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PuttOut Trainer Review – A Simple Design Removes Barriers to Putting Practice
A few months ago a putting training aid that you could use at home caught my eye because of its simple, innovative design. It is called the PuttOut Pressure Putt Trainer, and I recently was able to try it out.
Simply put, it’s a great little device that doesn’t cost much, and can make it fun and easier to practice your putting every day.
The Problem With Most Training Aids
Typically I only write reviews on products that I think are worth your time and money. The golf industry is filled with training aids that ultimately fail, and I don’t want to recommend something that I don’t believe will help you.
In my opinion the training aids that don’t make it usually have a few flaws:
- They are too complicated to use
- The “fix” that they offer is too specific, and doesn’t affect all golfers equally (or at all)
- The design and/or build is lackluster
There is an enormous graveyard of failed ideas because of this, but it doesn’t stop a fresh group of companies every year who are willing to put their training aids to the test. I saw many of them at the 2017 PGA Show.
I believe a good training aid should first and foremost get you to practice more, and in a very focused way. At the minimum, getting a golf club in your hands more often and making your practice sessions more purposeful is a huge win for many players.
Puttout Pressure Putt Trainer
The reason I am a fan of PuttOut Golf is because of its simplicity in design and function. Anyone who knows a thing or two about product design knows that’s extremely hard to accomplish.
The PuttOut Pressure Trainer returns your good putts and rejects your bad ones. Additionally you are given feedback on how far past the hole your putt will have run, which will give you an idea of speed control. If you really want to challenge yourself, you can try to land the ball in a small hole for the “perfect putt.”
That is it.
There is nothing to attach to your hands or shoulders that is funny looking. You are simply given feedback on whether or not your putt would have gone in the hole, and if it did then the ball will come back to you.
Here’s a video from PuttOut Golf to see it in action:
Golfers Don’t Like to Practice Putting
There is no question that most golfers would prefer to go to the range and hit their driver for an hour versus working on their putting. The pros can be no different. Charles Howell III recently admitted in an interview on the No Laying Up podcast that one of the main benefits of his new putting coach John Graham was making his putting sessions more fun, so he would actually spend more time practicing. He freely admitted that it was more fun to pound balls on the range. I thought that was pretty interesting coming from someone who has made over 32 million dollars playing professional golf.
I often struggle to find time to work with the flatstick, and it’s to my own detriment. But I am trying to make it a priority this year because it’s the one area of my game that needs the most help.
After using PuttOut Pressure Putt Trainer for a few weeks, I personally believe this product is going to be a winner because it allows a golfer to remove any barrier to practicing their putting at home, and does it in a more efficient way.
This might sound a bit ridiculous, but I think the main reason that golfers will enjoy this product is because the ball will come back to you. Walking back and forth and picking up your ball actually gets tedious during a putting session, and I’m willing to bet that many players end their sessions early because of this simple act.
Additionally, because the PuttOut Pressure Putt Trainer is so compact, it will not take up any space in your house, and can easily be taken to the golf course.
Most of us take the path of least resistance when it comes to practice, and I think PuttOut will help prevent that from happening.
How I Would Use It
I think if golfers can get a putter in their hand every day, or at least a few times a week, rather than almost never practicing they are going to see some benefits on the course.
I have been using the PuttOut on my BirdieBall mat, but you can just as easily set it up on your carpet (I putted on my carpet for years as a kid). While it’s not the perfect practice surface, something is better than nothing.
You can easily play some games with yourself, and the packaging comes with a few suggestions like:
- Try and make 25 putts in a row, and start over again if you miss
- Increase your putt length by two feet every time, and start over again if you miss
- See how many times you can land the ball in the perfect putt hole (it’s pretty hard to do)
Personally I am mixing it in with some other training aids that I like. One in particular that will give you some nice synergy is the TIBA Putt, which will help the path of your stroke. I was even able to roll some of my other favorite putting device, The Pill, back to myself when my stroke was at its best.
For $29.99 I think this neat little device is a no brainer for anyone who wants to practice their putting more, and have a little more fun doing it. It doesn’t make any bold promises, and that is OK. These guys did a great job with the design, and think it will be a hit with many players.
You can purchase the PuttOut Pressure Putt Trainer on Amazon here.
