GOLF.com: The Smart Putting Gate Bringing Launch-Monitor Data to Real Greens on the PGA Tour

Overview

Grasp Technology's Smart Putting Gate has been turning heads on PGA Tour practice greens this season. The device functions as a launch monitor for putting — using lasers and high-speed cameras to capture ball speed, start line, and impact location on real greens, with no markers required on the ball or putter.

Why On-Course Data Matters

Traditional putter fitting has relied heavily on indoor mats and straight, flat putts — conditions that rarely reflect real-world putting scenarios. The Smart Putting Gate changes that equation by delivering quantifiable data on actual putting surfaces, including slopes and natural green speeds. Ben Griffin and Ryan Gerard have already signed on as the company's first Tour ambassadors.

What the Data Revealed

GOLF.com's Jack Hirsh tested the device on a 12-foot, downhill right-to-left breaking putt. While his speed control proved consistent around 1.45 m/s, his start line consistently came out more than 20mm left of target — an alignment flaw that had never appeared in any indoor fitting session. Adjusting his ball alignment from the side stamp to a perpendicular "Titleist" logo placement brought his start line back within an acceptable range.

Strokeslab Take

For anyone serious about SG: Putting improvement, start line and speed control are the two variables that matter most — and this device measures both under real playing conditions. The Smart Putting Gate will be available to consumers in Q4 2026, with earlier access for coaches and OEMs in August 2026. This shift toward on-course fitting data could fundamentally redefine how golfers at every level are fitted for putters.