Those who have a keen eye on YouTube golf would’ve noticed Rick Shiels’ improved putting in recent times.
The Englishman has always been an accomplished player despite certain parts of his game, such as driving and chipping, letting him down.
However, Shiels has improved massively of late and recently went head-to-head with Peter Finch in a couple of matches across their channels. Finch was impressed with Shiels’ scrambling, and it’s clear that the YouTube stalwart has been working hard on his short game behind the scenes.
Shiels’ putting, in particular, was impressive. The 38-year-old was consistent from shorter distances and also drained some longer efforts during his second match against Finch.
Now, Shiels has shed light on his improvement on the greens.
Rick Shiels shares view on AimPoint
AimPoint has become a popular method of late, with several PGA Tour players using their feet to determine the severity of a slope, sometimes to confirm what they can see visually.
Unfortunately, the method takes time, and Aaron Rai was criticised at the Wyndham Championship for taking two minutes to line up a relatively small putt.
Shiels, however, has insisted he will still use the method regardless of whether new laws are implemented on the PGA Tour.
“I use AimPoint, but I don’t particularly use my fingers,” Shiels said on his latest Podcast.
“When you read the putt with your feet, you are determining the degree of slope that you are standing on. Whether it’s one degree, two degrees or three degrees if it’s one degree, you then put one finger up, and that’s where you aim.
“Left finger on the hole; the right side is where you aim. If it’s a two-degree slope, you do two fingers and a three-degree slope, etc.”
Shiels continued: “I have played with a lot of people who use it now. It doesn’t offend me. I use it. I don’t do the fingers, but I will straddle the line and learn the putt. I think it has dramatically improved my green reading ability. I think I am a much, much better green reader now, and therefore, I have become the greatest putter in the world! I won’t be stopping doing it, even if gets banned, I will go to a remote island.”
USGA and R&A discuss AimPoint ban
As Shiels mentions, the AimPoint method also incorporates using fingers to determine a starting line; Adam Scott is regularly seen lining putts up in this way.
Yet, due to the meticulous nature of the AimPoint, issues around slow play have reached the R&A and USGA. It’s believed both organisations are involved in trying to rein in the issue after years of investigation and research.
For many, the damage is already done.
Amateurs are already looking to emulate their PGA Tour heroes during weekend competitions, and regulating AimPoint at the club level will be too difficult.
Perhaps looking to crack down on slow play is the route for the R&A and USGA to take in order to prevent the new putting technique from getting completely out of hand.
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