I am not a skilled golfer; more of a casual enjoyer. I used to have a full set of clubs, but I play so infrequently I gave them away. To complete the trifecta of anti-golf, I don’t usually play ‌full-size courses. When I do play, it’s not competitive, by any means. I’m not obsessed with my stroke or score. I don’t care much who wins or loses rounds. And although I’d call myself a Happy Gilmore-type, versus a Rory McIlroy-type, I’m not anywhere close to as skilled as the movie character. However, I do know the game well. Back in the day, I spent some time as a caddy for various local tournaments and events. I also played quite a few rounds myself.

But even with all of this in mind, there is one thing about the game I love: putting. It’s a lot of fun, takes quite a bit of discipline to get right, and you can play virtually anywhere. Seriously, you can buy sets on Amazon or at local stores, plop them down in your office or living room, and then you’re all set. As long as you’re not whacking the ball like a hockey puck, everything in your house or office should be safe. I play all the time with my kids, and my son is an absolute menace — in a good way.

It’s an excellent way to build hand-eye coordination, muster up and train your patience, and just let off a little steam, especially on those really stressful days. And when you want to visit a course or a driving range, there’s always a practice putting green.

Just tap, tap, tap it in

I putt often. It’s made it so that I’m really good at putting, not so good at everything else. The funny part is that a lot of golfers I’ve met over the years, maybe even some today, have the opposite problem. They love the rest of the game and are lacking when it comes to their putting.

That’s precisely what the PuttAIM+ is here to help with. It’s a laser, sort of like a pseudo leveler, to help you line up your putting shot. The idea is to train through muscle memory and repetition so that when you’re out on the course, you have the skills and experience to make the shot. You can send the ball to its home every time.

With all of this in mind, I probably don’t seem like the right guy to give this device a try. But I beg to differ. I was ecstatic to put the PuttAIM through its paces, despite my lack of golfing prowess. Is it par for the course? Will it really help you train your putting? Is it reliable for beginners and experts alike? Grab a drink or a snack, start swinging those hips, and let’s tap it in — the ball, of course.

What is the PuttAIM+ exactly?

The PuttAIM+ is a fancy laser. Think a laser pointer, like you’d use to play with your cat, or dictate a presentation. This one is bright green, reliable even outdoors in sunlight, and works to create a straight, even line for you to shoot on. Ideally, you’d line it up in front of you, set your ball down and putt.

The laser is mounted on a stand, and at its base is a regulation-size cup-shaped foot. That allows you to shoot the golf ball right into the base, or you could set up a makeshift hole, kind of like I’ve done — you can see that in the pictures.

It completely breaks down and fits into a super convenient case, so it’s ultraportable. That allows you to take it with you on the road or business trips, or to practice out of the house or office. There are no wires. It runs on a battery, well, the laser does, anyway, and it’s rechargeable. You take the battery out, plug it into the adapter and charge it via USB-C.

The entire shell of the device, from base to stand and laser, is made up of metal, so it’s all sturdy. You don’t have to worry about it breaking when you’re on the move. It won’t break if you whack a ball at it. It should do fairly well in various conditions too, including inclement weather. Although it’s not rated as waterproof and the brand doesn’t advertise its use outdoors, so keep that in mind. That’s just me talking. The carrying case it comes with is water-resistant, though.

Realistically, it’s designed for indoor training. It’s meant to help you fix your shot alignment and stance issues. You can practice squaring the club face, taking shots at different angles, and adjusting your measurements.

How easy is it to set up and use?

When you first unbox the package, unzip the case, and glare down at the device, it looks complicated. But it’s really not. All you have to do is take out the base (cup), screw in the center pole (stand), screw on the laser holder, and snap the laser into place. The first time you use it, of course, you need to unscrew the cap on the back of the laser, take out the battery cell, and charge it.

You turn the laser on and off with a physical button on the back. It’s like a silicone nipple. Press it in to turn it on. Press it in again to turn it off.

Source: Briley Kenney / Techigar

After clipping the laser onto the stand, you simply rotate it in place to adjust the laser. It’s ridiculously easy to fix and get right because the laser points down at the ground. That’s it. That’s all there is to it.

When you’re ready to take your shot, you just take your ball, drop it down, line it up and swing away. This isn’t like those screen simulators where you pretend to drive the ball. It’s real. You’re actually putting. You choose the distance, direction, and power required. You can set the laser as far away as you want. I’ve seen it stretch at least 50 feet away, usually more. You can use the included ball marker to make sure the entire shot is square as well, if you want to be more precise.

It works on carpets, rugs, hard floors like tile or wood, outdoors on cement pavers, dirt, grass, you name it. In fact, I’m extremely impressed with how well it works outdoors, even though it’s advertised for indoor use only. You could even place it behind the cup on a live course if you wanted, or behind a cup on the training green. I did take it with me to a local driving range for some practice, but I don’t like to snap photos in public areas if I’m not alone.

Is it for everyone?

Obviously, it’s not for everyone everywhere. If you don’t play golf, have no interest in learning to play golf, and don’t want to train, then there’s no reason to even consider the PuttAIM+, but I think that’s a no-brainer assumption.

So, when I say, yes, it’s for everyone, I mean any skill level, any discipline, any type of golf enthusiast, as long as you’re interested in playing the game. PuttAIM does advertise on its site that PGA pros use this device to line up and train their shots. I have not seen that with my own eyes, but if that’s the case, it helps describe how useful something like this is for training and building your putting skills. No, I don’t hang around professional golfers very often, so that explains why I wouldn’t see them using the PuttAIM+.

Source: Briley Kenney / Techigar

What truly says a lot about PuttAIM’s practicality is how much it helped my six-year-old son. He loves to play. I’ve shown him how to take shots, I’ve done the whole Dad training rigamarole. Now, the ball is in his tee. The PuttAIM+ has unequivocally helped him perfect his stance and his shot. He can now confidently sink a ball on a putting green or a putt-putt course (mini golf). And while I am extremely proud of his skill and progress, it didn’t happen in a vacuum. The PuttAIM+ helped him train up.

I showed him how to use it, but it’s not difficult at all to turn on or line up. Now, he asks to “play some golf” regularly and does it all on his own. It’s pretty darn cute.

A powerful laser pointer for golf

The laser shoots in a straight line so if you’re trying to line up a unique shot, you simply twist or turn the stand. If there’s another hole you’re working with — like if you’re placing PuttAIM behind a real or practice hole — it’s a lot easier to line up those weird shots.

One thing I have noticed, that’s a small hurdle, if anything, is that the entire stand works best on a flat, even surface. If you’re putting it down on uneven terrain it’s not stable and not oriented reliably. You can always adjust the laser to make sure you have a level shot. The problem is the base itself might be wobbly so when you do putt, and the ball hits the base, it can take a tumble. Durability-wise that’s not a big deal. PuttAIM’s metal frame is rough and tough. It just means you have to go set it back up after every shot, which can get a little tedious.

That’s not a dealbreaker in my eyes, not even close. It works well on so many surfaces and terrain types, including golf course greens. But again, it’s noteworthy.

An intermediate’s perspective

I wouldn’t describe myself as a novice or a beginner. But like I said in the intro, I certainly wouldn’t describe myself as an expert or professional, either. I fall somewhere in the middle. So, when you consider what I’m sharing in the review, make sure you approach it with that perspective in place.

I don’t actually know how a professional would approach a device like this. All I can say is that PuttAIM asserts through marketing that professional golfers train with it.

I can personally feel my putting game getting better. My shots are more accurate and more deliberate. I’m much closer to the hole when I miss, and I’m doing way better at gauging my shots, visually before I take them. That’s also the case without the laser. The repetition of taking various shots and lining up with the center of the hole truly does become part of your muscle memory.

Source: Briley Kenney / Techigar

There’s also just a super fun component to using the PuttAIM. For example, we set up a makeshift mini-golf course in our home with books, obstacles, toys, and so on. We used the laser to create a follow line, and it was phenomenal. You wouldn’t think a precise green light could add so much fun and variety to a small experience like that, but it does.

There are a lot of different use cases that you could apply to training, too. It’s not something you have to set on a straight, boring path to take the same shots every time, unless you have no imagination whatsoever. If that’s the case, I feel bad for you, son. I have 99 problems, and my imagination ain’t one. I’m also a writer, so…

What’s the verdict, and the price?

The PuttAIM+ is a pretty specific or niche device; there’s no denying that point. It’s for golfers, and while it works for any skill level, not every golfer is going to want to use something like this. But let’s assess the price.

At full price, the PuttAIM+ is $175. You can find it discounted and on sale, but we’ll approach it from the more common standpoint. It also comes with a rechargeable battery and a durable zippered case to stow everything. Since you don’t need anything else to use it, except for some golf balls and a putter, I’d say that’s a reasonable price overall. There is another model, the PuttAIM Mini, which is smaller and retails for $110.

With no prior knowledge of the experience, I don’t play golf enough to spend that much. However, now that I have used it, and I’ve seen my children use it, friends, family, and others, and I’ve seen first-hand how it helps improve your game, I would spend that. Take that as you will.

Okay, so verdict?

It’s a lot of fun to set up and use casually. It’s quick and easy to install and break down for training everywhere. Putting, in general, is a great activity to let off some steam and train in your hand-eye coordination, physicality, and patience. Not to mention, it’s portable and has a matching carrying case and a ball marker. So, it’s everything you’d want in a training device, plus, as simple as it is, the unique stand and regulation-size cup hole are the perfectly engineered pieces you need to align a laser, indoors and out. Just calling it a simple laser is an oversimplification because using a standard laser for something like this would be a ton of work — the PuttAIM stand ties it all together perfectly.

I’d recommend the PuttAIM+ to anyone looking to boost their putting game, shooting stance, or aiming skills. It works for any age, any skill level, and any interest tier of the game, whether you’re a casual dabbler or a seasoned veteran who’s visited the world’s biggest and best courses.

• Recommended Buy: Yes, if you’re serious about golf.
• For Who: For players who want to improve their putting at any age, any skill level.
• Alternative: PuttAIM Mini
• MSRP: $175