Equipment
Hole More Putts aims to bring putting analysis to more golfers
What exactly is Hole More Putts, and how can it help you to do just that… hole more putts?
Well, in short, Hole More Putts is a tool that measures a golfer’s face angle, impact point, speed, path, and angle of attack with the putter and provides recommendations on how to improve his/her stroke.
We spoke with Robert Slade-Baker, Product and Marketing Director for the company.
GolfWRX: Where does Hole More Putts fit in the ecosystem of existing putt analysis tools and software?
Slade-Baker: I would like to start off by pointing out that I will never try and discredit another product. There are a lot of great products out in the market with some fantastic data.
When we started with HMP (Hole More Putts) we were purely focused at the “golfer.” We wanted to provide the golfer with a meaningful tool, that would provide all the relevant feedback that a golfer needs in a manner which is usable. A lot of tools out there focus on data, data, data and forget that everybody that uses the equipment is not necessarily a highly qualified golf professional.
We also wanted to create a “complete-solution” that was not just providing data, but also providing a meaningful diagnosis and analysis of that data, followed by practical video tips and drills to focus on the areas identified through the analysis. Through many years of research, looking at lots of systems out there, we looked at all systems, asked hundreds of people what the perceived faults were with systems and then tried to improve on those. The reality is from a “golfer” perspective, Quintic and SAM Puttlab don’t even come in to the equation, they start at $5k+. So consequently consumers have never really had access to good/relevant putting data at a reasonable price.
GolfWRX: Who is the product aimed at?
Slade-Baker: We believe we have four key markets.
Golfer: The ‘Active Improver’ this is at all handicap levels, whether you are a beginner trying to just understand the dynamics of putting or looking for some marginal gains as an elite player, this product will work well at all levels. Each type of player can take out from the system what they need to improve, whether they want to identify faults in the putting stroke or use it as an effective putting practice tool.
Teaching Professionals: After our first visit to the PGA Show in 2017 and then subsequently in 2018, we were absolutely astonished with the feedback and interest received from golf professionals towards our product(s), the ‘Putting Lesson’ market is desperate for access to relevant putting data at an affordable price, which we provide at a fraction compared to the more expensive systems out there. What’s more when designing our product we listened to both golfers and professionals and asked what they wanted from a system. Hence our unit is completely portable and wireless, usable indoors and out, requires no shaft attachments and takes mere seconds to switch on and start putting.
Colleges/Universities: This is a combo of one and two. Our product is currently being used by a number of colleges/universities and the coaches of a number of international amateur golf teams. The ‘Coaching Subscription’ allows a coach / team manager to manage multiple student profiles, with that their individual diagnosis & analysis. Each student player can be monitored by the college/university or national coach but therein also lies the ability for the player to share the data with his or her own personal golf coach back home, so hence a fairly flexible system when it comes to sharing data around with the necessary people.
Putter Fitting: This is our most recent venture. Ever since we first launched HMP, we were constantly asked as to whether HMP could be used for putter fitting. We went away and took a huge amount of feedback from golf professionals and retailers all over the world, not just whether they would be interested in the product, but what the product needs to do. Many professionals/retailers have tried to create a ‘Fitting Process’ from the tools that are out there, but the same concurring theme appeared time and time again: Current options are to complex, for both fitter and customer. The process takes too long, from pre-setup, calibration and then the process of the actual fitting itself. Finally, return on investment, the overwhelming majority of fitters cannot justify the equipment cost as well as the human/time cost.
Our aim was to provide a fitting solution that was easy to understand for both the fitter and golfer, could be completed in as little as 15 minutes, but flexible enough for the fitter who wanted to extend that out to an hour.
When it comes to both coaching and fitting, we have had lots of pros purchase HMP even though they already have systems with putting included…such as Trackman/Foresight GC Quad, mostly because they don’t want to move those systems from out of there simulator/hitting bay areas. Probably the most remarkable for us is the number of pros who have bought our unit to use with or instead of some of the more expensive putting systems out there…each professional will have their own reason.
GolfWRX: Let’s talk about the price…$599 is it?
Slade-Baker: Pricing is relative to the value proposition of the customer, as for golf professionals, we are seen very much as the cheap option, $599 when compared to $5k – $8.5k. The common misperception is if it is cheaper then it can’t be any good, the biggest single reasons for the difference in price, is we utilize a vastly cheaper technology…in “infrared vs camera and ultrasound,” companies had unsuccessfully been trying to harness infrared for a very long time, our CTO Desmond Burke was able to achieve this, where others couldn’t, so hence we can pass on significant savings!
For the golfer, yes, some will see $599 as a lot of money, because they are not comparing it to similar items. Compare cars for example, you can have a $5k, $30k or $100k car, all will get you from A to B, some will get you there quicker, some run on fuel whilst others on electric, some cars provide more options and features. At the end of the day this technology, with some 4-5 years of R&D behind it will improve the putting stroke of any golfer, regardless of skill level.
You can learn more about Hole More Putts on the company website.
- LIKE38
- LEGIT5
- WOW3
- LOL2
- IDHT0
- FLOP2
- OB2
- SHANK18
- Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 80 TX
5-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 (18 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ 90 TX
Irons: Wilson Staff Utility (2), Titleist T100 (4-9)
Shafts: Mitsubishi MMT 100 TX (2), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F @51, 56-14F), SM7 (60-10S)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48-56), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (60)
Putter: Scotty Cameron T-5 Proto
Grip: Scotty Cameron Black Baby T
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus4
More photos of Kevin Tway’s WITB in the forums.
- LIKE0
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article.
The timing of Lowry’s putter changeup was curious: Was he just using a Spider putter because he was paired with McIlroy, who’s been using a Spider Tour X head throughout 2024? Was Lowry just being festive because it’s the Zurich Classic, and he wanted to match his teammate? Did McIlroy let Lowry try his putter, and he liked it so much he actually switched into it?
Well, as it turns out, McIlroy’s only influence was inspiring Lowry to make more putts.
When asked if McIlroy had an influence on the putter switch, Lowry had this to say: “No, it’s actually a different putter than what he uses. Maybe there was more pressure there because I needed to hole some more putts if we wanted to win,” he said with a laugh.
To Lowry’s point, McIlroy plays the Tour X model, whereas Lowry switched into the Tour Z model, which has a sleeker shape in comparison, and the two sole weights of the club are more towards the face.
Lowry’s Spider Tour Z has a white True Path Alignment channel on the crown of his putter, which is reminiscent of Lowry’s former 2-ball designs, thus helping to provide a comfort factor despite the departure from his norm. Instead of a double-bend hosel, which Lowry used in his 2-ball putters, his new Spider Tour Z is designed with a short slant neck.
“I’ve been struggling on the greens, and I just needed something with a fresh look,” Lowry told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. “It has a different neck on it, as well, so it moves a bit differently, but it’s similar. It has a white line on the back of it [like my 2-ball], and it’s a mallet style. So it’s not too drastic of a change.
“I just picked it up on the putting green and I liked the look of it, so I was like, ‘Let’s give it a go.’”
Read the rest of the piece over at PGATour.com.
- LIKE0
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
Equipment
Webb Simpson equipment Q&A: Titleist’s new 2-wood, 680 blade irons, and switching to a broomstick Jailbird
With seven career wins on the PGA Tour, including a U.S. Open victory, Webb Simpson is a certified veteran on the course. But he’s also a certified veteran in the equipment world, too. He’s a gearhead who truly knows his stuff, and he’s even worked closely with Titleist on making his own custom 682.WS irons.
On Wednesday at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship, I caught up with Simpson to hear about his experience with Titleist’s new prototype 2-wood, how Titleist’s 680 Forged irons from 2003 ended up back in his bag, and why he’s switching into an Odyssey Ai-One Jailbird Cruiser broomstick putter this week for the first time.
Click here to read our full story about Simpson’s putter switch on PGATOUR.com’s Equipment Report, or continue reading below for my full Q&A with Simpson at Quail Hollow Club on Wednesday.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
GolfWRX: It seems like you’ve been a little all over the place with your irons in the past six months or so, and now going back to the 680’s. Is that just a comfort thing? What’s been going on with the irons?
Webb Simpson: Titleist has been so great at working with me, and R&D, on trying to get an iron that kind of modernizes the 680. And so the 682.WS took the T100 grooves, but kinda took the look and the bulk and the build of the 680’s into one club. They’re beautiful, and awesome looking. I just never hit them that well for a consistent period of time. It was probably me, but then I went to T100’s and loved them. I loved the spin, the trajectory, the yardage, but again, I never went on good runs. Going through the ground, I couldn’t feel the club as well as with the blade. So last week, I’m like, ‘Alright. I’m gonna go back more for…comfort, and see if I can get on a nice little run of ball striking.’
So that’s why I went back.
View this post on Instagram
OK, that makes sense. I know you had done some 2-wood testing recently. Is that in the bag right now?
It’s like day-by-day. I used it at Hilton Head every day. Valero, I used it one round. And this week, me and my caddie will do the book every morning, and if it’s a day where we think we need it, we’ll just put it in and take the 3-wood out. I love it because it’s a super simple swap. Like, it doesn’t really change much.
Yeah, can you tell me about that club? I mean, we don’t really know anything about it yet. You know? I haven’t hit it or anything, obviously.
It has grooves like a 3-wood. Spin is perfect. And it’s honestly, like, everything is in the middle of a 3-wood and driver number. Trajectory, spin, carry, all of it. So, a Hilton Head golf course is almost too easy to talk about because, you know, there, so many holes are driver 3-wood.
Valero, our thinking was we had two par-5’s into the wind, and we knew that it would take two great shots to get there in two. So instead of hitting driver-driver, we just put it in. And I used it on those holes.
Hilton was a little easier because it was off-the-tee kind of questions. But Colonial will be a golf course where, you know, there’s a lot of driver or 3-woods. It’s kind of like a backup putter or driver for me now. I’ll bring it to every tournament.
So it’s, like, in your locker right now, probably?
Well, it would be. It’s in my house [because Webb lives near by Quail Hollow Club, and is a member at the course.] It’s in the garage.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. Do you know what holes you might use it out here if it goes in play?
Potentially 15, depending on the wind. Second shot on 10. Could be 14 off the tee. The chances here are pretty low (that he’ll use the 2-wood). But, like, Greensboro would be an awesome club all day. I’m trying to think of any other golf courses.
There’s plenty that it’ll be a nice weapon to have.
It’s interesting, the wave of 2-woods and mini drivers. Like, it’s just really taken off on Tour, and all the companies have seemed to embrace it.
Yeah. The thing I had to learn, it took me, like, at least a week to learn about it is you gotta tee it up lower than you think. I kept teeing it up too high. You need it low, like barely higher than a 3-wood. And that was where I got optimal spin and carry. If you tee it up too high, you just don’t get as much spin and lose distance, I don’t know if that’s just a mini driver thing.
And you obviously have a Jailbird putter this week. What spurred that on?
Inconsistent putting. I’m stubborn in a lot of ways when it comes to my equipment, but I have to be open minded – I just hadn’t putted consistently well in a while. And I’m like, ‘Man, I feel my ball-striking coming along. Like I feel better; for real, better.’
If I can just get something in my hands that I’m consistent with. Being on Tour, you see it every year, guys get on little runs. I can put together four to five tournaments where I’m all the sudden back in the majors, or in the FedExCup Playoffs. You can turn things around quick out here. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever’s going to get me there, great.’
My caddie, David Cook, caddied for Akshay at the Houston Open and he putted beautifully. Then, I watched Akshay on TV at Valero, and he putted beautifully. And, I’m like, ‘I’m just going to try it.’
I’ve never tried it for more than a putt or two, and I just ordered what Akshay uses. It was pretty awkward at first, but the more I used it, the more I’m like, ‘Man, it’s pretty easy.’ And a buddy of mine who’s a rep out here, John Tyler Griffin, he helped me with some setup stuff. And he said at Hilton Head, he wasn’t putting well, then tried it, and now he makes everything. He was very confident. So I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ll try it.’”
And you’re going with it this week?
Hundred percent.
Alright, I love it. Thank you, I always love talking gear with you. Play well this week.
Thanks, man.
See Webb Simpson’s full WITB from the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship here
- LIKE26
- LEGIT3
- WOW1
- LOL2
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK2
Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
Neal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
What we know about Bryson DeChambeau’s 3D-printed Avoda irons
Kevin Tway WITB 2024 (May)
Kevin Tway what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver:...
Matthieu Pavon WITB 2024 (May)
Pavon’s WITB accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Ping G430 Max (9...
WITB Time Machine: Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB, 2015 Wells Fargo Championship
Then-No. 1 player in the world Rory McIlroy began the week at the Wells Fargo Championship at 3-1 odds, if...
Akshay Bhatia WITB 2024 (May)
Akshay Bhatia what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wells Fargo Championship. Bhatia is deciding between drivers. More photos...
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
-
19th Hole3 weeks ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoLET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you
-
19th Hole3 days agoReport: LIV star turns down PGA Championship invite due to ‘personal commitments’
-
19th Hole1 week agoGary Player claims this is what ‘completely ruined’ Tiger Woods’ career
-
Whats in the Bag2 weeks agoTeam McIlowry (Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry) winning WITBs: 2024 Zurich Classic
-
Equipment1 week agoGolf fans left surprised by LIV’s choice of course for its 2024 individual championship event
-
19th Hole1 week ago
LIV star splits with swing coach after working together for 14 years
TONEY P
Jul 30, 2018 at 11:47 am
More golf junk for people with more money than sense. A few hours on a practice green helps even the worst strokes and that’s free.
larrybud
Jul 26, 2018 at 3:57 pm
As with all of the lower end devices, the question is in it’s accuracy, so I’ll await judgement after the numbers get compared to higher end devices.
That said, I don’t like the fact that it sits so high off the ground.
JasonHolmes
Jul 25, 2018 at 7:09 pm
Does it come with a mat to stand on?
That thing looks like its setting the ball 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch off the ground – it would completely distort the swing you are taking.
billy
Jul 25, 2018 at 1:00 pm
$499 ? I’d rather buy a Scotty Cameron putter for that money.
GolfDonkey
Jul 25, 2018 at 5:18 pm
Thank you for sharing your financial priorities
stan
Jul 26, 2018 at 9:52 am
HMP will not make you a better putter; it will only tell you how bad you are. A new putter will give you confidence and status when putting in front of your golfing buddies.
GolfDonkey
Jul 26, 2018 at 1:34 pm
Do you buy clubs because they give you “status” in the eyes of your golfing buddies?
shawn
Jul 25, 2018 at 12:54 pm
Another gizmo for gullible neurotic incompetent golfers who flub on the greens. Yes, this contraption will solve all your putting woes and worries…. ya think?!!
Oh… and make sure you own a Scotty or Betti putter for quality putts.
Leezer99
Jul 25, 2018 at 4:23 pm
I’m not sure this is aimed at the casual golfer. Probably better suited to a coach or instructor that is helping multiple students.
larrybud
Jul 26, 2018 at 3:55 pm
Just because you wouldn’t know how to use the data doesn’t mean others won’t.