There was a thread started on Mark Sweeney’s AimPoint Golf forum that I thought would make for a great post. The thread is talking about the difference between the Zero Line and Fall Line. The Zero Line is what Mark Sweeney calls the line which has a net zero break. This means you aim at the center of the hole. It may be a straight putt or a double breaker that nets out as a straight putt. Learning where to find these Zero Lines is one of the many things you’ll learn by coming to an AimPoint Green Reading Clinic.
Here’s a pic from the forum showing a green with a Red Zero Line and Blue Fall Line.
AimPoint Zero Line vs Fall Line
You can see from the picture how similar the zero line and fall line are when near the hole. However, when the fall line goes up the large shoulder, the zero line doesn’t follow. The zero line is offset from the high anchor. It does this to create a double break over the shoulder that brings the aim back to the center of the hole. You can see the putt would miss right if aimed at the hole from the fall line on top of the shoulder.
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John,
I saw this on the AimPoint forum and it makes sense my question is and maybe I’m just missing something here but on the course how do you determine where the zero line would have gone in this example?
In the real world, finding the up hill zero takes a bunch of time practicing. The high anchor will give you a good clue of where it attaches itself to the edge of the green. In this example, the top of the knob would be the high edge. Looking at the hole from the high edge it is clear that the ball would break right immediately. This would also get the ball to the right of where 12 O’Clock is which you would find the regular way. Once that happens, there’s no chance for the ball to break back toward the hole. That’s how you determine if an offset is needed and which way.
Basically, one the fall line starts to curve the zero line will go the other way to offset. If the fall line curves back toward the zero line later then the zero will move back toward the fall line. Basically, you kind of weave your way up the green seeking out the 12 O’clock spot as you connect the dots. Then make your adjustment to the zero line based on how those dots connect and curve.
looks like anchor offset doesn’t happen everytime. if i understood correct, this depends on the global curvature of the fall lines…if curved towards the anchor you have to offset, if straight no offset. is that a good way to adress offsets ?
or does it depend on the type of anchor ? (i guess bowls for low anchors and knoll for high anchors would require offsets)
Rob,
Offsets are a little more complicated than that. It depends on a few factors.
JG
thanks for your reply,
i’ll keep drawing sketches with countour lines to figure it out
working with plasticine helps a lot too
maybe it depends on the symetry or absence of symetry of the anchor
thanks for the gototraining john, it was nice to have you in there, i’m thrilled to see how many topics we were able to cover
you guys are good
Rob,
It was my pleasure.
JG