Beyond the Fingers: Advanced AimPoint Drills for Complex Putts

You’ve mastered the basics of AimPoint, feeling the slopes and confidently applying the finger method for straightforward putts. But what happens when the green throws a curveball – a severe undulation, a double break, or a tricky plateau? For golfers ready to go deeper, Oakville’s PGA Certified Golf Instructor and AimPoint Putting Coach, Sean Carlino, shares advanced drills to conquer those truly complex putts.

“Once you’re comfortable with the fundamental AimPoint read, the next step is to understand how multiple slopes or varying speeds within a putt affect the ball,” explains Coach Carlino. “This is where truly advanced green reading comes into play.”

1. The “Segmented Read” Drill for Double Breaks: “Find a putt on the practice green in Oakville that clearly has two distinct breaks, for example, breaking left then right,” instructs Carlino. “Instead of trying to read the whole putt at once, break it down into segments. Read the first section of the putt to determine its initial break, then read the second section. Your aim point becomes a composite of these two reads, essentially aiming through the first break to account for the second.” This teaches you to mentally map the green’s varying contours.

2. The “Speed-Driven Break” Drill: Carlino emphasizes the interplay of speed and break. “For putts where the ball slows down significantly over a slope (like an uphill putt or a long putt dying into the hole), the break will be more pronounced at the end of the putt. For putts hit firmer (like downhill putts), the break will be less. Practice hitting putts with varying speeds over the same slope and observe how the break changes. This refines your understanding of how speed influences the effective break percentage.”

3. The “Apex Awareness” Drill: “For breaking putts, there’s always an ‘apex’ – the highest point the ball reaches relative to the hole on its break,” says Carlino. “Set up a breaking putt and, after your AimPoint read, visualize the apex of the putt. Then, place a tee at that visual apex. Practice hitting putts that just track over that tee. This reinforces not just the start line but also the ideal path of the ball.”

4. The “Contour Mapping” Drill: “Walk around a complex green section, not just your putting line,” advises Carlino. “Use your foot feel to map out all the major slopes and undulations around the hole. This helps you understand the overall ‘bowl’ or ‘ridge’ effect of the green, which impacts all putts in that area. It’s about seeing the bigger picture beyond just your immediate line.”

“These advanced drills push you beyond simple aim points,” Carlino concludes. “They train your brain to understand the dynamic interaction of slope, speed, and gravity, ultimately leading to unparalleled confidence on even the trickiest greens.”