Aimpoint...get your Popcorn!!

[AmandaJR]

So...it keeps comng back into my radar and had an email yesterday about Express Courses.

The reason it comes into my radar is I think I'm poor at green-reading, or at least it's not a strength. Our greens don't have huge undulations but are very subtle and even greens I know I always mis-read still catch me out. I played with a guy ages ago who used Aimpoint and watched him in our 8th green which is one of those that always catches me out. I could see his doubt as he rechecked the break and then he nailed the putt. Asked him if it was a tricky read and he said yes and he had to re-check as his eyes told him one thing but his feet were feeling something else - he went with the feet. That can be my issue - even when I see a putt breaking in a way I didn't expect (take a scramble and I'm putting having seen the previous putt) - I struggle to commit to a line which is different to what I feel I see...

With me so far??!!

So...without a huge debate about Emperors Clothes and all that I'm keen to hear from those who attended an Express Course and their pros and cons for the system. Has it helped you reduce your putts per round or number of 3 putts or just generally given you confidence when you lacked it before on the greens? It's not a cheap course so know that can sway opinion as no-one wants to feel they've wasted their money BUT frank and honest reviews would be really appreciated.

Off to play golf now so hope this isn't into 3 pages of debate when I get home

 

[virtuocity]

PROS:

-Only cost £40 (for me anyway) and if you don't like what the instructor has to say about reading greens, you will pick up other tips along the way

-Refocuses you on the importance of putting

-Provides a scientifically sound system to use to read greens in the absence of having no system.

-Read any break in 15 seconds or less

-Great for those who often miss the hole low on the break

CONS:

-All reads are subjective and you will need to spend a lot of time learning to interpret the severity of breaks. For one person, a break might feel like a 'Five', for others a 'Three'.

-Pace, pace, pace, pace, pace. This system will not help you hole more putts if your pace is wrong. For those who are often short or long from 15 foot or so, save your money just now and go and work on your pace.

-Strike and roll. Lots of people (including myself) attended this course without considering whether they had the ability to start the ball on a particular starting line, hitting out the middle of the putter every time. No point in reading greens well if you then start the ball offline.

SUMMARY:

If you have a sound setup and stroke, can judge the pace of greens well but often find that you finish a foot left or right of the hole, then I'd consider this course. If you get yippy and stab at the ball, leave the ball excruciatingly short or dangerously long, then a putting lesson might be better.

As for 3 putts, whilst reading greens are important, I would suggest that if your pace is bang on, then you shouldn't be leaving yourself with more than a 2 foot putt from 30 feet out. All that good green reading will do (most of the time) is ensure that you're 2 feet short of the hole and thinking, "I read that well, if I'd only hit it, I would have holed it". IMO it's not the solution to 3-jabbing; pace control is.

Aimpoint is about 'making everything'. It gives you the right read but, by implication, needs you to be able to judge the pace. So, if you're 3-putting a lot, ask yourself whether it is genuinely due to bad reads.

 

[Ethan]

Sounds like a wonderful placebo method for getting you to concentrate on the read.

If the method involved imagining a tiny leprechaun who sat on your shoulder and said 'OK, me boy, where do you think the high point of the putt is' etc, it would probably work just as well.

Most putts are about pace not line. If you get the weight right but the line wrong you won't be too far away. The other combination is usually much worse.

 

[Foxholer]

Bit more than a placebo method imo.The fact that that guy went with what his feet told him was a good thing, even if he didn't nail the putt. I've seen that done too.

A little bit of conversation about it (Express) in the US Golf last night too - I think Nobilo mentioned 'several' or 'a few' were using it.

Not a practitioner myself, but have seen a weak putter turn into a strong one by using it.

 

[CMAC]

Amanda, do you check the line/break from both sides of the putt normally?

 

[Robobum]

.-All reads are subjective and you will need to spend a lot of time learning to interpret the severity of breaks. For one person, a break might feel like a 'Five', for others a 'Three'.

That's the first time I've seen someone who has experience of it say this. I thought it was meant to be a mathematically proven system...................... Hmm interesting

 

[virtuocity]

That's the first time I've seen someone who has experience of it say this. I thought it was meant to be a mathematically proven system...................... Hmm interesting

You need to be able to distinguish between Aimpoint (Midpoint) and Aimpoint Express. I was referring to the latter, in line with the OP.

 

[Ethan]

Golfers including PGA pros are suckers for bonkers methods. The pendulum plumb bobbing method cannot possibly work but many pros still use it. These guys like to have a system they think they can rely on, and that extends to the colour of tees, the number of their ball, where they eat in the evening. Mostly superstition and ritual, hence placebo.

 

[CMAC]

look how this guy lines up and reads the putt (3 in a row)

start at 1m 33secs

[video=youtube_share;Bwk2rsEuyZg]http://youtu.be/Bwk2rsEuyZg?t=1m33s[/video]

 

[jpxpro]

i paid £90 for a lesson with Jamie Donaldson he has coached Adam Scott on Aimpoint express etc.

was it worth £90 i don't think so but i would say its a useful piece of info to have at your disposal should you need it.

as has been said pace and interpretation is the key, knowing how far out to hold you arm when marking out the 2 or 3 takes a lot of time to work out for each individual, i tend to hold my arm out further than some so what might be 4 for you is a 3 for me.

it sounds complicated but it really isn't.

 

[AmandaJR]

Amanda, do you check the line/break from both sides of the putt normally?

No...do you mean behind the ball and from the other side of the hole or side to side?

 

[AmandaJR]

i paid £90 for a lesson with Jamie Donaldson he has coached Adam Scott on Aimpoint express etc.

was it worth £90 i don't think so but i would say its a useful piece of info to have at your disposal should you need it.

as has been said pace and interpretation is the key, knowing how far out to hold you arm when marking out the 2 or 3 takes a lot of time to work out for each individual, i tend to hold my arm out further than some so what might be 4 for you is a 3 for me.

it sounds complicated but it really isn't.

Yep think it's £100 now - at £40 it's worth a "suck it and see" but not at £100 - hence my dilemma!

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

The fact that that guy went with what his feet told him was a good thing, even if he didn't nail the putt. I've seen that done too.

I have always read putts with my feet. I was never taught to do this but when I stand over a putt I feel which way my weight is naturally falling. It's always felt completely natural to me.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I was only taught midpoint with the chart, but knowing how the system works, I've started using the express method (self taught) which seems to be working as well. For £40 I'd be going to learn the express version. I've made my feelings on aimpoint very clear before and in my mind, it has enhanced my green reading ability especially on away courses and I feel much more confident on my read and so can commit to a positive stroke. Whether that is a placebo effect or not I know it works.

I played a match with Ads749r and he had a tricky ten footer for a crucial half. I asked him where he thought the break was, aim point said something like and extra six inches. He took my read and made it. The same happened a few holes later and it showed just how much people under read green, even ones they are familiar with and that aimpoint makes a differene

 

[CMAC]

No...do you mean behind the ball and from the other side of the hole or side to side?

yes, behind, then from the other side, also looking at the break as you walk back to your ball- that usually gives you all the info your brain needs. Often I've thought it went one way then saw it clearer from t'other side.

You do this while others are putting or preparing to putt so theres no slow play.

 

[AmandaJR]

yes, behind, then from the other side, also looking at the break as you walk back to your ball- that usually gives you all the info your brain needs. Often I've thought it went one way then saw it clearer from t'other side.

You do this while others are putting or preparing to putt so theres no slow play.

I sometimes do it on downhill putts but sounds like something I need to pay more attention to. Practicing putting more frequently is also my aim (excuse the pun) and resolved to do at least an hour a week this year. Didn't quite get there this week but there's time for some indoors work yet!

 

[3565]

personally I think if the price point is a bug bear for you then do something that not a lot of players I know do, go for a green reading lesson with your Pro. He will possibly charge you £20-30 for your half hour, will tell you what he's learned over the years of his playing, and maybe chuck in a quick putting tip. It might be all that's required for you, Who knows.

I use Aimpoint have done for the past 3yrs both midpoint and Express, do I have a better understand of green reading, yes, do I hole everything? No but I've holed a lot more longer putts then I used to. Aimpoiint doesn't swing the putter for you, you do that bit, all it does is learns you how to process the info you gain and turn it into a number which then gives you your visual reference to aim your putt at.

 

[mcbroon]

Don't use it and wouldn't but what I will say in its favour is that I watched Homer at H4H and I dont remember him making a bad read. As Virtuocity says, it's all about pace, and I'm sure Homer himself would admit that he was poor in that department on that day, but as a method for picking a line, it was certainly more impressive than I expected it to be.

If you have an issue reading greens and don't mind paying, then why not do it?

 

[bignev]

Just been advertised at our club for£99.
As I said to to Pro I can think of better thingsto spend my £99 on.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Don't use it and wouldn't but what I will say in its favour is that I watched Homer at H4H and I dont remember him making a bad read. As Virtuocity says, it's all about pace, and I'm sure Homer himself would admit that he was poor in that department on that day, but as a method for picking a line, it was certainly more impressive than I expected it to be.

If you have an issue reading greens and don't mind paying, then why not do it?

I had real issues with getting the ball to the hole which of course makes aimpoint a tad redundant if the ball never reaches. More frustrating as we both saw that had I got it up the line was perfect on most putts especially from anything over ten feet. One of them days for me!