If you’ve ever seen professional or amateur golfers standing on the green with a few fingers in the air, looking like they’re hailing a taxi or trying to land a UFO, relax—they’re not. They’re using AimPoint, a green-reading method designed to help golfers accurately estimate the break and speed of a putt. While perfecting your putting stroke is important, it won’t matter much if you don’t read the green correctly. In this post, we’ll break down what AimPoint is, how you can incorporate it into your game, and why so many golfers are switching to this technique.
What is AimPoint Golf?
Simply put, AimPoint helps players read the greens. It has been around for over 20 years, but has become increasingly popular in recent years as more pros use it in tournament play.
Once golfers know how to use it correctly, AimPoint claims to be 99 percent accurate.
The only way to learn the AimPoint method correctly is through an AimPoint-certified instructor, of which there are more than 300 in the United States alone. Once you understand the method, you can bring it to the course.
Like everything else in golf, AimPoint takes time to learn.
Key Concepts of AimPoint Golf
AimPoint slope estimation is the basis of the whole process and the part you will need to learn with the help of an instructor.
Estimating the slope
The AimPoint method uses the golfer’s feet to sense the slope of the green. Players cross the line of their shot and figure out which leg feels heavier. The heavier leg gives some indication of the direction of the putt’s slant.
| Slope Severity | Description |
|---|---|
| 1% | Gentle slope, barely noticeable. |
| 2% | Moderate slope, easily felt underfoot. |
| 3% | Strong slope, requires clear adjustment. |
| 4% | Very steep slope, challenging to compensate. |
| 5%+ | Extreme slope, rare but possible in unique situations. |
The degree of inclination
Once the assessment is made, golfers must determine the scale. The AimPoint scale is rated from 0 to 5. A scale of 1% or less indicates that there is essentially no break in the shot. The break increases significantly as you approach the 3% grade.
Finger method for rest
Once the feel of the slope is determined and then converted to the degree of slope, golfers can pick their line using their fingers. Each finger represents about 1% of the slope. If you feel a 2% slope, you will hold two fingers up and aim that far to the side of the hole.
| Slope Severity | Number of fingers to hold up | The purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | 1 finger | Minimal adjustment is required. |
| 2% | 2 fingers | Adjust the stretch for moderate rest. |
| 3% | 3 fingers | Important fix for pronounced breakage. |
| 4% | 4 fingers | Strong adjustment for steep slopes. |
| 5%+ | 5 fingers | Great adjustment for extreme inclines. |
What is AimPoint Express?
One of the main concerns of the AimPoint method is the time it takes. If amateurs are not careful, they can take some time working through the AimPoint process. This is where AimPoint Express comes in.
In this simplified version, golfers can complete the process a little faster and focus more on feel. AimPoint Express follows the same basic process, but you may not see players holding their thumbs up. Instead, they think more about the weight on their feet and how that translates to feel on the greens.
What are the benefits of the AimPoint method?
Some things in golf are concrete. Take, for example, the distance from your golf ball to the pin. Other things like reading the greens are not so simple. We all know there’s more than one way to make a layup and that creates a lot of variables in an already multi-variable game. The reason golfers like AimPoint is that it makes reading the break more consistent.
The accuracy
The AimPoint method is proven to be accurate. Professional golfers have success with it. The systematic approach blends physics and feel to reduce the guesswork in reading greens.
Consistency
Similar to a golf swing routine, following the AimPoint method every time creates a certain level of consistency that can help players improve their putting performance.
Increased confidence
Knowing where to aim and trusting that line can increase confidence. Golfers standing on a putt who are not sure which way it will break have very little chance of making it.
How to use AimPoint?
To really understand the AimPoint method, you need to train your feet to feel the slope. This is best done through practice with a certified AimPoint instructor.
The basic method has players stand behind the ball and feel the distribution of weight on their feet to measure the slope. During the workout, the player holds a digital level to correlate the pressure on the foot with the amount of incline.
Once a player becomes confident, he begins to estimate the percentage of the slope without the aid of a digital level. They then use their fingers to determine where to aim based on the slope they feel in their feet.
It takes some time to become adept at estimating the slope, just as it takes time to become adept at reading the breaks on the putting greens. There are no shortcuts to becoming a great player.
Which professionals use AimPoint?
Many golf professionals use AimPoint or AimPoint Express as part of their routine. Some of the main names include Adam Scott, Keegan Bradley, Lydia Ko and Justin Rose. AimPoint claims that half of the top 20 men’s and women’s golfers in the world are using the AimPoint method to read the greens. One thing for sure is that it’s easy to tell which players are using it!
Why won’t everyone use AimPoint?
Some golfers argue that the AimPoint method is slow. It takes time for players to feel the slope, especially on some of the longer shots and, as a result, the pace of play takes a hit.
However, proponents of the AimPoint system say the method gets faster the more you use it. Golfers who get better at feel can switch to the AimPoint Express method to save time.
Bottom line – Is AimPoint worth learning?
AimPoint is a method (currently allowed within the rules of golf) that attempts to make reading break a more concrete concept than an abstract concept. Mixing physics, feel and a structured approach has proven to be effective. You just need to learn the method from a certified instructor and then make sure you can keep up with the game while doing it.
Featured Image Credit: Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
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