PrimePutt's PGA Director of Instruction and Lead Writer, Brendon Elliott, sits down with the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship winner to discuss how AimPoint transformed her putting game and propelled her to professional victory
I've watched hundreds of putting strokes over my years as an instructor, but there's something different about the way Samantha Wagner rolls the ball now. When she won the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship on June 8, 2025 — vaulting from outside the top 30 all season to No. 12 in the Race for the Card — it wasn't just another tour victory. It was the culmination of a putting transformation that began during a five-week break earlier that year.
Wagner's final-round 65, featuring eight birdies and just one early bogey, showcased putting confidence I rarely see even among tour professionals.
But six months earlier, she was a different player entirely: technically sound but consistently watching putts slide past the hole. Her journey from frustrated ball-striker to breakthrough winner reveals something crucial about modern putting instruction — sometimes the missing piece isn't your stroke, it's your ability to read the green with absolute certainty.
The AimPoint Decision
Most players use their off-season breaks to rest or tinker with their swing. Wagner made a different choice. After years of hitting what felt like perfect putts only to watch them miss by inches, she committed fully to learning AimPoint Express during her March break.
"I have always felt like I was a great putter but there had been something missing for a while," Wagner told me. "I'd continually just miss putts over the edge, which is frustrating when I feel like I'm hitting good putts."
Here's what fascinates me as an instructor: Wagner's stroke was never the problem. I've seen her practice rounds — she has excellent tempo, consistent impact, and solid distance control. The issue was doubt. Without complete confidence in her read, even the best stroke becomes tentative.
AimPoint Express uses your feet to feel the slope, then applies a mathematical system to determine break. It's precise, repeatable, and — crucially for Wagner — removes guesswork. "It took a few months and lessons to really integrate AimPoint into my routine and prep process," she explains.
Most amateurs abandon new systems after a few weeks. Wagner understood that professional-level change requires professional-level practice and patience. She spent three months rewiring her green-reading process before seeing results.
The breakthrough moment came the week before her victory, when she served as first alternate for the US Women's Open at Erin Hills. Instead of sulking about missing a major championship, Wagner used the world-class facility to fine-tune her game. "I spent the week there really working on my game at a great facility and that showed the next week at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship."
This mindset separates tour players from everyone else. Wagner turned disappointment into preparation, and preparation into victory.
The Confidence Factor
Wagner now ranks fifth on tour in bogey-free rounds — a statistic that reflects complete game management built on putting trust. When you know you can make the par-savers, everything else becomes easier.
"I really attribute a lot of my bogey-free rounds to being consistent with my process and routine across the entirety of my game," Wagner says. But there's a specific mental shift that interests me more. She's identified how anxiety affects her physically: "When I tend to get anxious, my routine slows down."
This self-awareness is remarkable. I work with players who struggle with pressure without ever recognizing their tells. Wagner's solution is both simple and sophisticated: maintain the same routine regardless of the situation, and embrace a fundamental truth about putting.
"I've really leaned in to keeping everything the same and also knowing that the world won't end if I miss one putt."
This isn't positive thinking — it's tactical confidence. Wagner believes in her ability to recover because she trusts her putting system. "I believe standing over every putt that I have the ability to make it, so I also know that if I miss it, I can get that shot back quickly."
Her approach to negative thoughts reveals advanced mental skills. "If I ever have negative thoughts standing over a tough putt, I usually tend to back off and start my routine over, or at the very least, take a deep breath to recenter myself."
In professional golf, where pace of play matters and playing partners are watching, the courage to restart takes real conviction. Wagner's willingness to reset demonstrates complete commitment to process over outcome.
Practice That Transfers
Wagner's practice philosophy challenges the "more is better" mentality I see among amateur golfers. "I am a big believer in quality over quantity, so I don't spend hours at a time standing over putts."
Her focus areas are strategically chosen: "I do put a large amount of my focus on 15 feet and in. I have a lot of drills for the 5-7 foot range that I do to help me feel like those putts aren't as nerve-wracking when it comes to tournament time."
These distances matter. Tour victories are decided between five and seven feet. Wagner practices these putts until they feel automatic, then maintains that feeling through consistent routines.
"I think the key for me is that my drills I do during the off season are the same ones I do at tournaments. I keep my processes the same at all times."
Since joining the Epson Tour in 2018, Wagner has observed countless putting techniques. "I've definitely learned a lot from watching other pros while on Epson and on the LPGA, but really built routines that work best for me."
She borrowed elements that complemented her natural tendencies rather than copying someone else's complete system. This personalized approach proves more effective than wholesale technical changes.
The New Foundation
Wagner's recent consistency — including her T7 at the Casella Golf Championship and strong play at the Greater Toledo Classic — stems from putting confidence that never existed before.
"For the most part, since the addition of AimPoint and larger focus on my putting as a whole, my putting has been a part of my game that I can really lean on when other aspects of my game may not be at their best."
I've seen this transformation before, though rarely this dramatically. When putting becomes a strength instead of a concern, it changes everything. Iron shots become more aggressive because you trust the comeback putt. Drive placement becomes more strategic because you can handle longer birdie attempts.
Wagner describes experiencing "a sense of calm that comes over me when I putt that can be attributed to the physical work I've put in on putting and also a lot of off-course mental work that I've done with my performance coach."
The combination of AimPoint's technical precision and mental coaching created a putting game that thrives under pressure. Wagner can lean on her putting when driving accuracy falters or iron shots scatter — exactly what happened during her breakthrough win.
The Great Equalizer
"Hitting the ball far certainly helps, but you have to stand over those 5-foot putts with confidence to win golf tournaments and become the best in the world," Wagner observes.
After fifteen years of instruction, I couldn't agree more. Physical advantages create opportunities, but putting determines outcomes. Wagner's FireKeepers victory proves this — she didn't overpower the field, she out-putted them when it mattered.
"When I won the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship, and even since then, what has helped me master the mental side of putting is leaning on the reps I have put in to get where I am."
Her belief system over crucial putts reflects earned confidence, not blind optimism. "Like I said before, I stand over every putt believing I can make it." AimPoint gave her the technical foundation for this belief by eliminating doubt about her reads.
"I think having done a lot of mental work plus learning AimPoint to really strengthen my putting game is what I can attribute my consistency this season to."
Blueprint for Improvement
Wagner's transformation offers a clear path for any golfer frustrated with their putting:
Commit to systematic change, not quick fixes. Wagner spent months integrating AimPoint before seeing results. She understood that meaningful improvement requires patience with the process.
Practice with purpose, not just volume. Her focus on 5-7 foot putts and consistent drill work proves more valuable than hours of aimless practice. Quality beats quantity every time.
Maintain identical routines from practice to play. Wagner's consistency across all environments eliminates the common problem of having different approaches for different situations.
Develop mental tools for pressure moments. Her willingness to restart routines when negative thoughts arise shows the importance of process over outcome.
Integrate technical and mental work comprehensively. AimPoint provided the technical foundation while performance coaching developed the mental tools. Both were necessary for breakthrough performance.
The Continuing Story
Wagner's rise to No. 12 in the Race for the Card puts LPGA Tour status within reach. Her putting transformation created the foundation for consistent play that could define her career's trajectory.
Most importantly, Wagner proved that putting confidence must be earned through systematic work. The months spent learning AimPoint, the focused practice on crucial distances, and the mental training all contributed to the belief system that enabled her breakthrough.
Her story demonstrates that putting improvement is possible at any level, but it requires commitment to process and patience with results. Wagner's journey from a player who missed putts "over the edge" to someone ranking among tour leaders in bogey-free rounds shows what's possible with the right approach.
For any golfer frustrated with their performance on the greens, Wagner's transformation provides both hope and direction. Putting confidence isn't given — it's built through systematic technical improvement, focused practice, and comprehensive mental preparation. Her breakthrough win at FireKeepers proves that the right approach can unlock potential that was always there, waiting for the proper foundation to emerge.
