Developing Your “Foot Feel” for AimPoint: Drills for Slope Sensitivity

The cornerstone of AimPoint Putting, whether Express or Conventional, isn’t about complex math or fancy gadgets. It’s about developing an acute “foot feel” – the ability to accurately sense the subtle slopes of a green beneath your feet. As Oakville’s PGA Certified Golf Instructor and AimPoint Putting Coach, Sean Carlino, emphasizes, this is the crucial first step to unlocking consistent green reading.

“Many golfers are so focused on their stroke that they completely overlook what their feet are telling them,” explains Coach Carlino. “Your feet are incredibly sensitive instruments, and with practice, they can become your most valuable green-reading tool.” The goal is to train your brain to quickly and accurately interpret the pressure distribution you feel as you stand on a slope.

Here are some drills Carlino recommends for developing your foot sensitivity:

1. The “Blind Walk” Drill: “Find a practice green with varying undulations. Close your eyes and slowly walk across different sections of the green,” Carlino instructs. “Focus solely on the sensations in your feet. Notice how your weight shifts from heel to toe, or from one side of your foot to the other. Try to identify if you’re walking uphill, downhill, or across a slope, purely by feel.” This drill isolates the foot sensation from visual distractions.

2. The “One-Foot Balance” Drill: “Stand on a slightly sloped part of the green and try to balance on one foot for a few seconds, then switch to the other,” suggests Carlino. “This exaggerates the pressure points in your foot, making you more aware of the subtle tilt. Pay attention to which part of your foot feels more pressure – the uphill side, the downhill side, the toe, or the heel.”

3. The “Slope Detective” Drill with a Digital Level: “This drill is about calibration,” says Carlino. “Place a digital level (often available on smartphone apps) on various spots on a practice green to get an exact percentage of the slope. Then, stand over that same spot and try to feel that specific percentage. Without looking at the level, try to estimate the slope, then check your answer. This creates a mental database of what different slope percentages feel like.” Consistent practice in Oakville will hone your accuracy.

4. The “Weight Shift Awareness” Drill: “On a side slope, consciously try to shift your weight towards the ‘downhill’ side to maintain balance, and then to the ‘uphill’ side,” Carlino explains. “Feel the difference in muscle engagement. This helps you understand how your body naturally reacts to a slope and how that sensation can inform your AimPoint read.”

“Developing this foot feel takes time and focused practice,” Carlino concludes. “But once you build that sensitivity, your ability to accurately read greens will transform, leading to more confident putting and lower scores.”