Buying Guides: Best putting mats

When the weather takes a turn for the worst and you don’t have enough time to get down to the driving range or golf course, golf aids really can come to the rescue to keep your skills sharp throughout the winter.

Practice training aids such as golf mats can improve your putting ability from anywhere – in the garage, at work, or even on your patio!

The best indoor putting mats should roll true, give you great feedback and provide you with fun ways to practice.

Putting is such an important part of the game but one we often neglect when it comes to practicing – so here’s a rundown of the best indoor putting greens you can buy so you can work on your flatstick prowess without leaving your home.

The best putting mats

Puttout Putting Mat

Practise makes perfect, with the highly durable PuttOUT Deluxe putting mat. This nylon mat with heavy duty rubber backing ensures you can practise your putting anytime and anywhere. The mat has a stimpmeter reading of 10, to replicate a medium to fast paced green, with alignment lines and foot markers from 6 foot out.

Pros:

• Designed to play exactly like a real green
• Alignment aids to add extra challenges
• Runs around 10 on the stimp

Cons:

• Not as good without investing the full PuttOut Home Practice Studio

Perfect Practice Golf Putting Mat

This premium putting 9ft 6″ mat has been constructed with Crystal Velvet Trueroll Technology to simulate real green putting conditions. It has 2 different sized holes to aim for, one regulation size and the other reduced for even more precision. Plus includes an auto ball return system to ensure your practice sessions are up to speed, without going to collect the golf ball over and again. The mat is highlighted with train track alignment lines and marked at, 2, 4, 6, 8 feet has an uphill section, and reads 10-14 on a stimp meter which is fast paced.

Pros:

• Lots of lines and checkpoints to hone your putting stroke
• Quality materials throughout
• Raised holes make you hit putts with better pace

Cons:

• Need a lot of floor space to use 

Pure 2 Improve 2.4 Golf Putting Mat

This mat has been designed to provide you with the key elements of the putting stroke. It offers a fun way of practising at home or the office with drills that help set up alignment, speed and distance control. It has a central line for improved alignment and markings around the mat to help you stay on target. The mat has a quality construction for long-lasting performance and has a length of 237cm and a width of 80cm.

Pros:

• Loads of alignment aids
• Can try plenty of different drills
• High quality construction

Cons:

• No hole at the end

Wellputt 26 Foot High Speed Practice Putting Mat

The best practice putting mat ever for initiation to speed and accuracy control.  For those with a good amount of space, Wellputt has developed this exclusive putting mat. Become a putting master with this unique mat! Developed to perform on long distance putts beyond 16ft. Reach every time the safe zone of 3ft!

Pros:

• Great for practice long lag putts
• Comes with an accompanying app with training exercises
• Encourages speed control and accuracy training

Cons:

• Need a lot of space to use this effectively

Rife Deluxe Edition Golf Putting Mat

Practice at home or the office with this fantastic putting mat. Designed with automatic ball return and deluxe mat that makes putting so enjoyable. It is lightweight and portable to make sure it is easy to transport so you can enjoy the green life almost anywhere.

Pros:

• Automatic ball retrieval
• Lightweight and portable
• Can be used in the home or office

Cons:

• Lack of variety of putts

PGA Tour Indoor & Outdoor Golf Practice Putting Mat

What better way to perfect your putting than on this smooth and challenging PGA TOUR Mat? With two hazards to avoid and a PGA Tour flag marked cup, all you’ll need to do is roll the ball straight and true up the ramp and into the goal. Then the ball channel quickly returns your shot so you can putt again! Hours of fun practice in the office, home or anywhere. Please note, ball and putter not included.

Pros:

• Includes a sand bunker, water hazard and ramp
• Affordable pricing
• Made from soft, simulated grass to simulate green speeds

Cons:

• Could be larger

Flatplate Tour Roll Putting Mat

PuttMat TourRoll is a large 11 feet by 3 feet putting mat and offers most realistic practice putting surface available outside of a natural grass putting green. PuttMat gives you less to think about by making setup and stroke instinctive. On average 9ft putts finish 25% closer to the hole after a 1 hour session.

Pros:

• Can be used both indoors and outdoors
• Perfect for practicing short greenside chip & run shots
• Replicates a real-life golf green in your own home

Cons:

• Might be a bit too simple for some people with no breaking putts