The new PuttAIM putter training aide has me conflicted.
On one hand, it is a great tool for practicing putting indoors. For dialing in alignment and targeting, it is outstanding. I find myself using it all the time when I am practicing on my home practice green.
On the other hand, what the PuttAIM does is fairly narrow and it is on the expensive end of the training tool spectrum.
As I said, what it does, it does really well. But does it do enough that you should buy one?
What is PuttAIM?
The core element of the PuttAIM trainer is an extremely bright green laser. The beam appears as a solid green line rather than a single dot like a laser pointer.
The laser unit sits on an elevated arm whose base is the same diameter as a golf hole.
This means you can either aim the laser at a real golf hole or just putt toward the base of the PuttAIM unit.
The laser, and its rechargeable battery, powers up with a click of a button and it can be adjusted so that the beam is perfectly aligned to the target.
So far, the battery life has outlasted the duration of my practice sessions and I tend to practice putting for an extended period of time.
The unit disassembles and fits into a snazzy carrying case should you want to take your PuttAIM with you for practice elsewhere.
PuttAIM brings laser precision to your putting practice
Truth be told, PuttAIM brings only the laser. You need to bring the precision. That said, your putting precision should improve if you use the PuttAIM to groove your putter targeting and alignment.
As I mentioned, the PuttAIM generates a very bright green laser beam along your target line. This line should help you with your targeting practice.
The PuttAIM works like a chalk line without the need for clean up or an elevated string line where the string never gets in the way.
It works even better than a chalk line or string since you are easily able to track the ball’s progress along the laser beam. Lasers don’t sag or need to be reapplied to the turf, either.
Why a green beam?
You may be thinking green is not the best contrasting color for grass. The brightness of the PuttAIM makes up for some of that lack of contrast but another color would indeed be more distinctive.
Ultimately, it comes down to physics. Green is the highest energy color that will not harm the turf. PuttAIM could have improved contrast by using a blue or violet laser but those wavelengths have too much energy and would cook the grass.
Orange and yellow beams would show up fairly well but I believe orange and yellow emitting diodes are expensive.
Red lasers are very common but not as bright as the green. Even with the improved contrast on the grass, the red would not be as visible.
“It’s what it does, it’s all it does.”
What else does the PuttAIM do? Here is where things become more conflicting. The PuttAIM does an amazing job of laying down a green beam to putt along but that is really all it does.
Additionally, it really only works indoors. I took the PuttAIM to the practice green on an overcast day and the green beam was barely visible.
If you are putting in the dark, the beam is awesome but watch out for nocturnal critters.
I’m not sure every golfer will find $150 of value in the PuttAIM. As I said, I’m using it all the time on my garage green where it’s perfect.
If you own a shop that sells putters, the PuttAIM could be super useful. I saw a PuttAIM on L.A.B. Golf’s gigantic indoor green last summer. In that setting, it would be amazing for putter fittings.
It works on any surface
I use my PuttAIM on a TourLinks practice green in my garage but you can putt with it anywhere you can see the beam.
You can work on low Stimp practice on your living room shag and then prepare for Augusta’s insanity speed by putting on the hardwood or tile.
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If you travel, PuttAIM will give you a much better practice session than a rocks glass sitting on the hotel room floor. Just check with the TSA before packing it in your carry-on.
Are there other laser options?
One of the reasons I really like the PuttAIM is that I have used a laser for garage practice for many years. My wife bought a Black+Decker laser level to hang paintings at an art show. After the show, I confiscated the laser for putting practice.
It’s similar to this laser lever I found at Amazon.
I do like the bubble levels on the framing laser. That way I know the beam is level. However, the Black+Decker laser has a red beam that is much dimmer than the PuttAIM’s green beam.
The beam intensity is why the PuttAIM is more expensive.
Is the PuttAIM right for you?
That’s a question only you can answer. Hands down, the PuttAIM beam and stand are better than the laser level I’d used previously. You’ll need to decide if you want to spend the extra hundred dollars for the brighter green beam.
I thoroughly enjoy using the PuttAIM in my garage putting sessions. At this point, its price probably works out to about 10 cents a minute of usage. Over time, my usage will more than justify the unit’s expense.
If you are only going to occasionally use a laser during practice, there are other less expensive PuttAIM options available. The PuttAIM Mini version is less than $100 but does not come with the cup-shaped stand.
The PuttAIM’s rechargeable battery and brilliant beam resulted in my Black+Decker laser being relegated to the Island of Misfit Golf Tools. Compared to that old laser, the PuttAIM is a better putting tool in every category except price. If you have the means, it’s an obvious choice.
If it is out of your price range, check out the PuttAIM Mini or head to your local hardware store and see what laser options they have.
To find out more about the PuttAIM, head over to puttaim.com.
The post Is this Ingenius Device the Solution To Your Putting Woes? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
