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Aimpoint help on reading putts 6ft and in


MattM
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I can out-stupid you with ease. When I was learning Aimpoint at Golf Evolution I actually got so caught up in getting all my inputs right that I actually set my aim point on the wrong side of the hole more than once!

Top that one @Barney!

OK ...

During an actual round of golf (casual, with friends) after putting from a generally similar direction than I was about to have, my friend made a comment about how he was surpised it broke to the right.

I had already measured my slope, so I knew it was, lets say, 2%, so with that knowledge, I got my number.  I hit the putt and then while it was curving AWAY from the hole, I realized that I had aimed to my other right.

You got that?  I didn't just accidentally aim to the wrong side, I actually got my left and my right mixed up.  What am I, 7 years old????

(Luckily I've done that only once!)

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OK ...

During an actual round of golf (casual, with friends) after putting from a generally similar direction than I was about to have, my friend made a comment about how he was surpised it broke to the right.

I had already measured my slope, so I knew it was, lets say, 2%, so with that knowledge, I got my number.  I hit the putt and then while it was curving AWAY from the hole, I realized that I had aimed to my other right.

You got that?  I didn't just accidentally aim to the wrong side, I actually got my left and my right mixed up.  What am I, 7 years old????

(Luckily I've done that only once!)

I don't know, I rather do that than pull a 6 iron when I meant to pull a 9 iron. Nothing like ending up 35 yards over the green, then looking down at the club thinking, "F$%^, I hit my 6 iron"

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I don't know, I rather do that than pull a 6 iron when I meant to pull a 9 iron. Nothing like ending up 35 yards over the green, then looking down at the club thinking, "F$%^, I hit my 6 iron"

I've done that, and the reverse!

The other issue is not recognizing a multi-plane putt.  From underneath, it may look like a one plane putt if you don't look carefully.  Example: when the slope flattens out in the last five feet to an uphill tier or downhill flat area.  It could make the difference between a gimme second putt or a six footer.

Scott

Titleist, Edel, Scotty Cameron Putter, Snell - AimPoint - Evolvr - MirrorVision

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The other issue is not recognizing a multi-plane putt.  From underneath, it may look like a one plane putt if you don't look carefully.  Example: when the slope flattens out in the last five feet to an uphill tier or downhill flat area.  It could make the difference between a gimme second putt or a six footer.

I still don't bother with aimpoint on these types of putts.  I also don't use it when I've got a big ridge to cross.  Just TMI ... and I get all discombobulated.

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I don't know, I rather do that than pull a 6 iron when I meant to pull a 9 iron. Nothing like ending up 35 yards over the green, then looking down at the club thinking, "F$%^, I hit my 6 iron"

I never understood that.

Hell, you can hand me a club and I'll tell you what club it is just setting up to it, without looking at the clubhead let alone the sole where the number is stamped.

I don't understand having that big of a brain fart that you hit a club that's shorter, heavier, and clearly has 10°+ more loft (or vice versa).

Also…

:offtopic:

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
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I've done that, and the reverse!

The other issue is not recognizing a multi-plane putt.  From underneath, it may look like a one plane putt if you don't look carefully.  Example: when the slope flattens out in the last five feet to an uphill tier or downhill flat area.  It could make the difference between a gimme second putt or a six footer.

I seem to do that a lot!  I'll be putting down hill and get my read that I think will break one way or the other, and then hit the putt only to have it go straight down....

Boogielicious, when you are looking for the planes how can you look at it and tell?  Is there something specific you look for?  Like I said I have a really hard time seeing differences in slope on the greens.

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I seem to do that a lot!  I'll be putting down hill and get my read that I think will break one way or the other, and then hit the putt only to have it go straight down....

I think you should spend some time refreshing your skills. AimPoint is not a gift, it's a skill, and you have to keep practicing it to keep things finely tuned.

Boogielicious, when you are looking for the planes how can you look at it and tell?  Is there something specific you look for?  Like I said I have a really hard time seeing differences in slope on the greens.

They don't come up that frequently. If you're finding lots of crowns or saddles, you're probably doing something wrong.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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I think you should spend some time refreshing your skills. AimPoint is not a gift, it's a skill, and you have to keep practicing it to keep things finely tuned.

They don't come up that frequently. If you're finding lots of crowns or saddles, you're probably doing something wrong.

I guess you play on better courses than I!  Some of the older courses I play on will have greens with varying planes depending on the flag placement.  They can have tiers and some ridges and depending on your line, it can have a two plane situation for a 20+ footer.

I seem to do that a lot!  I'll be putting down hill and get my read that I think will break one way or the other, and then hit the putt only to have it go straight down....

Boogielicious, when you are looking for the planes how can you look at it and tell?  Is there something specific you look for?  Like I said I have a really hard time seeing differences in slope on the greens.

I look for a shift in plane alone the putting line.  If is in the last few feet I may just guess less or more break.  Example, a 25 ft putt , 2 or 3%, where the last 5 looks 1% or less.  I will play a 20ft putt with the break of the midpoint and figure it will straighten out the last 5.  Also, you need to pay attention to speed on these and the last section will be different.  You can practice these on a practice green putting to a tee if the holes are cut to examples like the one above.

Another example are the putts where you are on a higher tier.  For these, I find the line on the slope down to the lower tier where the ball will go straight down.  I find the point on the upper tier that enters that line.  Then I do a midpoint read on the top tier putting to that point.  This works great.  You really only have to worry about the shorter upper tier putt and the speed entering the down slope.  I chipped one to 2" a couple years back on a par 3 doing this.  The whole break was at least 20 - 25 feet, which is mind boggling if you don't break it into parts.  The top tier break was only 10 -15 inches, much simpler to read and visualize.  The read doesn't take much longer, maybe 10 seconds to find the zero line down the slope and another 10 - 15 for the midpoint read on the top tier.  My buddy was amazed at how close I got the chip.  I was aiming almost 90 degrees away from the hole (kind of like Paula Creamers 75 ft putt).

You can practice these if your practice green has tiers.  It is fun.

Scott

Titleist, Edel, Scotty Cameron Putter, Snell - AimPoint - Evolvr - MirrorVision

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I guess you play on better courses than I!  Some of the older courses I play on will have greens with varying planes depending on the flag placement.  They can have tiers and some ridges and depending on your line, it can have a two plane situation for a 20+ footer.

It's not a matter of "better" courses. It's just a matter of how not every shift in a green's plane is truly something for which you need to account. There are very few putts, particularly 20 feet and in, that will have different enough planes that you need to "chunk" your putts.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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I know you guys keep saying this stuff, but I have to tell you it must be an area thing. I've payed on greens that actually have dark spots in the middle of the green where the water just sits there. There is no rhyme or reason sometimes. They were just made a long time ago and noone cared about drainage I guess. I've absolutely had 20' putts where where I was standing told me one slope, but the actuall putt line was on another. I misread it because of the spot where I was standing. That always makes my putt off. Erik, I think the way you were talk is actually better because you don't have that specific issue. My problem is that every time I try to do what you guys do (walking around the circle) I can see the difference... I was going to try to practice my slope reading last weekend but the damned weather wasn't having it!!! I definately do need to get out and practice slope feel again....
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Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas

It's not a matter of "better" courses. It's just a matter of how not every shift in a green's plane is truly something for which you need to account. There are very few putts, particularly 20 feet and in, that will have different enough planes that you need to "chunk" your putts.

I know you guys keep saying this stuff, but I have to tell you it must be an area thing. I've payed on greens that actually have dark spots in the middle of the green where the water just sits there. There is no rhyme or reason sometimes. They were just made a long time ago and noone cared about drainage I guess.

I've absolutely had 20' putts where where I was standing told me one slope, but the actuall putt line was on another. I misread it because of the spot where I was standing. That always makes my putt off.

Erik, I think the way you were talk is actually better because you don't have that specific issue. My problem is that every time I try to do what you guys do (walking around the circle) I can see the difference...

I was going to try to practice my slope reading last weekend but the damned weather wasn't having it!!! I definately do need to get out and practice slope feel again....

Make it a habit to practice this every time you go to a practice green.  Even if for only five minutes.  This will really help.

I do see Erik's point about the slope.  A change from 3 to 2% is the last five feet of a 20 footer may only make a small difference.

Scott

Titleist, Edel, Scotty Cameron Putter, Snell - AimPoint - Evolvr - MirrorVision

My Swing Thread

boogielicious - Adjective describing the perfect surf wave

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I saw Bowditch using his fingers to read greens, guess he's an Aimpoint Express user as well.  I have to learn Aimpoint this season.

Joe Paradiso

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I've only had one outing thus far using AimPoint Express. I think the reads were pretty much on, but my speed was terrible. Neither method works well when you leave everything short. The curse of playing a course early in the year when you still have the echo of faster conditions in your head from last summer.


I believe that Express is going to be very handy for me on longer putts, while Midpoint will be the go-to for the 10-foot, must-makes for par.

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Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
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I've only had one outing thus far using AimPoint Express. I think the reads were pretty much on, but my speed was terrible. Neither method works well when you leave everything short. The curse of playing a course early in the year when you still have the echo of faster conditions in your head from last summer.

I believe that Express is going to be very handy for me on longer putts, while Midpoint will be the go-to for the 10-foot, must-makes for par.

@georgep , did you find a comfortable and reliable way to calibrate your "arm distance" so the finger read is accurate? That's the one element of Express that turns me off a bit, just seems like I could be wildly inconsistent with that.

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That is an opportunity for inconsistency.  Just today I caught myself bending my arm too much.  You just have to make sure you're doing it the same way each time. I suspect after awhile it will be second nature.

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
--Groucho Marx

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