InPutter

Golf is one of the most popular sports worldwide. In 2013, the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) estimated over 26 million golfers only in the United States of America (USA). One of the main movements in golf is called ‘putting’. It merges art and science since it is the most precise aspect of the golf game. In fact, PGA considers it as the most vital ability to master, representing about 43% of the strokes in a golf game. However, despite golf’s ever-increasing success, the “science” behind it has not been fully understood yet. It is because of this that Ingeniarius brings an innovative device designed to provide professional analysis around the putting – not only to “tune” the performance of professional athletes, but also to promote this modality within the context of learning, training and competition.

The InPutter is designed for research, analysis and training purposes. The device has the same physical properties of a common putter club, with the average dimensions and weight, which makes it eco-friendly and ideal for both novice and expert players. The engineered putter is equipped with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and force sensitive sensors connected to an internal CPU. It also uses WiFi technology to retrieve all golf putting process variables in real-time. As an internet-connected product, all data can be analysed on-the-fly using a common interface connected to the cloud (e.g., laptop or smartphone) or just recorded for posterior analysis. With an outstanding frequency of 100 Hz, the solution can be easily combined with other devices, such as cameras, so as to further increase the range of applications and variables under analysis. The putter is battery operated and able to keep an autonomy of up to five hours, ideal for both Pitch & Putt and traditional Golf games, with a full charge time of approximately five hours.