Top 7 AimPoint Putting Mistakes and How to Fix Them

AimPoint Putting is a powerful tool, but like any skill, it requires precision and understanding to master. Even experienced users can fall into common traps. To help you refine your AimPoint technique and avoid these pitfalls, Oakville’s PGA Certified Golf Instructor and AimPoint Putting Coach, Sean Carlino, outlines the top 7 AimPoint putting mistakes and how to fix them.

1. Misreading the Slope Percentage: “This is the most common error,” states Coach Carlino. “Golfers either over-feel or under-feel the actual slope. Your foot sensitivity needs calibration.”

• Fix: Dedicate practice time to the “Calibration Confirmation” drill using a digital level on varying slopes to ensure your foot feel matches the actual percentage.

2. Incorrect Body Calibration: “Sometimes golfers hold their fingers incorrectly or their body isn’t aligned properly when determining the aim point,” Carlino explains.

• Fix: Work with a certified AimPoint instructor who can observe and correct your body position and finger alignment during the read. Practice in front of a mirror at home.

3. Ignoring Green Speed: “AimPoint relies on knowing the green speed (stimp),” Carlino stresses. “A 2% slope on a fast green breaks differently than on a slow one.”

• Fix: Before your round, find a flat area on the practice green and roll a few putts to gauge the stimp. Adjust your AimPoint read accordingly. AimPoint Express charts account for speed, but you still need to know if it’s a fast, medium, or slow day.

4. Rushing the Read: “Trying to rush through the foot-feel process or the aim point determination leads to errors,” says Carlino.

• Fix: Integrate AimPoint seamlessly into your pre-shot routine. Allow adequate time for each step without feeling pressured, even on Oakville’s busiest courses.

5. Not Trusting the Read: “After doing the work, some golfers will still second-guess their aim point and aim somewhere else,” Carlino observes.

• Fix: Practice the “Aim Point Verification” drill, placing a tee at your determined aim point and consciously putting over it. The more you see the ball break as your AimPoint predicted, the more you’ll trust it.

6. Poor Speed Control: “AimPoint tells you where to aim, but not how hard to hit it,” reminds Carlino. “If your speed is off, even a perfect read won’t go in.”

• Fix: Incorporate dedicated speed control drills into your practice, focusing on hitting putts specific distances (e.g., 5, 10, 15 feet).

7. Over-Complicating Simple Putts: “Sometimes a putt is nearly flat, but golfers still look for a break,” Carlino notes.

• Fix: If your foot feel indicates a very minimal slope (e.g., 0.5%), trust that it’s essentially straight or has a negligible break. Don’t invent one.

By identifying and correcting these common AimPoint mistakes, you’ll sharpen your green-reading skills and consistently drain more putts on the beautiful greens of Oakville.