To triple track or not?

I consider myself and above average putter, if there is such a thing. It's one of the stats that I track and last year I averaged under 2 putts per hole. I know that can be misleading, but let me add that I'm a very short hitter and seldom end up within 8 feet from the hole.

I also consider myself a feel putter. I don't spend a lot of time looking at the putt from all angles or laying on the green to see the breaks.

During the winter months, I spend an inordinate amount of time putting in my basement from 3 feet to 30 feet. Although this is on carpet, it's comparable to a slow green.

I've been considering moving to a triple track ball, like the Chromesoft X, this spring just to see if helps in the one area that I tend to have problems with. Oddly, it's the shorter putts, not the longer ones. Those 4 or 5 footers with a little break.

I don't like the idea of drawing lines on the ball. Tried it and found it annoying, but with the perfect lines on the triple track balls, it might not be so annoying.

Anyone made the switch to a triple track ball and had positive results?

Have had good success with the triple track ball, and have heard good things about using it with a triple track putter which I don't have.

Very effective alignment tool for me.

"Anyone made the switch to a triple track ball and had positive results?"

I haven't had any positive result...

Wow, so you're saying that the triple tack did not improve your putting? Do you put a line on your ball or use anything on the ball to line up your putts before switching to the triple track?

I think that triple track will actually have a bigger aid for better players with consistent repeatable putting strokes. If someone does not return the face to square then the aiming function does not really matter. I am excited to give it a whirl.

I recently saw a study that used a small sample size of "weekend" golfers, and their conclusion was interesting. The study concluded that where the triple track benefits players is that if the player lines the tracks up and then takes their stance, that they are more likely to take a similar stance and body alignment from putt to putt than without triple track. And that this proved to be even more effective when the player's feet were not on level ground, because the player's body alignment was more consistent. The study concluded that the players with good speed control had an average of 3 less putts per round.

The idea is intriguing enough that I have been tempted to try a triple track ball as well to see if I notice anything like this.

The triple track concept was developed in St. Louis by an entrepreneur and an optometry professor who were golfing buddies. UMSL-tested aiming system hits shelves on new Callaway golf balls - UMSL DailySome people find the three parallel lines very helpful in hitting their putts straighter.

It has a similar effect to the two-ball alignment putter developed several years ago.

I find it more distracting than helpful.

I tried the ERC when it first came out and thought the triple track was distracting, especially when you weren't hitting with a driver or putting where you could actually use the triple track to aim your shot. However, I'm having 2nd thoughts because my putting is very consistent and my misses are normally very slight and I definitely feel that if I were to take more time and line up the ball, I wouldn't miss the putt. I need to put this to the test.

I also consider myself a pretty good putter. Or at least I'll say that putting is the best part of my game It tends to keep me in competition with much longer hitters and better ball strikers.

In my case the triple track was a no brainier as I have a consistent motion and rarely have an issue with squaring the face. As op mentioned my misses are usually due to not taking the time to aim properly. The triple track for me has improved my putting tremendously.

At first I thought it was a placebo effect or honeymoon phase but it was consistent all year. My only problem was I didn't love the ERC and chrome Soft are not my fav.

My solution was a $9.99 stencil on Amazon. Takes me about 10 min for a dozen balls. So I just bear down and knock out a few months worth on a rainy day.

Jjfcpa, I know these aren't perfect but I actually like the spacing better than the triple track.

I will agree with the other posters as it will not help people that struggle with pulls or pushes. Most of my golfing partners have tried them and only one or two found them very helpful.

That looks great. Which stencil did you use? I’m going to give that a try

Do you normally miss on the same side?

Love the triple track but not crazy with ERC balls. I will wait for 2020 with Chrome Soft & triple track to test. I tested white CSX with TT and they're nice and very helpful with putting, but I prefer yellow. I heard that new chrome soft is real deal with improvements. We will see. I mark my yellow Pro V1s with black sharpie.

I'll see if I can find a link but it looks like this you do have to move the stencil to connect the lines but once you get the hang of it and if you have a good marker it's easy.

The reality is that improving your green reading skills coupled with an accurate repeatable putting stroke which matches your read will do more to improve your putting than anything else. You simply have to put the time in to improve on your own. In spite of what manufacturers hype as new technology will have you believe. The greatest putters in golf history didn't need this modern day marketing spin to putt great. Don't believe the hype.

I would definitely have to agree with what you are saying here. I don't think anyone can argue that the best way to become a better putter is to improve your putting skills.

The way I see it is most of the great putters today line up their ball somehow. This is just a way that could help some people line up their ball before they set up.

You make an important point that we should not buy into the hype that this is some new technology. Even though I have improved from using this idea, this will not make anyone actually a better putter. I believe it can help some people set up correctly, others will find it distracting and struggle more because of it.

I’d do it if I used a triple track putter. I hate gimmicks, but this makes sense to me. Line up the ball and make the putter lines match.

Without the triple track putter, can it really work any better than a normal line on a ball?

I heard the triple track was the least soft of all the chrome soft balls. FYI

How's that possible? It's just drawing lines on the cover.

I can say without a doubt there ain't no way in hell I could putt with that ball or putter. That's just way too much stuff goin' on.

The Chrome Soft X with TT is the same ball that is used on tour. It is not the same ball as non-TT Chrome Soft X.

That’s interesting. What’s different? Is it a higher compression ball? Is it just a completely different design from the non TT CSX?

Wasn’t there studies that said the TT on the ball showed like 10%help? Would be curious to see a study with the ball and putter combined.

I used them for a few months... seemed to help early on, but eventually just kind of became a distraction more than an aid.

I find triple track easier and more accurate to line up than a single line or a printed alignment aid on a ball. One of the reasons I am anxious for the new CS to become available as it will have triple track as well.

That’s the thing about putting. Everything works. For a while.

I'm a huuuuge fan of the TT, but not so much of the balls that they've come on.

I prefer using a line on my ball within 10 feet or so, but I've got bad parallax issues when it comes to setting up to my ball. I almost always feel like either my aim is off or my body is super open or super closed. The TT has really helped alleviate that issue to some degree. It just seems way easier to set up square when there are three lines instead of just one.

My solution has been to mimic the TT lines on my preferred Z-Stars. I use the same stencil as above. However, the lines are a bit further apart and I definitely prefer the look of the actual TT lines. If Callaway released the TT on regular Chrome Soft balls, and I was more confident in their quality control, I'd be all over it.

One of the reasons these new versions aren't available until March is that these will be the result of the improvements to the Chicopee facility. This includes X-raying the balls at the end like everyone else, but also during the process before they get to that point. They even are now able to x-ray the balls using a 3D technology.

Personally, I think the whole off-center core issue was overblown. Assuming that had an impact on performance it was negligible and more imagined than perceivable. Either way, Callaway took the issue seriously and they have addressed it.

I started using this stencil and it has aided my putting. In particular the perpendicular line really lets me know my putter is square to the target line. Before with a single line I knew my ball was aimed in the right direction, but I still struggled with lining up over the ball. What I was doing on shorter breaking putts was subconsciously putting towards the hole instead of down my target line, resulting in low putts. The more I aimed uphill, the more I putted towards the hole. The perpendicular line helps me keep my putter face square.

If you want a triple track, but don't want to play a Callaway ball I saw a triple track stencil on Etsy.