Precision Putting Trainer
Average Golfer Equipment Review
Average Golfer Equipment Review
Who wouldn't like to sha
ve strokes off their game with improved putting? Couple that with the convenience of practicing on your living room carpet and there you have it. After all, it's difficult to take full swings with a driver in one's domicile. Putting Technologies says they can fix key areas of our putting game with their Precision Putting Trainer and your very own Average Golfer put their claims to the test.
First, the Precision Putting Trainer came in a well designed tidy package and was easy to install on my Scotty Cameron Newport. Clip on, clip off, no marks left on "Ole Reliable". I would predict that it would adapt to any putter that's legal. The company claims it assists you in 8 key areas that affect the putting stroke. Let's examine them and see how the Precision Putting Trainer stacked up.......
Eye Alignment - The trainer is set up like a rifle sight with the cross hairs appearing over your club head and the ball. Red lines appear on the sides of the device when your eyes are directly over the ball. It works and helps if you're of the theory that your eyes should be directly over the ball at address.
Stroke Smoothness - There's a hanging alignment blade attached to the aiming device. It's sort of a level to gauge whether your stroke remains smooth throughout. It works. In fact I found it to be the most helpful of the trainer's multiple uses.
Level Club Head - Again, another take on the cross hair theory. It works if that's how you want your putter soled.
Straight Through Stroke - This is a suggestion to use the trainer's alignment bar to follow a line on the putting surface in order to groove a repeatable stroke. This works, but is similar to the common string drill and doesn't take into consideration the putting theory where the putter travels on an arc like a regular golf swing. It's for straight back and straight through advocates only.
Steady Wrists - I had trouble understanding the idea behind this. I would expect most players could tell if they maintained steady wrists during a putting stroke anyway.
Target Alignment - The 90 deg. cross hairs are very helpful in seeing your intended line before making the stroke.
Steady Head - This goes back to the two red lines that appear when your head/eyes are centered over the ball. If you can complete a stroke while maintaining sight of the red lines, your head was steady. It works.
Sweet Spot Contact - Many golfers don't realize the importance of striking the ball on the sweet spot. Again, the alignment bar on the trainer is visible and if you see it dissect the middle of the ball through the swing, it must be the sweet spot. This works as advertised.
Conclusions....
The enclosed set up guide and manual is useless. The website however, www.puttingTechnologies.com, is packed with great graphics and video that enhance the trainer and are in many ways a decent putting lesson in their own right. Ditch the manual and head straight to the website. The trainer itself is very helpful as an alignment aid and assisting in making a smooth stroke, both major keys in sinking more putts. Some of the claims were redundant, but that doesn't take away from the basics of the device. It's a solid practice aid that's easy to carry and use and will translate to fewer putts in your future rounds. It earns Average Golfer recommended.
*The Precision Putting Trainer was supplied to Average Golfer for evaluation purposes. This had no bearing on my review evidenced by the fact that I've since given it away to a terrible putter so it can accomplish the most good.
ve strokes off their game with improved putting? Couple that with the convenience of practicing on your living room carpet and there you have it. After all, it's difficult to take full swings with a driver in one's domicile. Putting Technologies says they can fix key areas of our putting game with their Precision Putting Trainer and your very own Average Golfer put their claims to the test.First, the Precision Putting Trainer came in a well designed tidy package and was easy to install on my Scotty Cameron Newport. Clip on, clip off, no marks left on "Ole Reliable". I would predict that it would adapt to any putter that's legal. The company claims it assists you in 8 key areas that affect the putting stroke. Let's examine them and see how the Precision Putting Trainer stacked up.......
Eye Alignment - The trainer is set up like a rifle sight with the cross hairs appearing over your club head and the ball. Red lines appear on the sides of the device when your eyes are directly over the ball. It works and helps if you're of the theory that your eyes should be directly over the ball at address.
Stroke Smoothness - There's a hanging alignment blade attached to the aiming device. It's sort of a level to gauge whether your stroke remains smooth throughout. It works. In fact I found it to be the most helpful of the trainer's multiple uses.
Level Club Head - Again, another take on the cross hair theory. It works if that's how you want your putter soled.
Straight Through Stroke - This is a suggestion to use the trainer's alignment bar to follow a line on the putting surface in order to groove a repeatable stroke. This works, but is similar to the common string drill and doesn't take into consideration the putting theory where the putter travels on an arc like a regular golf swing. It's for straight back and straight through advocates only.
Steady Wrists - I had trouble understanding the idea behind this. I would expect most players could tell if they maintained steady wrists during a putting stroke anyway.
Target Alignment - The 90 deg. cross hairs are very helpful in seeing your intended line before making the stroke.
Steady Head - This goes back to the two red lines that appear when your head/eyes are centered over the ball. If you can complete a stroke while maintaining sight of the red lines, your head was steady. It works.
Sweet Spot Contact - Many golfers don't realize the importance of striking the ball on the sweet spot. Again, the alignment bar on the trainer is visible and if you see it dissect the middle of the ball through the swing, it must be the sweet spot. This works as advertised.
Conclusions....
The enclosed set up guide and manual is useless. The website however, www.puttingTechnologies.com, is packed with great graphics and video that enhance the trainer and are in many ways a decent putting lesson in their own right. Ditch the manual and head straight to the website. The trainer itself is very helpful as an alignment aid and assisting in making a smooth stroke, both major keys in sinking more putts. Some of the claims were redundant, but that doesn't take away from the basics of the device. It's a solid practice aid that's easy to carry and use and will translate to fewer putts in your future rounds. It earns Average Golfer recommended.
*The Precision Putting Trainer was supplied to Average Golfer for evaluation purposes. This had no bearing on my review evidenced by the fact that I've since given it away to a terrible putter so it can accomplish the most good.
Thats a really good idea!
ReplyDeleteCheers, Jon