them using their fingers to determine how much break there is in a putt. However, AimPoint incorporates a mix of vision, feel in the feet as well as the fingers to determine the correct amount of break.

Golfers like Adam Scott, Lydia Ko, and others have learned the AimPoint Express method and have implemented it into their routines on the golf course. Over time there have been teaching professionals that have picked up on the method and have started teaching it to others. The inventor of AimPoint putting says that it should take about one to two hours to learn the method, certainly quicker than other putting methods.

What is the AimPoint putting method?

The AimPoint method begins with a golfer feeling how the green slopes between their feet. Then with one eye closed, they hold up two fingers or just the pointer finger outside the right edge of the hole. The fingers will show you the line that you must take in order to get the ball to drop into the hole.

Once you have decided on the line, you can confidently putt the ball on this line, and it will break into the hole.

When AimPoint was first created, it was done at the digital level. If you have ever watched the Golf Channel and seen the track that connects the golf ball to the hole, this is essentially AimPoint.

As time when on and the viewers saw how the breaking putt would fall into the hole, it became apparent that the average golfer could benefit from the AimPoint method.

It does take a bit of time with a certified instructor to fully understand the percentage of Slope (or amounts of slope) and see how this setup can work for your game. However, the AimPoint method has done quite well on professional golf tours.

Is AimPoint Putting hard to learn?

The AimPoint Putting method is not all that difficult to learn; the key is that you will still need to judge the correct speed and put a confident stroke on the ball. The AimPoint may help you read the break of putts and slope grade, but to have a solid golf game, you must be able to combine a variety of putting skills.

Essentially the AimPoint method combines physics and feel. The first part of the process allows players to feel the weight distribution between their feet to determine the percent slope they are dealing with. If your right foot is considerably lower than your left foot, you have quite a bit of slope to deal with.

The actual slope does not matter all that much if a player can develop a feel and then match that with the correct line and speed on the green. After all, if you play enough golf, you likely know that there is more than one way to get a golf ball in the hole.

Does looking at the hole while putting work?

Putting while looking at the hole is a terrific method to make more putts; most golfers miss putts because they move their heads and look to see where the golf ball went. If you are looking at the hole during your entire putting stroke, it could mean less head movement and more consistent strokes.

In the game of golf, we tend to do things opposite, and not looking at the target when we strike the ball is one of these opposites. Head to your local practice green and start with a 3-foot putt. Work on making a few of these while you are looking at the hole.

You will likely find that most strokes are more consistent, and these practice sessions leave you confident about your skill level and ability to make both downhill and uphill putts. Looking at the hole is a simple adjustment and is completely legal under the rules of golf.

Is face-on putting legal?

Most golfers call face-on putting side saddle putting, and the USGA rules of golf allow for face-on putting, even during tournament play. The only time that a golfer could run into trouble with a side saddle stroke is if they are anchoring the putter, as this is not a legal move.

Human error makes up for almost all of the misses on the putting green. However, looking at the hole yourself during the stroke can remove some of the errors seen in a faulty stroke.

One of the most common issues golfers experience is looking up too soon. If you are a timid putter, you will probably slow down as you approach the ball and then look up to see if it went in, don’t expect too many of these to go in!