Introduction
If there’s anything that gets a training aid noticed, it’s use by a top tier PGA Tour player, and if you’re a putting aid being endorsed by Ian Poulter, one of the most clutch putters on the planet, you’ve really hit the jackpot.
The CS2 Putting Aidcombines multiple putting aid concepts that you can mix and match for different drills depending on what you want (or need) to improve.
Ease of Use/Set Up
The CS2 Putting Aid is well packaged and this certainly helps with the setup process. Your first time setting this up, you are definitely going to need to read the included manual to make sure you know how everything links together and how it’s designed to be used. If you use it regularly after that, set up shouldn’t take more than a minute or two.
One nice feature is that the guide rails are attached to the base via magnets which makes for easier setup and adjustments. However, I wish the magnets were a little stronger as I found that I would occasionally need to readjust the guide rails if I accidentally bumped them with the putter. This problem is made worse when you try to set the gates for an arced stroke.
Effectiveness
The CS2 Putting Aid bills itself as the most complete putting aid because it addresses five fundamentals of good putting: aim, body alignment, consistent path, square face at impact, and speed. Aim and body alignment are easily addressed by lines on the CS2. The ball gate, which can be made wider or narrower depending on your skill, addresses the square face at impact. The speed piece is rather ingenious: the cup is designed to vault the ball over the back if your putt comes in with too much steam. The “consistent path” piece is where things can get tricky.
To really get the most out of the CS2 Putting Aid, it’s key for you to know what kind of putting stroke you use. Many people think they have a certain type of stroke, but are wrong. If you don’t set up the guide rails for the type of stroke you actually have, you will struggle to effectively work through any drills.
I am well aware that I have an arc stroke so I set the CS2 up accordingly. When using the CS2, I found the guide rails really made me focus on keeping a steady stroke with the putter head on my usual path. Interestingly enough, this really helped my tempo more than anything. If I didn’t have good tempo, it was virtually impossible to keep the putter moving through the path. I can’t speak for the rest of the public, but tempo is always a major putting struggle for me so this made a big difference for my practice routine.
The ball gate at the end of the CS2 is a nice feature. Rather than just dropping two tees in the ground at an arbitrary distance, the CS2 builds this function in with the ability to adjust the width or the ability to remove the component from the aid completely. With the ball gate, not only do you need to keep your stroke on the correct path, but you need to make sure you put a pure roll on the ball or you will never be able to make it through a gate.
A nice little bit of “icing on the cake” is the small built-in mirror underneath the ball if you are a golfer that really likes to make sure you’re getting your eyes over the ball.
Longevity
Generally, I see the CS2 Putting Aid as being extremely valuable for its ability to be used indoors just as effectively as outdoors. You’re going to be bringing the CS2 to the course most likely when you’re looking to setup shop on the greens and put in some extensive putting practice rather than when you just want to roll a few putts before a round.
The CS2 is also nice because you can use it setup with all of the parts for its full practice experience, but as you get better, you can strip it down to to a minimal setup to work on smaller key components that you need to practice. This also gives you takeaways regarding what does and doesn’t work for you in putting practice, and you can develop different practice techniques accordingly.
Value
Right now, you can pick the CS2 deluxe package up for $90. This includes the full putting aid, instructional DVD, and the CS2 putting cup for indoor use. Compared to other aids on the market, this is a pretty solid deal for a fairly inclusive putting aid package.
If I had to pick a group to recommend this to, I would say that any golfer can certainly benefit, but the more experienced golfer that is in tune with their putting stroke is going to realize the benefits of this training aid the quickest and $90 isn’t a bad investment for the amount of use this group should get out of the CS2.
Final Thoughts
I think the CS2 Putting Aid is an extremely well-rounded putting practice aid with all of the different training elements it includes. The only criticism I really have is that I would it to be a little sturdier when it comes to the guide rails, pegs, and magnets. It’s certainly not a deal killer, but in the interest of being unbiased, I feel it’s worth noting. Simply put, when I got dialed in on the CS2, I felt I was putting a great roll on the ball with a smooth tempo. I found that when I did everything “right” according to the aid, my stroke felt significantly better, like everything was just clicking into place for me. It gives me a good starting point to develop the muscle memory I’m looking for so I can make more putts.
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Bill Bush
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Great review! I have this device and I mainly use it to practice short putts indoors. It’s so well made and portable. Love it.