Putting technology: Blast Motion, the SAM PuttLab, and whether any of it actually works

Approximately 40% of golf shots are putts. The average golfer spends approximately 5% of their practice time on putting. The mismatch between where shots are taken and where practice happens is the most consistent inefficiency in amateur golf.

Technology helps close this gap. Here is the honest assessment of the main putting analysis tools.

Blast Motion Golf Sensor (£119): A small sensor that clips onto the grip of your putter and measures stroke data via motion capture. Impact ratio (the backstroke-to-follow-through time ratio — tour average is 2.2:1), tempo, backswing length, rotation, and face impact position are all delivered to the Blast Motion app in real time. The Impact Ratio metric is the single most useful piece of data the system produces: amateur golfers typically have ratios of 1.5:1 to 2.0:1, indicating a tendency to decelerate through impact. Simply working to achieve a 2.2:1 ratio — letting the follow-through happen naturally without steering — improves strike quality for most golfers within 2–3 practice sessions.

SAM PuttLab (£4,500+, professional installation): The professional standard in putting analysis. Used by tour caddies and coaches, SAM uses ultrasonic measurement to capture the precise 3D path of the putter face through impact. It measures 28 parameters including face rotation, stroke path, shaft lean, and impact point on the face. It is not a home product — you'll find it at better-equipped coaching academies. A SAM PuttLab session (£60–100) with a qualified putting coach is one of the highest-return investments in golf coaching available. Golfers who have gone through this process typically describe it as 'finding out that the putter they thought was their friend has been actively working against them.'

Putting mats with alignment technology: The PuttOut Pro Mat (£90) with laser training aids provides visual feedback on stroke path at low cost. For golfers who cannot justify a SAM PuttLab session or a Blast Motion sensor, a quality putting mat with a straight alignment guide is the minimum practice setup. The act of putting regularly on a consistent indoor surface, tracking make/miss rates from specific distances, is more valuable than not practising at all regardless of technology.

The honest practice programme: 15 minutes on a putting mat every evening before a golf trip. 10 putts from 3 feet (confidence building), 10 putts from 6 feet (realistic make percentage), 10 putts from 15 feet (distance control). The Blast Motion sensor will tell you if your backstroke is shortening under pressure — a common fault that becomes more pronounced in competition. Addressing this before arriving at Quinta do Lago South with a £200 green fee at stake is worth every minute of the practice.