ABOUT
The history
In 2016 the golf course I teach at, Santa Ana Country Club in Southern California, underwent a major redesign of the golf course. The new course features expansive new greens with much more undulation. Many members struggled with reading the new greens, which affected their overall putting. I began to think of better ways to help my students with their putting, spending hundreds of hours researching green reading methods and putting from the best players and teachers in the world, and honed in on the two areas of difficulty: ability to judge slope and aim. From this I invented Smartline Putting Green Reading System and the patented ball marker. (make this last sentence bold)
I realized there is no consistent scale for reading the greens, and yet the only way to measure something accurately and consistently is with a scale. The best measurement for the amount of break for any given putt is degree of slope, but most golfers aren’t trained to look at a green and recognize the degree of slope. Like any measurement, however, once you have a consistent scale, your eyes can be trained to recognize it. The Smartline Putting system includes a method to train golfers to recognize degrees of slope.
The second thing golfers can always improve is aim. Even if you can read the green correctly, you still have to line up and aim your putter at the correct spot. The Smartline Putting system includes a specially designed ball marker to improve aim. The ball marker has five lines on it, to determine the start line. So after you have read the green using the Smartline Putting method, you match a line on the ball marker to the line on your ball. Then simply pick up the marker and putt.
In 2017, Smartline Putting received a decision from the USGA confirming the ball marker could be played in tournament and everyday play.
About Nick Kumpis Founder
Nick Kumpis, PGA, is currently Director of Instruction at Santa Ana Country Club in Orange County, California. Nick is widely recognized as one of the best in the business. He is a two-time PGA Southern California Metro Chapter Teacher of the Year and was named by Golf Digest in 2017 as one of the “Best Young Teachers in America”—the only instructor from Orange County to receive this honor as well as a GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional four years in a row
As a full-time coach since 2002, Nick has given thousands of lessons helping his students shoot lower scores. Nick works with all levels of players, from new players to club champions, to help them improve their game. Nick’s teaching expertise spans video analysis, personalized performance plans, and specific player development programs. His approach focuses on helping golfers understand the cause and effect behind their shots, making it easier to identify areas for improvement and implement lasting changes. Nick provides the tools and insights you need to become a better, more confident player.
Nick honed his teaching skills with some of the Top Teachers all time, including Jim Flick, Hank Haney and Mike Malaska. His first teaching position was with the Nicklaus Flick Golf Schools, followed by the ESPN Golf Schools, where he was the youngest instructor on staff., before moving back to his native Southern California.
Learn more about Nick at (www.nickkumpisgolf.com) and his online coaching programs and online courses.
Accolades
- 2x Southern California PGA Metro Chapter Teacher of the Year 2020 & 2022
- GRAA Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional 2021-24
- Golf Digest Best Young Teachers in America (2017)
- TPI Certified Golf Level 2, Power Level 2 and Junior Level 2
- Golf Tips Magazine Top 25 Instructor (2011)
