The Common Golfer

Is this the latest sign that computers are slowing rising up against the human race, or a “gimmicky” idea to earn a few bucks???  These are the kinds of hard-hitting questions The Common Golfer aims to answer.  Armed with nothing but my iPhone, this weekend I will this new iPhone application and submitting a full review late Sunday.  A company called The Course Club has launched a new app that claims it can read your putts.  Here are product details from the company’s web site:  Putt Reader is designed to help you train your eye and your putting stroke so that you sink more putts. Unlike other iPhone applications that show you which directon the green slopes, Putt Reader actually calculates the arc of your putt with a groundbreaking scientific algorithm.

1. Set the distance of your putt by pinching or spreading your thumb and index finger along the length of the screen. To figure out your distance walk off the length from the hole to the ball, the average adult step is 3 feet so 5 steps would equal 15 feet.

2. Set the distance to the break by placing your index finger on the phone logo on the screen and move it closer or farther from the hole.

3. By setting the distance of the break you are measuring the break at a certain of the putt so if you have a 20 foot putt and you want to see the break at 10 feet, set the distance of the putt to 20 feet and the break to 10 feet. Then line up the ear speaker with the hole at 10 feet from the phone and the Putt Reader will show you how your putt will break.

4. Once the Putt Reader has calculated your putt, you may freeze frame your putt so that you can move your phone back with your ball and study your line.

5. The Putt Reader Caddie tip will give you a good idea on how many balls outside the hole you should aim.

The application is available for $1.99 on iTunes.  Personally, I’m a bit skeptical that my iPhone is somehow going to improve my putting (even if it gives me a perfect line, I still have to hit it straight).  Plus, it wasn’t too encouraging to see that The Course Club’s page for “testimonials” was blank!  But, I’m willing to give it a shot.  Make sure to come back Sunday to see if it was worth it.