Key to putting success may be reflection in mirror
After winning the 2020 Sony Open in Hawaii, Australian Cameron Smith gave credit to a putting training aid that propelled him to his fourth career professional victory.
It some ways it was prescient. Several months earlier, Smith had written in Australian Golf Digest that he always used a putting mirror before every round.
“The mirror enables me to make sure my body is in the correct position before I even take the putter head back,” he wrote. “My shoulders are square and my eyes are directly over the ball.”
So it’s no coincidence that Smith got on board with the Pro Path Putting Mirror, an Australian-released training tool designed by PGA pros Richard Woodhouse and Grant Field. Developed by Back 2 Basics Golf, founded in 2019, the Pro Path Putting Mirror features a curved, patent-pending stroke path that represents a 15-degree natural arc. It provides real-time feedback for every putt and clear reference points for key positions for club and body throughout the putting stroke.
By providing insight into core putting fundamentals, the company promotes the mirror as creating consistency, better posture, greater control and improved accuracy to every golfer’s stroke whether they’re a beginner or pro.
The Pro Path Putting Mirror provides immediate visual feedback, but a natural 15-degree stroke path graphic and putting gates to be used in drills aid in creating a consistent putting stroke.
Photo: Pro Path Putting Mirror
“The big thing is when you try the mirror right way, we’ll normally hear, ‘I had no idea how out of alignment my shoulder line was,’” said Nick Steiner, Back 2 Basics Golf owner and CEO, in a phone interview from Australia. “That’s the type of feedback we have been getting. ‘I had no idea my shoulders were out of alignment. I didn’t know my putting face wasn’t meeting with the ball in the correct position.’”
Steiner, born in the U.S., got the company afloat after a rather benign conversation with Woodhouse. Steiner said he was looking to start a passion project that would couple helping golfers while also giving back to younger generations. Woodhouse told Steiner he had developed a new kind of putting mirror with Field, who also serves as Smith’s coach. The idea resonated because “none of the mirrors in the market actually had a true arc or true path on the actual mirror,” Steiner said.
Steiner found that other mirrors could help with positioning, or shoulder and eye alignment, but not both. Woodhouse’s and Field’s concept brought both elements together.
The set includes the mirror, a putting path guide and alignment references for club and shoulders, along with four staggered putting gates that gradually reduce in size. The gates can be used for simple drills that focus on stroke; holes at the back of the mirror allow for tees to be positioned as a reference point for consistent putter back swing lengths.
The device employs a two-sided design that can be utilized on practice or putting greens, at home or in the park. In other words, pretty much anywhere. It also comes with a protective microfiber storage and travel bag that doubles as a cloth for cleaning the mirror. Steiner worked with a sunglass manufacturer in using polyester so that it’s easier to tote around. He said the mirror fits most standard-sized bags.
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According to Steiner, feedback has been positive. Some pros have claimed they have shaved two to three strokes off their game. “On the amateur end, when you’re trying to break 90 or 100, it could be a massive improvement,” he said.
The gadget, for both left- and right-handers, can be utilized by golfers of all ability. Having a pulse on upcoming golfers has been a prominent goal of Back 2 Basics.
“It all comes down to community and branding,” said Steiner, who added the design patent is in the final stages. “Some of the other mirrors are run by corporate types who, let’s be honest, aren’t really in touch with some of the newer technologies or the newer things coming up with generations. They aren’t working with younger kids to keep them in the game.”
As of now, the Pro Path Putting Mirror can be found in Australia and the U.S. Steiner said the company is looking to expand the product globally, focusing on Asian, European and United Kingdom markets within a year. The training aid, found on various commerce sites, sells for $64.99.
“Putting might not be the most sexiest thing when you talk about it at the end of the day,” Steiner said, “but it is what’s going to matter and count when breaking scores and reaching goals.”
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