If you need some help on the greens then here are some putting aids to help.
Best Putting Aids
Putting is arguably the most important facet of the game of golf. You can drive it well, flush your irons, have a sublime short-game, but if you cannot put the ball in the hole on the green then it is all pointless.
Brands know this which is why many of them spend incredible amounts of time and money on creating the best putters for you whether they are blades, mid-mallets or mallets.
But in modern golf there is a lot more attention on technique too with the creation of specific putting aids.
Why You’d Want To Buy A Putting Aid
So then why would you want to get one of the best putting aids out there?
Well one of the best things about putting is, it is the one part of the game that can be practiced pretty much anywhere which makes a good putting aid one of the best golf accessories you can think about buying.
There are loads of different types of aid too so whatever you need to work on – whether that be feel, stroke, swing path, grip or confidence, there is something for everyone. Ultimately if a player is a better putter, then chances are they will be able to bring their handicap down and there is no better feeling in golf than holing a putt.
So when looking at putting aids it is worth having a think about what will help you.
If you are after a putting mat, do you need a hole at the end so it feels like you are holing more putts, or just a flat mat to work on your stroke or pace control?
Or maybe a putting mirror so you can actually see what your stroke is doing throughout?
We have looked at what we think are some of the best putting aids below, all of which will conveniently store away and be used pretty much anywhere so you can practice anywhere too.
That way if you have a spare 10 minutes, you can go and work on your game.
For more buying guides around putting and practice, check out our comprehensive pieces on the most forgiving putters and best golf training aids too.
Best Putting Aids
PuttOUT Putting Mat
Top Pick
+ Multitude of drills
+ Great for perfecting your putting stroke
– Not as good without investing in the full PuttOut Home Practice Studio
We have been fans of PuttOUT products for a few years now and one of the best is this mat.
It has printed alignment guides, target points, distance markings and replicates a medium-to-fast green so there are lots of things you can work on here.
It measures just under eight feet in length, has a stimp reading of 10 and rolls up neatly into a bag with a strap for easy transportation. The tacky surface on the underside ensures it stays in position and our testing has shown it be hard wearing and high quality.
Additionally for more putting mats have a read of our best golf mat guide.
PuttOut Home Putting Studio Review
Perfect Practice Perfect Putting Mat
Tour-Validated Model
+ Lots of lines and checkpoints to hone your putting stroke
+ Quality materials throughout
– Need a flat floor with a lot of space to use
With Dustin Johnson‘s name on the box and after seeing several adverts for this mat, we recently tested the 9ft version to put it through its paces, and we were not disappointed.
There are shorter versions available for those who are conscious of space but we were very happy with the performance on offer here.
The mat is relatively fast – quicker than the PuttOut Mat mentioned above – but not ridiculously quick. The slight incline toward the hole also makes you have to hit the ball nice and firm, a great way to practice putting pace which you can translate into more putts holed on the golf course.
The various lines on the mat helped create clear visual aids which helped alignment as well as the start line of the putt, and path of the stroke.
Once a putt is holed, the ball conveniently comes back down the wooden runner on the right so you don’t have to march back and forth every time you’ve holed a putt.
Perfect Practice Perfect Putting Mat Review
Pure 2 Improve Golf Putting Mat
Best For Pace Control
+ Loads of alignment aids
+ Can try plenty of different drills
– No hole at the end
Another mat to make this best putting aids guide is this Pure 2 Improve model.
It comes in two fairly large sizes – 3 meters and 5 meters – which makes this a great putting mat if you’re looking to improve your pace control and longer, lag putts.
There isn’t an actual golf hole at the end of the mat, but we found the big target area is great for practicing those longer putts where you are just looking to get the ball within gimmie length, rather than holing it outright.
The various target area and alignment tools on this mat allow for varied practice sessions with the putter to work on different elements of the stroke.
PuttOUT Premium Pressure Putt Trainer
Best Putting Game
+ Gives better understanding of pace control
+ Requires a lot of practice
– Not that much versatility
Another top notch PuttOUT product is this premium trainer. It has been designed to simulate the exact conditions of putting into a real hole by returning the ball the same distance it would have gone past.
Hit a perfect putt and the ball will stay in hole up the curved ramp but don’t expect to experience this all too often. It’s incredibly difficult to do, which is good in a way as it really narrows your focus on achieving perfect line and pace but it is certainly a frustrating way to pass the time.
It won’t return your ball all the way back to you, like the Perfect Practice Putting Mat does, but it still does a good job of rewarding good putts and punishing bad ones
Anywhere Golf Hole Training Aid
Best Aid For All Levels
+ Good to see ball go in a hole
+ Can play fun putting games
– Hard to get hold of
As you can tell from the other selections in this best putting aids list, they are often very simple and this Anywhere Golf Hole is a case in point.
If you are the kind of golfer who wants to see the ball go in the hole then you will love this design. Available in several colours, this silicone aid’s slight incline promotes perfect speed and lets you practice your putting anywhere.
It is the same size as a hole so really does replicate putting into a real one – we’re big fans of this for chucking down on the carpet at home to roll a few balls.
Pure 2 Improve Putting Mirror 21″
Best To Work On Stroke
+ Will aid consistency and alignment
+ Visual learning
– Can be confusing to use
Some of the best golf aids are really simple. Pure 2 Improve has created this mirror so it’s small enough to fit in your bag, therefore you can take it to the putting green to work on your stroke and improve your alignment.
It does so by providing feedback on your eye-line and head position as well as your ball position in relation to your stance.
This kind of help is important because good alignment means more consistency which can create more holed putts.
Callaway Golf 5-Hole Putt Game
Best Portable Aids
+ Can take them anywhere
+ Makes putting fun
– Limited training of alignment
Take your competition off the course with the 5-Hole Putting Game.
Easy to take anywhere, and easy for anyone to play these cups will not only act as a fun game for all, but also help the more serious golfer and their putting confidence.
In the set you get five cups with differing levels of size and difficulty and the interlocking design means they fit nicely in your golf bag.
What to consider when buying a putting aid
What factors should you think about when looking at the best putting aids? We take a look below.
Design – This is the most important factor you need to think about and what we mean here is what form of putting aid are you after because different designs do different things. If you want to work on your stroke mechanics then a putting mirror is the way to go, or if you want to get better in terms of feel and pace control there are a couple of good mats above.
Alternatively if you just want a fun game, or build your confidence by seeing the ball go into a hole, then there are a few models above which will deliver for you.
Durability – A good golf putting aid should be strong and durable because we want to use them all of the time, and we want to take them anywhere so we can practice anywhere. As such putting aids are often made with strong plastics or other materials that will not break for a long time.
Portability – As we mentioned above putting aids have to be easy to pull out or put away. They have to be easy to carry or fit nicely in your golf bag too if you see yourself using yours anywhere.
Where are you going to use it? – Have a think about where you want to use your putting aid. Indoors? Outdoors? On carpet? On wooden flooring? This will then dictate which models above you want to go for.
Price – Thankfully most putting aids are not too expensive these days so everyone has the ability to work on their putting. That being said there are models at different price points so it is a question of how much you want to spend.
If you enjoyed this guide on the best putting aids, check out the Golf Monthly website for more of this content.
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