50 Words or Less
The Prong putting aid makes meaningful improvements to one of my favorite putting trainers. One of the best start line putting trainers that I’ve used. Difficulty ranges from a fair challenge to diabolical.
Introduction
The original Putting Fork Pro was my favorite putting trainer…until the Putting Fork Pro 2.0 came along. Now the Putting Fork Pro 2.0 has been leapfrogged by the Prong putting aid. With sturdy construction, superior ease of use, and the same elite effectiveness, this is one of the best putting trainers you can buy.
Set Up & Ease of Use
One of the best things about Prong is the ease of use: drop it on the green and putt. If you’re outdoors, it’s a good idea to stake it down with some tees, but that adds just a few seconds.
There are three difficulty settings, and this is one of the areas where the Prong putting aid has significantly improved on the Putting Fork. The original Fork needed tees to create the gate, meaning it was an outdoor-only trainer. Putting Fork 2.0 [review HERE] had its own gate, but you needed a screwdriver and a bit of dexterity to install them properly. With Prong, the gates screw directly into the base in just a couple seconds. [See Price / Buy]
Effectiveness
The purpose of the Prong putting aid is clear: to help you start your putts on their intended line. It’s highly effective in this because the feedback is crystal clear. When you’ve struck your putt perfectly, the ball rolls between the bright green posts uninterrupted. If your putter face is too open or closed, you’ll hear a little ringing sound and see the ball skitter to the side. [See Price / Buy]
Another reason that Prong is an effective putting trainer is the adjustable difficulty. Above, you can see the widest setting – roughly 2″. This is a tough-but-fair setting. If you’re focused, you should make most of your putts through the gates. This also allows a little more leeway should you set up in an area that’s not perfectly level.
Below, you’ll see the toughest setting – about 1 3/4″. This setting gives you almost no room for error. You’ll definitely want to be on a perfectly flat surface to use this setting, and you’ll need your very best stroke.
Finally, an overlooked application of the Prong putting aid is working on your green reading. Checking the accuracy of your reads can be hard because your read interacts with your start line and speed. If you miss a putt on the low side, was it a bad read or a bad stroke? By using the Prong on breaking putts, you can remove start line as a consideration and get a clear picture of whether or not you’re reading the break correctly.
Longevity
The Prong putting aid checks a lot of boxes for longevity. At less than a foot long, it can easily live in your golf bag. It works indoors and out, and having three levels of difficulty means that you won’t outgrow it. Additionally, it’s made from carbon steel so it should last for years. The only knock on the Prong is that it just does one thing, but that one thing is really important. Overall, I give the Prong high marks for longevity. [See Price / Buy]
Value
The Prong putting aid retails for $79. This is a below average price for an above average training aid which makes for excellent value.
There’s only one other start line trainer I would put in this category: the PUR Truth Prepare [review HERE]. However, that retails for $149, so Prong wins on value.
Conclusion
If you want to improve your putting, one of the best ways to do that is to get your start line under control, and Prong is one of the best tools for that. This trainer has clear feedback, and it’s easy enough for any golfer to use. [See Price / Buy]
Prong Putting Aid
Prong™ is a highly portable putting training aid designed to sharpen the fundamentals of a great stroke: alignment, face control, and start line. Developed with input from elite players, Prong delivers instant, reliable feedback with a simple, no-hassle setup.
Help support our mission. We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.