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Monday, April 13, 2020

The Best Putting Mats for 2020

2020 Indoor Putting Mat Buyer’s Guide

COVID-19 has thrown us all off. At MyGolfSpy, we’ve put coffee mugs on the carpet and putted from across the room. Using what you have around the house provides some relief from the quarantine woes but many of you are looking for something better.

So we put together an emergency review of the best putting mats for 2020 in the hope we can help cure your boredom and improve your game.

The models we tested offer a good mix of features, varying durability and some are easier to use than others. The right combination of these attributes is the difference between a good one and a great one.

We’re not going to try and oversell you. Finding a putting mat should be significantly less daunting than buying a new driver. To help narrow your list, we put the top putting mats on the market to the test.

How We Test

We're here to help you find the perfect Putting Mat to fit your needs.

To do that, we employ a thorough and fully independent testing process that leaves no feature unexplored, no detail unchecked, and no stone unturned.

Our Metrics

Putting Mats are tested head to head using rigorous protocols.

The metrics we consider when rating Putting Mats include Durability, Ease of Use, Features, and Roll.

Features that Matter

Length: How much room do you have? If you have a games room, man cave or she shed with plenty of floor space, a longer mat allows you to vary your practice. If you’re setting up in a smaller room, no worries. There are appropriately sized mats to fit almost any space.

Roll: If your ball typically jumps and bounces on the green, you might be tempted to think it’s your stroke. Maybe it is. Maybe isn’t. Choosing a putting mat that rolls smoothly eliminates that uncertainty.

Material Quality: This guide is published in the COVID-19 era but we want your putting mat to be an investment that lasts beyond stay-at-home orders. Mats made of thinner material tend to wear faster and may develop holes within a few months. Thicker mats hold their form and last longer.

Features: Some putting mats are just “plain Jane” strips of fake turf but they can still give you an edge over your friends. More advanced models offer a comprehensive set of alignment, visual aids and targets. Some have features that offer different speeds, ramps, games, the ability to create breaking putts, and much more. No one mat offers a complete set of features so you’ll need to decide on your priorities.

Portability: At some point, your putting mat will need to be stowed away. Once we’re back on real grass, there’s a good chance yours will end up in a closet. Maybe you need to relocate it to your home office. If storage is a consideration, you’ll want a mat that rolls up tightly and is easy to transport.

Wellputt High Speed Premium - Perfect Your Distance Control

The High Speed Premium is the latest addition to the Wellputt lineup. It offers a massive selection of alignment lines and rolling zones to allow you to practice putter alignment,  direction, distance control. The accessory app offers a selection of games and challenges designed to improve your putting. The Premium is available in both 10ft and 13ft lengths and rolls at 10 on the stimp meter.

Putting Mat Features 2020

  Product Width X Length (FT) Holes Ramp Break Speed  
Big Moss Competitor V2

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3' x 9' 3 Yes No Fast
Odyssey 12 x 3 Putting Mat

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3' x 12' 5 Yes Yes Medium
Perfect Practice

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1' x 9 2 Yes No Fast
Proactive Sports Varispeed

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1.7' x 10' 0 No Yes Slow + Fast
Puttout

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1.7' x 6' 0 No No Medium
Sklz Accelerator

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1' x 9' 1 Yes No Medium/Fast
Wellputt High Speed

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3' x 13' 0 No No Fast
Wellputt High Speed Premium

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3' x 13' 0 No No Fast
Wellputt Start

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1' x 10' 0 No No Fast
GoSports Curling/Suffleboard

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2' x 10' 0 No No Medium
UKASE Putting Mat

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1.7' x 10 0 No No Fast

The Best Putting Mats For 2020: Buying Considerations

  • Verify how much space you have before you purchase your mat.
  • Some of the best putting mats for 2020 have graphics and lines, features designed to improve your putting, but some golfers may find them distracting. Others keep it simple. Decide which you prefer and choose accordingly
  • Thin mats can pose an issue with durability. Many also roll pretty much the same as the underlying surface. If you choose a thinner mat, make sure the surface you’re placing it on is smooth.
  • Some mats are designed to be putted on from both ends. This can help keep things interesting while allowing you to spend more time putting and less time retrieving balls.
  • Ideally, your putting mat would replicate the speed of the greens at your home course. While that can be difficult, some mats offer multiple putting speeds depending on which portion of the mat you’re putting on.
  • Some putting mats have multiple holes with different diameters. Smaller holes require even greater precision in your putting game.
  • Some mats offer accessories that allow you create breaking putts, along with uphill and downhill putts.

Expert Tip - Practice to Stop Leaving Putts Short

Many golfers struggle with leaving putts short. Purchasing a putting mat with a ramp or other uphill or incline features will train you to hit putts just a little bit harder. When you get to a flat putt, your muscle memory will take over and get it to the hole. If you miss, the ball will only go a foot or so past. That's a gimmie or a tap-in at worst.

Putting Tips

  • Short putts. Unless your playing partners are especially generous, the majority of your putts will be inside five feet. Practising shorter putts can benefit your game tremendously. Start close to the hole and work your way back as your ability to roll consistently straight putts improves.
  • Alignment sticks. If you cannot repeat the same putting stroke, try using alignment sticks to create a narrow path from the putter to the hole. Try to putt in between the sticks while keeping your putter within the same boundary.
  • Distance control. Those who struggle with distance control should putt to different markings on the mat and try to hit the same marking five times in a row. Once you’re successful, increase the distance and repeat.
  • Have a routine. To ensure a consistent, repeatable stroke, you should have a routine. This trains your muscles and brain to replicate the same stroke and take it on the course.

The Executive Putting Mat - Never Leave Another Birdie Putt Short

The Perfect Practice golf putting mat allows you to work on your stroke with two different size holes to challenge your game. It's a smooth and fast surface that offers a ramp designed to condition you to never leave another birdie putt short. It offers a convenient ball return to makes it easy, and let's face it, more fun.

2020 Putting Mat Results

  Product Durability Ease of use Features Roll Total
Big Moss Competitor V2

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1st 1st 8th 1st 90
Proactive Sports Varispeed

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2nd 5th 3rd 3rd 87.5
Perfect Practice

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3rd 3rd 7th 1st 86.5
Wellputt High Speed Premium

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6th 10th 1st 3rd 86
Wellputt High Speed

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6th 10th 2nd 3rd 84
UKASE Putting Mat

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6th 5th 3rd 7th 83.5
Go Sports Curling/Suffleboard

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3rd 5th 3rd 11th 83
WellPutt Start

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6th 5th 6th 3rd 81.5
Puttout

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5th 3rd 10th 8th 81.5
Sklz accelerator

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10th 5th 9th 8th 78
Check Price 11th 1st 11th 10th 73.5

What do I need to know about putting mats?

Q: Does it matter where I use my putting mat?

A: Whether you have an indoor or outdoor putting mat, it should be placed on a hard, smooth surface to avoid wrinkling and promote smooth roll. Indoor mats can be used outside when the weather permits but be sure to store your mat inside when not in use.

Q: How does my putting mat compare to a real green?

A: Most mats won’t match the experience of putting on a real green but some can get you most of the way there. If you have the opportunity to test multiple mats, you might find one that mimics the green speeds at your course.

Q: How do I care for my putting mat?

A: Constant maintenance of your mat is a necessity. Vacuum it before and after use, be sure not to puncture it and keep it rolled up and stowed away in a storage bag to hold its shape.

The post The Best Putting Mats for 2020 appeared first on MyGolfSpy.



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