Reading greens can make you feel like a genius on one hole and completely clueless on the next. That’s why we were pretty excited to test PuttView.
It uses LiDAR on compatible iPhones to scan the green and show things like break, slope, aim point, apex and distance.
It sounds extremely golf-nerdy, and that’s kind of the appeal. You get a ton of putting information without needing any extra hardware.
Key Takeaways
If you don’t have time to read our full PuttView review, here’s what you need to know.
- Uses your iPhone’s LiDAR sensor to scan the green
- Shows an AR visualization of the ideal putting line
- Lets you adjust for green speed and desired speed past the hole
- Includes aim lines, green maps, slope percentages, apex and loads of other putting data
- Surprisingly accurate during our testing
- The basic features are largely free
- Pro features cost around €9.99 monthly or €80 annually
- Advanced features can feel overwhelming for newer golfers
- Requires an iPhone model with LiDAR
You can check out the PuttView Augmented Reality Putting App here! But if you prefer watching reviews in video format, here is our fully in-depth PuttView Augmented Reality Putting App Review!
Is The PuttView Augmented Reality Putting App Worth The Hype?
How the App Works
The basic idea behind PuttView is pretty simple. You scan the green, set the ball and hole positions, and the app calculates the putt.
Once everything is set, PuttView overlays the recommended line directly onto the green through your phone so you can see how the ball should break.
And the first time that line appears, there’s definitely a “wait, this actually works?” moment.
Scanning the Green Is Surprisingly Simple
We expected the AR scanning process to be a little annoying, but it was actually pretty simple. You scan the green, set the ball and hole positions, and PuttView gives you the recommended line within a few seconds.
Our first few putts were on a very slow green, so judging the roll wasn’t perfect. Even then, the trajectory the app showed still made sense.
Once we started trusting the line and matching the speed properly, the results got much more interesting.
The Ideal Line Is Only the Beginning
The basic putting line is probably what most golfers will use first, but PuttView goes much deeper than that. You can switch between different visuals depending on how much information you want on screen.
There’s an aim line for a simpler starting-point reference, plus a green map that shows how the surface is sloping around you.
You can also use a gate-style visualization to practice your starting line. For most golfers, those features alone will probably be more than enough.
You Can Adjust for Green Speed
This is where PuttView starts getting properly nerdy. You can adjust the estimated Stimp speed of the green, which changes how much break the app calculates.
You can also choose how far past the hole you want the ball to finish, so the read is built around the speed you actually want to hit the putt.
That makes the visualization much more useful because putting line and speed always work together.
Pro Read Is Where Things Get Crazy
Then there’s Pro Read, it's a paid feature that costs €9.99 per month. This is basically where PuttView turns into a full putting-data laboratory.
You can display things like:
- Aim point
- Contour lines
- Slope percentages
- Fall line
- Apex
- Distance
- Side slope
- Incline
- Launch information
You can customize which information appears on screen and how some of it is displayed. That lets you keep things simple or build a much more detailed putting view.
We also liked that PuttView previews each visualization before you turn it on. With this much data available, that makes the whole menu much easier to understand.
But Does It Actually Work?
This was obviously the main question. We found a tricky 17.2-foot putt and let PuttView give us the full read.
It told us to aim roughly eight balls outside the line while accounting for slope, apex and adjusted distance. It sounded a little ridiculous, but we hit the putt, and it went in.
One made putt doesn’t prove everything, but throughout the test the reads were surprisingly accurate. That was probably the biggest surprise.
There Is a LOT of Data
If you’re the type of golfer who loves numbers, PuttView is basically putting heaven. You can customize the information shown at the top of the screen and choose the metrics you actually care about.
For us, things like aim, side slope, apex and distance were probably the most useful. But the app goes much deeper if you want it to.
And that’s both one of its biggest strengths and one of the few potential negatives.
Beginners Should Probably Keep It Simple
We found the app surprisingly easy to understand after around five minutes of using it. But we also play a lot of golf.
If you’re completely new to putting terminology and suddenly turn on slope percentages, contour lines, fall lines, apex measurements and every other metric available, things could get confusing very quickly.
For newer golfers, we’d probably stick with the basic ideal line and aim point first. Then start adding more information once you understand what each measurement actually means.
You Can Record Putts Inside the App
One smaller feature we actually really liked is the ability to record directly inside PuttView. The video then saves straight to your gallery.
That’s pretty useful if you’re a golf coach showing someone a read, documenting a practice session or, like us, constantly making golf content.
It’s not the main reason you’d download the app, but it’s a nice addition.
There Is One Big Compatibility Limitation
The biggest downside is that PuttView relies on LiDAR. That means you need a compatible iPhone model with the required sensor technology.
So even though the app itself is easy to download and the basic features are largely free, not every iPhone user will actually be able to use it.
It’s understandable from a technology standpoint, but it definitely limits the audience.
Who Is PuttView Best For?
PuttView makes the most sense for golfers who want to understand why a putt breaks the way it does, rather than simply guessing at a line.
- Golfers who struggle with reading greens
- Players who love golf data and technology
- Golfers working on putting with a coach
- Players who want to better understand slope and break
- Golf content creators who want cool AR putting visuals
If you’re already an elite green reader and don’t like using technology during practice, you probably won’t need everything it offers.
But if you enjoy analyzing putting and actually understanding what the green is doing, there’s a lot here to play with.
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Very innovative use of AR and LiDAR
- Surprisingly accurate green reads
- Huge amount of putting data
- Easy to learn at a basic level
- Basic features offer plenty without immediately needing Pro
❌ Things to Keep in Mind
- Requires a compatible LiDAR-equipped iPhone
- Advanced features can overwhelm beginners
- Accurate green-speed input matters for the best results
Final Thoughts
PuttView is one of the more interesting golf apps we’ve tested because it actually feels different. Seeing an AR putting line appear on the green has a real wow factor.
More importantly, the reads were genuinely accurate. You can keep things simple with the ideal line and aim point, or dive into slope percentages, apex and contour lines.
The main limitation is the LiDAR requirement. But for golfers who want to get more technical about green reading, it’s a seriously impressive app.
Ratings
Arvo's Rating
“I honestly expected the AR side to be more of a gimmick, but the reads were surprisingly good. The amount of data is crazy, and once you understand the basics it’s actually really easy to use.”
Carl's Rating
“The aim feature is probably the most useful part for me. You can go super technical if you want, but even just seeing where the app wants you to start the putt is really useful.”
