How to make a perfect home putting studio

As the winter months approach, we will all start to play less golf than perhaps we would like. With limited daylight and weather that often resembles a disaster movie the life of a golfer becomes incredibly frustrating, especially when the TV is turned on and the Tour Pros are playing under clear blue skies, worrying about whether the sun-cream they have used matches their polo shirt. 

What the winter does do though, is give everyone an opportunity to do some much-needed practice at home. Full swing practice does take quite a bit of setting up, with more required in the way of financial investment to create a fully operational swing station with launch monitor. Putting however, is extremely easy to practice at home, and with the purchase of a few key bits of kit, you are off and running and well on your way to putting like Jordan Spieth. 

Let's have a look at what you need to create the ideal home putting station. Much like when you are practicing your full swing, it is the quality of your putting practice that counts rather than the quantity. Thankfully, the golf market is full of home putting solutions that can seriously help improve your performance in this area. 

The first thing that you will need is a high-quality putting mat (assuming of course that you already own a putter). When you are practicing your putting at home, there is nothing more frustrating than trying to do it on a poorly made putting mat, that does not compensate for any imperfections on your carpet or tiles. A good quality putting mat will have a thick rubber backing that allows it to be placed on any surface so that the roll is nice and true. For you to receive valuable feedback from your practice, the golf ball mustn’t be bobbling around or jumping offline, as you will have no idea if you have hit a good putt or not. Top quality putting mats are also easily stored when not in use as the rubber backing allows them to be rolled up into a cylinder without creating any lumps or humps for the next time it is used. 

Putting Mats

Now you have sorted out your putting surface, it's time to look at the different training aids that will add value to your practice. Perhaps the most important skill to acquire in putting is the ability to start the ball on the line you choose. You can be the best reader of greens in the world, but if you are unable to start the ball off on your selected line you will never hole putts with any consistency. The ideal solution for this is to buy some putting gates. These wonderful little devices create a space that is only just wide enough for your ball to pass through and really focus your mind on where your ball is starting, rather than on your stroke. If you can repeatedly send your ball through these gates at different distances you are well on your way to becoming a great putter. 

The next piece of your home studio jigsaw is the addition of a mirror. This isn’t something to make sure your hair is styled nicely; it is a useful tool that can really help standardise your alignments and address position. There is a cut out in the mirror for your golf ball to be placed and this ensures that you are address the ball out of the centre of the putter – an obvious thing that many players do quite badly. The mirror also allows you to check your eyeline. Many golfers, especially ones that are right eye dominant, will naturally hold their head on a slight tilt to allow the dominant eye to see more clearly and this can seriously affect how you aim. 

Putting Gates & Mirrors

Ideally you will also have some form of cup that represents the hole as it would be on the putting green at your golf club. There are some great options in this area now that simulate an actual hole incredibly well. Too much pace and the putting cup will not receive the ball. 

Putting Holes

So, there you have it. With just these four items you now have a perfect home putting studio that will set you on your way to becoming 'the boss of the moss.' Of course there are plenty more superb training aids that be used at home to groove in your ideal stroke. The studio set up is ideal for giving you the ability to practice but if its an improved stroke you are looking for, then training aids that focus on your stroke mechanics are are great additon. I will discuss these at length in the next article. If you want your studio to come as a complete set, there are some excellent options that will have you honing your skills in no time.

Pre-Made Putting Studios

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