AimPoint Green Reading - Page 12

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsc123 I've noticed that when I'm on a steep slope (say 4% at 90*), with the ball below my feet, and stand over my ball, the line does not appear to be pointing to the same place as when I lined it up from behind the ball.  It always looks like its lined up with MUCH less break.  If I putt along the line on my ball, i miss low.

 

 

My routine is similar and I've noticed the same line distortion. Seems to increase with distance as well as slope. I don't have any suggestions other than if I am having trouble seeing the line I look from above and below the hole with the flag in to see if I can hit the alignment mark on the ball looking both ways, if it's visable. That and as dorky as it looks I've been doing the looking through my hands formed in a tunnel thing for a few weeks. Not sure if it's luck or my approach shots are leaving me easier putts but the last 3 times out was the best I've putted all year. That said as hard as it can be to see the line the struggle for me is distance control.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsc123 

I've noticed that when I'm on a steep slope (say 4% at 90*), with the ball below my feet, and stand over my ball, the line does not appear to be pointing to the same place as when I lined it up from behind the ball.  It always looks like its lined up with MUCH less break.  If I putt along the line on my ball, i miss low.

You're probably putting the line straight on the farthest side away from the green rather than purely on the top. Take care to set the line down perfectly on top.

The alternative idea is that your eyes are positioned differently (so the line looks different) on steeper slopes. Take care to "lean into the slope" with your feet a bit so your eyes can go to the normal position over or just inside the golf ball.

I stopped using the line on the ball for that reason. Now I place the ball with no markings visible.  For longer putts, I try to find and intermediate point on my aim lie to align to that is much closer to the ball (a la Dave Stockton).

I used to line up the line on my ball and try and putt on that line, it works well sometimes but I always encountered the problem of being lined up wrong a few times a round which is frustrating, especially on putts without much break.

Now I always line the mark on my ball up to the center of the cup, then I get my aim point and putt. This way I at least know where the center of the cup is relative to where I'm aiming, and it's much easier to line my ball up with the cup than a point on the green
 

The note beneath the video explains what you see here: "When the grade divided by the stimp is greater than 0.7, this is what happens."

This is called "roll-off". It's okay to have some areas of roll-off - false fronts, etc. - but the majority of the green surface should NOT be roll-off.