AimPoint Green Reading

[nevets88]

New piece from Aimpoint founder, NO POINT IN A SINGLE POINT OF AIM

Quote

What we can clearly see in these real-life examples is that the Single Point of Aim theory is useless as a predictor of break around the hole.  Not only because the math doesn’t allow for it, but also because real golf greens, as opposed to hypothetical ones, have changing slopes around the hole.  If you want to be a great green-reader, learn to evaluate each putt by itself based using the concept of side-slope along the line of play.  It will be dramatically more effective and will not ever give you the wrong direction.

https://aimpointgolf.wordpress.com/2016/12/29/no-point-in-a-single-point-of-aim/

[Ernest Jones]

12 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

New piece from Aimpoint founder, NO POINT IN A SINGLE POINT OF AIM

https://aimpointgolf.wordpress.com/2016/12/29/no-point-in-a-single-point-of-aim/

What I love about aimpoint, is that I don't have to understand any of that. Lol. 

[No Mulligans]

When I'm on a green putting up or down a slope, I like to estimate the actual distance and the "stroke speed distance".  For example, I have a 30 footer that is downhill.  I'll make a guess on how hard I need to hit the ball and think to myself, "hit this like a 10 footer".  I'd like to come up with a more solid way to make these guesstimates.

Has anyone tried to dial in speed/distance control using your feet?  After all, we have already trained our feet to feel percent slope.

What I'm thinking (percentages aren't real, just for discussion purposes):

Say 1% slope = plus or minus 10%

2% slope = plus or minus 25%

3% slope = plus or minus 50%... etc.

(Maybe plus or minus won't work and one would need seperate percentages for uphill vs. downhill putts.)

For example you have a 20 footer that is on an average of 3% downhill slope; then 20 - (20*50%))  = 10 feet.  In this case you put your 10 foot stroke on the ball and expect the ball to travel 20 feet.

I'm thinking of experimenting with this idea and see if anything can be made of it, unless someone can point out the flaw in my thinking or a better approach.  Comments please

Edited April 12, 2017 by No Mulligans

[iacas]

24 minutes ago, No Mulligans said:

What I'm thinking (percentages aren't real, just for discussion purposes):

Say 1% slope = plus or minus 10%

2% slope = plus or minus 25%

3% slope = plus or minus 50%... etc.

It's not going to be linear like that across all the stimps.

20 footers…

Stimp	Slope	Uphill	Downhill
8	1%	+3.0	-0.7
8	2%	+4.8	-2.7
8	3%	+6.4	-4.8
8	4%	+8.2	-7.0
10	1%	+3.4	-1.3
10	2%	+5.7	-3.8
10	3%	+8.0	-6.8
10	4%	+10.3	-9.7
12	1%	+4.1	-1.8
12	2%	+6.8	-5.4
12	3%	+9.5	-8.7
12	4%	+12.2	-12.3

Yeah, I don't know that I'd really worry about trying to memorize anything like that. Just feel it, and hit the putt the right distance.

[nevets88]

Faldo explains AE, did a pretty decent job of it if you ask me. Wait, some can distinguish between a 0.5 and a 1? I still have problems with 1. And a foot past the cup? Not 6 inches? Not crazy about use of the word phenomenon.

http://www.skysports.com/golf/the-open/news/14857/10931592/open-zone-countdown-sir-nick-faldo-discusses-aim-point-express

[Missouri Swede]

4 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

Wait, some can distinguish between a 0.5 and a 1? I still have problems with 1.

Yeah, for me, a 1 is "this is level. No, wait, I think I feel a little (r to l, or l to r). Or is it?" But it is, and I know which way it is.
2 is an immediate "boy, I barely feel just a little (whichever way). Just barely."

OT: Kind of reminds me of when the Huey pilots would try to teach me how to fly the thing.  In handling the controls, they would say "don't move the collective, just think about moving it. And that's enough."

[iacas]

Yeah, no way.

Confirmed by Mark Sweeney and some others. There's no way to hole the putt on that black line…

[HJJ003]

I started practicing with some Aimpoint express techniques today. Anyone see some major gains (or at least decent gains) in their putting stats or stroked gained putting from using it? I was REALLY suprised with how much I liked the technique, and how at least day 1 seemed to really have an impact. 

[boogielicious]

9 hours ago, HJJ003 said:

I started practicing with some Aimpoint express techniques today. Anyone see some major gains (or at least decent gains) in their putting stats or stroked gained putting from using it? I was REALLY suprised with how much I liked the technique, and how at least day 1 seemed to really have an impact. 

I dropped a couple of strokes per round after starting AimPoint. Express is faster than the original or Mid-point methods and I use it all the time.

Don't forget the Bead and Speed parts of putting. AimPoint gives you the read and you will feel confident you are right on this after a few rounds. 

And don't second guess your reads after you dial in your feet. Sometimes your eyes will tell you different. Don't trust them. Trust your feet.

[Patch]

On 4/12/2017 at 1:54 PM, No Mulligans said:

When I'm on a green putting up or down a slope, I like to estimate the actual distance and the "stroke speed distance".  For example, I have a 30 footer that is downhill.  I'll make a guess on how hard I need to hit the ball and think to myself, "hit this like a 10 footer".  I'd like to come up with a more solid way to make these guesstimates.

Has anyone tried to dial in speed/distance control using your feet?  After all, we have already trained our feet to feel percent slope.

What I'm thinking (percentages aren't real, just for discussion purposes):

Say 1% slope = plus or minus 10%

2% slope = plus or minus 25%

3% slope = plus or minus 50%... etc.

(Maybe plus or minus won't work and one would need seperate percentages for uphill vs. downhill putts.)

For example you have a 20 footer that is on an average of 3% downhill slope; then 20 - (20*50%))  = 10 feet.  In this case you put your 10 foot stroke on the ball and expect the ball to travel 20 feet.

I'm thinking of experimenting with this idea and see if anything can be made of it, unless someone can point out the flaw in my thinking or a better approach.  Comments please

First off I am not an "Aim Point" person. Nothing against it, and I'm happy those who do use it have shaved strokes off their scores. I just do my own thing when it comes to putting.

As to your question about speed, and distance control. I use how far I turn my head, at address, to make that last look at my target. Then use how far I turn my head, to how far of a back stroke with my putter. Longer head turn equals a longer back stroke with my putter. Shorter head turn equals shorter back stroke. 

It's pretty old school, and it does take some practice to get the head turn, and the back stroke in tune with each other. Also, there is compensation to be learned for uphill, and downhill rolls. 

I can honestly say that I am almost never, ever short on my putts.Most of my short misses are due to me hitting a fat putt. 

[Kekeisen]

It looks like AimPoint is rolling out a 3D green mapping feature.  Any thoughts @iacas @mvmac?

Edited May 17, 2018 by Kekeisen
fat-fingered the submit button.

[iacas]

3 hours ago, Kekeisen said:

It looks like AimPoint is rolling out a 3D green mapping feature.  Any thoughts @iacas @mvmac?

None here yet… they've always mapped greens. That's how the TV tech worked back even 8-10 years ago.

[nevets88]

Rose was woefully under the hole on this putt. This looks like a two handed express read? If he aims more left it has more time to build speed. Maybe this is just one of those what are ya gonna do putts.

[nevets88]

This is the official AP thread right?

Technically it is 4 fingers, dunno why she just didn't use one hand.

 

[billchao]

2 hours ago, nevets88 said:

This is the official AP thread right?

Technically it is 4 fingers, dunno why she just didn't use one hand.

 

If her pinky is slightly narrower than the rest of her fingers, she gets a more accurate read with two hands.

[boogielicious]

I use two hand for slopes of five and above.

[Zesty]

On 4/12/2017 at 1:54 PM, No Mulligans said:

When I'm on a green putting up or down a slope, I like to estimate the actual distance and the "stroke speed distance".  For example, I have a 30 footer that is downhill.  I'll make a guess on how hard I need to hit the ball and think to myself, "hit this like a 10 footer".  I'd like to come up with a more solid way to make these guesstimates.

Has anyone tried to dial in speed/distance control using your feet?  After all, we have already trained our feet to feel percent slope.

What I'm thinking (percentages aren't real, just for discussion purposes):

Say 1% slope = plus or minus 10%

2% slope = plus or minus 25%

3% slope = plus or minus 50%... etc.

(Maybe plus or minus won't work and one would need seperate percentages for uphill vs. downhill putts.)

For example you have a 20 footer that is on an average of 3% downhill slope; then 20 - (20*50%))  = 10 feet.  In this case you put your 10 foot stroke on the ball and expect the ball to travel 20 feet.

I'm thinking of experimenting with this idea and see if anything can be made of it, unless someone can point out the flaw in my thinking or a better approach.  Comments please

I have been doing this for a couple of years and I have figured out a system that works for me pretty well. On my home course (Stimp 10) it's -10% for each percentage of slope downhill and +15% for each percentage of slope uphill. I combine this with how far I take my club back. I think there is a distance course for Aimpoint and I haven't taken it yet to see how it differs from what I have been doing. If anyone has any questions I can elaborate. 

[dennyjones]

On 2/24/2019 at 7:31 AM, boogielicious said:

I use two hand for slopes of five and above.

I use two hands for 4 and above.   The courses I play rarely have anything about a 4.