Your short game is where you gain or lose strokes. That’s why you should be spending as much time working on it as you do your long game.
In this post, I reveal the best putting mats to help you practice your stroke from home.
You’ll find that the options on this list include simple, narrow putting mats and broader premium designs with various cups to aim at. In addition, you’ll see that most of these putting mats are easy to roll up and store away or transport when you go on vacation.
1. Boburn Golf Mat – Best Overall Putting Mat
Top pick
BOBURN Golf Putting Green
True-roll surface simulates real green conditions with a similar stimp meter reading. Soft high-elastic base that helps it to adhere on any surface that you place it on indoors or outdoors.
Check Price on Amazon
Dimensions
Pros
- 6 holes to aim at
- Optimal durability
- Produces a true-roll
- Remains stable while conducting your putting drills
- You can set it up inside or outdoors
Cons
- Premium price tag
- It takes time to get the wrinkle out when you first open it
The Boburn golf putting mat is my best overall putting practice mat, thanks to its quality, size, and quantity of cups to aim at. Although it carries a premium price tag, I feel it is well worth the money because it gives the closest feel to an actual putting green you can find.
At 5 x 10 feet, the high-quality Boburn mat is constructed from heavy-duty materials to offer superior durability. Besides its durability, you’ll find that the soft-elastic surface and slip-resistant rubber-backing keeps the green stable while you putt.
Furthermore, I enjoyed the speed consistency of these greens and that the True-roll surface simulated the conditions of an authentic green on a golf course. Besides my balls roll, I appreciated the six flagsticks to aim at, which is rare for a personal putting surface.
Finally, you can set the Boburn golf putting mat up inside or outdoors and practice most comfortably. However, you will need patience when rolling it out, as it will contain creases. I found that applying some weight to these areas overnight straightened them out.
2. Thorza Indoor Putting Mat – Best Budget Putting Mat
Budget friendly
Dimensions
Pros
- Affordable putting mat
- Easily portable
- It comes with a carry bag and putting cup
- Features distance markings along the mat
- Ideal for indoor use
Cons
- It does not include any cut-out holes
- The surface is too similar to a carpet rather than a putting green
The Thorza indoor putting mat offers golfers an affordable setup, easy storage, and hassle-free portability. In addition, I felt the carry bag and the putting cup were a nice touch for an entry-level golf putting mat.
You’ll notice that this mat stretches 10 feet long and is only 1.65 feet wide, leaving little room for error. Besides boosting your accuracy on the golf course, Thorza added markers to help you optimize your distance control from 1 to 7 feet from the cup.
Moreover, I found that the mat remained in place, for the most part, thanks to its non-slip rubber underside. I would avoid consistently walking on it, as this cause it to slide out of place.
The biggest downside is that the mat does not contain cut-out holes for your golf balls to drop into. However, Thorza made up for it with a putting cup. Finally, I felt the surface was thicker than usual, leading to a slower roll, but at this price point, I cannot complain.
3. Perfect Practice Putting Mat – Best Automatic Ball Return System
Dimensions
Pros
- Automatically returns your ball to you after each putt
- Quality velvet material
- Features distance markers and lines to the cup
- Portable
- Includes 2 holes
Cons
- Expensive
- It takes a while to flatten the mat after unboxing it.
A tedious part of putting practice is collecting your golf balls at the end of your set. Fortunately, the Perfect Practice putting mat solves this with an automatic ball return system that shoots your ionomer back to you after every stroke.
I feel it allows me to stay in the zone for an extended period instead of breaking my concentration every few seconds to fetch a ball. You’ll see that this putting mat stretches 9.6 feet long and 15 inches wide to help you master close-range putts.
The putting mat of choice for Dustin Johnson features distance markers and lines to aid your roll to the cup. On the topic of cups, it is equipped with two to aim at. One is smaller to increase your challenge, while the other is regulation size.
Finally, the Perfect Practice putting green delivers a clean roll, and I found it is easy to pack up to transport between the office and home. My only gripe is its premium price tag, but the quality of the product is well worth the spend.
4. TrueBirdie Indoor Putting Green – Best For Distance Control Practice
Dimensions
Pros
- Moderately affordable
- Excellent for distance control training
- Practical travel bag to carry the mat
- Non-slip backing
- Easy to store
Cons
- It does not feature any cut-out holes
- It is not equipped with slope pads, leading to monotonous putts
Feel is an integral part of your putting stroke, and understanding how hard to strike each putt results in greater distance control. The TrueBirdie indoor putting greens feature distance markers from 1 to 8 feet from the cup, allowing you to work on specific lengths.
I find this knowledge is easily transferable to the links, and I have a better feel for how many feet I am from the cup. This 10-foot by 16-inch putting mat also demands straight putts to stay on the surface.
You’ll spot 3 putting targets on the mat, but none are cut out, which could bleak some golfers out. TrueBirdie made amends by adding a moveable silicone golf cup to place on the hole targets.
I also applaud the ease of portability thanks to the nifty draw-string travel back and found it easy to roll up. Lastly, the non-slip backing holds effectively as long as you avoid walking on it frequently.
5. TrueBirdie XL – Best For Mid Handicappers
Dimensions
Pros
- The green includes 2 flagsticks
- A removable backstop prevents golf balls from running wild
- You can create a slope for an extra challenge
- The broader design lets you putt it from different angles
- Quality turf material
Cons
- Moderately expensive
- It would be nice if the slope was more elevated
In my experience, the TrueBirdie XL offers the perfect practice putting mat for mid-handicappers. It provides excellent value for money, allowing golfers to putt from different angles and throw in the challenge of a slope.
You’ll see that the TrueBirdie XL putting green extends to 10.5 feet and is an impressive 3 feet wide. The added width allows you to putt from different positions and challenge yourself to a new line.
Besides putting from different angles, this putting mat offers golfers the luxury of adding a slope to the equation. TrueBirdie included a foam-shaped wedge that elevates the position of the flagsticks and demands precise distance control.
In addition, I enjoy the presence of 2 removable flag-sticks for two reasons. Firstly, you have two targets to aim at, and secondly, you can putt more balls before you need to clear out the cup. Finally, I also approve of the backstop behind the cup, as it stopped my golf balls from rolling all over the house.
6. Putt-A-Bout Par Three Plus – Best Office Putting Mat
Dimensions
Pros
- Affordable for a quality surface
- 3-hole cut-outs to aim at
- 2 hazard cut out to increase the challenge
- You can putt it from multiple angles
- Easy to roll up and store
Cons
- The mat does not contain any actual holes
- Rolling it up too tightly creates creases that are difficult to eradicate
If you are looking for the best indoor putting green to kit out your office, consider the Putt-A-Bout Par Three Plus. It is a simple kidney-shaped mat with 3 cut-out holes and 2 cut-out hazards to add an extra obstacle.
Besides the 2 cut-out hazards, which are broader on the Plus version than others, the 9-foot by 3-foot mat offers the added challenge of various angles. You can use this to your advantage when working on your putting skills and mastering a variety of lines.
Furthermore, I welcomed the flat green-like putting surface, which produced a consistent roll during practice. In addition, the non-skid backing did well to keep the mat grounded throughout.
Finally, the Putt-A-Bout Par Three Plus putting mat is easy to roll up and store whenever you need to hide the evidence of your training exercises.
7. Pinstripe Golf Putting Mat – Best Portable Putting Mat
Dimensions
Pros
- Simple to fold up
- It includes a swing path trainer template to boost accurate strokes
- Master start lines show you the way to the cup
- It comes with a carry bag for hassle-free portability
- It remains stable while practicing
Cons
- There are no actual holes
- It is expensive for indoor putting mats with no ramps
In the age of the digital nomad, you need to travel light and remain practical. Luckily, you don’t have to leave your golf training aids behind. The 7.87-foot by 1.64-foot mat is easy to fold and slide into the complimentary travel bag.
Besides its ease of transport, this putting mat features alignment aids to help you keep your putter head square at impact for accurate putts. Plus, you’ll find a line running down the center of the mat to help you keep your ball on target toward the cup.
Furthermore, this mat does not contain cut-out holes for your ball to drop into but includes a cup. I like the design because it requires you to send your ball at least 18-inches past for the cup to swallow it. You’ll find this promotes confident putts when you are out on the golf course.
I felt it was a nice touch to offer this mat in three different colors, giving the option of green, red and blue. Finally, a ball-blocking aim board prevents your balls from rolling all over the place, as a greaseless rubber bottom keeps them in place during practice.
8. SKLZ Accelerator Pro – Best Putting Mat For For Accurate Strokes
Dimensions
Pros
- It helps golfers produce straighter putts
- The hole at the top of the slope adds an additional challenge
- Affordable
- You can use it indoors or outside
- Quality materials used on the surface for the price
Cons
- The ball got stuck in the automatic returner on occasion
- If you putt it from either side of the alignment markers, the lines are erratic.
My final recommendation for the best putting mats is the SKLZ Accelerator Pro. In my experience, it offered the best platform to work on minimizing putter face twists during your stroke to keep the face square at impact.
The 9-foot by 16.25-inch mat features squaring and alignment lines at 3, 5, and 7 feet from the cup. Watch the putter path on your backstroke and follow through to ensure it remains on plane throughout. Over time it will become second nature to produce straighter strokes.
In addition, they equipped this putting mat with a hole at the top of the ramp. You’ll find this demands precise distance control to drain putts. Once your ball drops into the cup, it is remitted to the sender by the automatic ball returner.
Finally, I admired the quality of the surface as it was as close to actual grass as you can get on an affordable putting mat.