Hmmm, good point; that is a skill that I need more work on…!
I just watched the Aimpoint 30 minute video. I was able to grasp it, and look forward to trying it.
If I understood it correctly, it only covers Left/Right break.
Does Aimpoint have a similar system on Uphill/Downhill?
Up and downhill don’t matter for beak, only for speed. Speed isn’t a thing that can be taught per sei, it has to be learned by ball striking. Break needs and can be taught.
Without watching the video, I’m going to assume that you learned how to adjust for faster and slower greens. As @Gisclairj says, the Aimpoint Express deals only with left and right slopes. I treat downhill putts as being “faster”, so my fingers move closer to me eye when selecting my aim, the opposite for uphill putts. Also, you can certainly stand facing perpendicular to your line to get an understanding of how much uphill or downhill it is.
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That’s a great point, treat it faster or slower and move hand/arm to relate to the speed of said hill. Something I will definitely take with me as a mental note while using this system. Thanks @davep043
I believe downhill putts break more than their uphill equivalent. I have the aimpoint express on my todo list so perhaps it already compensates for that.
This is discussed in great detail in Broadie’s Every Shot Counts, and is exactly as you say. Putts break more on faster greens, given the same side slope, and putts break more when going downhill.
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Glad you are finding success. Most putting instructors these days suggest taking the putter back the same distance as the follow through… So if you have to take it back 18 inches, then the follow through is 18 inches past the ball. That way you are not jabbing at the ball. So the rhythm is like if you were swinging on a swing! I have listened to several of the Putting Couch podcasts and enjoy them… there is always a "grain of gold’ in the conversation. Just Juan with some random thoughts. Play well.
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You are right on
Putts break more since when they are going downhill they are moving slower, than if you had the same distance for an uphill putt. Since they are moving slower then gravity has more time to act on the ball and moves it more… causing a greater break. For example, if you think about a clock around the hole, with 12 being the straight downhill putt, then a ball at 1 pm would break more than one at 5 p.m. even though the are both 1 off the straight putt (with 6 being the straight uphill putt). I hope my explanation makes sense.
Here is a real life example, … I pulled this from an AimChart which was used in the original version of Aimpoint before it was made simpler with Aimpoint Express. Given a STIMP of 11. A 20 foot downhill putt on a green location with 2% slope from the 1 o’clock position will break 17 inches, while a 20 foot uphill putt from the 5 o’clock position will break 9 inches.
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For years I used a Bryson-esque technique (feet exactly one putter head apart, backswing putter face exactly to outside of trail shoe) as a calibration on strange greens. Compare distance to my “stock” putt distance at my home course. After that calibration, it’s all feel.
To my mind, the perfect putting drill is the Cameron McCormick 3-point drill. It’s got everything! Speed, line, pressure and green reading. Here’s how I do it:
Place a tee two feet from a hole. Pace off about 10’ and drop two ball markers (dimes work great). Pace off another 10’ and place another tee and one ball. One ball forces me thru my entire putting process. I go thru my standard green-reading process. I determine where the line of the putt should pass the dimes. I then position the dimes one putter head apart, straddling the imagined line. They become the “gate”.
Go thru routine, stroke the putt. If the ball rolls thru the dime gate-one point. If ball is between front edge of hole and 2-foot back tee-one more point. If putt is holed-one more point. If putt is short or beyond back tee-no points. Maximum 3 points per (thus the name). If needed, adjust the gate location for proper break. Repeat for 5 putts, record score and number of gate moves. Then change direction, distance and repeat.
If I miss the gate, I need to work on my line and/or face alignment. If I consistently miss low or need frequent gate adjustments, I’ll focus on improving my green reading. Since the total putt is 20-40’ I’m getting lots of speed practice. Because I’m keeping score, there’s pressure. Since I’m recording scores, I can see improvement. Which makes me want to do the drill more.
It is no longer a shock to have a 3-putt free round.
Hope this helps!
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Always chuckled when people say “almost a good putt” about a 20-footer that stops 1/2” in front of the hole. How is that any different to one that misses 18” long?
So good! I will definitely use that.
100%. I never hit a putt without taking a stroke or two looking at the hole. Really helps get the tempo dialed in before taking your stroke. I feel it really really helps with my speed.
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Great drill thanks for sharing!
Not sure if this is the correct place to post this (feel free to move), but here goes.
I have an old ankle/foot injury that has led to limited movement and feeling, getting worse over the years. Parenthetically, it’s cost me balance and a ton of distance since it’s painful to post on my trail foot in the full swing.
Jon, would you still recommend Aimpoint to someone like me?
I’ve attempted to sense green slopes thru my feet with very limited success.
On the flip side, my green reading has become more acute to compensate but I’d still like to improve. Any thoughts/suggestions?
Thx!
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That’s tough to say. I think a good starting point would be to get yourself a digital level, and start measuring what 1, 2, 3% slopes feel like on the green, and then test yourself. If you are really unable to get them dialed in because of your injury then perhaps it might not be a good idea for you.
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I don’t know if anyone else has mentioned this, but a good tip that I have learned along with the speed is to putt to the high end of the hole. If you try to ease it up most of the time you will fall short and break to the low side of the hole and travel away from the hole further. I will put a little more high side slope to my putt and if I hit it short it will have a better chance to stay close to the hole, and if I hit it long it will drift closer and leave me an easier putt coming back.
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One of the big mysteries of golf, how hard to hit that long putt. I say hit and hope. That is probably why I have become a good chipper as I never putt unless I absolutely have to. Even if I am only 6 foot away on the fringe or faced with downhill to the pin I always chip. If I am more than 20ft from the pin I have hit a poor pitch.
No expert, but I’d say you can learn the system (this one or any system really) in a modified way that compensated for the injury. In your case, that might mean learning to feel the slope with the good foot down with most of your weight on it and the other just lightly touching for balance.
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Prior to this season I’d really struggled on fast greens as I’d rarely played on them; so this season I’ve put a lot of effort into improving my speed control on fast greens (eg. 10 stimp or more).
And it started paying off as my distance from the hole on first putts was generally getting much closer and my incidence of 3 putts was dropping.
But, ironically, my last few rounds on slow greens I’ve struggled to keep the first putts close and have 3 putted more…
sheesh…
::sigh::
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