Golf is a game of patience and learning, and the very best golfers are learning almost every hour of every day practicing their swing, approach, and also learning how to keep their temper under control when things aren’t going their way. Now, you don’t need to be on the golf course or at the driving range to practice and perfect your game, it can also be done at home through the marvelous convenience of the best putting mats, which recreate the conditions of the green in ways your backyard never could. They’re not just mats with holes on one end, they’re authentic, useful, and many are entirely customizable, to give you a little more of a challenge. It’s getting a tad cold to be practicing outside anyway, so what better way to solve this, than to bring the green to you. Here are our picks for the best putting mats to look out for.
The Best Putting Mat
1ProActive Sports VariSpeed Putting Mat System
Is anyone else ready for a quick drink at the totally-not-cliche 19th Hole yet? We are, but before we get there, let’s wow you one last time with this perfectly majestic golf putting mat from ProActive Sports. The VariSpeed Putting System is a marvel of a product that gives the option of adjustable green speeds and custom breaks so you can master uneven greens (but only after you’ve mastered flat ones). There’s also smart guidelines that run up and down either side of the mat and gives you the perfect excuse to stand there all day practicing. Furthermore, the material provides visible ball traces, so you can see exactly where you’re going wrong and start towards your path for better accuracy and a better short game right now. Make sure you always keep it handy, next to your golf bag.
10 feet x 20 inches
Adjustable speeds
Custom breaks for authenticity
Smart guidelines
- BrandProActive Sports
- ModelSPS004
- Weight6.6 pounds
Roller brush included
Compact design and easy storage
Visible ball traces
Lightweight design causes some lifting
2SKLZ Putting Mat Green
If you want to feel assured that you’re finding the best indoor putting mat in terms of value, then the SKLZ Putting Green is perhaps the one to look at. Offering as-close-to-real-as-possible true roll surface, you are guaranteed both flatness and genuine green speeds, while the three end holes offer variety in your shots. It measures 3 x 9 feet so you’re able to place it anywhere in the house (almost, anyway), and it’s also portable and easy to store, so you don’t need to miss out on precious practice sessions if you’re away for a week or two. Our handy guide to the best golf trolleys features more great products like this.
3 x 9 feet
Three holes to choose from
True-roll surface ensures flatness
Portable and easy to store
- BrandSKLZ
- Model3245
- Weight7.6 pounds
Decent size for proper practice
Hazards built into the mat
Slight slopes for realism
End foam too soft
3Abco Tech Indoor Golf Putting Green
This Abco Tech Indoor Golf Putting Green is a top quality product that provides incredibly precise alignment and a realistic green feel that will certainly make you believe you are right there at Pebble Beach. It’s an indoor putting green which stretches to 10.5 feet, giving you enough opportunity to work on your shot strength and identify just where you’re going wrong, as well as providing useful ball return so you can ensure the perfect stance time after time (after time, after time, after… you get the idea). If it’s your short game that’s giving you trouble, this might just be the solution. Don’t forget to also check our guide to the best golf GPS watches for more great golf equipment.
10.5 feet x 16.25 inches
Precise alignment
Automatic ball return
Realistic green feel
- BrandBalight
- ModelB01MY7L5BJ
- Weight6.8 pounds
2 balls included
Multiple holes for different practice situations
Helps fine-tune technique and promote consistency
Some parts feel flimsy and cheap
4Putt-A-Bout Grassroots Par Three Putting Mat
The Putt-A-Bout Grassroots Par Three Putting Green is our choice for the best putting mat available. It is developed with durable PET resin and provides a smooth surface that mimics the finest putting greens in the world. With it, you’ll get 3 practice holes to test out different approaches, as well as built-in ‘sand’ traps that not only teach you to hold back on some shots but also save them disappearing under the sofa, because who has time for that? It runs 3 x 9 feet, meaning it’s compact enough to fit into the majority of rooms, while the non-skid backing provides a firm grip to keep it in place. Be sure to combine this with a cool golf club set from our list.
3 x 9 feet
Smooth surface
3 practice cup cutouts
Non-skid backing
- BrandPutt-A-Bout
- ModelPUTTPAR3A
- Weight3.5 pounds
Rolls out flat
Minor decline around holes
Real-green feel
No chance in sloping for approach practice
5Shaun Webb’s Golf Putting Mat Green
Anything endorsed by one of the top names in Golf teaching is sure to be a putting green worth having, and Shaun Webb’s Golf Putting Green and Indoor Mat is exactly that. A simple set for sure, but this doesn’t detract from its quality nor its effectiveness. It’s been designed to introduce golfers old and new to a variety of potential challenges they might find on the green, and teaches them to anticipate any green condition/ this is done through slight uphill elevation and a wide layout, which offers multiple angles for practicing the final putt. Furthermore, the soft material won’t damage your putter, and the three holes give you even more versatility in your shots. Love golfing? Check out our review of the best golf range finders for our top picks.
9 x 3 feet
Slight uphill elevation
Soft material which won’t scratch putter
3 hole possibilities
- BrandShaun Webb’s
- ModelB01M2161CR
- Weight12.4 pounds
Ideal for practicing a firm stroke
Wider design for more practice
Rolls out smooth and flat
Slightly slow compared to other mats
Putting Mat Buying Guide & FAQs
How We Chose Our Selection of Putting Mats
Brand - There is a variety of awesome and highly reliable brands that provide putting mats all for you. We don’t like showing loyalty to any one brand, so we’ve looked to select a fantastically broad range from as many brands as possible to help you find the putting mat you’ve always wanted.
Reviews - As much as we’d love to, we can’t try out every single putting mat in the time it takes to compile our lists and present them to you. Instead, we rely on the many, many reviews of the best putting mats to discover what makes a good putting mat and, more importantly, what makes a great one so you can be sure that we’ve only picked the very best for you.
Design - There are quite a few different putting mat designs that we’ve identified throughout our list all of which have their own specific benefits for golfers of different levels looking to improve different aspects of their game. This can include the ability to alter the green by inserting wedges, as well as ball return feature to help you maintain the correct stance between shots.
Quality - Obviously, we’re not going to recommend low-quality products and so we’ve strived to select putting mats that are of the highest quality to ensure you get many years and potentially thousands of individual practice sessions from one mat.
Price - We understand that not everybody can afford the premium picks, so we’ve hopefully selected a wide range of prices that means golfers of all budgets have a chance to perfect their short game.
Features To Look For In Putting Mats
Before buying an indoor putting green carpet, you’ll need to make sure that it has exactly what you need for you to get the most out of it.
Size - Greens all over the world vary in size, the largest one is found at the International Golf Club in Massachusetts, and is over 28,000 square feet. Your putting mat won’t be anywhere near that size and you want to make sure it will fit in your home. Larger putting greens give you more practice options but may not fit comfortably in any room in the house.
Speed - There are a variety of green speeds that help improve your putting skills. Some of the greens will have the option to practice with varying green speeds, whereas others will have one speed. Your choice will likely depend on the speed of your home greens, but it’s always good to practice with different green speeds to make you a more well-rounded player.
True Roll - True Roll is a feature of some putting mats that is designed to have a stimp reading which matches the feel of a real-life green. This helps to prepare you for the same kind of situations once you make it out onto the course.
Durability - Everybody wants to buy a product that will last them for a long time, and putting mats are no different. When buying your brand new putting mat, you want to ensure that it will last you more than a couple of practice rounds before a day out on the course. Materials such as PET resin is just one example of the type of material you should look for when seeking durability.
Quality - Don’t waste your money on low quality putting mats. If you’re serious about practicing your putting, quality is a must, it may cost a little extra, but this is easily justified.
Ease-of-Use - It’s not hard to figure out how to use a putting green, but ease-of-use is always something to consider when buying anything. Some putting mats will have different features that make using it easier for you, and should have straightforward instructions is they are customizable to give make the mat more versatile.
Extra Features - Putting mats are more than just simply mats that mimic the environment of a putting green. You can purchase mats that have extra holes, mats with built-in hazards, ‘long grass’ trim around the side for authenticity, ball return configurations, and markers that help you line your shots up properly.
Putting Mat FAQs
Q: What is a putting mat?
A: A putting mat is a mat that mimics the real-life environment of a putting green. This can include inclines, declines, as well as any hazards and customization that helps to fine-tune your short game without going to the course.
Q: How will a putting mat help to improve my game?
A: Putting mats can improve your game in a variety of ways. They can teach you discipline in your strokes, allowing you to fix hitting the ball too hard or too soft, as well as providing you a number of different scenarios that you might not get at your home course. The best putting mats will have an array of customization, speed, and distance options for you to practice with.
Q: What is the ideal mat size to go for?
A: Ideally, you want a mat size that will fit in your house, as this can be used all year-round. However, you also need to consider how useful the size of the mat will be. Putting mats are typically around 9 feet in length, which is an average-sized green on real golf courses. Mats that are too small could hinder your approach, while mats that are too big could cause you to overhit the ball once you arrive at the real thing.
Q: What is the purpose of the ball return channel?
A: The ball return channel simply makes life much easier for you as you don’t have to keep retrieving the ball from the hole well as helps you maintain the same stance when lining up the next shot. Along with this, it prevents the ball clogging up the hole, which could mean that even if you’re on target, the ball is unable to fit.
Q: What is the ideal surface to place the putting mat on?
A: The ideal surface for a golf putting green will depend on the mat itself. Many of them will be suitable for all kinds of surfaces and will even have materials on the base that keep it from shifting. The thickness of these mats helps prevent any warping of the shot, giving you the best results every single time.
Q: How can I care for my putting carpet?
A: Simple consistent cleaning and maintenance is the best way to care for your putting mat. This means you are careful not to damage the turf or around the edges - where it can curl if not looked after - as well as removing any debris and dust that could appear on the turf itself. To prevent this, you can roll the mats up and store them away, which shouldn’t interfere with the flatness once unrolled. This also protects them when transporting them.
Q: How durable is the putting mat?
A: Putting mats are designed to be durable for a long time, however, as we mentioned above, this will be affected if you do you not adequately care for it. That being said, if you do take care of your putting mat, you can expect a high-quality product to last anywhere between 10 to 15 years, and perhaps even more if you are especially diligent.
Sources
- Stimpmeter - Wikipedia
