Practicing putting can be very monotonous with having to run back and forth to the cup to retrieve your golf balls or missed putts. And as you get older bending down to get the golf balls can cause wear and tear on your back overtime.The Tour Pros have caddies that help them retrieve their golf balls while putting, saving them time while practicing. That’s why FineTuneGolf created the RoboCup Ball Return Robot, to help Tour Pros and average golfers practice putting without the help of caddy to retrieve their golf balls.
The RoboCup was introduced at the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show where it was awarded “Best New Product”, because it can help you save time while practicing putting and less time running back and forth collecting golf balls. The RoboCup runs on 4 AA batteries (which lasts for approximately 12,000 putt returns; batteries not included) that you place in any practice or standard-depth cup, that has a button activated switch that catapults your golf ball back to you up to 14 feet or more when the ball lands inside the cup.
How to Use the RoboCup
To use the RoboCup, you begin by turning on the unit by putting the switch to the “On” position on the back of the RoboCup. Next, you place the RoboCup inside the practice green cup. If you decide to use the RoboCup in a standard-depth cup, you’ll need to place three golf balls at the bottom of the cup to prop the RoboCup up, otherwise it will sit too low in the cup. Finally, place the included Caddy Cord around the hole in a arch around the cup, to help with push your missed putts back into the hole. Thats it! Your now ready to start practicing with the RoboCup.
Performance
The whole point of the RoboCup Ball Return Robot is to save you time while practicing putting, so you can focus on improving, rather than chasing down your golf balls. I was very eager to see if the device could live up to what it claims it can do and make practicing putting more enjoyable.
During my tests, I found that the RoboCup did a very good job of returning the ball up to 14 feet or more very easily. I liked how quickly it would return the ball once it landed in the cup, saving me time from having to go back and forth to the cup. You’ll really appreciate the RoboCup on the longer 10 – 14 feet putts, which made practicing enjoyable. The other thing I liked about the RoboCup is its compact size and carrying case, which easily can store in your golf bag. So you no longer have an excuse for not taking the RoboCup with you to practice your putting. The Caddy Cord, which is meant to stop missed putts and push them back into the cup, didn’t work as well as expected.
I discovered that the Caddy Cord which is made of a lightweight braided nylon, worked well only when my misses rolling at a slow speed. If the golf ball was rolling a little too fast, the ball would just hit the Caddy Cord and jump over it, requiring me to retrieve my golf ball. I’m not sure if this is because the Caddy Cord isn’t high enough or not positioned correctly, but I know some of my putts were not traveling that fast and it should have pushed them back into the hole (watch the video to see what I’m talking about). There were other situations when the ball would lip out of the hole and hit the Caddy Cord and just stop and not roll back into the cup either. Needless to say, I didn’t save that much time, because I was still retrieving my golf balls.
An added benefit of using the Caddy Cord is it makes it easy to aim at your target for putts 10 feet and out, because it outlines the hole.
While the RoboCup Ball Return Robot does a great job of returning the putts or misses that fall into the hole, I think the Caddy Cord needs to be improved in order for people to save more time practicing putting. (See UPDATE below for clarification)
Overall, the RoboCup Ball Return Robot is a great tool for golfers who rarely miss their putts and want to save time practicing putting. Otherwise, you might want to work on your tempo or invest in some putting lessons, before buying one.
UPDATE
I spoke with FineTuneGolf about problems I experienced with the Caddy Cord and here is their official response: “The Caddy Cord is actually designed to train the user not to putt mindlessly and have the ball returned every time – re-enforcing bad form. The Caddy Cord is designed to collect and redirect missed putts that are rolled with the right amount of force. So long as the putt has a chance the ball will be returned. This feature trains and rewards the golfer for putts with correct speed. More than just a convenience product, the RoboCup actually trains the “never up – never in” mantra.”
RoboCup $59.95
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