Equipment
Q&A: Dirty Larry Golf, makers of the Navigator
As golfers, we’re always looking for the next best training aid or piece of equipment that’s going to take our games to the next level. And a new training aid that’s promising quick results is the Navigator by Dirty Larry Golf, a putting aid made to improve putter face aim.
After testing the putting aid in our review, the company may be onto something. The Navigator helped reviewer Ross Durren drastically improve his putting and aim within just five minutes.
Related: GolfWRX’s full review of the Navigator
Recently, Durren had the opportunity to speak with co-founder and co-creator of the Navigator, Dave Nastalski, to hear more about the company and its product.
The Interview
Ross Durren (RD): Tell me about the origin of the company’s name?
Dave (Nastalski) (DN): Larry, my business partner, got his nickname at the local track by hustling myself and other college kids out on the golf course. He was 65 when I met him. I was a 19-year-old freshman at NC State, and I played to a +1. I lost $55 to him the first time we played. He didn’t hit it a long ways off the tee, but he made everything with the flat stick. Eventually, someone hung a sign in the pro shop with his picture attached that said, “Don’t play with this guy. He’s dirty, and he’ll take all your money.” When the company was formed in 2013, we felt it fitting to name it in his honor since the idea was born from his putting prowess.
RD: When and how did you get the idea for the Navigator?
DN: Dirty Larry doesn’t have the prettiest putting stroke in the world. In fact, he cuts across it like Billy Mayfair. But like Billy, he knows what’s important when it comes to getting the ball in the hole. That starts with face angle. Larry wanted to give golfers an easy way to tap into what he knew about putting. And the Navigator was born. It shows you where you’re aimed and trains your eyes to start the ball on line, regardless of what your stroke looks like.
RD: Why a putting aid?
DN: Because it’s the fastest way for any golfer to improve his or her score. We know it’s not as glamorous as hitting the long ball, but if more golfers would spend some time on the putting green, the national handicap average would plummet. We’re trying to spread the word and get that message out there. We built a simple and fun device to help golfers make more putts, and ultimately enjoy this game more.
RD: How long did it take to develop the first prototype? The final product?
DN: We started about three years ago with initial prototyping that included sandwich bag clips and pipe cleaners. From there, it took nine full scale revisions on 3D printers before we had the features and design exactly how we wanted it. We built an instrument that is high functioning and very detailed. We’re not talking about some cheap piece of plastic.
RD: How is the Navigator different from the other putting aids on the market?
DN: Simplicity is key. A lot of other putting aids on the market require a doctorate just to get it on our putter or get the station set up. Either that, or they use lasers that have expensive batteries and a lot of times don’t train the correct motor memory process. We’ve found that with the Navigator’s alignment rods, you focus more on starting the ball on line and not where a laser might be pointing down at the hole. Thus, the skill retention is better. We built a device that makes your training easy, portable, and instantly effective. “No Laser, No Batteries, No Hassle.”
RD: In as few words as possible tell me why golfers need the Navigator.
DN: Most golfers have no idea where they are actually aimed. Spend five minutes with the Navigator, and you’ll know immediately why you’re missing putts you should be making.
RD: Where can our readers go to buy the Navigator?
DN: We sell direct from our website. To learn more about the product, please visit our product page.
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Whats in the Bag
Russell Henley WITB 2024 (March)
- Russell Henley WITB accurate as of the Cognizant Classic.
Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX
3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT Hybrid 100 TX
Irons: Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 50-08F @51, 54-10S, @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron T5 Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
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Whats in the Bag
Vince Carter WITB 2024 (March)
- The NBA legend was teeing it up in the Arnold Palmer Invitational Pro-Am.
Driver: Ping G430 Max 10K (9 degrees)
3-wood: Ping G430 Max (15 degrees)
7-wood: Ping G430 Max (21 degrees)
Irons: Ping i230 (4-PW)
Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 (50, 54, 58)
Putter: Ping
Ball: Renegade Mbu
Check out more photos of Vince Carter’s WITB here.
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Equipment
From the Forums: I need more forgiveness in my irons – Looking for recommendations
In our forums, our members have been discussing the most forgiving irons currently on the market. WRXer ‘TheShark1’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons, saying:
“Currently gaming the Mizuno Pro 225’s but think I need more forgiveness in my irons. My well struck shots are real nice, but my mishits are not performing as good as I had hoped anymore. I really like hollow body irons so if I could find something more forgiving in a hollow body iron that would be great.
Open to any and all recommendations other than Ping. Can’t hit Ping irons at all.”
And our members have been sharing their best suggestions in our forum.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- AvidSwampThing66: “Another vote for the super forgiving and fast Paradym irons. They look really good for being a GI iron.”
- bobfoster: “I just went from MP20 MMCs to the new 245s in my scoring irons (just played my first round with them today). If you have a chance to try them, you might find them worth a serious look.”
- vman: “Shoot me down, but spend the money on lessons.”
- J_Tizzle: “i525s are great off the heel in my opinion.”
Entire Thread: “From the Forums: I need more forgiveness in my irons – Looking for recommendations”
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Jay
Feb 17, 2016 at 10:10 am
Have three of them on the way for me and some friends. Will let you all know what we think. Just beware their shipping cost – had a coupon for free shipping, but any type of expedited shipping was ridiculous. Wanted $150 to overnight it from NC to TN – thats more than we paid for the product
Jay
Feb 21, 2016 at 4:21 pm
Well – this thing is incredible – best putting aid I’ve ever used – easy on/off and immediate results.
James Smith
Feb 10, 2016 at 6:18 pm
Yo, you need to get this thing. It’s improved my putting so much, of course I was terrible and had no idea where I was actually was aiming the putter. In addition, there was a problem with my alignment rods, and I emailed them and they shipped me new rods to the Netherlands the next day. I got a personal hand written note from Dave. This is first class service in my opinion and highly appreciated by me. Who else would do this? Get this thing already.