Integrating AimPoint into Your Pre-Shot Routine: A Step-by-Step Guide

You’ve honed your “foot feel,” practiced your reads, and even tackled complex putts. Now, the crucial step: seamlessly integrating AimPoint into your on-course pre-shot routine. A clunky, rushed routine can undo all your hard work. To help you develop a smooth, effective process, Oakville’s PGA Certified Golf Instructor and AimPoint Putting Coach, Sean Carlino, provides a step-by-step guide.

“The key to integrating AimPoint successfully is to make it a natural, unhurried part of your process, not an add-on,” emphasizes Coach Carlino. “It should feel as automatic as checking your alignment or taking a practice swing.”

Here’s a streamlined approach:

Step 1: The Initial Assessment (Walking onto the Green): “As soon as you walk onto the green, start your assessment,” advises Carlino. “From a distance, get a general feel for the overall slope. Is it uphill, downhill, or side-hill? This quick overview helps you orient yourself.” Don’t rush to your ball; use the walk to gather preliminary information.

Step 2: The “Feet First” Read (On the Line): “Once you’re at your ball, walk directly on your intended putt line from behind the ball, all the way to the hole, and then a few steps past it,” instructs Carlino. “This is where you activate your ‘foot feel.’ Concentrate solely on the pressure in your feet to determine the percentage and direction of the slope. This is the most crucial part of the AimPoint read.”

Step 3: Determine Your Aim Point (The Finger Method): After feeling the slope, step back and face the hole from behind your ball. “Now, use your chosen AimPoint method – Express or Conventional – to determine your precise aim point,” says Carlino. “Hold up the appropriate number of fingers at arm’s length, aligning them with the hole to find your exact spot. This should be a confident and decisive action.”

Step 4: Visualize and Commit: “Once you have your aim point, commit to it,” Carlino stresses. “Look at your aim point, then look at the hole, visualizing the ball rolling over your aim point and into the cup. This mental rehearsal reinforces your read and builds confidence.”

Step 5: Address the Ball and Execute: “Finally, address the ball, aligning your putter face precisely with your chosen aim point,” Carlino concludes. “Trust your read, and make your confident putting stroke. Don’t second-guess yourself once you’ve gone through the process.”

By making these steps a consistent part of your pre-shot routine on the beautiful courses around Oakville, you’ll transform your green reading into a reliable, efficient, and highly effective skill, leading to more made putts and lower scores.