50 Words or Less

The Mustard Golf app analyzes your swing and creates personalized lesson plans from a library of drills and videos.  A solid way for golfers to focus their practice.  Not a perfect substitute for a real coach.

Introduction

AI is everywhere, from smarter search engines to ChatGPT.  We’ve already seen AI in golf club design, and Mustard Golf is bringing it to golf instruction.  This app has “trained using tens of thousands of 3D motion analyses” so it can watch a video of your swing and deliver a customized lesson plan.  I tested it to see if it can compete with an in-person lesson.

Set Up & Ease of Use

Using the Mustard Golf app is as easy as filming your swing.  You can record your swing directly in the app, or you can film your swing with your phone’s camera and import it.

Once your swing video is in the app, the AI spends a few minutes analyzing it.  As you can see above, the app puts virtual markers on your body to get a clearer idea of how you’re moving.

After the AI has done its magic, you get a report with several scores.  The app gives you an Overall Score, a Swing Path Score, and rates your body and hands in the backswing and downswing.  It also lays our priorities for improvement, tells you what you do well, and then recommends an improvement plan.

Effectiveness

In the Mustard Golf app, your improvement plan starts with a video defining the issue.  This is a really good first step because it eliminates a lot of the jargon and misconceptions.  The instruction comes from Mark Blackburn, a top-rated instructor who is pretty good on camera.

The next step is identifying potential causes of your issue.  This is a nice piece for those that want to understand the swing better.  Also, all the videos are short and to the point – 90 seconds or less.

Finally, you get to the meat of the plan: the drills.  These drills are explained in short videos and written descriptions.  I found the drills to be solid and well-aligned with the problems.  After spending some time with the drills – days or weeks – you upload a new swing to check your progress.

In my testing, Mustard Golf helped to uncover an issue in my swing that I had not been thinking about.  Working on the drills helped me to address it, and I saw really nice results in a short time.  To be fair, the issue and fix are things I’ve worked on in the past, so my results came more quickly than average.

While I think that the Mustard Golf app is a good way to focus your practice and build a swing that is closer toward the neutral, Platonic ideal, it is not a complete substitute for in person instruction.  Nowhere in the app are you able to input your major issue – hitting it fat, slicing, etc.  If you have one troublesome club, there’s not an obvious way to address it.  There’s nothing here for the short game.  The Mustard Golf app is good at what it does, but it has its limitations.

Need help finding a real coach?  Read THIS

Value

The Mustard Golf app is a subscription service that costs $25 per month or $150 per year (50% off).  In person lessons vary wildly in cost, but you’re likely to spend at least $100/hour in my area.  While Mustard is not going to give you the personal interaction and “customization” of face-to-face instruction, it is much more affordable and accessible to every golfer with a smart phone.

Longevity

As I often say about training aids, the longevity of this app is going to depend on the type of golfer you are.  Theoretically, Mustard has an unlimited shelf life (pun intended).  You can upload a new swing every day or every week and keep refining your mechanics.  If you are on a lifelong quest for the perfect swing, sign up for the full year and get to work.  For most golfers, I’d take it month by month, at least to start, to see how you feel about your progress.

Conclusion

It’s unlikely that there will ever be a perfect substitute for a qualified human coach helping you with your golf game, but the Mustard Golf app is an impressive first step in that direction.  If you’re looking to improve your swing and focus your practice rather than bouncing between random golf tips, this app is worth trying.

Visit Mustard Golf HERE

The post Mustard Golf App Review appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

50 Words or Less

The Square Golf launch monitor is fun, easy to use, and has strong accuracy.  Swing Stick adds the ability to use this anywhere.  Fun simulation.  Good value.

Save 10% with code PLUGGEDINGOLF.  Shop HERE

Introduction

After an explosive 2023, the personal launch monitor category has taken a breath in 2024.  But as we start to look to 2025, we have received one exciting new entry: the Square Golf launch monitor.  Thanks to the innovative Swing Stick, this is a launch monitor that you can use anywhere and anytime.  In this review, I’ll explain whether or not that’s enough to vault Square Golf to the top of the list of personal launch monitors.

Set Up & Ease of Use

The Square Golf launch monitor is a fairly small device with minimal buttons and no screen.  After charging the launch monitor and downloading the app, getting it up and running is very simple.  The connection from device to app is strong and is established quickly.  Additionally, the app – which I will discuss more shortly – is responsive and intuitive.  One thing I particularly like is that you can use your Square Golf LM without creating an account or logging in.

The one complaint I have about this device is that it can be difficult to get your ball into the hitting area.  The hitting area is fairly small – not quite 6″ X 6″ – and there’s no indication on the device as to whether you’re too close, too far, etc.  There is a small indicator on the bottom of the app, but this isn’t explained in the manual – I found it on my own.  On the positive, there is a light and an auditory cue that let you know when you’ve positioned the ball correctly.  Once you’ve found the right spot, it’s easy enough to find it again.

The Square Golf App

The Square Golf app is wonderfully inclusive, working on PC, tablets, and smart phones and with Apple’s App Store, Google Play, and Windows.  My testing was done on an iPhone, and I found the app to be excellent.  The menus are clear and easy to understand.  There are a nice array of customizations and settings, but it’s not overwhelming.  You can get up and running in just a couple taps.

The Square Golf launch monitor app offers several modes of play.  In Graphic Mode, you’re on a seaside driving range, watching your shots fly through the air with a shot tracer.  Ball data is displayed along the bottom: ball speed, direction, spins, and distances.  You can customize this mode with multiple camera angles.

Data Mode is similar, but it trades the shot tracer graphics for an image of impact and club metrics.  You get the same ball data, but this mode adds club data: swing path, face angle, dynamic loft, and angle of attack.

Closest to the Pin Mode gamifies your practice with a challenge.  You can set the distance from 30 to 150 yards, and you can select the green speed.  To make your practice more realistic, you can have the app randomize the distance after each shot.  Dynamic camera angles makes this feel like a video game, in a good way.

Finally, there’s a Putting Mode, which is somewhat unusual in launch monitors at this price.  As with Closest to the Pin, you can choose the distance (5 to 50 feet) and the green speed (8 to 13).  You can also opt for fixed, increasing, or random distances.

Square Golf Simulation

At the time of this writing, the Square Golf launch monitor offers ten simulated golf courses with ten more on the way.  In the app, you can choose your green speed and play with up to four players.  The graphics are good, and there’s nice variety among the ten courses.  More importantly, play moves along quickly thanks to the simple controls – you select your club, tap the screen left or right to adjust your aim, and swing.

That brisk pace of play makes this some of the most fun simulated golf I’ve played.  One piece of advice: I would strongly recommend getting a stand for your phone or tablet if you’re going to play a lot.  Bending over before every shot to change clubs, adjust your aim, or take a closer look at your numbers isn’t much fun.

When it comes to cost, the Square Golf launch monitor takes a unique approach, charging by the hole.  Each hole costs 1 credit, and you get 1,000 credits with your purchase.  Credits cost between 4 cents and 2.6 cents, depending on the amount you buy.  While I’d prefer an upfront cost or that simulation simply be included, the cost of less than $1 per round seems negligible.

Square Golf Swing Stick

Perhaps the most unusual thing about the Square Golf launch monitor is the inclusion of the Swing Stick.  The Swing Stick is roughly 27 inches long with a proper golf grip and a rectangular, mirrored device on the other end.  The purpose of the Swing Stick is to allow you to use this launch monitor in conventional indoor settings – those without nets or the ceiling height to swing a full club.

You can use the Swing Stick in any mode – driving range, putting, or simulated golf.  Swinging it is a little jarring at first due to the unusual length, weighting, and the “click” of impact, but I got used to it fairly quickly.

In putting mode, I found the Swing Stick very accurate.  For full swings, I think the Swing Stick is accurate with regard to dispersion, but the distances simply are what they are.  It does seem to accurately measure your swing speed, but most of the distance equation is what club you select.  I would advise you spend some time on the range with the Swing Stick before you take it into golf simulation.

Overall, I think the Swing Stick is a fantastic addition to the Square Golf launch monitor.  There are loads of people who would love to play simulator golf but don’t have the space.  This is a solution to that problem.  For those who really want to get serious, I could even see having two Swing Sticks – one with a putter grip, one with a swing grip.

Value

The Square Golf launch monitor retails for $700.  You can save 10% with code PLUGGEDINGOLF.  Shop HERE

This is a good price.  It’s well above the value king, the SwingCaddie SC4, at $390 [review HERE], but it’s on par with favorites like the Garmin R10 [review HERE] at $600 and the MLM2PRO [review HERE] at $700.  On the other hand, it’s a fraction of the cost of the SkyTrak+ [review HERE] at $2,700 and the Full Swing KIT [review HERE] at $5000.

If you have a great indoor practice set up where you can hit balls, the Square Golf deserves to be considered among the others mentioned above.  If you don’t, the Square Golf stands alone for its ability to unlock indoor golf.

Conclusion

It would have been easy for Square Golf to design a strong app and roll out another basic launch monitor.  Instead, they’re offering something genuinely novel with the inclusion of the Swing Stick.  If you want to unlock the ability to play simulated golf anywhere and upgrade your practice with strong performance data, check out the Square Golf launch monitor.

Save 10% with code PLUGGEDINGOLF

Buy the Square Golf Launch Monitor HERE

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50 Words or Less

The Tour Aim+ adds significant value to the Tour Aim but can also stand on its own.  A major upgrade to the Tour Aim’s putting feature.  Adds ball position and club face awareness to any alignment stick.

Save 15% with the code PLUGGEDIN15 HERE

Introduction

The Tour Aim was one of the best things I saw at the 2024 PGA Show, and it did not disappoint when I got it in for review [read the review HERE].  It’s become a practice necessity for me due to its ease of use and versatility.  Tour Aim has recently added a new trainer to their line up, the aptly named Tour Aim+.  This add-on to the Tour Aim seeks to enhance an already great training aid, and I tested it to find out if it’s another must-have.

Set Up & Ease of Use

Like most training aids, the Tour Aim+ comes with a QR code instead of a printed instructional book.  The instructions aren’t really necessary as the three uses of the Tour Aim+ are easily discerned from the photos on the website and the descriptions on the box.

Adding the Tour Aim+ to your Tour Aim set up takes a couple seconds.  It consists of little more than snapping one of your alignment sticks into the clips on the Tour Aim+ and moving it into your preferred position.  If you’re using the Tour Aim+ for putting, it actually speeds the set-up by holding the two sticks in perfect parallel.

Effectiveness

The Tour Aim+ adds three functions to the Tour Aim.  First, it promotes consistent ball position and a square club face.

Second, the Tour Aim+ allows you to use a tee on any surface.  For players who practice on mats, this is a major upgrade.

The third function relates to the Tour Aim’s putting drill.  The Tour Aim+ holds the alignment sticks in perfect parallel while giving you a place to start your ball.  It also gives you a reference for squaring the putter face.

All three of these functions work as advertised and add significant value to an already great training aid.  For me, the putting feature is the best.  I get pretty OCD about my putting practice, so having the ball perfectly centered and my putter face square is a huge plus.

While I think the Tour Aim+ is great, I will throw in a couple small caveats.  First, the ball position feature works best on a mat.  If you’re hitting irons or wedges, you’re likely taking a divot.  This means you’ll want a fresh piece of grass for each shot, which would mean moving your entire Tour Aim set up.  If you’re more concerned with ball position that the full alignment package, you can solve this issue by using the Tour Aim+ with just one alignment stick (below).

The other thing to be aware of is that you’ll need shorter tees to use the Tour Aim+.  The tee holder works very well, but, of course, you can’t push your tee through the mat.  Figure out how high above the ground you like to tee the ball and buy tees that height, or break some wooden tees to length.

Longevity

Everything that gives the Tour Aim great longevity is true for the Tour Aim+ as well.  It’s small and light, it’s versatile, it sets up quickly, and you can use it anywhere.  This is a training aid that can and should live in your bag so that you use it every time you practice.  Even if you’re just using a single alignment stick, the Tour Aim+ can add a couple more layers of precision to your practice.

Value

The Tour Aim+ costs $60.

You can save 15% by using the code PLUGGEDIN15 HERE

Like the Tour Aim, this training aid is a must-buy in my book.  With the 15% off code, you can get the Tour Aim and Tour Aim+ for a total of $115, which is below average for one training aid.  These are both multi-function tools that are as valuable to a Tour player as they are for a novice.

Conclusion

It’s not often that I give any product, let alone a training aid, an unconditional endorsement, but I think the Tour Aim and Tour Aim+ are trainers that every serious golfer should own.  Together, they will help you dial in every element of your game and make your practice more precise and productive.

Buy Tour Aim+ HERE

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50 Words or Less

The PuttOUT AirBreak is an adjustable putting green with a size and price that most golfers can handle.  Great for OCD grinders or players looking to have more fun when they practice.  Smooth, quick putting surface.  Easy set up.

Introduction

In the last few years, adjustable putting greens have become more common in high end teaching and club fitting studios.  Unfortunately, they’re typically enormous and very expensive.

The PuttOUT AirBreak is neither.  At less than $400 and roughly sixteen square feet, it’s an adjustable putting green that’s accessible to the vast majority of golfers.  It easily won our Best of Show at the 2024 PGA Show [read more HERE], and I recently got one in hand to see if the in-home experience lived up to the first impression.

Set Up & Ease of Use

The phrase “adjustable putting green” could conjure up thoughts of a long, complicated set up process, but that’s not the PuttOUT way.  After I unboxed the AirBreak, I had all the pieces seen above.  The instruction manual is excellent, but it’s more of a confidence booster than a necessity – the PuttOUT AirBreak sets up intuitively.

You start by unfolding the platform, which is all one piece.  Unpack the pumps – they’re already put together and neatly tucked into the platform – and lay the putting mat on top.  There are grommets on the putting mat that fit over adjustable plastic pegs to keep it in place.  Turn on the ball return, and you’re ready to putt.

Adjusting the PuttOUT AirBreak is as simple as stepping on the pump to raise that section of the green or holding the button to lower it.  In a perfect world, the button would be further from the pump – it’s not hard to unintentionally hit the button if you’re pumping with your foot – but that’s picking nits.

Just like setting it up, breaking down the AirBreak takes only a couple minutes.  PuttOUT includes a wheeled carrying case that allows you to keep your green neat and out of the way if you can’t devote the space to a permanent set up.  The AirBreak and all its components weigh approximately 24 pounds.

Effectiveness

Starting with the basics, the PuttOUT AirBreak is approximately eight feet long and two feet wide.  The putting surface is the same as PuttOUT’s putting mats [review HERE] which is a very good thing.  PuttOUT states that it rolls at a 10 on the Stimpmeter, and I found it to be quick and true.  For those calculating exact space requirements, the adjustable-height stand (below) adds another sixteen inches of width.

Turning to what makes the PuttOUT AirBreak unique, there are eight independent points of adjustment.  This lets you create a huge variety of putts – uphill, downhill, right-to-left, left-to-right, double breaking, and more.  According to PuttOUT, you can create a side slope of up to 7.5% and a continuous up or downhill putt of 3%.

With many training aids, I’ll say something along the lines of, “This is a good trainer for the serious practicer.”  While that’s true of the PuttOUT AirBreak, it’s also the best green for those that want more fun.  For me – someone who’s a little OCD – I can get the mat perfectly flat and true for flawless feedback on my stroke.  If you just want to have fun, you can spend hours concocting and perfecting rollercoaster putts.  I can imagine playing H-O-R-S-E with different types of putts.  So whether you’re grinding on technique with the PuttOUT Mirror [review HERE] or having a laugh, it’s hard to beat the AirBreak.

Additionally, like all of PuttOUT’s products, the user experience has been thoroughly considered and made as good as possible.  The inclusion of an automatic ball return and a barrier behind the cup remove two of the normal aggravations of putting practice, making you more likely to practice longer and more often.

Another thing that comes with the PuttOUT AirBreak is the PuttOUT green reading app.  This essentially turns your phone into a level, showing the break left or right as well as the up or downhill grade.  I think this is a quality add on, and the ability to take it to the course makes your practice more transferable.

While I do love the PuttOUT AirBreak – it’s the best at home putting green I’ve tested – I do have one suggestion.  Given my aforementioned OCD, I’d love it if the mat had some markings.  Something as simple as a stripe down the middle would be great for people like me who want precise feedback on their stroke.

Longevity

Longevity is the area where the PuttOUT AirBreak puts other putting mats to shame.  The ability to alter the green quickly and easily means every practice session can be different.  Also, the thoughtfulness of the design – the ball-stop barrier and the auto-return cup – make the AirBreak more fun to use.

I will note that, despite being easy to set up, the longevity of the AirBreak will be hampered if you need to break it down every time you use it.  If you can’t leave this set up, think carefully about how dedicated you are to your putting before buying it.

Value

The PuttOUT AirBreak will carry a regular retail price of $369.  You can pre-order before September 15 for $339.  It includes the adjustable base, the putting surface, and the automatic ball return.  The wheeled carrying case (above) will be sold separately in the near future.  This is the best, most fun putting green I’ve tested, so I think it’s definitely worth the money if you have the space to dedicate to it.

If you don’t have enough space, or you need something you can pack up more quickly, check out PuttOUT’s putting mats HERE.

Conclusion

When PuttOUT released their smash hit Pressure Trainer [review HERE], the smart money was on them being a one-hit wonder.  Numerous successful products later, they may have eclipsed their original hit with the new PuttOUT AirBreak.  This is the best, most fun putting green that you can easily and affordably fit into your home.

Buy PuttOUT AirBreak HERE

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50 Words or Less

The Sure-Golf Tour-Feel training aid teaches golfers to create width by keeping their lead arm straight throughout the swing.  Easy to use.  Three levels of resistance.

Introduction

If you ever stand on the range at a PGA Tour event, you’ll notice that all the players create a lot of “width” at the top of their swings – lead arms straight and extended away from their bodies.  Go to your local driving range and you’ll see the opposite – arms bent at all angles.  The Sure-Golf Tour-Feel is a straightforward training aid that will help you find that Tour-style position so you can add more power and consistency to your swing.

Set Up & Ease of Use

The Sure-Golf Tour-Feel training aid is not complicated to use, but it requires some instruction the first time through.  By following the QR code on the packaging, you’ll find the six training videos.  Learning how to assemble and wear the Tour-Feel is essential.  Beyond that, the videos get pretty repetitive, though there is value in being reminded that change will not happen overnight.

Subsequent uses of the Tour-Feel are quick and easy.  Sliding it on takes just a few seconds, and there isn’t much fine tuning required.  There are three settings for “difficulty,” and players should be able to quickly determine which one they need for their swing.

Effectiveness

The Sure-Golf Tour-Feel teaches players to keep their lead arm straight so they can have “Tour-level width.”  Having a straight arm should improve consistency by removing the variables of how much and when your arm bends.  The Tour-Feel teaches this by connecting an elastic band to your thumb, forcing you to actively straighten your lead arm throughout the swing.

What I like most about the Tour-Feel is that it reinforces the correct motion by resisting it rather than forcing you into it.  Trainers that restrict your movement and force you into the correct positions ultimately fail because they don’t teach you to make those motions on your own.  The Tour-Feel is the opposite – it makes the correct motion harder, forcing you to actively work to create it on your own.

My primary concern about the Tour-Feel is that golfers who bend their lead arm do so for a reason.  It could be a lack of rotation or something else, but that bent arm is part of a larger whole.  Changing this one element will require changes elsewhere that may be difficult for them to make or even understand without individualized instruction.  This could lead to frustration and dismissal of the Tour-Feel.

The Sure-Golf Tour-Feel offers three levels of resistance, indicated by the three colored thumb loops.  You can pick your level based on your physical strength, how much feedback you want, and how far you are from the straight arm ideal.  At the highest level, I found the feedback to be moderate, enhancing my errors and awareness of them.

Though it’s not a focus on their website, I’ll note that I found the Sure-Golf Tour-Feel very beneficial in the short game.  I don’t have any issue keeping my arms straight in the full swing, but I can get crumpled around the greens.  Hooking up the Tour-Feel was a good reminder to keep my body moving, even on short chip shots.

Finally, the Sure-Golf Tour-Feel almost got an A+ for avoiding overhyped, BS claims.  The product page states that you’ll achieve an “effortless repeatable swing that naturally transitions from practice to play,” but this is pretty mild by training aid standards.  And I’ll note again that the training videos do a good job reinforcing the idea that real change takes time.

Longevity

Overall, the Sure-Golf Tour-Feel is a bit above average for longevity.  On the plus side, the product itself is well made, and there’s nothing about the way it’s used that should cause it to wear out.  Also, it’s small and can live in your golf bag.  The Tour-Feel has the versatility to work indoors and outdoors.  You could even use it to make swings without hitting a ball.

The biggest knock on the Sure-Golf Tour-Feel is that it’s very close to being a unitasker.  What it teaches is important, but not everyone needs it.  Also, there’s no gamification. Finally, though it’s not overly conspicuous, some golfers may feel self conscious wearing it at the driving range.

Value

The Sure-Golf Tour-Feel training aid retails for $99 HERE.

This is slightly below average in price for a training aid, and I think the Tour-Feel is worth the money for players with bent arms.  I like its approach to training, and it can be used in a variety of settings.  Importantly, the Tour-Feel works for both right and left handed players.

Conclusion

For players with bent arms who are willing to put some time and effort into their practice, the Sure-Golf Tour-Feel training aid is worth adding to the kit.  This trainer can go anywhere and will enhance your short game as well as your full swing.

Buy Sure-Golf Tour-Feel HERE

The post Sure-Golf Tour-Feel Training Aid Review appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

50 Words or Less

The Shot Pattern golf app is an amazing tool for playing smarter golf and shooting lower scores.  Preview your rounds or use it on the course to make better decisions.  Input your data after playing to learn where you’re gaining or losing shots.

Introduction

The analytics revolution can be seen in all sports, and golf is no exception.  Unfortunately for the recreational player, putting all these new insights into practice can be too time consuming.  Shot Pattern aims to fix that by packing key visualizations and statistics into an easy-to-use app.

Set Up & Ease of Use

One of the things that most impressed me about Shot Pattern is the quality of the app.  Any tech-inclined golfer knows that many golf apps have great ideas behind them but fall short on usability.  Shot Pattern is not one of them.

When you open the Shot Pattern app, you’re offered tutorial videos, Course Preview, Play Golf, and Account & Stats.  The tutorial videos, available on Shot Pattern’s YouTube channel, are very helpful in walking you step-by-step through the different methods of data entry.

You can upload batches of data from a launch monitor, which is the fastest way to get a lot of data into Shot Pattern.  Additionally, you can enter your shots as you play.  My favorite method is to use my Shot Scope data [I’m using the new V5, review HERE] and enter all the shots post-round.  This takes about five minutes, and I found it took about two holes for me to get the hang of it.

The two primary modes, Course Preview and Play Golf, both work intuitively.  They start with selecting a course – Play Golf uses your location to identify nearby courses.  From there, you’re presented with an overhead image of the hole (below) where you can plot out the optimal strategy.

Benefits

In one sentence, the reason for using Shot Pattern is to improve your decision making on the golf course.  It does this in two ways: by creating a visualization of you shot pattern on tee and approach shots and by giving you Strokes Gained stats before you hit your shot.

The two pictures above show a tee shot in Shot Pattern.  On the left, I selected the 70 yard arc; on the right, I selected the 40 yard arc.  This little white arc is the secret sauce of Shot Pattern as it shows you your entire range of likely outcomes.  I can’t overstate the value of this visualization.  If you’re looking at a hole and wondering, “Can I safely fit my drive between the trees and the water?” Shot Pattern will give you a definitive answer.

In addition to the white arcs, Shot Pattern can show the actual dispersion of all the drives you’ve entered into the system (above, left).  In my case, this includes some poor strikes and some big foul balls, but it’s very useful to see this so you can pick a realistic target.

Beyond visualizing a good target, Shot Pattern lets you know what risks are worth taking by giving you real time Strokes Gained stats.  If you look at the two examples above, you can see the value of hitting it an additional 25 yards is about 0.08 strokes.  That may not sound like much, but if you multiply that advantage by fourteen drives, you’re at over 1.1 Strokes Gained for the round.  The moral of the story: hit driver [but you already knew that if you read THIS].  You can get that same data for questions like, “How much will the rough hurt me?” or “What’s the value of hitting the green vs laying up?”

Shot Pattern gives you a different visualization for approach shots.  Above left, you can see the 15 foot circle with the 50 foot circle on the right.  This is extremely helpful for picking smart targets that will keep you out of stroke hazards [more on that HERE]

You can use Shot Pattern while you’re playing or to preview your round.  As someone who prefers to be device-free on the course, I like preview more, but I would pull out Shot Pattern to confirm a particularly tricky decision if I were chasing a personal best or trying to win a big bet.

While the Course Preview/Play Golf modes will help you make good decisions, I also spend a lot of time in the post-round analysis.  Above left, you see the report you get back after each round: a hole-by-hole score alongside your Strokes Gained in the four major categories.  You can also see these stats for all your rounds to see how they vary (above, right).

Digging to the next level, you can see a stat summary or dive into each category.  As you can see above, there are numerous conventional stats like up & downs, fairways, and total putts.  I find more value in the non-traditional stats, especially those off the tee.  As you can see, I only hit four fairways, but twelve of my drives gained strokes (relative to a 10 handicap) due to every drive being in play, no big misses, and above average length.  Let the big dog eat!

Two other things I love are the breakdown of putting stats into different distances and the “Key Stats” category (above, right, top).  If you’re a higher handicap player who wants to shave off strokes as fast as possible, focus on those Key Stats and you’ll see your scores plummet.

Finally, at the nerdiest level, Shot Pattern shows you the Strokes Gained for every shot you took during the round (below, left).  This may seem like overkill, but it’s tremendously helpful for your strategy and mental game.  As an example, I had a round where I felt like my putting was pretty mediocre.  When I looked at my stats, I discovered I was wrong – I gained strokes on most of my putts.  The only times I lost strokes was when I set up a three-putt with a poor lag.  This reminded me to ease off the pressure on the fifteen footers and practice more fifty footers.

Value

The Shot Pattern app is free to download and use.  In the free mode, you can use the Course Preview mode and see both the tee shot arcs and the approach shot circles.

Unlocking the premium features of Shot Pattern costs $11.99/month or $74.99/year – a 47% savings over paying monthly.  The premium mode gives you the Strokes Gained Predictor tool, Strokes Gained stats on every shot after your round, and customized shot patterns.  Shot Pattern offers a one week free trial of the premium features.

Downloading the free version of Shot Pattern is a no-brainer for anyone who cares about their score.  This is a must-have strategy tool.  Getting the most out of the premium features requires more effort as it relies on you inputting your data, but the value is tremendous for competitive players.

Conclusion

If you want to play smarter golf, Shot Pattern is one of the easiest ways to do so.  The app is streamlined and intuitive, allowing you to shave strokes off you handicap without an advanced degree in math or hours of time spent over spreadsheets and satellite images.

Listen to our podcast with Shot Pattern’s creator, Eric Duffet, HERE

Download Shot Pattern HERE

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50 Words or Less

The Rypstick ButterBlade is a miniature, hittable iron designed to improve your ball striking.  Some of the claims go too far, but this can help to level up your strike quality.

Use code PLUGGEDIN to save 10% when you buy the ButterBlade HERE

Introduction

The spelling of Rypstick isn’t unusual for the sake of being unusual – it hides an acronym.  RYP stands for Reach Your Potential.  While the original Rypstick training aid [review HERE] was designed to help you  maximize your speed, the company wants you to improve all aspects of your golf.  To help players level up their ball striking, they’ve developed the Rypstick ButterBlade, and I tested it to see if it meets the lofty standard set by the Rypstick.

Set Up & Ease of Use

The Rypstick ButterBlade may be the most intuitive training aid I’ve ever tested.  If I handed it to someone who knew almost nothing about golf, they’d understand what to do with it.  There is no set up, no assembly, and no instruction manual.  Take the ButterBlade out of the box, go to the range, and try to hit it.  That’s it.  It couldn’t be easier.

Effectiveness

The concept behind the Rypstick ButterBlade is simple: if you can hit this tiny club, hitting your normal irons will be easy.  Just like if you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.  The question is, does that logic hold up?

Part of the value of the ButterBlade is the confidence it gives you.  Looking down at this club is a little scary – especially if you’ve ever hit a shank – and mastering it will make you feel great.  Golf is undoubtedly a mental sport, so anything that can boost your confidence definitely has value.

The more tangible side of the equation is that the ButterBlade provides really strong feedback.  A small miss means half the ball is off the face leading to a strong twist in the club head.  For players who are used to bigger, forgiving game improvement irons, this feedback is going to be a real wake up call.  There are loads of players who don’t realize how many of their shots are off-center.  Practicing with the Rypstick ButterBlade can make them more aware of their impact location and focus their practice.

My primary reservation with the ButterBlade is that the transference is not going to be one to one.  When you switch back to your normal irons, you may relax a bit, knowing that you have some margin for error.  That’s not to say the ButterBlade isn’t worth using or can’t teach important lessons, just that you can’t master the ButterBlade and then expect every swing with your irons to be perfect.

The Rypstick ButterBlade is available in right and left handed models.  It’s also offered in six flexes: X-Stiff, Stiff, Regular, Senior, Ladies, and Junior.  This is important because it allows you to train with a shaft that feels similar to what you actually play, improving the transference.

Before moving on, I want to rate Rypstick’s claims regarding the ButterBlade because I can like a training aid but still hate outlandish claims.  Numbers one and four are “Improve Accuracy” and “Hit More Greens,” and I’ll deal with them together, placing them somewhere between fact and fiction.  If you hit the center of the face more, your shot pattern will be more predictable, so that’s good.  However, the ButterBlade does nothing to train face angle or club path which are the real drivers of accuracy.

Claim number two – “Immediate Feedback” – is fine, at the start.  The ButterBlade does provide more feedback than most irons.  However, they go on to say it provides “real-time feedback on your swing path and clubface angle.”  The ButterBlade does no such thing; the golf ball does.  The ButterBlade communicates where the ball met the face – which is really important – but only the ball flight tells you what the face and path were.  If you don’t know how to “read” the ball flight, read THIS.

Finally, there’s “Effortless Lag,” which is utter nonsense.  The appearance of “lag” – which deserves its own discussion – is the result of good sequencing in your golf swing.  No matter how a golf club is weighted, it will not force a golfer to “lag” it.

Longevity

Overall, I like the Rypstick ButterBlade, but it’s a bit below average for longevity.  There is nothing gamified about it, and it can only be used in places where you can hit balls.

On the plus side, you can use this without drawing any attention to yourself, and it requires no set up.  Also, for players who hit into a net, this can add some needed variety.

Value

The Rypstick ButterBlade retails for $139.  This is about average in price, leading me to give the ButterBlade an average value grade.  For players that need to focus their practice, this is a solid addition, but it’s a uni-tasker that not every golfer needs to own.

Use code PLUGGEDIN to save 10% when you buy the ButterBlade HERE

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a training aid that can help you strike the center of the face more often, the Rypstick ButterBlade is what you need.  This tiny club can boost your confidence and your focus while putting you in better touch with the feedback you get from your own clubs.

Buy the RypStick ButterBlade HERE

Save 10% with code PLUGGEDIN

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50 Words or Less

The Arccos Link Pro takes a small step forward with its improved battery life, better app connection, and a somewhat less complicated user experience.

Introduction

Arccos continues to be a leader and innovator in the stat tracking category.  Their club sensors and multi-platform compatibility make it easy for golfers to customize the experience.  This year, Arccos released the new Link Pro, and I put it through the wringer on our latest PIG golf trip to see how well it performs.

Set Up & Ease of Use

Right out of the box, the Arccos Link Pro only needed a quick charge in the charging case and it was ready to go.  Just like the previous Link, the only setup needed is an Arccos app update.  From there, the app recognized the Link Pro, and I could start my round.

The biggest change for the Arccos Link Pro is that it’s no longer a belt clip.  It sits in your pocket for each round.  This is a step backward in my opinion, because it makes it harder to access the Pin button used to mark the pin location.  Also new for this version: the power button and pin button are separate which simplifies the user experience.

Positives

There are a lot of new and positive changes for the Link Pro.  The first is the battery life is way better.  During my recent golf trip, we played 36 holes each day and the Arccos Link Pro never needed a charge between rounds.  My previous Link [review HERE] never survived more than one round.  While I charged the Link Pro each night, I think it could have gone even longer without charging it.  Additionally, the charging case can wirelessly charge the Link Pro on the go.  This gives you the ability to play several rounds without having to connect to a power outlet.

The Arccos Link Pro also seemed to have a quicker connection to my phone app and better GPS signal throughout the round.  I never once had to reconnect the Link Pro to the app.  As far as shot recognition, it didn’t seem to pick up any more or any less shots than previous Link versions.  There was still some round editing that had to be done post round.

Negatives

I am a long time user of Arccos and have been a proponent of their stat tracking software as well as the system.  That said, getting rid of the belt clip and forcing users to put the Link Pro in their pocket is a negative.  Searching my pocket each time I have mark the pin is less convenient than the original Link which sat right on my belt for easy access.  Plus, I simply don’t like extra things in my pockets on the course.

The Pin button also needs some work.  When you mash it down, there is no feedback to ensure it locked onto the pin location.  Adding a vibration, or even a more definitive “click” to the button, would give users some peace of mind.

Value

At $225, the value proposition of the Arccos Link Pro depends on where you are at in your Arccos user experience.  If you already own a Link, the Link Pro is not a necessary upgrade unless you need the extended battery life and wireless charging capability.

However, if you’re a newer Arccos user, the Link Pro is definitely worth considering.  It gives you additional freedom from your phone and the ability to easily mark the location of the pin, allowing for more precise stats.

Conclusion

Although it isn’t a significant upgrade over previous Link versions, the latest iteration in the Arccos Link Pro device gets rid of the belt clip, improves battery life, and makes the user experience a little less complicated.

Buy Arccos Link Pro HERE

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50 Words or Less

The PUREHITT training aid tries to combine a heavy, flexible warm up tool with a hittable tempo trainer.  More successful with the former than the latter.  Able to be used by right and left handed players.

Introduction

Borrowed from chef/TV host Alton Brown, “unitasker” is one of my more favorite insults to lob at a training aid.  The PUREHITT attempts to avoid that label by combining an Orange Whip-style device with a hittable training club.  But in attempting to be two things, does it fail to do even one thing well?  Let’s discuss.

Set Up & Ease of Use

There is no set up required with the PUREHITT swing trainer; just remove the packaging and you’re ready to go.  It works for right and left handed players, and there is just one model available.

The only instructions are on the Amazon sales page HERE.  They are…lacking.  The instructions state that to warm up with the PUREHITT, you should swing it back and forth.  To improve your ball striking, hit it off a tee.  If the ball goes straight, that’s great.  If it goes low and right, “you’re like most” and it’s “time to address one or more swing flaws.”  What are those flaws?  How do we address them?  The instructions are so bad they almost feel like trolling.

Effectiveness

The PUREHITT swing trainer blends two trainers – the Orange Whip-style tempo trainer and a hittable tempo trainer.

As a warm up tool, I think the PUREHITT is fine.  It’s heavy like the Orange Whip, and the shaft is extremely flexible.  Virtually every golfer is familiar with this type of trainer, and it’s a fine way to warm up, though it’s not the best way to build speed*.

I’m less impressed with the hittable aspect of this trainer.  I think the concept of a highly flexible, hittable tempo trainer does have merit.  I’m a big fan of GForce’s trainers like the Driver NXT-GEN [review HERE].  The difference is that the GForce products look like golf clubs and are weighted similarly to normal clubs.  I question how well swinging an extremely heavy orange blob will transfer to swinging your real driver.  Additionally, because there are no instructions, it’s not obvious to all golfers why their shots are screaming out low and right.

Longevity

One of the points emphasized by the PUREHITT is that the grip is replaceable.  This is an advantage over trainers that have a knob at the grip end, but I don’t know too many people who have worn out the grip on their Orange Whip.

Overall, I think the longevity of the PUREHITT is similar to any other warm up club.  If you are a rider and you can keep it in your bag, you will probably give it a few swings before you play.  For walkers who won’t want to keep such a heavy extra in their bag, this will likely gather dust.

Value

The PUREHITT golf training aid retails for $99 [please consider supporting Plugged In Golf by buying it HERE].  This is $20 less than the Orange Whip and roughly half the price of the GForce Driver NXT-GEN, but about twice as much as this Amazon brand swing trainer HERE.

Overall, I think the PUREHITT is a good buy as a warm up tool, but I would not recommend it as something that’s going to train your swing.  If you want to really smooth out your transition, I’d suggest the GForce 7-Iron [review HERE].

Conclusion

If you want a heavy warm up club, the PUREHITT is a fine addition to your kit.  It’s affordable, and the addition of a hittable face gives it some novelty.  That said, the hittable aspect should not be why you buy this club because the transference to real golf clubs is not great.

Buy the PUREHITT Golf Training Aid HERE

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50 Words or Less

The ONE Club Swing Trainer offers a combination of swing speed and release training in one device.  Simple to understand and get started.  Advancing to more challenging setups gets a bit complicated.

Introduction

Every golfer seeks more distance, and manufacturers feed our brains by endlessly marketing their clubs as the golden ticket.  But fundamentally, the true key to more distance is faster swing speed.  The ONE Club Swing Trainer (ONE) was developed to not only increase swing speed but also to optimize release.  As someone who needs help with both of those aspects, I put the ONE to the test.

Set Up & Ease of Use

ONE comes in a sleek box, pre-assembled with all the components, plus a printed guide book.  I also received an email stating that the booklet was incorrect regarding the included elastics.  Oddly enough I discovered the downloadable version is also wrong.  Another email reminder encouraged me to watch “quick start” videos.  I appreciated that the three videos (Feel, Release, and Customize) were each less than a minute and aligned to the printed material.

Before getting into my actual use of The ONE Club, I have to comment on the opening sentence of the instruction guide:  “Before embarking on self-instruction of your golf swing, it is highly advisable to seek the guidance of a skilled teaching professional to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of your technique.”  I totally get that they don’t want us to ingrain bad habits, but that seems like a full on CYA knowing most golfers aren’t going to do it.

The ONE system includes the club itself (with shaft, grip, sliding carriage, and dampening end stopper), weights (4 @ 60 gram, 1 @ 125 gram), and elastics (1 weak, 2 medium, 1 strong).  Installing both weights and elastics is both simple and intuitive.

With a few swings of the ONE in a base level 1 setup, I had a good understanding of both Feel and Release.  As you swing, the carriage slides and creates a “click” as it hits the end stopper.  The key to training is to find a level – a combination of weights and elastics – that allows you to achieve a repeatable, good, release point three times in a row.  I found that level 3 with three weights was a good starting point and began three sets of 3 swings, 3x a week – both directions.  Swinging left handed was awkward and not always pretty, but based on the training videos it seemed wise to train both my dominant and non-dominant sides equally.

Effectiveness

Based on Trackman data with my driver, I picked up 2 mph in club speed after two weeks.  After another two weeks I had gained another 1 mph.  It’s worth mentioning that it typically took me a few warm up swings to get to my “3’s” routine.  And I often ended up with a few extra swings because I was in a good groove.

I also enjoyed using the ONE for pre-round warmup before leaving the house.  I didn’t strive for speed, but rather an impactful release.  For me, timing and tempo are critical to get in sync before playing and using the ONE got me there before hitting a ball on the range.

Finding the proper resistance can be challenging with two variables: weights and elastics.  The key is understanding your release point and trying to follow the ONE chart and examples.  It’s not exactly straightforward and took me a few readings to grasp when I wanted to go up a level.  I’m far from reaching the upper resistance settings, but I found it odd that ONE never states the value of the strong elastic.  I can only conclude it’s a 6 to make the numbers work, though that still doesn’t get to a 12 setup – the highest resistance level in the chart.

The ONE website also includes a 10 video technical series hosted by Martin Chuck.  I watched several videos but did not attempt any of the instructional methods.  Martin is a great guy, and I appreciate his knowledge, but I felt like The ONE Club was a bit awkward as his training aid of choice.

Longevity

All the components seem well made, and I didn’t observe any wear after a month.  As with anything rubbery, the resistance bands are certain to deteriorate, but I suspect that could be a few years down the road.  I do wish The ONE Club came with a component bag to hold the booklet and unused elastics and weights.

Like any fitness regime, using the ONE takes commitment to achieve full benefits.  After a month I could tell my focus was starting to slip.  Part of that was the weather being more conducive to play and practice.  A positive of the ONE is it can be revisited any time.

Value

The ONE retails for $199, which is a right in line with other speed training systems.  Super Speed [full review HERE] and Rypstick [full review HERE] are the same price, whereas Stack retails for $349.  All three lack the release feedback aspect of the ONE.

What ONE doesn’t have is a method for direct swing speed measurement, which the other brands can achieve with their longer shaft lengths when paired with a radar type of device.  Instant feedback versus swinging with your driver is an aspect you’ll want to consider.

Conclusion

The ONE has a lot going for it: compact size, adjustability, and release feedback.  What it doesn’t offer is instantaneous speed feedback – even if you already own a personal launch monitor.  That said, the ONE does deliver in terms of developing swing speed and release timing.  I also found the ONE to be a great warmup aid.   Finally, I appreciate that the ONE website discusses the science behind the system (plyometrics and dynamic training) without getting too technical or making wild claims.

Visit The ONE Club Swing Trainer HERE

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