Slow play can be boring, and it goes the same for AimPoint. The latter green reading method has been pretty much in the news for a couple of months now. It started with the LPGA star A Lim Kim. So, what went on that so many golfers drew pitchforks? Well, during the third round of the Honda LPGA Thailand, A Lim Kim had a birdie attempt on the par-3 fourth hole, where her solid putt rolled just over a foot past the hole, leaving a tap-in. Before performing the shot, she used the AimPoint routine and, despite the successful putt, finished sixth.

But, for the immense chagrin of the golf world, it wasn’t done yet. More recently, Min Woo Lee was the center of attention for the same issue. The young golfer used AimPoint to “read” his 8-inch par putt for the 18th hole before draining it. He won the game, but he certainly did not impress Jim Nantz. In fact, AimPoint itself does not impress Nantz very much, and he seems to have found an ally.

Jim Nantz recently sat down for an interview on the Talk Birdie To Me Podcast and discussed the issue. They discussed a situation wherein Gary Woodland’s caddie, Brennan Little, used AimPoint. “Well, we all kind of know how I feel about AimPoint in general. But when the caddie does it, yeah. That’s…as long as they’re both not doing it.” He added that maybe Woodland calls his caddie for reads and the caddie uses AimPoint, however, he agreed that “it’s getting out of control.” Mark Allen joined in the conversation and said, “If caddies are doing it on the PGA Tour, that should be banned immediately. Absolutely that’s a no-brainer.” They also called into question the legality of the situation, however, Nantz shared that at least pros should avoid it. Interestingly, despite the controversy, AimPoint isn’t illegal. Why? Well, because it involves the player’s judgment.

And, on that note, take a look at a moment from 2022 Southern Hills. Will Zalatoris and his caddie, Ryan Goble, engaged in an AimPoint routine around the green that lasted about three minutes. As Zalatoris crouched to read the green, Goble positioned himself between Zalatoris and the hole, shuffling his feet and raising his fingers. Then, the golfer struck his ball, which eventually drifted into the cup.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Jim Nantz has shared his feelings for AimPoint. Back in 2024, he shared it again, “It really drives me crazy when you see their backs to the hole, and they’re trying to feel the break, and they walk another five feet and they do it again. “They go through this process [but] where’s the feel in it?” So, what’s the cry about? Well, it has to do with the slow play issue. It seems to drag on for days, and sometimes the golfers don’t even hit it right! However, not everyone’s against caddies utilizing AimPoint, even in LIV Golf, especially not Phil Mickelson.

Phil Mickelson credits his caddie for his AimPoint skills

Playing in Hong Kong last month, Phil Mickelson praised his caddie, Jon Yarbrough, for his ability to use AimPoint to read putts, despite a recent call for a ban by former U.S. Open winner Lucas Glover. Then, Mickelson had a strong start at LIV Golf Hong Kong, shooting a three-under-par 67, when he brought out this particular topic.

“Jon Yarbrough has really helped me because he is very good with AimPoint and tells me it’s a one, it’s a two, and then the grain is doing this, and if it’s going with it I’ll give a little more, if it’s going against I’ll give it a little less,” Mickelson said. Additionally, Mickelson noted that his performance on the greens improved not only due to a new putter but also thanks to his caddie’s expertise in reading putts with AimPoint.

“He’s really helped me on these greens to get a better visual of what the ball is going to do. These greens have always been challenging for me, and I feel like we got pretty dialed in. I made some good putts,” Mickelson further added.  Interestingly, Phil Mickelson started working with Yarbrough last year, after Tim Mickelson retired from his bag. This is not the first time Mickelson has hailed the work of his caddie. Even then, Mickelson had praised Yarbrough’s green reading skills and said he was excited to work with him.