AimPoint Green Reading

[Double Bogey]

I have played one round with my charts.  Still no clinic yet, but my would be instructor is caddying on tour ATM.  I will say that just reading your comments here as well as the ones on the AimPoint "green reading" section has helped me.  My putting stats were not much better in the one round, but my misses were closer than ever.  I like the tap in two putt better than the 8 footer I really learned that my speed needs mucho work.  Nothing sucks like knowing the read was good, but the speed was off.  Cannot wait until I can get to a clinic or get a lesson set up.

Thanks everyone.

@iacas - My club likes to keep the stimp at 11-11.5, and some of the pin locations are 5% and 6% slopes and one should be rounded up to a 7% (only used at Tourn time).  I know that Mark says very few are over 4% but my club has them.  How do I adjust for the added slope?  Is there a formula, or is this question better asked over at AP.

[nevets88]

I took the entry level class last week with Keith Handler (who looks a tad like Kenneth from 30 Rock). I thought it was pricey at first, but in retrospect, I got alot out of it and it was worth it. Although I'm a bit laser beam focused still on my full swing a la Stack and TIlt, there wasn't going to be a class in my area for awhile later, so I took advantage.

Walking the curve to me was the meat of the class, but Keith also gave me a couple of putting tips which really made my speed control and alignment better. I watched carefully during the walking the curve part and it really is a bit of science and art. Kind of like hunting when you track your prey.

Although I'm good at finding the zero lines when they are obvious, some greens I am clueless, especially some practice putting greens which feel flat. It's like there are more than 2 zero lines. The flat-ish (yes I know there are none) are devilish.

Anyways, I used the method on my last nine and scored two birdies. One birdie before Aimpoint I would have aimed the opposite way. Once I found the zero line, it was like, no way, it doesn't look like it'll turn this way, but I trusted it and it did.

[jamo]

I've got mine scheduled for next Thursday, so I'll report back on how it goes. Very excited. :-)

[nevets88]

Originally Posted by jamo

I've got mine scheduled for next Thursday, so I'll report back on how it goes. Very excited.

Awesome. Who is your instructor?

[jamo]

Awesome. Who is your instructor?

John Connelly at Cohasset Country Club in Cohasset, MA. Also, I just saw Michelle Wie 3-putt at the U.S. Women's Open, and one of the commentators (Dottie Pepper, I believe) said she was using "the AimPoint way of putting' and looked overly mechanical, which makes no sense because it's for green reading, not actually putting.

[nevets88]

[quote name="nevets88" url="/forum/thread/45791/aimpoint-green-reading/90#post_623296"]

Awesome. Who is your instructor?

John Connelly at Cohasset Country Club in Cohasset, MA. Also, I just saw Michelle Wie 3-putt at the U.S. Women's Open, and one of the commentators (Dottie Pepper, I believe) said she was using "the AimPoint way of putting' and looked overly mechanical, which makes no sense because it's for green reading, not actually putting. [/quote] Hmmm, I wonder what Pepper or whomever think of S&T.; I saw Stacey Lewis putting, she uses Aimpoint I think, she looked fine to me.

[BigTexGolfer]

That's interesting, since Pepper said Lewis had the greens figured out better than anyone else in the field a couple of times.  Maybe she got her and Wei confused on which one is using Aimpoint.

Originally Posted by nevets88

Hmmm, I wonder what Pepper or whomever think of S&T.; I saw Stacey Lewis putting, she uses Aimpoint I think, she looked fine to me.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by jamo

Also, I just saw Michelle Wie 3-putt at the U.S. Women's Open, and one of the commentators (Dottie Pepper, I believe) said she was using "the AimPoint way of putting' and looked overly mechanical, which makes no sense because it's for green reading, not actually putting.

So dumb. And from as close as Michelle was, it was not a putt for which you really use AimPoint... seriously, it's under three feet.

Originally Posted by BigTexGolfer

That's interesting, since Pepper said Lewis had the greens figured out better than anyone else in the field a couple of times.  Maybe she got her and Wei confused on which one is using Aimpoint.

Wie just started learning AimPoint a few months ago. Lewis (see her caddie's hat) has been using AimPoint for a little over a year.

[jamo]

That's interesting, since Pepper said Lewis had the greens figured out better than anyone else in the field a couple of times.  Maybe she got her and Wei confused on which one is using Aimpoint.

I heard that too. Pepper said Lewis was the only player she talked to that said she had the greens figured out (or something to that effect). [quote name="iacas" url="/forum/thread/45791/aimpoint-green-reading/90#post_623465"]

So dumb. And from as close as Michelle was, it was not a putt for which you really use AimPoint... seriously, it's under three feet.

[/quote] Good point. Wie made a couple of bombs, which is where she probably did use it.

[uttexas]

Any word on an "Aimpoint" book? I know of a putting book or two where the major contributors were certified Aimpoint, but is there a book or DVD in works? My impression is that a book or DVD may not approximate what one could learn at a Aimpoint class/lesson, but would provide a good introductory starting point.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by uttexas

Any word on an "Aimpoint" book? I know of a putting book or two where the major contributors were certified Aimpoint, but is there a book or DVD in works? My impression is that a book or DVD may not approximate what one could learn at a Aimpoint class/lesson, but would provide a good introductory starting point.

I don't think so. You really need to get out and see it first-hand, and I think a book or DVD would be counter-productive. People would think "they understand it" or "know it" and never actually learn it the right way.

[iacas]

If you took a class and did not get a "student workbook" or handout (I just mean something in addition to the AimChart), I have a PDF I can give you that has the basic stuff. Send me a PM with the details of when you took your school (date, from whom, where, and how long the class was should be sufficient).

[robeeb]

hi guys,

slope percentage gives me a hard time,

i already own a breakmaster and know that flat areas are supposed to be around 1%, average would be 2% steep 3% and severe 4%

but i would like to get better "on the fly" on the golf course.

so apart from a breakmaster, level, green charts etc..., is there a nice way to figure out slope percentage other than from experience ?

many thanks

#makeeverything :)

[MiniBlueDragon]

Originally Posted by robeeb

hi guys,

slope percentage gives me a hard time,

i already own a breakmaster and know that flat areas are supposed to be around 1%, average would be 2% steep 3% and severe 4%

but i would like to get better "on the fly" on the golf course.

so apart from a breakmaster, level, green charts etc..., is there a nice way to figure out slope percentage other than from experience ?

many thanks

#makeeverything :)

Use the Rule of 8:

Stand 8 feet directly below the hole and estimate how high above your feet the hole is. The grade from that distance is 1% of grade per one inch of elevation change.

If the hole appears to be 2in higher than your feet the slope is estimated as 2%. If the hole is 4in above your feet the slope is estimated as 4%.

[iacas]

The Rule of 8 (really "The Rule of 96 inches is pretty close to 100 inches" :-D) is good but I personally don't like it.

I really kind of see myself looking at it based on the slopes and saying "is this an average amount of slope? More? Less?" Then I go from there. You can also start to compare greens. If you make a good read on a 20 foot putt you can say "yep, that's a 2.5% slope" and then on the next hole just say "is it flatter or steeper than that last green?"

Slope is the "hardest" of the relatively easy pieces of AimPoint to "get," IMHO.

[jamo]

The Rule of 8 (really "The Rule of 96 inches is pretty close to 100 inches" :-D) is good but I personally don't like it.

I really kind of see myself looking at it based on the slopes and saying "is this an average amount of slope? More? Less?" Then I go from there. You can also start to compare greens. If you make a good read on a 20 foot putt you can say "yep, that's a 2.5% slope" and then on the next hole just say "is it flatter or steeper than that last green?"

Slope is the "hardest" of the relatively easy pieces of AimPoint to "get," IMHO.

The slope was probably one of the easiest parts for me to get just using my feet. I've gotten pretty good at feeling (and seeing, to some degree) a 1%, 2%, etc., slope.

[mvmac]

Wanted to share today's John Graham blog about "feel" and using Aimpoint.  John does a great job with his blog and shares a lot of great information.

http://johngrahamgolf.com/blog/aimpoint-feel/

[SAGolfLuvr]

I think that the 20 second reading speed is very achievable. Then you line up and putt. I have been doing research for the past few days and have e-mailed an AimPoint instructor inquiring about classes. He must be on vacation because I have had no reply yet. But the You Tube AimPoint introductory clips has been very helpful. For instance, You Tube showed me how to find the zero line (where the point of the straight putt is on both sides of the hole).  The only problem I had was finding it without stepping on someone's line. When I found it, I applied some AimPoint concepts and it helped me determine breaks easier on difficult greens. So I want a formal lesson to fill in the gaps for me. I think they test you to make sure you can make the read in 20 seconds. In my You Tube research, I kept hearing about how taking more than 20 seconds was taking too long. So they teach you AimPoint methods to find the zero line and then make the read. All I've heard from former students is "The best money ever spent on golf." I have heard no negatives except that the instructors/clinics may not be near you. Good Luck.