When you decide to work on your putting skills at home, there are 5 things you should consider before purchasing a golf putting mat:
- The stimp (speed)
- The length and width
- The material and thickness
- Ease of use, training options and longevity
- Price
The punch of the putting mat
What exactly is the stimp? You don't often hear golfers ask that question when they are going to play 18 holes somewhere. However, the stimp tells you whether the green is fast or slow . But what is a fast green? With a stimp of over 9, we speak of a fast green here in the Netherlands; that is usually only during a dry summer period. A relatively slow green has a stimp of 6-7.
At Golf Backyard you will find 4 different brands with the corresponding stamp:
|
Brand |
Stamp |
|
11.0 |
|
|
10.0 |
|
|
10.5 |
|
|
9.0 |
|
|
Visio Putting |
10.0 |
Different sizes
Most putting mats are 3 or 4 meters long. But how important is the length? Of course, it has to fit in your living room, study or office. But in principle, every putting mat is rolled up and you will soon be able to find a space somewhere that fits.
The PuttOut putting mats come in 2 sizes: short (240cm) and long (367cm). The 240cm is a bit short for some. However, as a golfer, you will lose most of your strokes here. The Pure2Improve putting mat of 5 meters is very long, but ideal if you want to gain more control over long distances. When it comes to width, we at Golf Backyard have no preference. The ultimate putting mat is the WellPutt one; no less than 8 meters, fun to challenge your colleagues after lunch at the office!
|
Brand |
Length |
Width |
|
300cm / 400cm |
50cm / 50cm |
|
|
240cm / 367cm |
50cm / 67cm |
|
|
300cm / 400cm |
64cm / 64cm |
|
|
300cm / 500cm |
65cm / 65cm |
|
|
Visio Putting |
400cm |
66.5cm |
The material
Each putting mat comes with an anti-slip rubber layer on the bottom, which ensures safety. In addition, the thickness and weight differ per brand. This is mainly reflected in how the ball rolls over the putting mat. The Explanar and PuttOut are sturdier putting mats, especially Explanar is a lot heavier than the others and you have the feeling that the surface is completely flat. The WellPutt mats have the softest artificial grass and are thinner, which you notice in the speed. In our opinion, the WellPutt is perfect on a hard surface. Where PuttOut also comes into its own on carpet, you will see a bump a little sooner with WellPutt.
|
Brand |
Thickness |
Weight |
|
1.0mm rubber + 1.0mm artificial grass |
1.95KG / 2.70KG |
|
|
PuttOut 2.4M / 3.67M |
1.5mm rubber + 1.5mm artificial grass |
2.25KG / 4.0KG |
|
2.0mm rubber + 2.0mm artificial grass |
5.10KG / 6.87KG |
|
|
1.0mm rubber + 2.0mm artificial grass |
3.25 / 5.40KG |
|
|
Visio Putting 3M |
Not measured |
Not measured |
Ease of use, training options and longevity
First of all, Golf Backyard selects its products based on quality, you will not find a Forb putting mat or Inesis putting mat in our range. The artificial grass does not meet our requirements and a real green does not come close. In addition, we offer putting mats that take a very long time to show signs of wear. Just like with any real green, it is possible that grooves will appear after years of putting. Make sure you alternate between distance and direction, then you will enjoy the putting mat for the longest time.
In terms of training options , WellPutt is by far number 1. They have developed an App with all kinds of training. In this, practice drills are mentioned and you can easily keep track of your progress. In addition, PuttOut also comes with a complete package for golfers, for example, we are really big fans of the Pressure Putt . A putting hole where the ball only stays in the hole when the correct speed (45cm behind the hole in case of a miss) and direction are given.
Price
A putting mat is a purchase that you will benefit from for years and the right putting mat is certainly worth 100 euros in our opinion. If you opt for the slightly more luxurious variants, you will pay about 50 euros more. If you have the space and the money, then the WellPutt Putting mat of 8 meters is great. For just under 500 euros you can practice all aspects of putting.
Do you have your own golf shop or are you really into tech gadgets, then take a look at the Big Tilt or ViewPutt. These are putting boxes where you can even adjust the slope using your mobile or iPad and where the correct line is visible using a projector. Unfortunately unaffordable for the vast majority of golfers because with a few thousand euros you might just have the entry-level model.
Choice Golf Backyard
As far as we are concerned, all our putting mats meet the requirements we set. If you want interaction with an App, different game modes and a fast but very good putting mat, choose WellPutt . If you prefer a slower putting mat but sufficient training possibilities, go for PuttOut . If you like a hole in the mat and a somewhat firmer putting mat, Explanar is the best choice. Or perhaps a putting mat where the Stimp is more similar to Dutch greens? Then Pure2Improve is the ultimate winner. All in all, every putting mat will give you a better feeling about the right speed, correct contact surface and consistency!
