The Problem
Mastering the skill of reading greens isn’t straightforward. Popular methods like AimPoint are time-consuming and interrupt the pace of play. To complicate things, sometimes what your eyes tell you doesn’t align with what you feel underfoot, leading to added confusion while attempting those crucial putts.
The Solution
Imagine having the ability to place a ball marker down and instantly receive insight into the green’s level and direction, providing you with confidence in gauging the putt’s path. This is precisely what the Golf Ball Marking Level aims to accomplish. Simply set it down and the leveling bubble guides you, revealing the green’s incline.
How I Discovered It
As a recent convert to the L.A.B. Mezz.1 Max putter, I’ve experienced improved putting mechanics but it has also exposed my struggles in reading greens. Despite frequently playing the same course, I find myself consistently deceived by putts. I see one thing, align my putt accordingly and yet my feet sense something entirely different. While my contact with the ball is solid and it launches where intended, my questionable green-reading ability leads to missed putts.
Seeking a practice aid to refine my feel and bolster my confidence, I stumbled upon the Ball Marking Level through a YouTube recommendation video. A search on Amazon revealed a lot of similar poker chip-style ball markers with BUDDYBIRDIE’s model standing out due to its popularity (more than 400 purchased in the last month) and its 3.4-star rating based on 400-plus reviews. Noteworthy features include directional arrows and clear indicators for uphill, downhill, left-breaking and right-breaking putts.
Another contender, the Bubble Spirit Golf Ball Marking Level model, stole my attention. Though not golf-specific, it boasted an impressive 540 reviews, a 4.5-star rating and more than 200 purchases in the past month. This version showcased degree measurements (see image below) and was what I chose to purchase over the BUDDYBIRDIE golf specific, offering perceived value for its cost for a whole $7.
How It Works (or Doesn’t)
Let’s clarify from the outset: this product is not permitted for tournament use and is considered illegal by the rules of golf. It serves exclusively as a training tool, aiding you in deciphering the slopes of the greens and enabling better reads or trust in your visual observations.
My experience with the Golf Ball Marking Level was truly enjoyable. With our course having several practice greens to test on, I was able to try the Golf Ball Marking Level on a variety of slopes, speeds and areas to give it a full test. Getting used to reading the level took a while. I’m especially pleased with my decision to opt for the degree markers, which provided tangible measurements for putt breaks at varying speeds and degrees of severity.
Aligning putts became effortless, virtually eliminating guesswork on the initial start line for the putts I was practicing. Nevertheless, its effectiveness diminishes slightly on double-breaking putts and longer rolls. Unless you move the ball marker to different spots on the green, it provides an accurate level only at a single point.
For putts with two or more breaks, the tool serves as a reference for the initial and potentially final positions of the putt, not accounting for the entire length of the putt. This applies not only to left- or right-breaking putts but also to those that transition from uphill to downhill or vice versa.
The only other slight negative for this product is the size. Maybe this is where the BUDDYBIRDIE outshines the one I purchased but this is far bigger than a poker chip and, while it can go in your pocket, it is quite noticeable. However, again, being an illegal on-course item, this shouldn’t have any effect. I simply put it with all the other accessories in my bag.
Bottom Line
While my experience with the Golf Ball Marking Level doesn’t include enough rounds to definitively confirm its impact during competitive play, it has certainly aided me in bridging the gap between what my eyes see and what my feet feel. My green-reading errors still happen but are becoming fewer and fewer. The Golf Ball Marking Level has revitalized my confidence on the greens, reassuring me that my setup for putts is accurate.
In essence, the Golf Ball Marking Level is simple yet remarkably effective. It required a minor adjustment period at the beginning but, overall, it has proven to be an enjoyable and beneficial practice aid, even if its use is excluded from official tournament rounds.
