I am thrilled to be able to say that PuttOUT Golf is bringing to market a new putting mat that will allow players to manually adjust and practice putts of different breaks and slopes in the comfort of their own homes, the AirBreak. For a number of years, PuttOUT has been making some of the best putting mats that allow you to hit straight putts and work on technique and start line, which is a crucial element of putting practice. However, how many dead straight putts did you face in your last round of golf? My guess would be not many. Reading greens and learning how to match up line and pace on breaking putts is fundamental to becoming a great putter and lowering your scores.
Over the past few years, I have seen, and tested, a number of hydraulic-based systems that allow you to manipulate break and have both thoroughly enjoyed and found them very beneficial. What I haven’t enjoyed however is the price tag of these which can run into the tens of thousands of dollars! Now for $349/£299 PuttOUT is saying that you can manipulate break and learn the green reading and technical skills required for improvement in your very own home. I put the AirBreak mat to the test to see what it had to offer…
Firstly, the technology. Featuring a light, flexible, and extremely strong EPP base, with 8 points of adjustment, AirBreak allows you to quickly create an almost limitless amount of breaking putts across its 8ft putting area. This is cleverly achieved by having 8 air pockets built into the frame, with players using the pumps and release valves to raise and lower the base which PuttOUT says allows users to create break in seconds.
(Image credit: Future)
Users of AirBreak can create up to 7.5% of side slope (right to left and vice versa) as well as a continuous up-hill or down-hill slope of 3%.
I thoroughly enjoyed testing the AirBreak out and found both the setup and usage really simple and intuitive. The flexibility of the base means that, unlike some other solutions, AirBreak doesn’t just pivot on a single plane, which allows you to create double-breakers even within a 6.5 ft putt. This flexibility allows AirBreak to mirror the realistic, gradual slopes you experience out on the course. The artificial surface ran extremely smoothly as you would expect and the pace (although adjustable) was comfortable in the flat position.
Another feature of AirBreak that I enjoyed was the automatic ball return. It is battery-powered, and holed putts are returned to your feet…
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