Perfect Aim Ball Marker and Green Reading System

The Perfect Aim Ball Markers are a set of three ball markers with different line markings enabling players to aim a marked ball appropriate to the average slope amount of any putt length. These markers are designed for social play or for training to help players learn the correct amount of aim for breaking putts. The set includes three ball markers that relate to different green speeds that a player may encounter during practice or play. Also included when purchasing a set of markers is an additional ball marker that is allowed for use in all competitive play including professional tournament golf. This marker has no reference lines that gauge slope or green speed or where to aim on breaking putts. After practice with the training markers and learning about the suggested aims from our supplied reference charts, players can use the legal competition marker to accurate read and decide on the line of play.

Once a player has identified the speed of the green relating to either  MEDIUM, FAST or TOUR FAST they then choose the one marker for use on that day for either practice or social play.

A MEDIUM green speed relates to 8-9 Stimp, FAST is rated a 10-11 and TOUR FAST is rated as 12-13 on a stimp measurement.

Each ball marker has markings on either side relating to the amount of slope for any given putt. The lines can either define the exact line of play for a straight putt or for planar breaking putts OR the lines indicate how the putt is going to “PLAY LIKE” relating to slope combination. For example a putt with a combination of 2% sideslope and 2% downslope on a fast green will play as though it is a 3% sideslope putt as a downslope will make the putt break more. One side has lines indicating the suggested aim’s for putts with slight slopes, with the other side relating to putts with higher slopes and a need to aim at angles further away from the hole. One side of the Perfect Aim marker has four lines and the reverse side has four or five lines depending on the green speed. For putts that only have slight slopes or are planar (an equal amount of side slope for the entire length of the putt) the player will firstly estimate the amount of sideslope, then the amount of up or downslope.

If the player ascertains the putt is in fact planar at 2% right to left then they would choose the side of the marker that has only the four lines, then mark the ball and aim the centre black line directly at the hole. Then they would align a ball that has a straight line marked on it with the 2% line to the left of the centre aim line. No matter what the length of the putt this will be an appropriate aim in degrees to the right or left of the target. Alternately a player may choose to use the ball marker without defining the slope in percentage amounts in a mathematical equation. In this method through their experience and instincts they would determine the aim based on how they think the putt is going to play. With a 8-9 Stimp marker each slope percentage relates to 3 degrees, with a 10-11 Stimp marker each percentage change relates to 3.5 degrees and with the 12-3 Stimp marker each increase or decrease in slope percentage relates to 4 degrees. This means that regardless of a green speed changing the “PLAYS LIKE” number remains the same.

The player then lines up the putter relative to the line on the ball and hits the putt as normal.

In order to learn how to accurately estimate the amount of slope on any given putt it is recommended that players uses a digital spirit level or slope measuring app such as a  Inclinometer or Tour Read app.

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If a player was for instance 3 feet or one metre away from the hole then the aim might be just outside the edge of the hole. This could well relate to being 3 degrees open. At 10 feet or around 3 metres away, three degrees open might be 12.5 inches or 320mm away from the edge of the hole.

The aim in degrees stays the same regardless of the length of the putt provided the putt’s slope characteristics stay the same, (same slope amount across the entire length of the putt) or it can be estimated at an average slope mount. When a player faces a putt that has a combination of slopes slight adjustments need to be made for the uphill or downhill influences. If a putt has some amount of downhill as well as sideslope the ball should be aligned slightly higher. Conversely if a putt has some amount of uphill influence it will not break as much.
The reason that there is up to nine reference lines on the Perfect Aim Ball Marker is that with this system a player can accurately aim the ball and putterface even when they are faced with combination slopes including with downhill slopes. A player may be playing on fast green speeds and be faced with a 15 foot putt with a 2% right to left side slope and 2% downslope. In this case the player would need to aim around 11 degrees to the right of the target. The 2% sideslope alone would mean that the player would need to aim around 7.0 degrees to the right and the 2% downslope would mean they would need to aim a further 4 degrees to the right. We provide charts that you can refer to when practicing that can provide a very accurate suggestion on where to aim or you can learn to do some basic math. With slight side and downslopes (Up to 2%), you can add half the value of the sideslope (2 + 50% of the downslope amount – +1 = An aim of 3. This rough formula can be used on many putts that have slight side and slight downslopes. For putts that have above 2% side and 2% downslopes the full value of the downslope can be added to obtain the ‘plays like’ aim number. For putts with above 3% side slope and 2.5% downslope the downslope value needs to be at + 120% to 200%. The aim charts provide the exact numbers for aims relative to degrees so memorizing some of the key numbers can provide greater accuracy.

Once a player has identified the speed of the green relating to either  MEDIUM, FAST and TOUR FAST they then choose the one marker for use on that day.

A  MEDIUM green speed relates to 8-9 Stimp, FAST is rated a 10-11 and TOUR FAST is rated as 12-13 on a stimp measurement.

Each ball marker has markings on either side relating to the amount of slope for any given putt. One side has lines indicating the suggested aim’s for putts with a slight slope, the other side indicates lines for putts that will usually involve downslopes. If a player was faced with a putt that had planar slopes or upslope combination they would be using the side of the marker which has only four lines. When the putt also includes a downhill element of 2.5% and above they may need to use the other side of the marker that indicates PLAYS LIKE percentage is above 5. For example on a fast green speed of 10-11 Stimp, if a putt has an average of 3% sideslope with 2% downslope it will play like a 5% slope.

The Perfect Aim Ball Markers with different Stimp Speeds and slope % indicators are not currently legal for use in competition play but can be used for training and learning green reading skills as well as social play. The Perfect Aim Ball Marker with the single aim line is legal for play in all competitions as it does not measure or gauge slope or speed or suggest a line of play.