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Review: Navigator by Dirty Larry Golf

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Pros: The Navigator offers immediate feedback on alignment. It’s compact, lightweight and attaches directly to any putter. At $60, it’s cheaper than most lessons and new putters.

Cons: Users must be careful not to bend the lightweight aluminum aiming arms.

Who’s it for: Golfers looking to aim their putter down the target line on a more consistent basis. It’s great for the putting green or the carpet at home.

The Review

It is said that a golfer’s putting stroke is as unique as their fingerprint. So while it’s true that most strokes can be classified into a few general categories (strong arc, slight arc, straight back/straight through), every golfer moves their putter from Point A to Point B a different way. This is where the Navigator looks to find its place, maximizing a golfer’s aim and accuracy on the green regardless of their stroke type or the putter they use.

There’s also a great back story about the development of the product, which you can read about here.

Here’s the company’s boastful video on how the Navigator works.

Designed to improve a golfer’s aim in 5 minutes or less, the Navigator succeeds, at least for myself, where many other training aids do not. The positive effects begin to take effect immediately, as promised.

In order to test the claims that the Navigator can improve a golfer’s stroke in 5 minutes, I set out to gather the data to prove, or disprove that statement. I used SAM Puttlab to test my aim and direction before and after using the Navigator. The putter used to gather the data was a Cleveland Classic 2, 35 inches long, with a 71 degree lie angle and 3 degrees of loft.

Before using the Navigator, my aim on average was 2.5 degrees open to my target. My variance ranged from 1.17 degrees open to as much as 3.43 degrees open, a difference of 2.26 degrees. While those numbers don’t initially sound too high, they’re not very good.

On a straight 10-foot putt, a ball that starts on a line that’s 2.4 degrees open to the target will miss the hole on the right by 4.63 inches. As a reference, the diameter of the hole is only 4.25 inches. That means the putt will be missed by more than one cup to the right.

aim before (2)

After using the Navigator, my aim was 0.1 degrees closed to my target on average, an an improvement of 2.6 degrees. My variance was -0.63 degrees closed to 0.28 degrees open, a total difference of 0.91 degrees. That was an improvement of 1.35 degrees.

aim after (2)

If you look at the two bars on the right side of the charts, you can see that my aim initially was in the 58th percentile while my consistency, or how close I was to aiming the same way each time, was in the 59th percentile.

After using the Navigator, my aim improved to the 95th percentile and my consistency improved to the 94th percentile.

A second effect that the Navigator had, above and beyond my aim, was on my club face alignment at impact. Before using the Navigator, my putter face was on average 0.8 degrees open at impact and my variance was -0.18 degrees closed to 1.92 degrees open, a total difference of 2.1 degrees. These numbers put me in the 71st percentile while my consistency was only in the 58th.

direction before (2)

After spending five minutes with the Navigator, my club face angle at impact, on average, was completely square and my range in club face angle was -0.46 degrees closed to 0.76 degrees open, a difference of 1.22 degrees. In this case, my face angle improved to the 88th percentile, and my consistency improved to the 91st percentile.

direction after (2)

The Takeaway

Dave Nastalski - IMG_9271

The Navigator produces immediate results, and at $60 it won’t break the bank. Its ready-to-use design allows golfers to go from setup to practice in just a few seconds, which sets it apart from its larger and more complicated counterparts.

In my experience, golfers are always more likely to use a training aid they can covertly slip in their bag. It’ll be there when they want it, and if their results are anything like mine they’ll want to practice with it a lot.

[wrx_buy_now oemlink=”https://www.dirtylarrygolf.com/” oemtext=”Learn more from Dirty Larry Golf” amazonlink=”http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UC3X83G/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00UC3X83G&linkCode=as2&tag=golfwrxcom-20&linkId=EZQF64YLGACSIOY4″]

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32 Comments

32 Comments

  1. Jay

    Mar 8, 2016 at 9:50 am

    Had mine for about a month and very pleased – high quality and easy to use. Can definitely see a difference in the 3-6 footers on the course

  2. Hanz Freidleberg

    Jan 12, 2016 at 6:15 pm

    I have used the Navigator during the last 6 months and it has definitely helped me reduce the amount of putting strokes when I play. I am sports neuroscientist and can vouch for The Puttlab Test.
    To keep things simple it is an innovative and very suitable ultra sound technology which is an effective tool to use to measure all aspects of a putting stroke with high precision and encourages successful motor learning and high repeatability that is seen on tour. There is definite value in the Test for multi disciplinary research in the science and psychology of putting. One of my colleagues mentioned it was even used to show results of a series of putts done on a putting robot (
    Dave Pelz’s “Perfy”).

    The Navigator is an extremely well thought out design aid for technical putters like myself.

    Congratulations on this product–it’s a winner.

  3. John Carpenter

    Jan 6, 2016 at 7:56 am

    Train Your Aim is the easiest and simplest way to help your putter face alignment. I have tried both Dirty Larry and Train Your Aim and they both work well….but TYA is much cheaper, weighs next to nothing, so not affecting your putter weight or stroke and can be kept in your pocket or bag. TYA is good for checking face alignment on all clubs.

  4. Jonathan

    Jan 6, 2016 at 1:04 am

    Tip for yall – just bought the Navigator on dirtylarrygolf.com for $49.95 using the code ONETIME and they shipped it for free.

  5. JOAN

    Jan 5, 2016 at 5:28 pm

    Sorry but 59.99 is wayyyyy overpriced. Ill go with the Putter Pointer. Theirs is made in the U.S.A also and its half the price. The navigators colors are tacky also and its to big for my taste.

  6. P3

    Jan 5, 2016 at 3:52 pm

    Looked at their website. They wanted 107 us for shipping to Sweden :-0. That must be one heavy training aid….

    • Dave

      Jan 5, 2016 at 5:37 pm

      Hi P3,

      Dave here with DLG. We offer a flat rate of $15 USD for all international shipments. The Navigator itself weighs 1.2 oz, and in the shipping box just under 8 oz total. Sorry for any confusion! If you have any questions or trouble feel free to shoot me a direct message.

      [email protected]

  7. Joel

    Jan 5, 2016 at 12:47 pm

    What does this do that the line on the ball can not?

    • Dave

      Jan 8, 2016 at 3:25 pm

      Hi Joel,

      The line on the ball acts as a sight, though not as pronounced as the Navigator. The real training comes from the alignment rods and what they do to increase visual awareness and acuity. We built the Navigator to train your eyes, and not to force any huge stroke changes. The benefits received from continued use will build confidence and improve your ability to aim the putter face where you want to, and return it to square at impact as noted by the SAM PuttLab study referenced above. If you can do that, you’re going to make a lot more putts.

      Let me know if I can answer any other questions!

      -Dave
      [email protected]

  8. Joe

    Jan 5, 2016 at 11:39 am

    Putter Pointer is half the cost and built way better.
    http://www.theputterpointer.com

    • Don

      Jan 5, 2016 at 12:30 pm

      The Putter Pointer completely ripped off Dirty Larry Golf. Try the Navigator, it’s the ORIGINAL.

    • Carol

      Jan 5, 2016 at 4:32 pm

      Joe I took a look at your putter pointer and with the promo code discounts that Dirty Larry Golf has when you buy direct from them it’s about the same price by the time you apply your shipping fees. Plus the navigator is made in USA. I trust that level of quality!

  9. gregg

    Jan 5, 2016 at 10:00 am

    I have used Navigator and it has definitely created a sense of how square my putter is at impact. Several leading instructors in the world have also found it to be very effective as a tool to help their students–Tour pro’s and the average player.

    For all of you people who have bashed the product and have not used it as a training aid just keep 3 putting.

    • Dave

      Jan 8, 2016 at 3:40 pm

      Hi Gregg,

      Thanks for the comments! We’re glad to hear the Navigator has helped your putting and look forward to hearing more of your success stories with the game!

      If I can help you in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

      -Dave
      [email protected]

  10. Richard

    Jan 4, 2016 at 1:52 pm

    The line on the putter does not extend far enough to do what the Navigator does as is evidenced by the results the writer of the review had. I bought one and it does what they say it does. After practicing with it, the benefits stay with you because it trained my eye to finally know what it looks like when the club face is square to the ball. Another benefit of having the aiming rod extend outward by about 6 inches, it shows you flaws in your stroke. I love this thing!!!!

  11. Will

    Jan 4, 2016 at 12:45 pm

    never mind, sorry

  12. Will

    Jan 4, 2016 at 12:44 pm

    What device or equipment did you use to compile the face angle data?

    • Dylan

      Jan 12, 2016 at 9:22 am

      ” I used SAM Puttlab to test my aim and direction before and after using the Navigator.”

      Hope that helps

      • Stanley

        Feb 9, 2016 at 9:31 pm

        Do you think the improvement came from practicing with the Navigator or simply making the adjustment after seeing the “before-Navigator” SAM Puttlab results and realizing that your clubface had been aligned way open?

  13. ron

    Jan 4, 2016 at 10:37 am

    Maybe I’m missing something (not trying to be facetious), but cant this lesson be thought by having a putter with a long alignment line? Say, like a Ping Ketsch? Then you can take your “alignment aid” along with you during your round.

    • Jack

      Jan 5, 2016 at 3:52 am

      exactly what I was thinking. I can see that line quite well with my putter.

    • Dave

      Jan 8, 2016 at 3:32 pm

      Hi Ron,

      The Navigator serves as a forward pointing sight in contrast to the native aiming lines of the putter head which are only ever found behind the face. We’ve found with our own testing, and subsequent SAM PuttLab testing, that having a pronounced forward pointing aiming rod improves the skill of starting the ball over a “spot” on your line. Some of the best putters in the world use spot putting — as trained by Dave Stockton, world renowned putting expert. Feel free to reference the following video for a little more info: https://vimeo.com/143163894

      Let me know if I can answer any other questions!

      -Dave
      [email protected]

  14. Desmond

    Jan 4, 2016 at 9:04 am

    I would think the benefits go out the door unless you use it before each round. I’d rather go for the holistic treatment and just aim where I think I’m aiming from the get-go, and buy a putter with which I am straight.

  15. Chuck D

    Jan 3, 2016 at 10:07 pm

    Golf God’s help us! This looks like a Flamingo’s prosthetic device! Please stop the nonsense!

  16. west

    Jan 3, 2016 at 7:32 pm

    I thought that alignment aid on the putter itself was enough for most?

    • Desmond

      Jan 4, 2016 at 2:51 pm

      Depends on what your brain-eye coordinate the shape of the putterhead, hosel/offset and sight lines

  17. Jeff

    Jan 3, 2016 at 7:06 pm

    I bought a few of these on their site as Christmas gifts after seeing them on ESPN (on sale for under 50 bucks + free shipping) and was super impressed by these guys. The packaging is awesome and the product really works. @Courtney, I considered TYA, but that thing looks like it comes out of a gumball machine. It also doesn’t have the adjustability factor that the Navigator does.

  18. Mat

    Jan 3, 2016 at 6:47 pm

    Stupid question, but what makes this illegal for in-game play exactly?

  19. Courtney

    Jan 3, 2016 at 6:08 pm

    Definitely slicker looking than the Train Your Aim, but come on…$60 plus shipping ? Train Your Aim is $10 plus shipping and there are no touchy aluminum pieces to keep straight. (not trying to Bogart the product and I don’t work for TYA – but $50 is significant)

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Accessory Reviews

Insider photos from Tiger Woods’ launch event for his new “Sun Day Red” apparel line

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On Monday evening, inside the swanky, second-story “Coach House” event center in the Palisades Village, just minutes down the road from the 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, Tiger Woods and TaylorMade officially announced their new apparel/footwear/accessory line, called “Sun Day Red.”

The Sun Day Red website officially launched on Monday night during the event, and the products are set to go on sale starting May 1.

The “Sun Day Red,” or “SDR” name will be self-explanatory for most golf fans, since he’s been wearing a victory-red shirt on Sunday’s for his entire professional career, but Woods explained the meaning of Sun Day Red at the launch event:

“It started with mom. Mom thought – being a Capricorn – that my power color was red, so I wore red as a junior golfer and I won some tournaments. Lo and behold, I go to a university that is red; Stanford is red. We wore red on the final day of every single tournament, and then every single tournament I’ve played as a professional I’ve worn red. It’s just become synonymous with me.”

The Sunday Red outfit has worked to perfection for his 82 PGA Tour victories, including 15 majors, so why not make an entire apparel line based on the career-long superstition?

As I learned at Monday’s launch event, the new Sun Day Red line includes much more than just clothing. To go along with a slew of different golf shirt designs and colorways, there were also windbreakers, hoodies, shoes, hats, headcovers, ball markers and gloves on display.

The upscale event was hosted by sports media personality Erin Andrews, with special guests David Abeles (CEO of TaylorMade) and Tiger Woods himself.

As explained by Abeles, the Sun Day Red brand is an independently-run business under the TaylorMade umbrella, and is based in San Clemente, California (rather than Carlsbad, where TaylorMade headquarters is located), and it’s run by a newly-formed, independent group. Brad Blackinship, formerly of Quiksilver and RVCA, is the appointed president of the new brand.

As for the logo itself, obviously, it’s made to look like a Tiger (the animal), and is comprised of 15 tiger stripes, which correspond with Woods’ 15 major championships. While the logo may need a 16th stripe if Woods adds a major trophy to his collection, it makes perfect sense for the time being.

The golf/lifestyle line is meant to combine premium precision and athletic comfort, while still having plenty of wearability and style off the course. Like Woods said on stage at the event, he wants to be able to go right from the course to dinner wearing Sun Day Red, and that was exactly the aesthetic on display at the event on Monday.

Following the official announcement from Woods and Abeles, they revealed multiple pieces of clothing, accessories and footwear for the event-goers to ogle (and photograph). Check out a selection of product/event photos below, or head over to our @GolfWRX Instagram page for video coverage…OR, head into our GolfWRX Forums for even more photos and member discussion.

Enjoy this exclusive look at Tiger Woods’ new Sun Day Red apparel lineup below.

See more photos from the Sun Day Red launch event here

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Accessory Reviews

GolfWRX Spotlight: Motocaddy M7 Remote and M5 GPS DHC electric cart review

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I have been thinking about electric golf push carts, or trollies, ever since I started playing in my league seven years ago.

Motocaddy has been making high-quality electric, and non-electric, carts since 2004 and has a couple of great options for the golfer who loves to walk. Motocaddy was nice enough to get their M7 Remote and M5 GPS DHC in my hands to try out on the course for a few weeks.

I have had a lot of people stop me to ask about the carts, and the one thing I keep telling them is that these carts are just flat out fun to use on the course.

Motocaddy M7 Remote

The M7 Remote was very easy to get set up right out of the box. All you have to do is charge the battery, install the wheels, and you are pretty much ready to go. The M7 folds up pretty small, just a little larger than the 3-wheel pushcart that I had been using for years. Getting it to the course should be no problem with just about any trunk space. Now, the one downside to an electric cart is the weight when moving it around, and both carts come in at around 35 pounds each. Even with that extra weight, I didn’t have much trouble lifting them in and out of the back of a pickup.

The M7 unfolds quickly with the flick of two levers and extends the front wheels automatically. Once unfolded, you drop in the battery, plug it in, and secure your bag. If you own a Motocaddy bag, they have developed a really nice system called EasiLock that involves two metal studs that fit into the bottom of the cart. This system also includes a molded base that prevents the bag from rotating at all, even on the roughest terrain. You can still use the M7 with almost any other golf bag as it includes elastic straps that wrap around the top and bottom of the bag.

As soon as you plug in the battery the LCD screen comes to life and you are ready to go. You can use the M7 without the remote by using the dial on the handle to control the starting, stopping, and speed. But the M7 has a remote that is activated by a simple press of the power button to get going. The remote is very simple with just five buttons to control where the M7 goes.

Getting a feel for the M7 takes no time at all and by the time you drive it from your car to the 1st tee you will be in complete, and confident, control of the cart. You simply press the “+” button to start moving forward and the cart takes off gently without any rattling of your clubs, and you can press that same button again to increase the speed. The cart will go from a slow crawl, for bumpy or tight areas, too, as fast as I could run with just a few presses of the button. The big red “stop” button in the center stops the cart immediately, and when stopped it is locked in place, even on steep hills. You don’t have to worry about remembering to set the brakes or anything because it is done automatically.

Steering is just as easy: simply press the right or left button to turn the cart. Small, quick presses will just slightly adjust the cart as it moves down the fairway while a long hold of the button can make it turn on a dime to the right or left.

Almost everyone asked me how stable the cart was and if it would tip over. I can proudly say that it has stayed upright even on some unseen bumps at maximum speed. Side hills, ruts, and even curbs are handled with ease with the help of the small rear wheel.

I really enjoy strolling down the fairway with nothing but the M7’s remote in my hand — it just makes golfing more fun!

Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC

After using the M7 and its fancy remote, I was a little nervous that I wouldn’t like not having it. But to be honest the M5 was just as fun to use, but for a different reason.

As the name suggests, the M5 has a built-in GPS with 40,000 courses preloaded into it. The screen is a good size, pretty responsive to the touch, and easy to read in direct sunlight. Having the GPS directly on the cart is great, you drive up to your ball and immediately have yardage to the front, back, and center of the green as well as bunkers and hazards. You can easily toggle between screens on the GPS and it offers a couple of different views to help navigate the hole. The M5 can also keep score and let you know shot distances right on the screen. Motocaddy even includes nice little touches like a screen protecter kit to ensure durability.

Driving the M5 is just as easy as the M7 with using the dial on the handle. And speaking of the handle, the grips have a great tacky rubber that grips well even in hot and humid conditions. To start the M5 you just press the dial down and the cart will gently start down the fairway. You can turn the dial to increase or decrease the speed — I found between 5-6 to be the most comfortable for me. But the speed can go up to a very fast pace if you are looking to set a record for fastest round of the day.

As you walk down the fairway, or rough, stopping the cart is as simple as pressing he dial again. When stopped the M5 engages a parking brake automatically so you don’t have to worry about it running down a hill without your approval. The M5 has tons of power to go up just about any hill and the Down Hill Control (DHC) keeps the speed consistent even when going down a steep decent.

Since the M5 has so much power, and it is a little heavy, I thought steering would be a little bit of a challenge. It wasn’t, at all. Guiding the M5 took very little effort and slight adjustments going down the fairway were very easy. Really tight turns took a slight bit more effort as the torque can want to go forward a little more than turn. Again, once you get the M5 from the car to the first tee, you will be a master at driving it.

Overall, Motocaddy has created two great carts that provide additional enjoyment to walking your favorite 9 or 18. Having the ability to walk without carrying or pushing your bag, clubs, and whatever else goes with you. I like them so much that it is going to be hard to get the M7’s remote out of my hands when I go play!

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Accessory Reviews

GolfWRX Spotlight: Crossrope weighted jump rope & app

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An 18-hole round of golf averages out to just under five miles of walking, which on its own is a good workout. Once you throw in some potential uphill trekking you get some serious cardio too, but if you all looking for a quick workout between rounds of golf look no further than Crossrope.

Crossrope – The details

Crossrope is a system of the weighted jump rope that allows you to quickly switch the weight of the ropes you are using to boost your workout—they range from 1/4 lbs all the way up to 2 lbs depending on the kit you start out with. There is an accompanying app that helps you go through multiple workout routines and is available free, or you can upgrade to the entire library of workout routines along with more workout tracking options.

This is NOT your middle school jump rope

The handles are heavy duty and feature precision bearings to allow the rope to move smoothly around as you go through a routine. They are also ergonomic and fit into your hand naturally, which making gripping easy, something that is really nice when you’re swinging a 2 lbs coated steel cable around. The handles also come with a fast clip system to make changing cables depending on your selected workout easier too.

The ropes themselves are made from braided steel and are almost impossible to tangle, allowing them to be easily transported and stored when not in use. All in you are getting a premium piece of workout equipment that is effective and easy to store—hard to same the same thing about a treadmill.

When it comes to a workout, skipping rope is one of the most effective cardio workouts you can do, and with Crossrope, you can get both cardio and low impact weight training when using the heaviest ropes, and follow along with the guided workouts.

As someone that hadn’t used a jump rope in over a decade, starting out lighter was a nice way to ease in before moving up, and I was pleasantly surprised how easy and fun some of the workouts in the app were. If you are looking for a fun way to add something to your workouts, or you just want to try something new to get you into golf course walking shape, this could be right up your alley. To learn more check out crossrope.com

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