PutterZone – Best Putter Reviews
What if you could literally see yourself putting through the eyes of one of the PGA Tour’s top performers?
Seeitgolf aims to answer this question with a new instructional video called “Aaron Baddeley: Putting,” which is billed as an innovative new way to visualize success on the putting green.
Is this video a true pathway to the power of positive thinking, or just another instructional dead end?
Following is PutterZone.com’s review of Seeitgolf’s “Aaron Baddeley: Putting” ($29.99 for iPod only, or $49 for DVD/iPod combo) video.
The Storyline
“Aaron: Baddeley: Putting” runs for 15 minutes and the file totals 155 megabytes. The video is purchased as a downloadable file that can be imported into the appropriate library for viewing on an iPod or Zune, or on a computer.
According to Seeitgolf: “This product was created by a who’s-who team of experts in the golf industry who partnered with seeitgolf to provide a distraction-free, zone-like training environment for use on a personal media player.”
The company continues: “By training the mind to expect the ball to roll in the hole, this training tool replaces the deeply ingrained images of doubt and hesitation most golfers have on the green. Players improve their game by performing a perfectly executed series of putts on their iPods, through the eyes of one of the best putters on the PGA Tour, Aaron Baddeley. This concept of immersing the mind in perfection has been proven to strengthen and improve performance.”
SeeItGolf’s “Aaron Baddeley: Putting” shows Baddeley stalking a putting green and sinking one putt after another. It offers ground-level, eye-level, bird’s-eye and other views. Many of the putts are traced with a red line that reveals the break in the green prior to the putt.
Seeitgolf’s team of advisors includes Stan Utley, a leading short-game instructor (click here for PutterZone.com’s review of his excellent instructional book), as well as mental game expert David Cook.
The View from PutterZone.com
After ordering the video, I received an email with a link to download the file. The file opened in a separate folder, and I then copied the file to my iTunes library. Within minutes, I was viewing the video on my iPod Touch.
In the opening sequence, clouds cascade along the sky in speed motion while a ball lands onto a putting green in slow motion. It’s a stunning visual effect that demonstrates the art of focus. You wonder if that’s how golf looks to someone like Tiger Woods, a calm white ball that is immune to the laws of time, pressure or distraction.
Baddeley is enveloped in shadows during the putting sequences, with only the green and the ball illuminated against a black infinity. You see the putting world through his eyes, the putter head striking the ball, and the ball taking its inevitable course into the hole. No words are spoken throughout the video. It’s a purely sensory experience.
The soundtrack is a hypnotic blend of new-age techno, and it’s fully interwoven into the visuals. For example, when the putter strikes the ball, or when the ball dips into the hole, it’s on beat with added emphasis in the percussion. Many viewers probably won’t even notice this effect, but it contributes greatly to the mesmerizing nature of the presentation.
Simply put, I’ve never seen a putting video like this one. Rotational filming, slow motion, selective focus and creative lighting are all used judiciously and effectively to create a seamless visual journey. It’s clear that a ton of thought, skill and technical prowess went into the making of “Aaron Baddely: Putting.”
After watching the video a few times, I took a trip to the practice green and felt like I was viewing things differently—more positively, more slowly, more smoothly. It would be hard to quantify the impact of the video at this point, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be a better golfer for having experienced it, and I know I’ll be watching it frequently as part of my game plan.
If “Aaron Baddely: Putting” were priced at $19.99, I would call it an essential purchase for any golfer looking to improve the mental side of his or her putting game. At $29.99, it veers into pricey territory, but is still highly recommended if you can swing it.
The Bottom Line
“Aaron Baddeley: Putting” is a groundbreaking addition to the world of putting instruction. It elevates the act of putting to a thing of sheer visual beauty. More important, it hits its intended mark, embroidering the mind with positive imagery that can inspire powerful results.
Do you know if this product is still available? I tried to connect through SeeItGolf’s website and haven’t heard anything back.
I went to the site and it looks like the iTunes download and DVD links are no longer working, I’ll see what I can find out!