Chip Strokes

fast is relative. you've got a quick, compact overall swing, so your backswing is going to be "faster" than someone with a longer, loopy swing. you're a plus handicap who's main struggle is on the green - i wouldn't give my backswing another second of thought.

@Shankster here’s a comparison pic for you of my jet black 56 brand new and after 3-4 rounds of use

i don't think there's any concern about disrupting any of the brain training with additional rotational core work. the brain is pretty efficient at compartmentalizing different training protocols when it comes down to it. if it weren't, then every exercise done by an athlete would have to directly mirror a sport specific movement for them. in my completely unprofessional opinion, your training with SS and its carry over to your swing on the course would only be enhanced by stronger core muscles (specifically your obliques, QLs and your serratus...with your lats having some input). the reason i think this is you're going to be creating a much more stable and powerful base that can handle increased speed and torque from a faster swing. those two pieces will start to build each other as you go. faster swing needs stronger muscles...stronger muscles support faster swing, and so on.

@cnosil i’ve said before that i’m waiting to get fit for a driver until my swing is more “consistent” in reality my swing is consistent: i consistently leave the face open and hit the ball off the heel leading to big pushes and slices. that’s a swing flaw and not something any driver/shaft combo on the market is going to fix what i really mean is that i’m holding off getting fit because going into a hitting bay and slicing a few dozen balls off to the right isn’t going to help a fitter tell me what driver is best for me, and it’s going to be money down the drain. once lessons have helped me deliver the club face squarely at impact, i think a fitter is going to be able to make more sense of the shots he sees.

i agree with @jlukes the thought is awesome, but make sure the money you spend is going towards something you know he wants or will use. gift cards are one size fits all. another option is to set up a session for him with a fitter in your area so he can get fit for the perfect putter.

pm sent

i tested an oban devotion 8 tx, smoke green pvd 70g in the 6.5 tx, and a few others i can’t quite remember now. what’s a GD AD XC? sorry, shaft shorthand is greek to me my fitter, coach, and i decided its best to keep letting lessons steer the ship for now and do another driver fitting at the beginning of the season when my swing is more consistent.

well, that’s just not true. none of you know who i am. before all of that, though...thank you thank you thank you MGS and BirdieBall for letting me test out what promises to be a really cool new product. i’m very grateful for the opportunity my name is Joe, i’m from Queens, NY, and i’m 32 years old. in addition to being brand new to MGS, i’m brand new to the sport of golf, and brand new to fatherhood. it’s been a crazy few months of firsts for me. i played my first round of golf on July 3. my family and i rented a house out in the Hamptons to quarantine together and get away from the mess that was/is new york city during lockdown. my dad brought his backup clubs, and with nothing better to do i tagged along with him and my brother in law for a round...and then about 20 more over the next month. the rest is history. i’m great athlete but not a great golfer (yet, hopefully). most of my dreadfully high handicap can be attributed to two places: the tee and the green. i’m taking lessons to figure out my driver situation, which brings me to putting. i’m stoked to test out and practice on the PuttUp mat to hopefully cure my two putting flaws: proper speed, and getting the ball on my intended start line. i can read greens pretty well and usually have a good handle on what the putt is calling for, but then i either leave it 2 feet short or roll it 4 feet past the hole. i’m really excited to test out the ramp feature and get a solid feel for what kind of strike a 14 or 18 foot putt calls for. my PuttUp will be set up down in the basement, and i plan to get a solid hour of practice in most nights. most of my time will be spent on start line drills and speed practice using the ramp. what i’m looking for from the PuttUp is to allow me to connect the length and pace of my putting stroke to the distance the putt is asking for. if i leave this review having gained confidence in my stroke at longer distances, then i’ll be a very happy camper. i’ll wrap this ramble-fest up. if you guys have any questions just ask! i hope i can deliver the kind of quality review MGS has become known for

not off the top of my head, sorry. i’ve been working a lot to get the face closed at contact. it’s not easy at speed, but we’re getting there

Before I dive in, I’d like to thank everyone at MGS for the opportunity to be a tester here on the forums. I’m relatively new here, so having the chance to add to all of the great reviews the site is known for is something I’m really appreciative of. I’d also like to thank BirdieBall for supplying a great product. If they knew the unqualified hands it would eventually end up in, I’m sure they’d have sent one less over to MGS HQ. Too late now, let’s get into the review. My name is Joe, and I’m from Queens, NY. In addition to being new to the forum, I’m also really new to the game of golf. My dad picked the game up about 10 years ago, and I’ve been brushing him off for almost as long as he’s tried to get me out on the course. Finally, in July of this summer, with covid literally shutting down any possible excuse I could have given him, I tagged along to the course with his old set of backup clubs in tow. During the month of July, we played 23 rounds of golf. I’ve been kicking myself since then for not listening to him sooner. Despite being brand new to the game, I picked things up fairly quickly. I’m a life long athlete, so I really enjoy the challenge of learning any new sport. That’s not to say that there aren’t weak areas of my game. Putting is definitely one of those areas, and that’s why I threw my name into the mix for the BirdieBall PuttUp mat. First Impressions: Did I order a mini fridge?! The box that showed up was HUGE! To be fair, I’m not sure what size box I though was appropriate for a 4’ x 10’ mat, but I was definitely caught off guard. Quality of Components (10/10): Here’s everything that came in the box. It seems like a lot, but pretty quickly you realize that everything has a purpose, and the mat goes together really easily. I didn’t time it like @txgolfjunkie, but I doubt it took me any longer than 10 minutes to get everything set up. And that was with trying to convince my dog that the bumpers weren’t tug of war toys. It’s an oversimplification to say that the mat is really well made. Everything that came with the PuttUp was well designed and of high quality, even the mat brush was made of nice wood. The mat really looks and acts like a putting green, right down to the nap on the foam and the temporary depressions from footprints. Ease of use (10/10): Some of the other testers went in to detail about getting the mat to lay flat, so I’ll save you all reading that again. I rolled a few putts as soon as I set it up, and the mat was good to go right away. I decided to let it “settle” overnight and not get my first practice session in until the following day. That was probably unnecessary; I think this is basically ready to go right out of the box. Right away you can see what the mat is meant to do. The five holes set at different depths on the ramp are meant to simulate putts at various lengths. Now I’m no scientist, so I can’t say that the 14ft hole plays exactly like a 14ft putt, but I can definitely say that the longer targets required more pace than the shorter targets. Also, with the ramp removed, the holes all played shorter. So I think in that regard, BirdieBall lived up to their claim of allowing you to practice putts of varying lengths. Basic Characteristics (16/20): Let’s start with the good here, because there’s a lot of good. The PuttUp is a really well constructed putting mat. With the option of either leaving the ramp in or taking it out, the limits on the ways you can practice putting are really up to your imagination. I played around with short putts, long putts, breaking putts, gate drills, putting from corner to corner, basically anything I could think of. I settled pretty quickly into a practice routine. First I’d roll 10-20 short putts using my sand wedge, focusing on striking the middle of the ball, then another 10-20 from the same distance with my putter. From there, I’d scatter balls around the mat and hit five at a time to each hole. Once I made five in a row at one hole, I’d move to the next. For all the good aspects of the PuttUp, there are a few areas I took issue with. First of all, I think there are too many target holes. Five targets spread across four feet is pretty busy. Imagine looking down the line of a birdie putt, but three of your buddies are standing around the hole. A second issue that comes with too many holes is that the 16ft target is all but useless for righties, since you’re either standing off the mat, or half on and half off, depending on your setup. I ended up only putting to the 16ft hole from across the mat. I think three targets would’ve been a lot better. I could’ve done without the “challenge cup” which I barely used at all, and then BirdieBall could have targets at 12, 15, and 18 feet. In my opinion, you’d get the same desired effect with much less clutter at the target end of the mat. Like I stated before, I had the mat set up in my basement, on medium pile carpet. The other testers and I were discussing flooring in a group thread, and the consensus was that the mat works best on hard flooring. @WaffleHouseTour even built a base for his mat because it was going to be set on carpeting. For the sake of testing the mat under conditions that other people might find themselves in, I decided not to lay down a base under my mat. I can say pretty confidently that the soft carpet didn’t affect the roll of my putts at all. Everything rolled straight and true (unless I added break) and I had no issues with the mat bunching up. What I did experience, however, was that the mat tended to “walk” over the course of a practice round. From me walking around on it, retrieving balls and setting up different putts, I’d find that the mat would end up several feet from where it started over the course of my practice session. This wasn’t a huge deal for me, I’ve got enough space where the mat is set up, but for someone with more limited space setting this up on a carpet, constantly moving the mat back into position could be a little annoying. My final, and smallest, issue with the mat has to do with the little plastic flags that go in each cup. On one hand, they’re great because you don’t have to bend down and pick your balls out of the cup. But on the other hand, I had this happen to me enough to make note of it here: On Course Performance (25/30): The five point deduction is mainly because this still largely remains to be seen. I’m writing this review a few days before I likely play my last round of golf until the spring. From what I have seen on the course, though, my putting is much improved. As a high handicapper, touch on the greens was a big struggle for me this season. I had a lot of three putts where I left the first putt way short then blew the second putt five feet past the hole. In the rounds since practicing with the PuttUp, I’m three-putting way less, and my lag putting has improved tremendously. Also, my comfort level with the putter in my hands has gone way up. I can attribute that to the hundreds, if not thousands of reps I’ve logged over the last six weeks or so. Without the PuttUp, that would’ve been a few dozen lazy putts on the area rug in my dining room. Miscellaneous (10/10): BirdieBall did an awesome job of getting these mats to us FAST. I think I had it within a week of being selected for testing. They also paid a lot of attention to little details as well. Included in the box was crazy glue to make sure the flags stayed secured to the cups, instructions for maintaining the mat, and a very nice brush for keeping it clean and rolling true. I can also say that the PuttUp has made me a better, more thoughtful husband. Since I have the mat set up right in front of the laundry room, i've been offering to help change out loads and fold clothes a lot more. A golf-related purchase the wife will love? Can't beat that. Keep it or trade it? (18/20): I’m definitely keeping the mat. The only reason I’m taking two points off is that now I have to build a base for it. The mat has a permanent home in my basement. Other than that, it fits perfectly where I’ve decided to set it up and it allows me to spend a lot of time working on my putting at home. Conclusion: The PuttUp definitely lives up to the claims from BirdieBall. It’s a well built, quality putting surface that allows you to practice a wide array of different putts at home. If you’re limited on space, this might not be the mat for you, as it’s pretty big. But if you’ve got the room to spare, then you can’t go wrong here. Final Score: 89/100 Thanks for reading along! I'll update this thread as I continue to practice all winter, and definitely come the spring when i've got more on-course feedback. Feel free to shoot me any questions!

the club face was wiiiide open. i was hitting the ball like crap in that fitting. lessons are taking care of that issue it spun off the planet.

that’s a shame. i heard the brushed steel are 5 yards longer and spin an extra thousand rpm

black is my vote but it won’t stay black for long. i’m banking on them looking really cool when they wear in. chrome will keep its finish if that matters to you

thanks, Rick!

i’m thinking along these lines also. i definitely play less often than i want right now because tee times are a pain in the ass (i celebrated getting a 1:12 two weeks ago) and the public course is crowded and slow. and even with all of that i’m over 40 rounds so far this summer. knowing i could get out basically any time i wanted with my clubs waiting for me, i’d be there 3 times a week at least.

i don’t, but i’m looking to join with my dad and another buddy of mine to hopefully get a bit of a group discount and also to have a small group to play with going in youre right though - proximity to my house, the ability to store my clubs, not stressing about tee times, meeting new golf buddies all has value beyond a monetary amount. good point

update for you guys who were nice enough to point me in the right direction: 1. the course was gorgeous. it was hard to remember you were in the middle of queens, NY while you were out there. it was tree lined, well kept, and had a bunch of challenging dog legs and elevated tees and greens. also, the course was completely empty at 2:30 on a beautiful saturday afternoon. we had the place to ourselves 2. it’s carts only because a large portion of the membership is older and the course is pretty hilly with some long stretches between the last green and next tee. given the option a lot of the older members elect to walk, which the head pro said slowed things down to an unbearable pace on the weekends, so they took the option away and make it carts only 3. it’s $4300 for the year. if i join now, i get the rest of this year and all of next year for that price. bag storage is $370. i’m unsure if i’d use that service. for your $4300 you get unlimited golf (they don’t hold outside events), plus access to the pool, gym, movie theater, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a discount at the pro shop. there are no minimums as far as dining or anything else. there’s a nice dining room/bar and outdoor patio next to the course, but no obligation to spend a certain amount with them 4. since it’s a condo complex with a golf course, assessments are shouldered by residents and not charged to golf members. 5. guests are $42 for 9 holes and $78 for 18 holes. that’s a little steep but it’s still about $20 cheaper than a round at the local public course on the weekend. 6. one downside is there’s no driving range. there’s a great short game practice area wirh places to chip and a few large bunkers around a large putting green, but the only place to really warm your swing up is in two nets. 7. it’s 20 minutes closer to my house than the course i currently play. getting out on my current course runs about $100 per round on average, so the break even point is between 40 and 50 rounds of golf. if i play that many, then it’s worth it i’m gonna call tomorrow and have my last few questions answered. first: if i join id like to know if that gets my wife and son access to the pool. if so, that value just skyrocketed. second: can i pay my cart fees annually? the cart fees don’t bother me one bit, but if i can make a lump sum payment i’d rather do that. third: tournament schedule and how that works for members. i’d like to play some competitive golf i appreciate all the input you guys gave me. i went in with much better questions than i would have without your help.

i only have to reshaft one or two. the rest are on the bottom of the pond

absolutely dreadful today. i mean i was really bad. so bad, in fact, that i played 16,17, and 18 with a sand wedge and my putter. par bogey bogey to finish things up 120 yards at a time

these were the first 3 swings from my driver fitting a couple of weeks ago... from the car to 135 in 3 hacks. i’ve just gotta figure out how to use it now...

my putter can scoop a ball, but it’s definitely not a feature that would determine if i bought a certain putter besides, there’s absolutely nothing worse than leaving a birdie putt a foot short and then slapping it across the green when you don’t scoop it cleanly

seems like that’s only a problem if most of your putts don’t end up in the hole...

5’9” 34.5” putter i was using a 36” before i got fit. my fitter showed me how i was crowding myself with the putter and hunching over to compensate.

i struggle a lot off the tee because with the longer clubs i have a ton of trouble rotating the club face square at impact. as a result i lose a lot of strokes due to playing my second shot from the woods or having to drop bc i’m OB approach shots and my wedges are actually the strongest part of my game im trying out a driving iron and working with a coach to get my left wrist turned to start my downswing. i’m hoping to have a driver in the bag by the time next season rolls around. i think the HC will come down quick from there

titleist t100. standard loft on the 7i is 34 i believe