Equipment

London design firm introduces PuttOut training aid

Published

9 years ago

Jan 24, 2017

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

Not 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.

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!

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.

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Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

27 Comments

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.

Reply Report comment
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.

Reply Report comment
Tony P

Jan 26, 2017 at 2:09 pm

Shank

Reply Report comment
Dill Pickleson

Jan 25, 2017 at 2:29 am

nice product.

Reply Report comment
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

Reply Report comment
- 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.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - 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
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Rano
      
      Jan 30, 2017 at 4:21 am
      
      cringe…
      
      Reply Report comment
Bert

Jan 24, 2017 at 7:23 pm

Poor roll back – bad eye training.

Reply Report comment
- S Hitter
  
  Jan 26, 2017 at 2:30 am
  
  Precisely
  
  Reply Report comment
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.

Reply Report comment
Mfj the great

Jan 24, 2017 at 3:27 pm

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

Reply Report comment
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.

Reply Report comment
- Smith
  
  Jan 24, 2017 at 2:30 pm
  
  I tried as well. WHYYYY?
  
  Reply Report comment
  - 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.
    
    Reply Report comment
Frank

Jan 24, 2017 at 1:00 pm

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

Reply Report comment
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.

Reply Report comment
Steve

Jan 24, 2017 at 12:08 pm

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

Reply Report comment
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.

Reply Report comment
Eddie

Jan 24, 2017 at 11:17 am

Similar to the boomerang.

Reply Report comment
Kevin

Jan 24, 2017 at 9:54 am

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

Reply Report comment
- Cam
  
  Jan 24, 2017 at 10:36 am
  
  Hey Kevin, at the moment we’re only selling in the US through Amazon, but they will be there with a more permanent link soon! https://www.amazon.com/PuttOut-Pressure-Putt-Trainer-Perfect/dp/B01N9BXYW3
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Smith
    
    Jan 24, 2017 at 2:33 pm
    
    What about Canada?
    
    Reply Report comment
  - SEGA69
    
    Jan 26, 2017 at 12:14 pm
    
    Says out of stock FYI
    
    Reply Report comment
- Rano
  
  Jan 30, 2017 at 4:23 am
  
  Email them and ask for shipping estimate. Then you can pay them the amount in paypal and they’ll send it off.
  
  Reply Report comment
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?

Reply Report comment
Large chris

Jan 24, 2017 at 8:03 am

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

Reply Report comment

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Equipment

Putters that never made it: Check out some of the best tour builds that didn’t make the cut

Published

2 weeks ago

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Alistair Cameron

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Let’s start with this custom Damascus Milled Odyssey Rossie made for Ryo Hisatsune. Featuring a single line and the short-slant hossel, we’ve seen plenty of Number 7 and jailbird heads featuring the Damascus Milled insert, but this is the first and only one we’ve spotted in a Rossie. Hisatsune primarily putts with an Odyssey Black Series iX #9, but we have seen him recently with a TaylorMade TP Collection SOTO, so there could be potential that the Damascus Milled Rossie could end up in the bag.

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Harry Hall was the third-best putter on Tour last year, so when Bettinardi made him a custom proto, you know it was going to be good. The custom BB28 blade features VDF face milling, a custom-welded single-bend shaft, and the owner’s initials – HH – on the sole of the putter. Hall, who usually games an Odyssey O-Works #7 W, has dabbled with a TaylorMade Spider Tour X already this year. Maybe there’s a chance this Bettinardi might make his bag.

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Finally, and just for fun, how about we pour one out for this TaylorMade Spider Tour X made for Scottie Scheffler in its new torched finish. It’s unlikely we’ll see a putter change anytime soon from the best golfer in the world. In fact, he hit just two putts with it on the Harbour Town practice before going back to his trusty gamer.

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Patrick Reed WITB 2026 (May)

Published

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GolfWRX Staff

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Grips: Golf Pride MCC

See more photos of Patrick Reed’s clubs here.

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