Connect with us

Equipment

London design firm introduces PuttOut training aid

Published

on

In the pantheon of indoor putting aids, you’ve basically got the glass laying on its side and this thing.

vintage-oscar-jr-golf-electric-putting-machine-with-ball-ex-c2c0ae6b71a359291f5cb5106d613947Not requiring electricity and a heckuva lot more aesthetically pleasing than our old green friend above is PuttOut. Developed in-house by London-based design firm Therefore, PuttOut is a simple, inexpensive (primarily) indoor putting solution.

perfect_putt_chalenge

I spoke with Cam Slaughter from Therefore about the training aid and its development.

BA: First of all, tell me how this thing works.

CS: Essentially, there is a silicon disc at the base of a slope that is “the hole,” however, the real aim of the product is to get the ball to stay within the micro-target half way up the slope. To do this, the ball must go in at an exact pace (only a putt close to what would be 18-inches past the silicone disc/the hole) and exact line will suffice. Because this is a difficult achievement, on a missed putt to the micro-target the ball rolls back down the slope and returns back to you, saving bending and reaching to draw back the ball every time.

The ingenious part of PuttOut is that although the goal is to get the ball to stick in the micro-target, whenever the ball is rolled into the opening of the slope this would indeed be a made putt on a regulation hole, so the user is practising twice as hard without realising it!

So who at Therefore came up with the initial idea?

CS: The inventor of the product is one of the four key founders of Therefore, Martin Riddiford. A keen player himself, playing off four, and has a bit of a history with golf. In fact his grandfather, Cecil Hayward, made it to the 1926 English Amateur Championship at Walton Heath G.C, and his mother, Pru Riddiford, was twice crowned British Senior Ladies’ Open champion. Now 90-year-old and still walks the course daily at Royal Ashdown G.C!

C2wsemkWgAEMTxV

What was the basic concept?

CS: Originally Martin was just going to create a better putt returner; the ball would simply go up the ramp and return, similar to the electric version that still sells 20k+ units a year, but more aesthetically pleasing, easier to carry and didn’t have those strange whirring and pinging noises.

The creation of the product which we now know as PuttOut originally came about as Martin was only playing very sporadically and not having a chance to get to the course to practice putting at all (not great in any case but certainly more stressful the night before a foursomes match, which is more of a thing over here in the UK). After fiddling around at home with different objects to aim at, he decided he could do better than the existing training aids on the market, which largely lacked either desirability, convenience, a chance to actually get get better or even all of the above.

I understand Martin also wanted to go a step further?

CS: Upon deciding it could already be a good product (simply by creating a better version of what was already available), Martin believed that he could go a step further. Here is where the idea for the “micro-target” came about. Having a repetitive putting stroke is what we all strive for, however, there’s very little use for it if you’re not aiming with a very particular purpose and not practicing toward a very specific aim point. Introducing a smaller target meant the opportunity to do this, but it also meant PuttOut could now include a game element to the practice (i.e. how many putts would it take to get three balls to stay in place on PuttOut), and hence the first edition of PuttOut was complete.

PuttOut will be at the PGA Show (booth 2176) and is taking orders currently.

Your Reaction?
  • 134
  • LEGIT10
  • WOW4
  • LOL4
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP5
  • OB1
  • SHANK27

GolfWRX Editor-in-Chief

27 Comments

27 Comments

  1. Gollie

    Apr 30, 2017 at 5:28 am

    I have a 14’x5′ piece of synlawn pro putt in a high traffic area at home (no hole). Before this I used to hit 14 balls in several different drills (speed drills and putt at a quarter). With Puttout I use one ball and because it’s coming back to me I get many more reps per time invested. This is so simple it’s brilliant.

  2. J.R.

    Jan 30, 2017 at 2:12 pm

    I got mine in last week so far so good. the Micro target is pretty cool. Can’t wait to see the results on the course.

  3. Tony P

    Jan 26, 2017 at 2:09 pm

    Shank

  4. Dill Pickleson

    Jan 25, 2017 at 2:29 am

    nice product.

  5. S Hitter

    Jan 24, 2017 at 10:04 pm

    If you’ve ever putted on Stimp of 13 or 14, it ain’t 18″, I can tell ya.
    And who wants to look at this human-tongue looking thing spit the ball back at you as it mocks you when you don’t get it up and into the small hole.
    Really horrible idea, looks terrible, you really don’t want the visual of a ball being spat back you etched into your brain. Seriously. We all want to see it go in the hole. Go buy a conventional putting mat with a rise and a proper hole, which are so much better.
    Nobody is going to carry this in their bag

    • the Sheriff

      Jan 25, 2017 at 9:05 am

      S Hitter, you are a moron. 18 inches past the hole is 18 inches past the hole regardless of green speed. also this is mainly for home use. why don’t you just go and and try and break 120 at a mini putt course, it would be a challenge for you I’m sure.

      • S Hitter

        Jan 26, 2017 at 2:30 am

        Nah. I’ll continue to play scratch golf from the back tee and watch you miss 2 footers on deadly 14 stamp greens that run poor putts past the hole 6 feet as you try to hit it past 18 inches and I will enjoy saying buh-bye to you

  6. Bert

    Jan 24, 2017 at 7:23 pm

    Poor roll back – bad eye training.

  7. Perry

    Jan 24, 2017 at 5:19 pm

    18″ past is Pelz logic. Aim point is 6″. Too bad they don’t have a 6″ past version.

  8. Mfj the great

    Jan 24, 2017 at 3:27 pm

    I have one of these and use it regularly. Highly recommended!

  9. Seb

    Jan 24, 2017 at 1:27 pm

    I can’t buy it in Canada…This would have been awesome especially during the winter storms.

    • Smith

      Jan 24, 2017 at 2:30 pm

      I tried as well. WHYYYY?

      • Cam

        Jan 24, 2017 at 3:02 pm

        Hey Seb and Smith,

        How about you message us on twitter @puttoutgolf and we’ll see what we can do to help.

  10. Frank

    Jan 24, 2017 at 1:00 pm

    Mine will arrive by 4pm today. Been looking at this for months.

  11. Mike

    Jan 24, 2017 at 12:44 pm

    Looks pretty cool to me. I doubt you’d be hitting the micro-target too often or you wouldn’t be using a training aid. So it wouldn’t be too big a deal to walk down and grab your ball every 10 putts.

  12. Steve

    Jan 24, 2017 at 12:08 pm

    Mark Crossfield loves this thing and it’s only $24 on Amazon.

  13. Ann Matthew

    Jan 24, 2017 at 11:32 am

    This is a lovely invention and I cannot wait to purchase one. Thank you for a fine product that will be so much fun to use and does incorperate that spirit
    of competition against yourself for the game later. It is also lovely to look at.

  14. Eddie

    Jan 24, 2017 at 11:17 am

    Similar to the boomerang.

  15. Kevin

    Jan 24, 2017 at 9:54 am

    They don’t even sell in the US. Shank!

  16. DB

    Jan 24, 2017 at 9:51 am

    So if you hit into the micro-target, then the ball is stuck and doesn’t roll back?

  17. Large chris

    Jan 24, 2017 at 8:03 am

    I know some ladies who would love this ????

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Whats in the Bag

Sam Burns WITB 2024 (April)

Published

on

  • Sam Burns’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage.

Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond S (9 degrees @10)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 TX

3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond T (15 degrees @16)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X

Irons: Callaway Apex TCB ’24 (4-AW)
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (4-PW), True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Tour Issue (AW)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-14F @55), WedgeWorks Proto (60-T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 Tour Issue (56, 60)

Putter: Odyssey Ai-One #7S

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour X

Check out more in-hand photos of Sam Burns’ WITB in the forums.

 

Your Reaction?
  • 0
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK0

Continue Reading

Whats in the Bag

Will Zalatoris WITB 2024 (April)

Published

on

  • Will Zalatoris’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage. 

Driver: Titleist TSR2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X (44.5 inches)

3-wood: Titleist TSi2 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X

Irons: Titleist T350 (3), Titleist T150 (4-PW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Prototype G.O.S.T. 10 ST X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-PW)

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-08F, 54-10S @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Putter: L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Max

Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord

See more photos of Will Zalatoris’ WITB in the forums.

Your Reaction?
  • 0
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK0

Continue Reading

Equipment

New Level launches new 480-DB irons, blending performance and forgiveness

Published

on

New Level has been making some really good golf equipment since the company started up in 2018. Offering irons that are more geared towards the better player, precision has been a fundamental philosophy for New Level in creating irons and wedges.

The 480 line of irons has been the flagship of the brand, and the newest member of that team is the 480-DB iron that is now open to pre-orders. A new cavity design is what the whole 480 line is about, and the 480-DB takes advantage of that with added ball speed and a larger sweet spot.

For players who require their irons to offer the best feel, rest assured the DB is a fully forged (from 1020 carbon steel) one-piece golf club. No multi-piece, hollow design with this iron.

While the 480-DB is the next generation of the popular 902-OS, New Level didn’t follow the current trend in golf by chasing distance with the new iron. They actually weakened the lofts on the 480-DB with the spec sheet showing a 33-degree 7-iron and 45-degree pitching wedge. These lofts allow the DB to have less offset while still offering consistent distance off the face.

A traditional design was also at the forefront of the new irons to make sure that golfers with an eye for detail can look down at them with confidence that they will perform under any condition.

 

A weight low in the back cavity will allow their master club builders to dial in the perfect weight for the golfer, no matter the length or shaft being used. New Level believes that the new 480-DB is one of the most forgiving one-piece forged irons on the market today. A pre-worn leading edge on the sole should get through the turf quickly and with reduced digging for better turf interaction.

You can pre-order the New Level 480-DB right now on the New Level website.

Pricing specs availability

  • Irons: 4-PW
  • Price: $149/oron
  • Availability: Pre-order

Your Reaction?
  • 10
  • LEGIT2
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK0

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending