F-O-R-E Minute Friday – Get Some Putting Tech Into Your Game!

Daniel Guest: Welcome back to The IMAGEN Golf Podcast, where we don't just talk about golf; we guarantee improvement. I'm your host, Daniel Guest—Top 100 Coach, founder of IMAGEN Golf, and the guy who’s given over 39,000 lessons. Today, we're diving into the part of the game that separates the winners from the "what ifs": putting.

And specifically, we're talking about the digital revolution that's happening on the short grass. Forget the old days of guesswork and "feel." The future of putting practice is technology, and if you're not using it, you are flat-out leaving strokes on the table.

The Three Questions Technology Must Answer

For two decades, I watched golfers try to feel their way to a better stroke. The problem is, your feel is a liar! You might think you're swinging straight back and straight through, but objective data often tells a different story.

The best putting technology simplifies your improvement process by answering three fundamental, non-negotiable questions about your stroke:

1. Where is your putter face pointing at impact? This is the number one determinant of your ball's starting line. A face that's off by just one degree will miss a short putt. Devices like a launch monitor or a simple mirror will give you immediate, irrefutable feedback on this.
2. What path is your putter traveling? Is it inside-out, outside-in, or truly on the path you intend? Path impacts the quality of your roll and consistency. Technology like Blast Motion or a stroke arc template gives you that blueprint.
3. How consistently are you striking the ball? Center-face contact is everything for speed control. Technology reveals if you're hitting it heel-to-toe, which instantly costs you distance and line.

If your tech doesn't give you objective, measurable answers to these three questions, it's a glorified gimmick.

Making Technology Work For You, Not Against You

I see the skepticism. You don't want to get so lost in data that you forget to simply hit the putt. I get it. The key is to use the technology strategically.

• Diagnosis, Not Dependence: Use a high-speed camera or a launch monitor for a diagnostic session. Pinpoint the specific mechanical flaw—the three-degree open face, the inconsistent path—then turn the tech off.
• Drill with Purpose: Once you have your problem, use simple, physical training aids (like an alignment mirror or putting gates) to train the feel that creates the correct data. The training aid reinforces the change, and the data validated that it was the right change to make. For example, if your issue is a pulled putt, the launch monitor tells you your face is closed. Your subsequent practice with a gate drill forces you to feel what a square face feels like.
• Skills-Based Training: Forget endless ball-rolling. The best technology, like putting apps, gamifies your practice and gives you structure. It forces you to hit five putts from 8 feet or focus on lag putting consistency. This skills-based approach is how Tour Pros train, and it’s how we train here at IMAGEN Golf.

The Takeaway

The modern golfer has access to the most powerful tools in history. Stop guessing, start growing! Don't let your practice be a matter of 'hope' and 'feel.' Embrace the technology that gives you objective data, allows you to practice with laser-like focus, and ultimately, guarantees you'll make more putts and shoot lower scores.

Now, let's get out there and golf better, guaranteed!