Jump to content
Testers Wanted: RUNNER Golf and Byrdie Golf Design ×

Final Reviews: PuttOUT Golf Training System

 Share

Ratings Distribution

67%
33%
0%
0%
0%
0%

Detailed Ratings

Basic Characteristics
Ease of use
Keep it or Trade it
Miscellaneous
On-Course Performance
Quality of components
Testers
Equipment Type: Training aid
Vendor: PuttOUT

Testers Announced!

Please congratulate the following testers (3 first timers!):

@artful_golfer

@DStar 

@Blueberry_Squishie

@BKordon

 

4 Testers Wanted

Open to U.S. and International testers!

We've all been there.  You hit a great drive in the middle of the fairway.  You've got 100 yards to the flag.  You knock it to 6 feet for a chance at birdie!  Then... The old saying "drive for show, putt for dough" rings true and you settle for par (hopefully). 

We need 4 MyGolfSpy members to test and give honest feedback one of the hottest putting training aid systems on the market today!

Putting practice does not have to be boring, and one company has created one of the most addicting training aids on the market.  

Enter PuttOUT and their pressure putting training system.

puttout_newtrainermirror_3.jpg

PuttOUT hoped to sell 5,000 units of their original parabolic ramp. That number was blown away and is now safely in the mid-six figures. With an established footprint in the putting training aid space, PuttOUT tweaked the design and added several new features. 

Testers will review PuttOUT's pressure trainer, putting mat, and putting mirror.

puttout_newtrainermirror_2.jpg

Enter for a chance to be an official tester by clicking the 'Signup' button on the top right.

 

Quality of components
Ease of use
Basic Characteristics
On-Course Performance
Miscellaneous
Keep it or Trade it

PuttOUT - Official MSG Forum Review by Steve Davies (DStar) 

 

2nd August 2021

 

Into

I’ve been testing the PuttOUT large mat, pressure putt & alignment stick set for nearly a month. After a few evenings of initial testing to see what worked for me I came up with six tests/practice routines that I would use to complete the review.

These included using the gates & alignment sticks and the dreaded ‘Perfect Putt’.

The results can be found here: PuttOUT Test Results

Each session took around an hour to do and my aim was three sessions a week. 

I have also recorded my progress when playing on the course but these numbers only give an indication of my number of putts per hole/round as I don’t have any data on putt distances but we have some really tough greens and, on some, a 2-putt is a welcome number. 

20210626_115802.jpg.14a1fff7ef9490b5fb703bad6b880d35.jpg

 

Quality of components - 9

All of the products on test were very nicely packaged, clear/crisp graphics with instructions on use printed on each item. The individual items all felt well made and, as a set, blended really nicely together. 

20210801_105924.jpg.d7b8878576430b480ec40dadbb998dfd.jpg

On opening the packaging the parts felt really nice. As an engineer by trade I am particularly interested in quality of fit and finish and, overall, this was excellent. The only issue in this area was with the alignment plane - when the sticks were inserted I found that they did not line up perfectly with the holes in the gates, it would fit but needed a little persuasion. 

20210801_110118.jpg.d50b4681e989466e7fe563b90325ccf1.jpg

I had no issues with any items breaking or becoming unusable and I had my mat set up in our conservatory which gets very hot and I experienced no issues with the mat losing shape.

I really liked the bag for the alignment stick set as all of the components fitted well with a pocket on either side for a gate/feet set - very nicely thought out! 

2049578974_20210629_164924(1).jpg.e5a8db0d39eb2f880ea3cdfcfbd24933.jpg

 

 

Ease of Use - 9

I’m a typical man! New stuff, take it out of the box and try to put it together..

The pressure putt is simple to use, folds out nicely and I liked the aluminium button for the perfect putt target. 

20210731_114306.jpg.e10979db3f6d571831231ae200c70cff.jpg

The gates & feet go together and it’s obvious how these fit.

The alignment set took a little time to work out but then I read the instructions - easy peasy! 

The mat rolled out flat 1st time and stayed flat throughout the test. I did hoover it before use, every time. 

 

Basic Characteristics - 18

 

I found that as soon as the PuttOUT kit arrived I couldn't wait to try it. Having never used any training aids before I was keen to get it set up ASAP.

I still really enjoy the challenge of improving my putting and I am seeing some really good improvements in my game as a result of using the PuttOUT set regularly which means I will continue to use this equipment. 

The tests I devised are working for me and, going forward, I will look to add in different tests to keep the practice interesting. I can see that doing the same thing over and over may lead to less use but I think there are enough options to keep me coming back.

I found that the mat is quite good for short chip shot practice too although I would use an old mat or piece of astroturf to chip off as I'm not sure how much use the mat could take.

 

I may add in a mirror as an alternative aid and will take the gates & pressure putt to the course to use on the practice greens to help improve further.

After a few hours of use I could really feel and see how my stroke and distance control was improving - this was backed up by my results on the course too. 

It started to become obvious which putts were good and which were bad. The repetition has really made a difference to my putting stroke. 

On the whole I found the kit easy to use and quite intuitive in how it can help improve my game. 

I did find that the alignment plane didn’t really work for me but others may find that it does. I can appreciate the idea but found a better way, for me, to use the gates/sticks to help with my alignment. 

 

On Course Performance - 30

 

I really do think that doing this test/review has made a huge difference to my confidence with the putter. 

I now stand over the ball without the dread of not really knowing what I’m doing. I can line up the putt, make a good stroke and have faith that I’m doing it right. 

I may not get the read right but the stroke is feeling so much better. 

The numbers in my data don’t really show the full story as it’s hard to achieve a perfect putt. As long as I was scoring 5 or more on each test I was happy as that meant I had, effectively, holed the putt I was aiming for - a perfect putt was a bonus. 

All of the kit on test performed flawlessly and I think that PuttOUT have produced a well thought out system that works well together (or on their own too).

One thing I would change would be to have two different sized gates as this could further increase the difficulty to help improve accuracy. 

Personally, I wouldn’t buy the alignment plane. I would be happy with a pair of gates and sticks as, for me, these were the best aids in that particular set. 

Did it help improve my scores? Even if the figures don’t show it I would say, without doubt, that this has improved my scores. Putting is a hard thing to quantify as it could be 2 putts from 8 feet or 2 putts from 30. We have large, undulating greens and I’m finding I am much less likely to 3-putt than I was before. I’m lagging long putts to a couple of feet for easy tap-ins much more regularly and I feel confident that I can do that on most putts. 

 

Miscellaneous - 8

 

I thought the whole package was a very well thought out set. All of the items can be used together or separately which gives a lot of scope for finding the best way to use them for different people. 

Everything came well packaged and presented and feels high quality.

 

Keep it or trade it - 18

 

On the whole I believe the improvements in my putting make this a sound buy. I will definitely be keeping it as part of my ongoing practice as I try to improve my game. 

The items represent good value for money, maybe a little highly priced if I was buying but it is all very good quality kit. The mat, in particular, seems very durable and consistent as a putting mat should be.

I think the gates and sticks go well together but would add the plane as an option as it didn’t work for me. 

I would also have two different sized gates rather than both the same size as that would give some variation on difficulty and further help with accuracy practice. 

I would also change the printing on the mat slightly. As most people would probably use known distances I would change the small lines (either side of the 1’ markers) to have rings that are the same size as the gate feet. This would make it easier to line up the gates with the central line.

20210731_114148.jpg.df5ec40fd812d213ce17b12b9dfe063e.jpg

Who would benefit from this set? Me for a start! I think that any golfer looking to improve their putting would find these products very useful. 

 

Conclusion

 

Overall this has been a great test. I’ve found the products easy and fun to use and will continue to use them. They can be tucked away fairly easily and the reinforced mat bag is a great touch as is the alignment stick set with pockets to keep all the bits safe.  

The perfect putt is so hard to get but so satisfying when you do and it’s showing it’s worth on the course which is where it matters.

Thanks to MGS for choosing me for this test/review and if you need any information do get in touch. 

 

Final Score - 92 

 

Well done PuttOUT on a great product...

 

20210731_114251.jpg

:cobra-small: RADSpeed 9° Matrix Black Tie X-Flex 🐺 

:cobra-small: F9 3/4 Wood Aldila NV 2KXV Blue 

:mizuno-small:CLK 19° Hybrid Speeder Evo HB S 

:mizuno-small: MP54 4-PW Nippon Modus³ Tour 115 X

:titleist-small: SM8 50° F-Grind 

:titleist-small: SM8 54° F-Grind 

:titleist-small: SM8 58° K-Grind 

DStar 'Malvern' Putter 

:titelist-small: AVX & -ProV1X

:footjoy-small: Tour-X 

"Hey mister, your clubs are the wrong way round"..

Link to review
Quality of components
Ease of use
Basic Characteristics
On-Course Performance
Miscellaneous
Keep it or Trade it

Hello fellow spies. Here we go ... starting my PuttOUT testing and review.

First, a big thank you to MyGolfSpy and PuttOUT for this opportunity! I will give it my best.

Some background: I began my golf journey 7 years ago and my current handicap is 19. Putting is both my favorite and the best part of my golf game. From the beginning putting seemed easy. Although I’m right hand dominant, I began putting left handed because it felt more natural. I do some things left handed and some right and but easily switch back and forth for many things without even thinking about it. After 3.5 years lining up as a lefty, I allowed myself to be talked into a right handed Edel putter fitting. It works but it also feels like more work. Until last year, I typically 2-putted with a few 1-putts and 3-putts each round.

A couple years ago I started working on putting in earnest. Last year @downlowkey gave me a PuttOUT Pressure Trainer that I’ve used regularly and experienced success with in lowering my number of putts.

IMG_3973.JPG.435b3de69cb7219644d2f38f013c697d.JPG

(On the left is my original PuttOUT Trainer cup; on the right is the newer version included in out testing kit.)

A few months ago @downlowkey also gave me the Bettinardi SS38 Armlock putter that he reviewed for MGS. With the armlock, PuttOUT and a lot of practice I've managed to further lower my average putts per round to ~31. But in the past few weeks I was delighted to play two rounds with 29 putts and one with 27 putts. For me to consider this new comprehensive PuttOUT setup a success, I want my average putts per round to be sub 30 and make more 10-12 foot putts. I feel more confident at the 15 foot range than facing a 2 footer and hopefully PuttOUT can fix that.

Being a fairly good putter, leaves fairway hits, or miss hits, as my weakness. That is where I seem to put myself in difficult spots that add strokes. I regularly find bunkers, deep rough and water, plus I seem to be an expert at smashing into trees. I’m rarely on the green in regulation, but once there I relax and putting is good. It’s not unusual for me to score a 6+ on a hole but with only 1 or 2 putts. I can leave my playing partners shaking their heads, but they like me as a scramble partner.

When my PuttOUT shipment arrived I was impressed how well everything was secured in the boxes.

IMG_3974.JPG.dd8b76eb78f1d8710a969dfac6d7c637.JPG

(Above top photo is the Putting Mat wrapped in protective plastic inside the shipping box. Bottom photo is the box containing the Putting Plane Alignment Stick Set and Pressure Putt Trainer cup minus the stuffing to keep stuff from moving around.)

The PuttOUT packaging design and quality is superb (more about that later). At first I thought I must be missing the instructions but it’s all there with steps and illustrations printed right on the packaging.

Instructions.jpg.d4b77a382f965e6e14decc94dcf8e804.jpg

(Above are some of the instructions printed on the packaging. More cumbersome than a booklet would be, but don't throw it out!)

 

The mat is larger than I anticipated 12’ ½” x 26¼” and very well made.

FullMatt.jpg.72b9b8bf582ff1a3434573a067804e7b.jpg

Matt_FloorAngle.jpg.4b3cdba0c99e1cf3f3df0e6bb9505bef.jpg

(Above top photo is the PuttOUT Mat setup in my den. Bottom photo shows the heavy stitching on the edges, like a well made throw rug that keeps the corners from flipping up.)

It is easy enough to roll out for practice and roll back up for storage. I have identified 6 places in my house with hard floors that I can set it up. I plan to leave it setup in my den for most of the duration of this test so it will be ready to use every day. I will move it to a carpeted area for at least a week to see if that makes any difference.

I enjoy the challenge of the Pressure Putt Trainer but so far I’m not thrilled with the Putting Plane Alignment Stick Set. I’m a visual learner and don’t like the clutter between my ball and target. But if it helps me improve, I will learn to love it.

PlaneAlignmentSticks_fromAbove.jpg.bb32274aff72cf68bcc80ec3a04e4b8d.jpg

(As you can see, the top alignment stick obscures being able to see the center alignment line on my putter. The Pressure Putt Trainer cup is on the left end, a metal gate to putt through is in the center, and two alignment sticks are connected in a row above the white center line on the mat.)

If you have questions or ideas you would like me to try, let me know and I’ll do my best to provide answers.

My LGA gives an award each year for the best putter. The score is determined by keeping up with our number of putts on each hole throughout the year when we have monthly play days. The end score is achieved by adding up the lowest putts we had for each hole. My goal is to win that in December with some help from the PuttOUT practice package!

Stage 2 Review

Time for scoring my PuttOUT kit experience. Albeit inconsistently, I have practiced many hours since setting up the PuttOUT package. I was hitting 150 – 200 putts a day for long stretches and then nearly a week would pass without finding time to practice. Some nights I would wake up and unable to fall back asleep, I would get up and putt. Trying to score those "perfect putts" can be quite addictive.

 

 

Quality of components: 10 out of 10 points

Everything from PuttOUT is well made and seems quite durable. From the informative packaging to the different components the quality and attention to detail is evident - i.e. the heavy stitching on the mat edges which helps keep it flat.

Stitching_IMG_4992.jpg.253240b50d8f4b1c02d7ef0af58d25f3.jpg

 

rubber tips on the ends of the alignment sticks to help keep them secured in the gates

AlignmentTips_IMG_4991.jpg.731d0279d96dfa234b98394d36ef8362.jpg

 

nubs on the bottom of the Perfect Putt trainer to keep it from moving around

Nubs_4993.jpg.bbdd7f31b37b5fd924500cfe387d522d.jpg

 

printed markings on the mat to encourage proper alignment, distance control and creative practice

104309462_PrintedMarksOnMat_IMG_4995-Copy.jpg.c77c1eb3fc823fc951b07b78969d8ecd.jpg

 

and the knap on the mat is short and dense, similar to real grass greens... I only wish the greens at my home course were this thick.

Ease of Use: 7 out of 10 points

The package we received was easy to figure out/setup and included a large practice mat. I left the mat setup for the duration of our review period but did test how easily it can be rolled up and stowed in the storage tube. I had to reroll it a few times to make it fit. One point deducted for the difficulty getting it back in the storage tube. I imagine the small and medium size mats are probably a little easier to manage.

If you have sufficient space, the large mat is nice. That said, the medium size would probably be my first choice because I would be more likely to keep it setup full time. I think being able to just walk over and use it for a few minutes encouraged me to practice more.

(Note: In one of the above photos from my first review stage of my review, you can see and compare a 7 ft throw rug next to the PuttOUT mat. Prior to being selected for this review, that rug was my practice putting mat and the surface on which I practiced extensively with my original PuttOUT Pressure Trainer. It worked for me.)

Setting up the different components is fairly straightforward although a little awkward getting the parts of the Putting Plane, sticks and gates properly aligned/oriented. I'm deducting 2 points for this issue.

Basic Characteristics:  16 out of 20 points

I like putting through the gates but didn’t find the alignment sticks and putting plane particularly helpful. Depending on what part of your putting needs work, the alignment sticks and plane guide could be useful. The putting plane has hash marks one inch apart for visual feedback on the length of your back stroke and follow through.

 

I tend to rise to a challenge and making "perfect putts" was no exception. I practiced until I could make them semi-regularly. But the reality is that "perfect putts" are not mandatory. PuttOUT states that if a putt rolls back to you from the Pressure Trainer cup, it would have likely dropped in the hole – that’s what matters most to me.

 

Each practice session, it would take me a few minutes to get a feel for my putting. As I would get in the groove, more putts would be “made” putts but not necessarily "perfect putts". I would liken it to spending some time on a practice green prior to round of golf. Practicing for a few minutes on the PuttOUT mat before heading out for a proper round of golf has become my typical routine.

I deducted 4 points because my mat had a distinct ripple that adversely impacted putts. And it wasn’t only one mat. I oddly received 4 mats in my shipment. I gave one to another Spy and the other two to local high school golf teams. But I checked out all the mats and each one had a distinct ripple in the same place. The other Spy, laid a heavy flat board on his mat for a few days which helped. The ripple in my mat did not completely smooth out even after being setup for 4 weeks.

On Course Performance: 27 out of 30 points

Scoring in this area was difficult for me determine. This new PuttOUT practice package did not make much difference in my putts per round during our short testing time, but my prior experience with the original PuttOUT Pressure Trainer made a significant difference. I feel like if I had not already been using that original Pressure Trainer for the past year, this new version would have been much more impactful. So I counted my past Pressure Trainer history and putting improvements in my on course scoring category. Rather than be repetitive, you can read above in my First Stage Review how my average putts per round improved.

I deducted 3 points because I did not find all of the components in our kit significantly helpful.

I track my stats with a Shot Scope V3 every time I play, although recently I haven’t had time to analyze all of my rounds. In the past it indicated that of my missed putts, 60% were short. I’ve always had difficulty judging distance. I don’t have new figures yet, but I do feel like I am leaving fewer putts short since practicing on the PuttOUT mat. That in and of itself is worth it. In my most recent round, I had 3 one-putts and the rest two-putts. More putts than I want but of those two-putts, 9 of my initial putts (10 - 20 feet) finished inside 18” and most were not short. So I feel like the PuttOUT mat has probably helped with pace.

Miscellaneous: 5 out of 10 points

I originally deducted 10 points because the instructions are only printed on the packaging. This is a significant oversight to me. Keeping up with all of the product packaging in order to reference the instructions and tips is rather cumbersome. A small booklet/brochure would have been my preference. Including info on all of the available components in the booklet might also entice consumers to order more parts of the complete package.

Then I added 5 bonus points back in for the ways, beyond only practice putting, that PuttOUT can be creatively used. The putting games you can create using PuttOUT are limited only by your imagination. The coach for one of the high school golf teams I gave PuttOUT to is very excited about creating competitive games to get her players to practice pressure putting. Plus, following the lead of @DStar, I’m excited to continue using PuttOUT for practicing short chip shots in my house.

 

Trade It or Keep It: 20 out of 20 points

I will definitely keep the PuttOUT practice package - it has encouraged me to practice more and I have seen improvement in certain segments of my putting performance (i.e. distance control).

Conclusion: 85 out of 100 points

If you want to become a better putter, I would absolutely encourage you to purchase the PuttOUT Pressure Trainer. While I feel like the same quantity of putting practice on an actual green will improve your stats, the Pressure Trainer is so addicting and easy to use that it encourages you to rack up more practice time. The Pressure Trainer folds up small and flat for storing/traveling. When the practice green at our club was closed for several months and inclement weather kept me indoors, I could still work on my putting. The putting mat is very nice but not essential. Happy putting!

PXG 0811 XF driver

:ping-small: Serene: 3 wood, 4 & 5 hybrid iron

:taylormade-small: r7 Draw, Flex L: 4, 6 - 9 irons

:cleveland-small: Wedges: RTX Zipcore 46 mid bounce; RTX-3: 52/10 wedge; and Tour Action 900 60* low bounce

:bettinardi-1: Armlock putter or  :edel-golf-1: E-2 Torque custom fit putter

:bridgestone-small: Tour B XS golf ball

:ShotScope:  V3

Link to review
Quality of components
Ease of use
Basic Characteristics
On-Course Performance
Miscellaneous
Keep it or Trade it

Introduction

I’m Michael and I’m a first-time tester for MGS. I play most of my golf at Werribee Park Golf Club, which is west of Melbourne, Australia (Down Under!). It’s a brilliant part of the world to play golf and has one of the best views from the clubhouse of any course I’ve been to. I also venture out to other golf courses about 4-8 times per year; one of the best was playing Curlewis (close to where my in-laws live) after being invited by @Peaksy68.


IMG_20200528_154503.jpg.d84bc6e885f0c04ca8bee0dc3da2fe86.jpg

A typical view of Australian golf in the middle of winter.

IMG-20190608-WA0004.jpg.2f2cb4bae23327a66ee7156612c4635a.jpg

View from the clubhouse

I have been playing golf since I was 14, so have been playing for 20 years. Up until the last 3 years I haven’t had a regular playing schedule, but now it’s weekly. I’ve been able to go from an 18 handicap down to 8 in those 3 years. Typically, I gain strokes from driving, lose a little from approach and short, then putting is a small gain. Lately I’ve been driving terribly but my short game has been better than normal; skewing my recent averages.

                                 

Screenshot_20210701-143205.jpg.a4f1c9fe392c9e527568f06ab2c5a83a.jpg Screenshot_20210710-140253.jpg.0aba65859bfa364754dde0739119daab.jpg Screenshot_20210710-140349.jpg.dd5d84b9258651eefe5d232c1675c0c0.jpg

Current 10 round averages - Overall stats are vs 8 Handicap, Putting vs 5 handicap (gives a testing baseline of 0.0)

 

My golfing is mainly on Saturday mornings, and I don’t usually have much of an opportunity to practice during the week. With the PuttOUT equipment I’ll be able to practice putting at home without having to go to a dedicated facility. It looks like a good range of equipment to make sure my putting is top notch. This should combine well with an AimPoint session I did recently. I’ve found it useful for reading greens.

 

First Impressions

In our box of goodies we received a Premium Pressure Putt Trainer (titanium white and dark grey – a colour combo that doesn’t seem to be on the online shop), a large putting mat (3.7m x 0.66m or 12ft x 3ft), and a Putting Plane Alignment Stick Set. I haven’t seen the packaging on the other colours of the Pressure Putt Trainers, but the silver band at the bottom of the packaging would be a nice colour pop to match the different colours of the trainers.

 

Packaging - The packaging is quite nice, with clear indications about what each item is for and links to ideas for how to use the equipment. I noticed how the packages could be merchandised both on a shelf standing up, or on a hook – a nice touch. There aren’t excessive amounts of packaging so it’s easy to get everything out. One minor issue is on the top of the Alignment Stick Set’s packaging. The closing tab detaches with an unsatisfying tear rather than a clean detachment. It’s an incredibly minor criticism, but it would make the user’s experience a little nicer.

PXL_20210709_080508063.jpg.f93b646009441d4f64cbfbd7aaccb64f.jpg

Pressure Putt Trainer Packaging - I hope the silver band at the bottom changes with the colour of the product.

PXL_20210709_080553754.jpg.b5c4e153e3c369bb67be5aefc7278873.jpg

Alignment Stick Set Packaging with carry bag

PXL_20210710_032342772.jpg.57ccfce9b5d38323f84ef11212713ecf.jpg

Top of the Alignment Stick Set packaging - has unsatisfying tearing

 

Storage - Living in an apartment, I can’t permanently setup any golfing equipment, so the thought the designers have put into easily putting away each product seems to be very useful. I have a 4 x 4 set of Kallax shelves in my office and a golf area in the wardrobe for storing my gear. I think that I will be able to easily take out and put away all elements of the kit. The mat comes with a storage bag to keep it neatly rolled up when not in use. The way the Pressure Putt Trainer and the Putting Plane Alignment Stick Set fold up is ideal to fit into my golf storage area. A big tick for consideration of storage.

PXL_20210709_081311735.jpg.44549044860c937e0cc76edff341b0a7.jpg

Easy to find places to store both the Pressure Putt Trainer and the Alignment Stick Set

 

Unrolling mat - For the test period I’ll be continually rolling and unrolling the mat to use it. First impressions are that the mat is thick, has plenty of different markings for different activities, and the edges are highly reinforced. It looks like it will last a long time. Only issue is that the centre of the roll doesn’t lie flat. Maybe that’s because it’s brand new and needs to relax (who am I to criticise for not relaxing), or maybe it’s just physics of rolling up a mat. It’s doesn’t really affect the performance of the matt, but I’ll see how it goes over time.

PXL_20210709_081005964.jpg.c5aa084b0c3f5f9dce01e44d91c0cf86.jpg

Matt rolled out - plenty of markings and a decent length that can fit in my living room

PXL_20210709_080832064.jpg.33507099270d62017c8adcbca1839ee8.jpg

The centre of the mat doesn't lay flat. Will see if it just takes some time to relax

 

Assembling Alignment Stick Set - There are plenty of pieces that look like will enable a variety of different putting activities. All the parts disassemble and have a dedicated storage area in the bag, so it’s easy to pack away and keep all the bits. The small rubber tube that enables the two alignment sticks to be joined is a nice touch. I like the idea of the gates to give immediate feedback about starting line, but having the alignment sticks to ensure that the equipment is lined up properly is a nice feature.

PXL_20210709_082347472.jpg.c3dc4a228f24929f655397b86b03294f.jpg

The Alignment Stick Set allows many options and disassembles for storage. Pocket is for the gate parts.

PXL_20210710_040231462.jpg.82377994fd2195a28cdcaad7c91c24a9.jpg

Use of extended alignment stick ensures ball, gate, and target are aligned (sticks sag but are straight along putt line)

 

Goals for testing

My 10 round average for strokes gained putting is currently sitting at 0.0 against a 5 handicap, so I think a good goal for putting success would be to get it to +1.0, but any improvement will be worth it. I’ll post updated stats after any round I play to see how I’m progressing.

 

 

With my practice I want to make improve my ability to start my ball on my intended line, with appropriate pace. I really want to try out the variety of possible activities that can be done with the gear, as this will help with keeping practice fresh (putting practice can easily get stale) and evaluating how the gear can help you to develop a repeatable, accurate stroke. If there are any drills you want me to try out to see if they’re possible with the gear, please let me know in a comment.

 

maxresdefault.jpg.206907bfaca0268ee0ff64f0f985e0c6.jpg

 

With my reviewing, I used all of the different elements of our sets over different weeks. I started with just the mat and the Pressure Putt Trainer, then used the Alignment Stick Set with more regularity later on.

 

Quality of components (10 out of 10 points)

For all 3 elements of the set, the products are made well, have quality materials, and are well put together. As identified in my initial impressions, I could only fault some very minor packaging experience issues.

 

Ease of use (10 out of 10 points)

With the Pressure Putt Trainer and the putting mat, it was obvious what the purposes of each product were. With the Alignment Stick Set, it’s a more complex product. There are many more applications and combinations the product can be used in, so some were not initially obvious. This was solved with informative packaging with examples of the different ways the products can be setup.

 

Basic Characteristics (17 out of 20 points)

Starting with the mat, it does everything you would want from an indoor practice mat. It rolls at a green-like speed, has assorted targets and alignment lines for practice. It makes a great base to build putting practice from.

 

With the Pressure Putt Trainer, having the smaller target meant I was able to focus with greater detail. It also meant that I had a more difficult goal that a standard hole size; great for rehearsing putts inside 6 feet. By having the goal of the perfect speed and line to nestle in the target, it was rehearsing starting the ball on line, with appropriate pace, and made practice interesting with the satisfying “plop” into the small target.

 

With the Alignment Stick Set, its fundamental purpose is to rehearse starting the ball on line. Sadly, with all the arrangements there was only loose feedback that I was starting my putts on line. The gates were much wider than a golf ball and can’t be narrowed for making tighter pass/go for starting putts on line. As I stated in the mid-review comments, by having multiple slots in the round rubber feet, the difficulty for starting on line could be changed.

 

On-Course Performance (## out of 30 points)

For my review, it’s impossible to evaluate on course performance; public health orders where I live prevented golf being played during the review period. I had one round on the 31st of August, but with 50km/h winds (31 miles) my poor putting stats were influenced more by the conditions than any practice I had done with the products.

So sadly, I’m going to have to ignore this part in my scoring of the products. I’ll revisit this in about a month and update this.

 

Miscellaneous (10 out of 10 points)

The strongest characteristic of all the products in our set is the quality of materials and finish. They don’t really affect the ability of the products to help your golf game but if you’re spending money on products, it’s better if they’re well-presented. For example, the Pressure Putt Trainer’s materials have a nice matt finish, the putting mat has reinforcement around the perimeter of the mat and a thicker base layer than others I’ve seen on the market, and the stainless steel in the Alignment Stick Set gives it a premium feel.

 

The other area of strength for all products was the thought put into how they are packed away for easy and small storage. The bag with multiple pockets on the Alignment Stick Set where every part had a place is well thought out. As a result, all the products take up minimal space in a closet.

 

Keep it or Trade it? (14 out of 20 points)

 

Putting Mat – keep. It does everything a putting mat should. Rolls up, rolls truly, can be vacuumed occasionally to keep it clean, and has a range of useful markings. Technically I’m not going to keep this one, but a friend is buying a Medium mat and then we are trading. The medium mat will fit my home better.

 

Pressure Putt Trainer – keep. This is a unique product in the putting practice market; providing a little reward for making a perfect putt but also indicating made putts. With the added convenience of it being able to fold away neatly when not in use, the different colour options, and its suitability for people who aren’t “golfers”, it’s a real winner.

 

Alignment Stick Set – trade. I really wanted to like this product, but I just didn’t find it useful. I tried all the different setups that it can do, and none of them convincingly aided starting the putt on line, and the product is not designed to train correct speed. I’m sure there will be someone who thoroughly disagrees with me who will love it though. It is a well-made product that you can tell has been thought about in design, but it just doesn’t gel with me.

 

Conclusion

I thank both PuttOUT and MGS for giving me the opportunity to review these products. The process really got me thinking about putting practice, and was the trigger for some enlightening discussions with the professionals at the facilities I go to. Overall, I commend PuttOUT for the quality of materials, construction, finish, and storage of their products. You can tell they have gone to great effort to get this right. For the Putting Mat and Pressure Putt Trainer, these are great products that I think help to keep my practice fresh and improve my putting. I want to practice more with these two products. Whilst the Alignment Stick Set is a well-made product, I didn’t find it useful to get my putts starting on line. I'm thinking of modelling and 3D printing some custom feet for my Alignment Stick Set.

Final Score: (61 out of 70 points)

Cobra F9 9.5° (Hzrdus Yellow X)

Cobra Speedzone 15° (Tensei Blue X)

Srixon H85 19° (Hzrdus Black 85 6.0)

Mizuno MP20 MMC 4-PW (KBS $ Taper 120S)

Mizuno T20 51°, 55°, 59° (KBS $ Taper 120S)

Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 34"

Srixon ZStar

Link to review

41 Comments




6 hours ago, artful_golfer said:

You can adjust them as is. Turn the feet around 180° and put them back on. Now your inside distance between the gates will be smaller. Use this same setup for the feet when using the alignment sticks on top of the gates and lining up the putter along alignment stick but on the outside of the gates - then your ball will not hit the foot when sliding by the gate. (This is one of the drills on the Plane Alignment Stick packaging but it works better with the feet turned around).

Oops, I apologize everyone! When you turn both gate feet with the larger part of the feet inside the gate it does not leave enough space for the golf ball to pass between the feet.

But it does work to turn the feet around for the second example I gave above.

Below are example photos from setup and drill instructions on the packaging of the Alignment Plane Stick Set. You can see how the gate feet are positioned with the larger part on the outside of the gate.

PuttOUT_GateFeet.jpg.9f146e85291221f09003571b5a4730ce.jpg

In this video you can see how I turn the outside gate foot around so that my golf ball can pass the foot without any trouble. The idea is to lean the shaft of your putter against the alignment stick to provide instant feedback on keeping everything in your a stroke aligned. This putt was almost 3 feet (space between each tick mark on the mat measures 1 ft). This is how I practice with the alignment sticks. I like it better than trying to use the putting plane setup.

 

Link to comment

Had a quick 10 holes tonight and putted really well. 18 putts but most of the 1st ones were over 20 feet which I got to gimme range (putted out though). 

Speed and line was working great, reading was good too. 

I seem to have much more confidence in my stroke to play the putt I see and I'm starting to see good results. 

Link to comment
10 hours ago, cnosil said:

Can’t you adjust how far the gate is from you?  Difficulty is increased or decreased by moving the gate farther away or closer.  If you know the width of the gate, you can calculate a 1*, .75*, and .5* error which is what is needed to make a 5,10, and 20 foot  putt

I can, but then the line is affected by any slope or imperfection of the mat rather than just my stroke. I tried it and it just didn't work as well as an improvised, narrower gate closer to the ball. Maybe my thinking is being coloured by previous experience of one of those Pelz putting tutors. I'm not sure.

Link to comment
10 hours ago, cnosil said:

Can’t you adjust how far the gate is from you?  Difficulty is increased or decreased by moving the gate farther away or closer.  If you know the width of the gate, you can calculate a 1*, .75*, and .5* error which is what is needed to make a 5,10, and 20 foot  putt

I don't like hitting through the gate because it clutters my visual focus and confuses my feel for distance on the target. I figure if I hit the cup on the Putting Trainer then it would have gone through the gate.

Link to comment
7 minutes ago, artful_golfer said:

I don't like hitting through the gate because it clutters my visual focus and confuses my feel for distance on the target. I figure if I hit the cup on the Putting Trainer then it would have gone through the gate.

Shows how different people are. One of the strengths of PuttOUT's "ecosystem" is that there are a variety of products available for people to choose.

 

I'm not sure if there's any reputable research on what sorts of aids work the best or if it is more individual preference encouraging more practice time that makes the difference (readers, please reply if you know of any). A bit like learning styles in education. People have preferred learning styles and can identify them, but there's zero evidence supporting the notion that aligning activities to preferred learning styles improves learning. Wonder what that's like for putting training?

Link to comment
2 hours ago, Blueberry_Squishie said:

Shows how different people are. One of the strengths of PuttOUT's "ecosystem" is that there are a variety of products available for people to choose.

 

I'm not sure if there's any reputable research on what sorts of aids work the best or if it is more individual preference encouraging more practice time that makes the difference (readers, please reply if you know of any). A bit like learning styles in education. People have preferred learning styles and can identify them, but there's zero evidence supporting the notion that aligning activities to preferred learning styles improves learning. Wonder what that's like for putting training?

Actually I think you are right on target. I’ve done a lot of research into and presented on learning styles. Learning styles affect all of our choices in everything we do. There may not be specific research into learning styles and alignment sticks but I feel sure there are research results that can be applied here.  
 

Receiving information in our specific learning styles (no matter the subject) always increases ease of learning and retention. 
 

I agree PuttOUT seems to have enough of an assortment in their putting trainer system to fit several learning styles. 

Link to comment
6 hours ago, artful_golfer said:

I don't like hitting through the gate because it clutters my visual focus and confuses my feel for distance on the target. I figure if I hit the cup on the Putting Trainer then it would have gone through the gate.

It's weird how we all view things differently. For me the gates work really well as a tool to bring my focus onto the point I want to aim at. When I do my putt through a gate at 2' in front of the ball I find that I'm really accurate on my line.

I've done some practice where I have the gate & pressure putt off the central line on the mat (putting diagonally along the mat) and my aim is getting really focused. With most golf shots it's generally good to have an aim point just in-front of the ball and I've found that the gate helps with visualisation for putting practice.

 

Link to comment
6 hours ago, Blueberry_Squishie said:

One of the strengths of PuttOUT's "ecosystem" is that there are a variety of products available for people to choose.

This is so true. The kit we've been testing gives plenty of choices on how to use it and it's pretty easy to work out which methods work for you. 

I have found that the putting plane doesn't really work for me but using the alignment stick as a plane guide works well. If I get my stroke wrong I get a very obvious indication as the putter shaft hits the stick. 

Link to comment
5 minutes ago, Superjoemofo said:

Curious to see what impact this system has had in real life on the course... strokes gained and especially if it's helped on those 20-30 footers...

I can't quantify it as I don't do 'strokes gained' as I don't really understand it yet. What I can say is that I'm much more accurate with my aim and distance control and my 3-putts have nearly vanished off the scorecard. Confidence is much higher with most putts now especially those nasty 2-4' putts 👍

Link to comment
15 minutes ago, DStar said:

I can't quantify it as I don't do 'strokes gained' as I don't really understand it yet. What I can say is that I'm much more accurate with my aim and distance control and my 3-putts have nearly vanished off the scorecard. Confidence is much higher with most putts now especially those nasty 2-4' putts 👍

"nasty 2-4' putts" - those are the worst! I would much rather face a 15' than a 3'.

Link to comment

Haven’t read all the comments so this may have been addressed and I missed it.   Putting is made up of various skills:  speed control, direction, stroke, and read.   Three of those skills should be helped by the puttout tools.   

1.  The plane is supposed to help with stroke,  it looks like the lined on the plane are vertical.  If they are, how does that influence your stroke?   Some people setup with a forward press and during the stroke, the shaft doesn’t stay vertical.    Shouldn’t those lines be at an angle?  Do you find yourself trying to match those positions through the stroke?


2. I know the size of the gates has already been covered.  Do the instructions priovide any input on how far to place the gates in front of the ball to make deal with putting make tolerances?  I know the Visio putting aids provide this type of information.

3.  How do these aids help with distance control?  Do they require the actual putt distance or can you simulate a 20’ putt without 20’ of space?  
 

4. is the smaller putting mirror helpful?   How much of you body can you see?  Shoulders?  If you keep your eyes inside the ball and not over the line,  how far off the ball can you setup and still see your eyes?  

 

Link to comment
2 hours ago, cnosil said:

Haven’t read all the comments so this may have been addressed and I missed it.   Putting is made up of various skills:  speed control, direction, stroke, and read.   Three of those skills should be helped by the puttout tools.   

1.  The plane is supposed to help with stroke,  it looks like the lined on the plane are vertical.  If they are, how does that influence your stroke?   Some people setup with a forward press and during the stroke, the shaft doesn’t stay vertical.    Shouldn’t those lines be at an angle?  Do you find yourself trying to match those positions through the stroke?


2. I know the size of the gates has already been covered.  Do the instructions priovide any input on how far to place the gates in front of the ball to make deal with putting make tolerances?  I know the Visio putting aids provide this type of information.

3.  How do these aids help with distance control?  Do they require the actual putt distance or can you simulate a 20’ putt without 20’ of space?  
 

4. is the smaller putting mirror helpful?   How much of you body can you see?  Shoulders?  If you keep your eyes inside the ball and not over the line,  how far off the ball can you setup and still see your eyes?  

 

1. The instructions state use the vertical markings to work on length of back and through stroke. I think that even with a forward press stroke you should be able to use the lines by paying attention to the top of the lines instead of of the line is at the same angle as your shaft. I tried using the plane and the lines for a short time but I don't have a lot of trouble with length of my back stroke. I would rather use a setup with only the alignment sticks. I can tell how the plane and vertical lines would be helpful to someone who needs to work on length of stroke.

2. The only instructions I find on what distance to place a gate is on "Drill - Starting Line. Set the Gate 1-2 feet away from the ball. Work on delivering a square putter face to roll the ball through the gate." I think using a gate (or gates in a line on an actual putting green would be helpful but I haven't tried it.

3. The best distance control aid for me is using the Pressure Putt Trainer cup. If you hit it so that your ball rolls back to you, then you would have made that putt. A "perfect" putt will stick in the micro-target "cup". Your pace and distance must be perfect for that to happen. The attempt in doing that is addicting. I like to attempt 30-50 putts keeping a score of how many are perfect putts. After each round of putts I move to a longer putt setup and start over with my count. I continue until my back hurts too much to continue, which has increased to approx 250 putts in one practice time. Another practice option I use is to leave the Pressure Putt Trainer at the 10 ft. mark, then starting with 1 foot distance, attempt one putt, then randomly move to another mark (like 3, 6 or 10) and attempt another putt. If your distance is off, you must go retrieve your ball instead of it rolling back toward you.

4. The mirror was not included in our testing package. But I would have loved to try it.

Other: I find the most difficult drills is trying to make my ball stop inside one of the circles on the mat. It doesn't translate to actual putting on a green, because I try to hit my putts a little firmer than barely rolling in a hole, but this drill definitely helps with feel and distance (on this mat).

Link to comment

Curiosity for the testers, have any of you taken the PuttOUT trainer to an actual green?  If so, I'm curious on your thoughts. 

 

I typically take mine with me during outings where I know the putting green will be full of people and you feel like it's almost impossible to putt to a hole.  I try to find a flatter spot on the edge of the putting green and run a few putts that way.  Plus I feel like I'm able to gauge speed a lot better if I do the same length putt that I typically do in my living room on my matt.  

Link to comment
20 hours ago, goaliewales14 said:

Curiosity for the testers, have any of you taken the PuttOUT trainer to an actual green?  If so, I'm curious on your thoughts. 

 

I typically take mine with me during outings where I know the putting green will be full of people and you feel like it's almost impossible to putt to a hole.  I try to find a flatter spot on the edge of the putting green and run a few putts that way.  Plus I feel like I'm able to gauge speed a lot better if I do the same length putt that I typically do in my living room on my matt.  

I haven't but I will. Great idea.

Link to comment
2 hours ago, DStar said:

Found another use for the mat today. Seems it's quite good to practice little chip shots on too.

Excellent use.  I spent the winter chipping onto my BirdieBall and I know it made a big difference in my chipping game.  I chipped off another mat however.  I’d worry about wearing a spot out there. 

Link to comment
3 hours ago, WaffleHouseTour said:

Excellent use.  I spent the winter chipping onto my BirdieBall and I know it made a big difference in my chipping game.  I chipped off another mat however.  I’d worry about wearing a spot out there. 

Nice idea but I also would worry about wearing a spot or hole in the mat. I practice chip shots indoors on another mat (actually a runner rug) with masking tape on the area where my club will hit. After about 3 years of using it - still works without any holes.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

174 Comments




This rocks! So been ready to find the tools to light the drive of playing regularly again. Believe testing and utilizing equipment like this could lead me to bigger and better places in my game and life in general. Thanks golf spy and PuttOUT. Hope I am lucky enough to see how well my touch to the OUT stroke can get. 

Link to comment

Having been using this exact setup for the past few months, I'll say that my putting is really turning into a strength. I'm actually no longer content with a 10' putt landing within 3' of the hole. I either make them or land within inches. 5' putts are either dropping or just lipping out and no more putting jitters.  

Good luck testers! 

Link to comment

A shame this isn't going to get as much attention as club testing but this is something that everyone could benefit from. Good luck to all of those that apply!

Link to comment
1 hour ago, ZMendle10 said:

A shame this isn't going to get as much attention as club testing but this is something that everyone could benefit from. Good luck to all of those that apply!

Just wait until the blog and SM posts go up, then it will explode...I guarantee it!

Link to comment

Had an older version of the puttout in the store and it was so frustrating! I felt like I was hitting good putts, but they never seemed to stay. Maybe that's why my putting woes continue! Plus getting a chance to use this with the teams would be great!

Link to comment

×
×
  • Create New...