Chip Strokes Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 @Manimal26 @EasyPutter @txgolfjunkie @WaffleHouseTour @LeftyHawk are any of you setting your mat up on carpet? mine is sitting on medium pile carpet in the basement and it appears to sit flat. there are no waves or breaks in it, but i’m wondering if a harder surface wouldn’t be more ideal. if it would make a big difference i could always pick up two more horse stall mats and lay them under the putting green. at 75lbs each they’d compress the carpet nicely and give a nice flat solid surface. i use them for the flooring in my garage gym. these guys: JohnSmalls and sirchunksalot 2 Quote SIM2 8º | KuroKage XD 70TX SIM 3W 14º | Fujikura Atmos Black Tour Spec 9TX SIM2 5W 18º | Fujikura Ventus Black 10X U500 2i | Fujikura Ventus HB Black 10TX T100 4-PW | Dynamic Gold X7 SM6 52* SM8 56* SM8 60* | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 DW | BGT Stability Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Strokes Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 2 minutes ago, EasyPutter said: I am limited with where I can put my mat, so realistically with it going from over hardwood floor to over carpet (my former putting surface) there is slight undulation not unlike what would be found on an outdoor green. it’s the basement or bust for me. less because of space and more because my wife saying something about a divorce if there’s a giant putting green in the living room. i’m not sure though, i wasn’t really listening. there don’t seem to be any issues on the carpet so far, so we’ll see how it goes. HardcoreLooper, Shapotomous and B_R_A_D_Y 3 Quote SIM2 8º | KuroKage XD 70TX SIM 3W 14º | Fujikura Atmos Black Tour Spec 9TX SIM2 5W 18º | Fujikura Ventus Black 10X U500 2i | Fujikura Ventus HB Black 10TX T100 4-PW | Dynamic Gold X7 SM6 52* SM8 56* SM8 60* | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 DW | BGT Stability Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnSmalls Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 I’ve had a BB for a couple of years now and have predominantly used it on top of carpet. The only problem I have found is that it tends to inch itself in one direction everytime you step on it when it’s on carpet. But it does work as intended on both carpet and hard floor. sirchunksalot and Chip Strokes 2 Quote Gameday Vessel Sunday 2.0/ Ogio Silencer Dynapwr Carbon | Hzrdus Smoke Black Mavrik 3w | Evenflow Riptide FG Tour F5 Hybrid(20,23) | MCA Fubuki Staff Model CB 5-PW | DG 120 Vokey SM7 (50, 54, 58) | DG 120 Studio Stock 15 -ProV1x (left dash) Romans 10:9 Classic Bag Jones Collegiate Clemson Stand Bag Eye 2 Laminate 1973 Staff Dynapower 4-PW Anser DUO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Strokes Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 1 minute ago, JohnSmalls said: I’ve had a BB for a couple of years now and have predominantly used it on top of carpet. The only problem I have found is that it tends to inch itself in one direction everytime you step on it when it’s on carpet. But it does work as intended on both carpet and hard floor. i’ve noticed that a little bit. that doesn’t bother me as long as the mat doesn’t buckle or pinch JohnSmalls and sirchunksalot 2 Quote SIM2 8º | KuroKage XD 70TX SIM 3W 14º | Fujikura Atmos Black Tour Spec 9TX SIM2 5W 18º | Fujikura Ventus Black 10X U500 2i | Fujikura Ventus HB Black 10TX T100 4-PW | Dynamic Gold X7 SM6 52* SM8 56* SM8 60* | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 DW | BGT Stability Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnSmalls Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 15 minutes ago, Chip Strokes said: i’ve noticed that a little bit. that doesn’t bother me as long as the mat doesn’t buckle or pinch The bumpers on the end look like they have been redesigned and improved for yours, that should help with the moving around. Hope you guys enjoy the test! sirchunksalot and Chip Strokes 2 Quote Gameday Vessel Sunday 2.0/ Ogio Silencer Dynapwr Carbon | Hzrdus Smoke Black Mavrik 3w | Evenflow Riptide FG Tour F5 Hybrid(20,23) | MCA Fubuki Staff Model CB 5-PW | DG 120 Vokey SM7 (50, 54, 58) | DG 120 Studio Stock 15 -ProV1x (left dash) Romans 10:9 Classic Bag Jones Collegiate Clemson Stand Bag Eye 2 Laminate 1973 Staff Dynapower 4-PW Anser DUO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaffleHouseTour Posted October 6, 2020 Share Posted October 6, 2020 First Impressions It is BIG! I mean it is “you can’t keep that in the living room” says She Who Must Be Obeyed size big. As I wrote in my introduction, I’ve been using a PuttOut matt which is 2 x 8. So the Birdie Ball PuttUp being 4x10 I knew was bigger - but once you get it into a room… its big. I’ve laid the PuttOut on top of the BirdieBall to give you a sense. Being big is not a problem, but you need to plan for it. I did not do a good job of that. I initially thought I’d roll it out to use, then roll up and put in the closet, then roll it out, then roll it up… but I decided that was going to be a little cumbersome as I want to use this every day. So I took over one of our spare bedrooms. Its still big… I had to move the furniture around a bit - but hey, nobody is sleeping there, and if we ever have a visitor it’ll take five minutes to roll it up and put it all back. Well, maybe more than five. The bedroom is in our basement and has carpet with padding. So I got 3 1/4 inch pieces of plywood to put the BirdieBall on. I had it on the carpet for the first could days, and can feel a definite difference with it on a solid base. It doesn’t feel as spongy as it did. Remember, this is a foam structure - so you push your hand in, or stand on it, and you are going to see an imprint - just like you do on a real green. A few seconds later and its gone. But it felt spongier on the carpet than it did on the hardwood floor upstairs, so I got some plywood for the basement. I’m also using the plywood to help level the green. While there are 3 4x8 sheets, and a stack of 3 4x2 sheets that run the length of the green, along the right hand side I’ve added a strip of a 2x4 sheets the length of the green between the 2nd and 3rd layer. I’ve done this to keep the green level. My basement is not level - so I’m having to level it. They say on their website that you can have 40 plus balls on the green. I believe it. In the pictures below you’ll see a couple dozen… There is plenty of room to stand on the green and putt to any whole. It is FAST! It is double cut and rolled for the tournament fast. If you look at the BirdieBall website they say this green should be a medium speed - a 10 to 11' on the stimp. You may recall from my introduction that I’m a little OCD, and overthink things. I’m very interested in how our brain is going to interpret hitting an 18’ foot putt when the eye only sees 9’… So I was curious about just how fast this rolled, and what the difference in energy needed to hit that 18’ putt would be. So I borrowed my superintendents stimp meter. You are supposed to use the stimp meter from both ends and take the average - but I couldn’t do this in this case because the balls roll off the green. Yes, running a ball off the stimp meter rolls it well off the green. Ok, so its faster than a 10, as the green is 10’ long. So I put the ramp back into place. My thought process was that if it rolls to the +2 hole the green is running at a 12 on the stimp (10’ + 2’ the advertised distance of the incline). Well, I rolled balls into the +2, the +4, and as you’ll see below I can get some into the +6. That’d be 16’. (BTW, I had to open the closet and sit in there to accommodate the stimp meter.. I said it was big...) Like I said, double cut and rolled… I thought I must be doing something wrong. So I rolled them off the stimp on the PuttOut. As that mat is only 8 feet long I set the edge right at bottom of the +2’ cup. Rolled right to the end, but wouldn’t drop. Ok. So its rolling about a 10 - which is what PuttOut advertises. So it is not me, the stimp operator. This green is fast. I shot off an email to the BirdieBall contact address. Maybe I’d gotten something out of the ordinary. Or was I doing something wrong. A couple hours later I get a phone call from John Breaker, the CEO/Founder. Wow, that’s some impressive customer service. John explained that yes, the green is fast. Part of that is responding to what they believe the marketplace wants in a putting green - and that is to have missed putts returned to you. If the green isn’t fast enough, the putts won’t roll far enough back to the player. Think about other putting systems you have seen on the market today (one in particular is non-stop on my Instagram feed) where putts are returned to you. So this extra speed is intentional to get the ball to return to you. While I understand the logic of that - and that BirdieBall has to give the consumer what they want - I’m one who doesn’t need the ball to come all the way back. Its going to come back some distance, right now missed putts, as you’ll see in this picture, tend to collect at about 5' to 6’ from the target edge. If it stopped at 2’ or 3’ or 4’ I would be ok with that. It might block another putt, so I’d have to aim elsewhere, or retrieve it. But for me I’d be fine with that. But what do you Spies think? Would you rather have a green that rolls 10 or 11, maybe 12 on the stimp giving you more true life speed? Or would you rather have the ball returned to you? Lets have some feedback here. Tell us what you think. (BTW, I believe they will be changing their website to say "fast" rather than "medium". The Math Also, I’m including some photos of the distance from the edge to the actual hole. The +2 hole is intended to simulate 12’. They call it +2 - meaning the green is 10’ +2 = 12’ But here the math and physics get a bit tricky. It is actually 8’2’ from the edge. So in my mind its +4 - but lets set that aside for now - I’ll accept they have done their physics homework. John also mentioned they want to make sure putters hit the ball firmly enough to get to the back edge or past the hole. Think Nicklaus’s old adage about putts should get 18’ past. So for now we’ll just accept that +2 is equal to 12'. Now, I’m not going to hit my ball from the edge - I’d have one foot on the green and one foot off. I think I’ll be lining my ball up 1’ from the edge - going to mark it - that allows a nice stance for me. So a putt from 1’ from the edge would mean the ball travels 7’2” simulating a run out of 11’. (This is why I got out a stimp meter to test the speed of the green.) The +4 hole is 8’6” simulating 14’. For me it’ll be simulating 13’. The +6 hole is 9” from the edge, simulating 16’. For me it’ll be simulating 15’. The +8 is 9’3” from the edge, simulating 18’. For me it’ll be simulating 17’. I bore you with all this because when I figure out how to compare what I practice with the real world, this may be important. Overall First Impression This is a pretty slick set up. The sponginess of the turf, the little nubs or tendrils - it really does mimic real grass on a real putting green. It holds the line (now that I used plywood to level it) but even when the ball breaks, it always rolled true. There were no bumps or bobbles. So even if you are working a breaking putt - say from the right edge of my stance line to the +6 on the far left side, its still a good roll. The ball behaves appropriately. The size is a big plus - once you find the space for it. Its nice to stand right on the mat. To move around, aim at different targets, etc. The roominess is a big plus. At first I wasn’t a big fan of the little flag stands - but after dropping two dozen balls into the cups - yeah, I don’t need to bend over any more than I have too. So that’s a plus. I’ve got to get my head around the math - but that’s a me problem. I over think. I want to be sure that what is supposed to be a 17' foot putt really is a 17’ putt. (I clearly have a trust issue) Again, I’m thinking about what my eye sees 8’3” away, and I’m telling my brain it requires a stroke for a 17’ putt… we’ll see how this eventually translates to the real world later, so stay tuned. That is where the real testing comes in. Do we make progress, or do I leave them all short… We shall see. Overall - very impressed with the initial set up. It is really a quality product and they have put a lot of thought into it. JerBooth, GolfSpy MPR, Shapotomous and 6 others 7 2 Quote Walking ahead of my BagBoy QuadXL w Alphard eWheels Driver: Callaway Mavrik SubZero 9* Neutral w stock Evenflow Riptide R flex shaft 3W Titelist TS2 15* Draw w Tensei Blue R flex 3H, 4H Cobra One Length F9 Speedback hybrids (1”short) w Fujikura Atmos R flex shaft 5I-GW Cobra Forged TEC Black One Length (1”short, 2* flat) KBS 90 R flex shafts 56, 60 Cobra King MIM One Length Black (1” short) KBS HiRev2.0 125 S flex shafts ER7 or Scotty Futura X - 35” OnCore Elixr (lemon or lime) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Strokes Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 @WaffleHouseTourdo you have any better pictures of the plywood you base you rigged up? JerBooth 1 Quote SIM2 8º | KuroKage XD 70TX SIM 3W 14º | Fujikura Atmos Black Tour Spec 9TX SIM2 5W 18º | Fujikura Ventus Black 10X U500 2i | Fujikura Ventus HB Black 10TX T100 4-PW | Dynamic Gold X7 SM6 52* SM8 56* SM8 60* | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 DW | BGT Stability Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tchat07 Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 One problem I've had is if you add something to create break it is extremely difficult to read.Sent from my SM-G950U using MyGolfSpy mobile app Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaffleHouseTour Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 [mention=80513]WaffleHouseTour[/mention]do you have any better pictures of the plywood you base you rigged up? Sorry, on the road today so no Picts but I’ll post sometime. In short, I used layers of 1/4” thick because they are lighter and easier to move around. I got floor underlayment at Lowe’s. I took two 4x8’ sheets and cut them into four 4x2’ sections. I laid down a 4x8’ sheet and abutted a 4x2’ sheet so make a 4x10’. Then I laid down the 4x2 and abutted a 4x8 (same thing in reverse order. At this point I put down the 4x2 sheets running the length of the green covering the right half of my base to level my set up. I left the 2foot gap at the stance/bottom side. Then I laid down the 4x8 and 4x2 on top to cover the edge created by the leveling section. If I needed more than one layer to level I’d put them between the bottom and second level, rather than second and third. On the top level keep the 4x2 at the cup/ramp end. It fits perfectly under the ramp and the seam won’t be noticed that way. Hope that helps. It really creates a nice firm base. Feels much better underfoot than the carpet. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy Quote Walking ahead of my BagBoy QuadXL w Alphard eWheels Driver: Callaway Mavrik SubZero 9* Neutral w stock Evenflow Riptide R flex shaft 3W Titelist TS2 15* Draw w Tensei Blue R flex 3H, 4H Cobra One Length F9 Speedback hybrids (1”short) w Fujikura Atmos R flex shaft 5I-GW Cobra Forged TEC Black One Length (1”short, 2* flat) KBS 90 R flex shafts 56, 60 Cobra King MIM One Length Black (1” short) KBS HiRev2.0 125 S flex shafts ER7 or Scotty Futura X - 35” OnCore Elixr (lemon or lime) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xOldBenKenobiX Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 15 hours ago, WaffleHouseTour said: “you can’t keep that in the living room” says She Who Must Be Obeyed I love this line. sirchunksalot 1 Quote My Reviews: 2023 Official review - Rapsodo MLM2Pro! 2022 Official Review - Edel SMS Wedges 2021 Official Review - Tommy Armour Impact 3 Putter 2020 Official Member Review - BagBoy Chiller Cart Bag Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme - Unofficial Review by xOldBenKenobiX Honma TR21 4 Wood - Unofficial Review by xOldBenKenobiX Driver - Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme 10.5, UST helium 5 Wood - . TR21 4 Wood, Vizard 20-60 and TW GS 5 Wood Vixard FD 55 301 Combo 301CB and 301MB . SMS 48*, 56*, 60* Putter: Lucky golf putter. Ball: : ProV1, :: Smart Sensors. Shoes: a couple :: A couple of A couple of Adidas , Yeah I have a shoe addiction.:: Started at 79mph, finished 1st stage at 91mph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txgolfjunkie Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 My initial impressions: This surface is fast. Real fast. I wouldn't say it's too fast to practice on with the caveat of the ball return design aspect, but the true test will be when I see results out on the course. My prior putting matt was really slow and I really had trouble with speed on fast greens. We'll see how my speed control turns out over the next few weeks/months of practice on a slick surface. I have two boys under 3 years old and they absolutely love this practice putting matt as much as their dad. With that being said, I will be speaking to the durability of the matt as well as the ease of storing this massive beast. First word of advice: KEEP YOUR BOX if you plan to store this away at any point. I keep my PuttUp either stored in the box in the garage or it's in use in the living room on a wood floor. When the kids are awake, I just have the matt out with the cup bases. No incline, no bumpers (oldest thought it would be fun to smack younger brother with it within the first hour of use), no flagsticks. I can still putt with them and they can still run across it without me worrying about tearing up the surface. The PuttUp does move around a lot without the bumpers installed, but that's to be expected with the base foam. When the bumpers are installed, it keeps the overall matt from sliding and when the cup liners are installed, it keeps the matt firmly on the incline. With the PuttUp fully assembled, it's not moving. That's a big plus in my book. The matt is a closed cell polyethylene foam that really does hold it's shape, even after being rolled up and stored in the box overnight. It does take a few minutes for it to lay flat after I unroll it and any sort of impression by my heavy foot or putter disappears in about 10 seconds. The bumpers do provide a little weight to help flatten out the matt quickly and usually once I get those and the cup liners installed, it's ready to go. So far, it's returning to it's original shape as it should. Now, can it do that over a long period of time with a lot of rolling/unrolling/foot traffic? That will be a big focal point for my review. So far this has been a great tool for late night practice sessions and some fun time with the kids. WaffleHouseTour, GolfSpy MPR, Shapotomous and 3 others 6 Quote Cobra Connect 5 Competitor - Team Chad King Radspeed 10.5* w/ Hzrdus RDX Blue 60 6.5 tipped 1/2" - Peacoat/Red King Radspeed Big Tour 3 Wood w/ Hzrdus RDX Blue 70 6.5 Tipped 1/2" King Radspeed Tour 5 Wood w/ Motore X F1 70 X Flex King Utility 4 21* w/ Tensei Pro White 100 X Flex King Tour MIM Copper Irons 5-G w/ AMT White X100 Onyx King MIM Black Wedges 55* & 60* w/ AMT White X100 Onyx Spider SR Pro V1x Left Dash Lefty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txgolfjunkie Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 Duplicate post. Quote Cobra Connect 5 Competitor - Team Chad King Radspeed 10.5* w/ Hzrdus RDX Blue 60 6.5 tipped 1/2" - Peacoat/Red King Radspeed Big Tour 3 Wood w/ Hzrdus RDX Blue 70 6.5 Tipped 1/2" King Radspeed Tour 5 Wood w/ Motore X F1 70 X Flex King Utility 4 21* w/ Tensei Pro White 100 X Flex King Tour MIM Copper Irons 5-G w/ AMT White X100 Onyx King MIM Black Wedges 55* & 60* w/ AMT White X100 Onyx Spider SR Pro V1x Left Dash Lefty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejgaudette Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 40 minutes ago, txgolfjunkie said: My initial impressions: This surface is fast. Real fast. I wouldn't say it's too fast to practice on with the caveat of the ball return design aspect, but the true test will be when I see results out on the course. My prior putting matt was really slow and I really had trouble with speed on fast greens. We'll see how my speed control turns out over the next few weeks/months of practice on a slick surface. I have two boys under 3 years old and they absolutely love this practice putting matt as much as their dad. With that being said, I will be speaking to the durability of the matt as well as the ease of storing this massive beast. First word of advice: KEEP YOUR BOX if you plan to store this away at any point. I keep my PuttUp either stored in the box in the garage or it's in use in the living room on a wood floor. When the kids are awake, I just have the matt out with the cup bases. No incline, no bumpers (oldest thought it would be fun to smack younger brother with it within the first hour of use), no flagsticks. I can still putt with them and they can still run across it without me worrying about tearing up the surface. The PuttUp does move around a lot without the bumpers installed, but that's to be expected with the base foam. When the bumpers are installed, it keeps the overall matt from sliding and when the cup liners are installed, it keeps the matt firmly on the incline. With the PuttUp fully assembled, it's not moving. That's a big plus in my book. The matt is a closed cell polyethylene foam that really does hold it's shape, even after being rolled up and stored in the box overnight. It does take a few minutes for it to lay flat after I unroll it and any sort of impression by my heavy foot or putter disappears in about 10 seconds. The bumpers do provide a little weight to help flatten out the matt quickly and usually once I get those and the cup liners installed, it's ready to go. So far, it's returning to it's original shape as it should. Now, can it do that over a long period of time with a lot of rolling/unrolling/foot traffic? That will be a big focal point for my review. So far this has been a great tool for late night practice sessions and some fun time with the kids. Thanks for the thoughts, I am most interested in how this speed relates real world rounds and am looking forward to seeing if the speed seems like an issue to any one. I suspect not, but that is the point of the test right. Quote Epic Max LS 9° Ventus Blue 6X (2021 Official Review) | Epic Speed 18° Evenflow Riptide 70g 6.0 816 H1 21° Diamana S+ Blue 70 S | SMS 4-5/SMS Pro 6-PW Steelfiber i95 S (2023 Official Review) Glide 4.0 50°.12°S/54°.14°W/58°.6°T PING Z-Z115 Wedge Flex | SOFT 11S Super Stroke Mid-Slim 2.0 Hoofer Bag | Pro V1 | Right Handed | Tracked by V3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
null Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 Love my birdieball, but much like the Exputt i just dont see how the PuttUP would be any good for me as I am extremely visual player and without being able to see the full/actual distance would make the function useless for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Strokes Posted October 7, 2020 Share Posted October 7, 2020 i got some practice in tonight and have a few more observations: 1. im definitely gonna need to build a base under the mat. it lays flat and rolls true, but in certain spots at the putting end if you ground your putter behind the ball, it will depress the mat enough to make the ball move. i think the combination of two plush surfaces is just too soft. also, the putting end of the mat wanders a little when you’re walking on and off repeatedly 2. putting to the 16’ (far left) target is a little tough. my normal stance would have me standing off the mat. i don’t think having the ball 1/4” higher than my feet is a huge deal, but it’s worth noting all the same. with a base built under the mat (like @WaffleHouseTour) that heigh difference can be a few inches, which is obviously more substantial. 3. aiming down the mat can be a bit busy to the eye. the 5 holes are pretty close together. i’ve found myself lining a putt up at the far right (18’) cup but becoming distracted by the next one to the left (14’) and sending my putt directly in between the two. i think that’s just gonna take some getting used to i started tonight with a gate drill. i probably rolled 50 putts one handed from a few feet out, then backed up to about halfway down the matt and rolled another 50 with two hands. just working on a steady consistent stroke. i had to improvise because i didn’t want to stick tees in the mat: GolfSpy MPR, sirchunksalot, Shapotomous and 1 other 4 Quote SIM2 8º | KuroKage XD 70TX SIM 3W 14º | Fujikura Atmos Black Tour Spec 9TX SIM2 5W 18º | Fujikura Ventus Black 10X U500 2i | Fujikura Ventus HB Black 10TX T100 4-PW | Dynamic Gold X7 SM6 52* SM8 56* SM8 60* | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 DW | BGT Stability Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyHawk Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 On 10/6/2020 at 4:01 PM, Chip Strokes said: @Manimal26 @EasyPutter @txgolfjunkie @WaffleHouseTour @LeftyHawk are any of you setting your mat up on carpet? mine is sitting on medium pile carpet in the basement and it appears to sit flat. there are no waves or breaks in it, but i’m wondering if a harder surface wouldn’t be more ideal. if it would make a big difference i could always pick up two more horse stall mats and lay them under the putting green. at 75lbs each they’d compress the carpet nicely and give a nice flat solid surface. i use them for the flooring in my garage gym. these guys: Mine will be in the basement on cement, my only option. Hopefully I will get time this weekend to set it up and get some pics posted of my setup and my plans for testing over the next few months. Chris sirchunksalot 1 Quote Far and Sure...... GBB Epic 11* GBB Epic 7W (Heavenwood) : G410 4 thru GW MD3 54*,60* Huntington Beach Soft #4 Tour B RX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyHawk Posted October 8, 2020 Share Posted October 8, 2020 Finally got a chance to set up the mat today. This thing is FAST, faster that the greens at my home course. While this is not a deal breaker it is something to be aware of when practicing. I did a preliminary putt test with 100 balls, 5 putts to each hole from 4 specific distances. I set up a spreadsheet in order to track my progress over the coming weeks. My plan was to test my putting every Sunday with the 100 ball test. Well, im going to have to rethink the tests, in the preliminary test if I happened to miss the first putt the next 4 went in which gave me a make % of 77.5% make rate. I believe that this is not a true reflection of my putting ability. So that's why I'm going to try a different test, 1 shot per hole from 4 different distances. As for the mat itself, I can say that this is a quality product well thought out and presents some great possibilities for working on your putting. I will be posting weekly test results and any modifications I make to the mat for my personal use. Being lefthanded my approach to the holes will be different for sure. I also will be trying different putters and trying different ways to grip the putter along with different stances. I've gone thru Dave Pelz's book several times trying many of the issues he covers about the putting game. Here are some pics of my putting pit... Chris Shapotomous, cnosil, GolfSpy MPR and 4 others 6 1 Quote Far and Sure...... GBB Epic 11* GBB Epic 7W (Heavenwood) : G410 4 thru GW MD3 54*,60* Huntington Beach Soft #4 Tour B RX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txgolfjunkie Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 Just a quick update...I played on some slick greens over the weekend at La Cantera in San Antonio. I will say, I didn't see too many putts get blasted by the hole, which has been the case with the old, slower putting matt. The greens were firm and fast, but I'd give myself a B+ on speed and probably a C+ on green reading...I never played enough break. Chalk one up to the PuttUp for being more speed conscious on the greens, especially the 10-20ft putts. I'll play again next Monday on some 'faster' greens in the Houston area. I'll spend the next week on the PuttUp getting ready to see double digits on the stimp at Royal Oaks. Shapotomous 1 Quote Cobra Connect 5 Competitor - Team Chad King Radspeed 10.5* w/ Hzrdus RDX Blue 60 6.5 tipped 1/2" - Peacoat/Red King Radspeed Big Tour 3 Wood w/ Hzrdus RDX Blue 70 6.5 Tipped 1/2" King Radspeed Tour 5 Wood w/ Motore X F1 70 X Flex King Utility 4 21* w/ Tensei Pro White 100 X Flex King Tour MIM Copper Irons 5-G w/ AMT White X100 Onyx King MIM Black Wedges 55* & 60* w/ AMT White X100 Onyx Spider SR Pro V1x Left Dash Lefty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaffleHouseTour Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 This weeks self-imposed assignment - adding the Pelz Putting Tutor to the mix. Its one thing to bash the ball up there to the +8 cup and catching the edge, or the back. But getting it started on line - using enough force to get it there, and not disturb either of the two marbles... tougher. I'm somewhat proficient at starting it on line when I'm trying to make a 3 or 4 foot put - but the farther out I am, and the more force I need, the more likely I am to clip the marble on the left... Something I really like about the Pelz tutor - helps ensure your eyes are directly over the ball - not a bit inside or outside... That line also helps with alignment. I often think I'm lined up correctly - and I may even get the ball in the hole (the brain and the body compensate in some amazing ways...) but when I have to get behind this and make sure the white line is pointed right at the middle I discover some interesting things. GolfSpy MPR, Chip Strokes and Shapotomous 3 Quote Walking ahead of my BagBoy QuadXL w Alphard eWheels Driver: Callaway Mavrik SubZero 9* Neutral w stock Evenflow Riptide R flex shaft 3W Titelist TS2 15* Draw w Tensei Blue R flex 3H, 4H Cobra One Length F9 Speedback hybrids (1”short) w Fujikura Atmos R flex shaft 5I-GW Cobra Forged TEC Black One Length (1”short, 2* flat) KBS 90 R flex shafts 56, 60 Cobra King MIM One Length Black (1” short) KBS HiRev2.0 125 S flex shafts ER7 or Scotty Futura X - 35” OnCore Elixr (lemon or lime) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyHawk Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 Well, I tried a variation on the weekly test. 4 different lengths 1 ball per hole. Again I don't believe the results are representative of my actual putting skills. So back to the drawing board. Today I tried putting from the longest distance with all the putters working from oldest to newest. Interesting results. The older ones consistently missed right, this continued until I got to the Taylormade, then "plunk" every shot in the hole. Same with the Odyssey. This needs some investigation. The pic is of this weeks test setup. This well be changing....I think. Chris goaliewales14, Shapotomous, Rickp and 1 other 4 Quote Far and Sure...... GBB Epic 11* GBB Epic 7W (Heavenwood) : G410 4 thru GW MD3 54*,60* Huntington Beach Soft #4 Tour B RX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaffleHouseTour Posted October 13, 2020 Share Posted October 13, 2020 Today's practice - what I'll be doing all week - sink eight balls without hitting the marbles - I've got to focus on a short backswing to keep from knocking the marble out of place. Yes, yes, I've got some bow in my top piece of plywood - it flexes when I walk around on it - but stays still when I'm still. Going to have to fix that. Shapotomous, cnosil, Rickp and 3 others 6 Quote Walking ahead of my BagBoy QuadXL w Alphard eWheels Driver: Callaway Mavrik SubZero 9* Neutral w stock Evenflow Riptide R flex shaft 3W Titelist TS2 15* Draw w Tensei Blue R flex 3H, 4H Cobra One Length F9 Speedback hybrids (1”short) w Fujikura Atmos R flex shaft 5I-GW Cobra Forged TEC Black One Length (1”short, 2* flat) KBS 90 R flex shafts 56, 60 Cobra King MIM One Length Black (1” short) KBS HiRev2.0 125 S flex shafts ER7 or Scotty Futura X - 35” OnCore Elixr (lemon or lime) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip Strokes Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 i've developed a pretty standard practice session with my mat now. having it in the basement with the tv and surround sound down there makes for a very inviting practice space. i've found it really easy to go downstairs and put a solid 30-60 minutes of work in. my sessions go along these lines mostly: around 50 short putts using a one-handed gate drill. i set up around 3' from the 14' hole (so maybe 5' with the ramp coming in to play) and sink 5 putts at a time alternating hands as i go. around 20-30 slightly longer putts with both hands still using the homemade gate (mat brush and tv remote). i start off with my thumbs off the putter and once i get in a good groove, i put them back on and take my normal stroke. then it's 5 putts to each target hole from the end of the mat. i don't have any hard data to present, but it's extremely rare i go worse than 3 out of 5 on the full length putts. if i still feel like practicing after that i'll just bounce around the mat hitting a putt or two at a time to each of the holes, sometimes varying where i'm hitting from - much like would happen during a round on the course. the biggest takeaway so far is that i'm becoming much more comfortable and in tune with my putting stroke. when i miss i can identify the fault (mostly it's leaving the face open, but i'm not immune to the odd heel strike) and then spend the next few putts correcting it. working with my thumbs off the grip and really feeling what the putter head is doing has been a big eye opener for me. moving forward, i'd like to employ a real putting gate in conjunction with the mat. i'll also probably pick up one of those thin metal yard sticks to see how well i'm actually rolling the ball on line. in the few rounds i've played since getting the mat i can honestly say i've felt more confident than ever standing over the ball on the green. my lag putting has been really good, as the number of times i've 3 putted has come way down, and i've holed a lot more putts from 6-8 feet. as we get into the colder weather here, i'm going to have to develop some sort of metric to test my putting using the mat. i'll get to work on that. Shapotomous, sirchunksalot, cnosil and 1 other 4 Quote SIM2 8º | KuroKage XD 70TX SIM 3W 14º | Fujikura Atmos Black Tour Spec 9TX SIM2 5W 18º | Fujikura Ventus Black 10X U500 2i | Fujikura Ventus HB Black 10TX T100 4-PW | Dynamic Gold X7 SM6 52* SM8 56* SM8 60* | Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 DW | BGT Stability Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaffleHouseTour Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 So this happened today... 32 putts, 1.7 per hole, 0 threes. Coulda shoulda been better missing a couple makeable birdies because I misread the break. Maybe next week I’ll take the ramp out and slide some magazines under to work on break reading... but now I’m sticking with moving the Putting Tutor around. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy GolfSpy MPR, sirchunksalot, cnosil and 3 others 4 2 Quote Walking ahead of my BagBoy QuadXL w Alphard eWheels Driver: Callaway Mavrik SubZero 9* Neutral w stock Evenflow Riptide R flex shaft 3W Titelist TS2 15* Draw w Tensei Blue R flex 3H, 4H Cobra One Length F9 Speedback hybrids (1”short) w Fujikura Atmos R flex shaft 5I-GW Cobra Forged TEC Black One Length (1”short, 2* flat) KBS 90 R flex shafts 56, 60 Cobra King MIM One Length Black (1” short) KBS HiRev2.0 125 S flex shafts ER7 or Scotty Futura X - 35” OnCore Elixr (lemon or lime) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shapotomous Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 On 10/13/2020 at 5:05 PM, WaffleHouseTour said: Today's practice - what I'll be doing all week - sink eight balls without hitting the marbles - I've got to focus on a short backswing to keep from knocking the marble out of place. Yes, yes, I've got some bow in my top piece of plywood - it flexes when I walk around on it - but stays still when I'm still. Going to have to fix that. From the video it seems your alignment and contact is slightly on the toe side of the sweet spot. Maybe it is a camera angle thing. I am looking at this on putting videos now because in videoing my Heppler testing I noticed I was off the sweet spot on my stroke. Quote Modern Bag: G410 LST 10.5*, Hzrdus Smoke RDX 6.5 Flex; 915F 3w, Diamana S+ 70 S flex; Snake Eyes 18* 2h, 23* 4h & 27* 5h; JPX 900 Forged 6 - PW, PX LZ 6.0; Edison 2.0 49*, 53*, 57* KBS Tour 120 S; Heppler Fetch; Ball - MTB-X; Bag - Jones MyGolfSpy Edition! Shot Scope H4, MG600 Rangefinder Classic Bag: Driver - Persimmon; 3w - Speed Slot; 5w - Tour Block; 3 - pw - Dynapower; sw - Ram Tom Watson; putter - bullseye standard or flange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goaliewales14 Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 Great stuff so far everyone! I apologize if I've missed it, but with this being as big as it is, has anyone done the roll up test? I couldn't imagine my wife would allow that to sit in a room 24/7/365. With a lot of putting mats that I've had in the past, you start getting curl up on the ends no matter if you roll it up both ways or not. Also, has anyone notice if imperfections of the surface the BirdieBall mat is sitting on affecting the roll of the ball? Whether that be break, bounce, etc. Quote Driver: Callaway Rogue ST Max 3 Wood: Taylormade SIM 3 Utility Iron: Srixon U85 4i – 5i: Taylormade P790 6i – AW: Taylormade P770 SW: Taylormade MG3 TW Grind LW: Taylormade Hi-Toe 3 Low Bounce Putter: PXG Battle Ready One & Done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txgolfjunkie Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 1 hour ago, goaliewales14 said: Great stuff so far everyone! I apologize if I've missed it, but with this being as big as it is, has anyone done the roll up test? I couldn't imagine my wife would allow that to sit in a room 24/7/365. With a lot of putting mats that I've had in the past, you start getting curl up on the ends no matter if you roll it up both ways or not. Also, has anyone notice if imperfections of the surface the BirdieBall mat is sitting on affecting the roll of the ball? Whether that be break, bounce, etc. As I stated earlier, keep the box. It's a thicker foam that doesn't necessarily roll up into a tidy spiral. It's natural state is to lay flat. It does show footprints for about 15-20 seconds just like a real green. With that being said, I haven't had any problems after I unroll it. By the time you set up the incline, cups, cup liners, bumpers, etc, it's ready to go. The bumpers add some nice weight to it to help it lay flat. I haven't noticed any creases, bumps, random slope to the green after I've unrolled it. I use it for a night, store it for one or two nights and then get it back out for a few hours. It is stored in the garage and the box itself is about the size of what a tour bag might come in. cnosil, goaliewales14 and sirchunksalot 3 Quote Cobra Connect 5 Competitor - Team Chad King Radspeed 10.5* w/ Hzrdus RDX Blue 60 6.5 tipped 1/2" - Peacoat/Red King Radspeed Big Tour 3 Wood w/ Hzrdus RDX Blue 70 6.5 Tipped 1/2" King Radspeed Tour 5 Wood w/ Motore X F1 70 X Flex King Utility 4 21* w/ Tensei Pro White 100 X Flex King Tour MIM Copper Irons 5-G w/ AMT White X100 Onyx King MIM Black Wedges 55* & 60* w/ AMT White X100 Onyx Spider SR Pro V1x Left Dash Lefty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaffleHouseTour Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 1 hour ago, goaliewales14 said: Great stuff so far everyone! I apologize if I've missed it, but with this being as big as it is, has anyone done the roll up test? I couldn't imagine my wife would allow that to sit in a room 24/7/365. With a lot of putting mats that I've had in the past, you start getting curl up on the ends no matter if you roll it up both ways or not. Also, has anyone notice if imperfections of the surface the BirdieBall mat is sitting on affecting the roll of the ball? Whether that be break, bounce, etc. She Who Must Be Obeyed complains that I save empty boxes.. but this is why. As txgolfjunkie said, keep the box to store it in. They recommend storing it with the "fuzzy" or surface side out. That also helps keep it flat and not curl as well I would imagine. The box is about 18 inches across. For the most part I've kept mine laid out; but come winter it will be traveling to my hotel room with me - so I'll share impressions then. To your question about imperfections and the roll- I think it rolls very true. It is funny, the "fuzzy" side - but it feels like when you glide your hand across a real green. Will be experimenting with creating breaks in the future. goaliewales14, sirchunksalot and cnosil 3 Quote Walking ahead of my BagBoy QuadXL w Alphard eWheels Driver: Callaway Mavrik SubZero 9* Neutral w stock Evenflow Riptide R flex shaft 3W Titelist TS2 15* Draw w Tensei Blue R flex 3H, 4H Cobra One Length F9 Speedback hybrids (1”short) w Fujikura Atmos R flex shaft 5I-GW Cobra Forged TEC Black One Length (1”short, 2* flat) KBS 90 R flex shafts 56, 60 Cobra King MIM One Length Black (1” short) KBS HiRev2.0 125 S flex shafts ER7 or Scotty Futura X - 35” OnCore Elixr (lemon or lime) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaffleHouseTour Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 4 hours ago, Shapotomous said: From the video it seems your alignment and contact is slightly on the toe side of the sweet spot. Maybe it is a camera angle thing. I am looking at this on putting videos now because in videoing my Heppler testing I noticed I was off the sweet spot on my stroke. Hmmmm.... could be... I moved the tutor over toward the middle and made sure I had the iPhone camera directly behind the ball looking down the line. Got this screen grab right after impact. Looks to me like the alignment lines are aligned. But one always has to be sure - so I appreciate the suggestions. If you see something I don't, please share. I typically alternate between two putters, so I'll need to check my Heavy Scotty as well. I do notice I'm a little toe up - but I'm not sure that is hurting anything. sirchunksalot 1 Quote Walking ahead of my BagBoy QuadXL w Alphard eWheels Driver: Callaway Mavrik SubZero 9* Neutral w stock Evenflow Riptide R flex shaft 3W Titelist TS2 15* Draw w Tensei Blue R flex 3H, 4H Cobra One Length F9 Speedback hybrids (1”short) w Fujikura Atmos R flex shaft 5I-GW Cobra Forged TEC Black One Length (1”short, 2* flat) KBS 90 R flex shafts 56, 60 Cobra King MIM One Length Black (1” short) KBS HiRev2.0 125 S flex shafts ER7 or Scotty Futura X - 35” OnCore Elixr (lemon or lime) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shapotomous Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 2 hours ago, WaffleHouseTour said: Hmmmm.... could be... I moved the tutor over toward the middle and made sure I had the iPhone camera directly behind the ball looking down the line. Got this screen grab right after impact. Looks to me like the alignment lines are aligned. But one always has to be sure - so I appreciate the suggestions. If you see something I don't, please share. I typically alternate between two putters, so I'll need to check my Heavy Scotty as well. I do notice I'm a little toe up - but I'm not sure that is hurting anything. It's hard to tell alignment from a camera for sure. To me those strokes look pure and the putts on line. I've been paying special attention to alignment and impact at the sweetspot during my testing and drills and then reviewing what it looks like on video. If the camera is off center a little it messes it up. Also using a gopro like I am it has a sort of fish eye effect too. sirchunksalot 1 Quote Modern Bag: G410 LST 10.5*, Hzrdus Smoke RDX 6.5 Flex; 915F 3w, Diamana S+ 70 S flex; Snake Eyes 18* 2h, 23* 4h & 27* 5h; JPX 900 Forged 6 - PW, PX LZ 6.0; Edison 2.0 49*, 53*, 57* KBS Tour 120 S; Heppler Fetch; Ball - MTB-X; Bag - Jones MyGolfSpy Edition! Shot Scope H4, MG600 Rangefinder Classic Bag: Driver - Persimmon; 3w - Speed Slot; 5w - Tour Block; 3 - pw - Dynapower; sw - Ram Tom Watson; putter - bullseye standard or flange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaffleHouseTour Posted October 18, 2020 Share Posted October 18, 2020 This weekends practice: removed the ramp to practice shorter and flatter putts. Want to be sure I’m not always trying to make 17 footers. Added some side break by sliding a magazine around underneath. I’ll say this, the size does allow you to try lots of different angles, and putting diagonal across it. Removing those distance indicators let’s you try to roll some in from the side. Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy sirchunksalot and Shapotomous 2 Quote Walking ahead of my BagBoy QuadXL w Alphard eWheels Driver: Callaway Mavrik SubZero 9* Neutral w stock Evenflow Riptide R flex shaft 3W Titelist TS2 15* Draw w Tensei Blue R flex 3H, 4H Cobra One Length F9 Speedback hybrids (1”short) w Fujikura Atmos R flex shaft 5I-GW Cobra Forged TEC Black One Length (1”short, 2* flat) KBS 90 R flex shafts 56, 60 Cobra King MIM One Length Black (1” short) KBS HiRev2.0 125 S flex shafts ER7 or Scotty Futura X - 35” OnCore Elixr (lemon or lime) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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