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Most golfers will exhaust their time and resources in perfecting the drive. Considered one of the most important shots of the entire game, drive shots bring your ball closer to the goal in as few swings as your power and skill allow. But if we’re being technical, even the best drive won’t win you a round if you don’t know how to putt. As the game ending shot of any hole, putting might actually be the most important skill you’ll learn in the sport.
While driving ranges abound, there aren’t quite as many places where you can go to practice your putt. Fortunately, something as simple as the best indoor putting greens can turn any space into a putting boot camp, letting you get a feel for proper technique rain or shine, any time of the day.
For any real golfer, the sport isn’t just a hobby or pastime - it’s a way of life. Once golf becomes a mainstay in your day to day thoughts, perfecting your skill becomes the object of daily rumination. But there’s more to buying putting greens than simply gratifying desire. These ingenious patches of artificial grass can provide a wealth of advantages that can translate to tournament winning skill on the course.
Putting greens are designed to look, feel, and work just like the putting terrain you’ll find on a course. This provides you an accurate representation of what you would encounter when you play a game. Therefore, giving you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the conditions for better performance when you play the real deal.
Having putting greens in your home or office can give you the chance to get familiar with new clubs. As putting greens are closely patterned after the real conditions on the course, they give you a much more accurate representation of how your clubs would perform when you bring them along. The feel against the grass, the response they get from the golf ball, and the feedback they provide on the greens will be a much more reliable basis for your own adjustment to a new set of short-game clubs.
Whether you need a well deserved break, or if you’re simply looking for a way to encourage creative thought, then there shouldn’t be a question as to whether or not you need putting greens in your space. Offering a quick go-to solution for those moments when you just feel stuck or overwhelmed, putting greens become more of an encouragement than a distraction.
There are countless putting green designs on the market, and each one aims to set itself apart by bringing something new and different to the table. All in all, each player will want something different out of their putting greens, but in general, there are a few factors that are definitely worth looking into.
When it comes to putting greens, size really matters. In fact, the size of your purchase will ultimately dictate the longevity of your interest. Indoor putting greens with a limited footprint can get real boring over time. Without enough space, these choices will limit what you can do, and might make you feel like you’re hitting the same shot over and over again.
Larger putting greens give you the space to simulate various kinds of putting scenarios, thus allowing greater opportunity to exercise your skills. Certainly, they’re going to cost more the bigger they are. But if you’re really invested, a design that’s at least 10 feet long and 8 feet wide should be perfect for extensive practice hours.
Since putting greens don’t use real grass, they’re not going to roll exactly the same as what you’d find on a course. Nonetheless, there are some choices that come pretty close to the real thing. Premium quality putting greens will provide rolling conditions that can accurately replicate what you would find on a course. These will obviously be much better for your practice sessions than cheap turf that hinders a natural ball roll.
Another thing worth considering is how durable the design is. Turf that mats together after repeated walking can lose its original shape and height over time. There are also some designs that have a tendency to come off, causing some of its fibers to break away from the bed of material.
Then of course, there’s the issue of the base. A thin base material can cause the turf to lose integrity over time, and may even lose its own tackiness as you use it. This can cause the entire putting green surface to move around your floor, unless you place it over carpet.
You don’t really need a lot of fancy features when it comes to putting greens. However there are few intuitive functions that might find purpose in the hands of certain golfers. For the most part, the main feature you might want to consider is ball return. Indoor putting green with ball return functionality automatically feeds your ball into a return tunnel when it falls into the hole. This prevents all the walking back and forth to retrieve your ball once you sink it.
Some other convenient features include double pins or multi pins, which give you more than just one hole cut out. Multi-turf surfaces put two different types of turf side by side, allowing you to practice not only your putt, but other swings that you might need to perform on taller, rougher grass. And then of course there are the on-turf guidelines, offering a visual guide to help you understand how your ball reacts to your shot.
With the FORB Professional Putting Mat, size isn’t an object. These behemoth mats are designed with incredibly accurate greens, replicating real-life golf conditions to provide a realistic play experience in the comfort of your home. Fitted with four different putting holes, the FORB makes it possible for players to simulate a variety of situations they might encounter at the course.
Material wise, the FORB Professional Putting Mat uses the highest-grade turf material, embedded in a durable rubber base that holds the entire mat in place as you walk, estimate, and swing. Around the putting greens, realistic tall grass turf helps to keep your ball within the boundaries of the surface, minimizing the annoyance of having balls roll out of the mat and under your furniture.
At a modest 9 feet by 3 feet, the SKLZ Indoor Putting Green is an average-sized design that offers big opportunities. Fitted with a true-roll turf surface, this mat aims to replicate actual putting green conditions to give you the most accurate roll you’re likely to find. And to make the experience even more realistic, the three pins at the end of the mat are placed at the top of a gentle upslope to try your putting expertise.
The turf itself is adhered to rubber backing that holds the mat against various flooring materials. Beyond the holes, two intuitive cut-outs catch the ball in case you miss, preventing the need to walk around and retrieve balls that aren’t sunk into the holes.
Designed for the technical golfer, the EXPUTT Indoor Putting Green features a variety of guidelines that can help you map out the movement of the ball based on the unique stroke you use. These guidelines can help you determine the distance that your swing produces, and the path your ball travels depending on the specific technique you choose.
With a number of concentric rings to represent the pin at the opposite end of the green, the EXPUTT Indoor Putting Green provides a great visual on how close you can come to the hole with your present skill. And because the entire thing uses premium quality thermoplastic rubber underneath its realistic turf material, you can be sure you’re getting an experience that’s as close to the real thing as possible.
Simplified and straightforward, the Putt-A-Bout Grassroots Par Three Putting Green gives you three holes, ball catch cutouts, and premium grass-like texture that lets your ball roll as it would on the course. The design - featuring a bean-shaped footprint - measures just around 9 feet by 3 feet, giving ample space for various scenarios you might want to practice.
The turf material on the Putt-A-Bout is particularly noteworthy, boasting material that stays smooth, retaining its original density and texture after years of play. Underneath, thickened high density rubber clings to the floor to ensure that your putting greens stay securely in place as you walk around and practice your putts.
Often dubbed the best indoor putting green for advanced golfers, the Varispeed Putting System provides a wealth of information on swing technique. The design uses a material that shows precisely where your ball rolls, creating the perfect conditions for you to fully understand how your swing impacts your golf ball. With various markings, two different shades of green, and variable speed surface, the Varispeed Putting System lets you determine how fast or slow you want your ball to go by simply brushing the material in the designated direction.
Another thing that sets the Varispeed Putting System apart is the fact that it’s one of the few indoor putting greens with break. Letting players use a wedge that’s included in the package, golfers get the chance to change the topography of the putting greens to simulate a variety of conditions you might find on a course.
Even with the biggest indoor putting greens it will get pretty boring over time. So try your best to mix things up whenever you can. Adding breaks underneath the material to change the level of the terrain and add challenge can be a great way to extend the versatility of your greens without having to spend too much.
Just because you're swinging at home or in the office, doesn’t mean you should putt just wearing anything. Wearing a pair of suitable golf shoes and gloves can create a more realistic experience, letting you collect fine-tuned feedback that can translate much better on the course.
Don’t just slap your putting greens in any random area of your space. Consider the surroundings - will it be quiet and orderly enough? Are there too many distractions and pieces of furniture that might hinder you from swinging naturally? Are there places where your ball could roll that might make it hard to retrieve? Is there sufficient lighting to truly appreciate the visual experience?
While not a lot of manufacturers talk about the underside of their product, most of them will use what’s called thermoplastic rubber or TPR. This material is often utilized in the production of footwear outsoles because of their non-slip and non-abrasive properties. Lightweight, weather resistant, and highly resistant to tearing, TPR makes a smart material of choice for putting green bases. Their long-wearing quality means that they won’t lose density and tackiness, and they’re not likely to ‘chip’ and break even over extended use.
Every two weeks or so, depending on how often you use your turf, it would be wise to roll it up and dust it off. Unlike carpets and rugs that you can hang on a clothesline and whack to get rid of accumulated dirt, putting greens require a more gentle method of dusting. You can bounce the rolled greens on the floor as it stands upright to get any dirt loose, and you can also choose to roll it out and shake off whatever filth might be caught between the artificial grass. Try not to rub at the turf or to use any chemicals that might damage the material.
If you’re going to putt with your gear on, choose a pair of spikeless golf shoes. You won’t really need the added traction while you’re playing on your artificial turf, and of course no one wants to risk wearing away the material with aggressive footwear sole treads.
Standing with both feet on the same place over and over again will produce noticeable wear on the area. To mix up the game and prevent any unwanted, localized damage, try standing on different areas of the putting greens to even out the signs of use. If you’re playing on a strip of green that doesn’t have a lot of space to stand, you can plant your feet on the bare floor just in front of the putting surface.
With the best indoor putting greens for your home or office, you stand the chance to make the perfect shot as you step onto the course. Designed to replicate the conditions you’d find at the real deal, putting greens can be a wonderful investment for the invested golf enthusiast. Based on our research, the larger-than-life FORB Professional Putting Mat comes out on top as the best putting greens across the board. With the size, texture, and features for the job, it’s hard to find someone who won’t fall in love with this accurate putting surface replica.
