Putting mats

[TJ106]

So I picked up a fairly cheapo putting matt for practice at home.  However it is one of those types that has an elevated cup for no other reason that I see than to have the ball roll back towards you after it goes in to the hole.

My question is, will this have a negative effect on my practicing.  I feel as though in the long run it may hurt my judgement of the speed in real life situations

[newtogolf]

I had one and like you was concerned about the impact of the incline in front of the cup.  I practiced hitting putts certain distances and not worrying about putting it into the cup until I decided to invest in a better putting mat and bought a BirdieBall putting matt.  I did a review on here if you want to consider it.  Overall it's much better than those cheap putting mats and can be purchased with different stimp ratings in each direction.

[TJ106]

I had one and like you was concerned about the impact of the incline in front of the cup.  I practiced hitting putts certain distances and not worrying about putting it into the cup until I decided to invest in a better putting mat and bought a BirdieBall putting matt.  I did a review on here if you want to consider it.  Overall it's much better than those cheap putting mats and can be purchased with different stimp ratings in each direction.

Thanks, I read the review.  How is it holding up nearly a year later?

Great info, I appreciate it

[newtogolf]

Thanks, I read the review.  How is it holding up nearly a year later?

Great info, I appreciate it

It's holding up well but it's admittedly a pain to unroll and roll back up after every use.  I wish I had a space in my house to just leave it set up permanently.  I just had a putting green installed in my backyard so the Birdieball will be getting limited use until the snow comes.

[Chris223]

So I picked up a fairly cheapo putting matt for practice at home.  However it is one of those types that has an elevated cup for no other reason that I see than to have the ball roll back towards you after it goes in to the hole.

My question is, will this have a negative effect on my practicing.  I feel as though in the long run it may hurt my judgement of the speed in real life situations

If you have a problem getting the ball to the hole it wont hurt.  I've been using this one - http://www.amazon.com/SKLZ-Accelerator-Ball-Return-Putting/dp/B003D6FFXK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid;=1378531211&sr;=8-1&keywords;=putting+mat

And I like it.  If putting slightly uphill is really going to effect your ability to judge how hard to hit the ball on flat or downhill putts in real life you have far more problems with your putting.  I like the mat because the lines help me ensure my alignment is correct and I'm squaring up the putter face.  I push and pull putts of stupid short distances all the time.  I have noticed a slight improvement since I bought the mat.  I'm still working on it but I'm getting there.  If anything it just gives me confidence

[Shaupeen]

If you have a problem getting the ball to the hole it wont hurt.  I've been using this one - http://www.amazon.com/SKLZ-Accelerator-Ball-Return-Putting/dp/B003D6FFXK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid;=1378531211&sr;=8-1&keywords;=putting+mat

And I like it.  If putting slightly uphill is really going to effect your ability to judge how hard to hit the ball on flat or downhill putts in real life you have far more problems with your putting.  I like the mat because the lines help me ensure my alignment is correct and I'm squaring up the putter face.  I push and pull putts of stupid short distances all the time.  I have noticed a slight improvement since I bought the mat.  I'm still working on it but I'm getting there.  If anything it just gives me confidence

That's a great looking mat.  Are those distance numbers?  3 feet and on?

[newtogolf]

That's a great looking mat.  Are those distance numbers?  3 feet and on?

Yes, up to 9' or 10' if I remember right.  I had the same one, bought it as Sports Authority

[Dave2512]

Another BirdieBall user here, it's a CO company so easy to get here. I leave mine set up in basement and have had it about a year. Feels realistic and it's long and wide enough to practice a variety of putts. Mine developed a hump about 3' diameter near one of the holes that won't flatten out. It gives it some contour but it's enough to cause short putts to roll away from the hole in a weird way. Had I been into golf when I landscaped my backyard in 2011 I would have done something back there.

But for $200 the BB is great. I used it to play imaginary rounds in the winter. I also have a mat and net down there. Made some copies of scorecards and would chose clubs based on the shots I would usually play on those holes. If it felt like I didn't make good contact I'd consider it a bad shot and chose another club as if I missed the green or whatever. After a pitch or chip if I didn't make two or three hits with good contact, also have a chipping net, I'd try to 2 putt starting at 18 feet. I keep pieces of cardboard around to stack under the mat to give it some break. Used a camera and V1 to watch it all.

[Chris223]

That's a great looking mat.  Are those distance numbers?  3 feet and on?

Yes.  The idea is you put the ball where the number is, backstroke to the end of the line and follow through to the end of the line.  The idea is to get feel for how far of a backstroke and forward stroke you need to make to accelerate through the putt.  Probably not a good mat for someone who has a "pop" stroke like Brandt Snedeker... and you don't even have to use the mat that way anyhow.  I mostly use the line to ensure a square putter face with proper alignment, if my ball doesn't go in the hole I know I'm doing something wrong.

[Shaupeen]

Another BirdieBall user here, it's a CO company so easy to get here. I leave mine set up in basement and have had it about a year. Feels realistic and it's long and wide enough to practice a variety of putts. Mine developed a hump about 3' diameter near one of the holes that won't flatten out. It gives it some contour but it's enough to cause short putts to roll away from the hole in a weird way. Had I been into golf when I landscaped my backyard in 2011 I would have done something back there.

But for $200 the BB is great. I used it to play imaginary rounds in the winter. I also have a mat and net down there. Made some copies of scorecards and would chose clubs based on the shots I would usually play on those holes. If it felt like I didn't make good contact I'd consider it a bad shot and chose another club as if I missed the green or whatever. After a pitch or chip if I didn't make two or three hits with good contact, also have a chipping net, I'd try to 2 putt starting at 18 feet. I keep pieces of cardboard around to stack under the mat to give it some break. Used a camera and V1 to watch it all.

That's a great idea!

I keep all of my old scorecards (I denote every club I hit on each hole, not just a +1 or such for each hole) and then I take that card to the range and re-hit that round from tee to green.  It makes range work much more interesting.

[Shaupeen]

Yes.  The idea is you put the ball where the number is, backstroke to the end of the line and follow through to the end of the line.  The idea is to get feel for how far of a backstroke and forward stroke you need to make to accelerate through the putt.  Probably not a good mat for someone who has a "pop" stroke like Brandt Snedeker... and you don't even have to use the mat that way anyhow.  I mostly use the line to ensure a square putter face with proper alignment, if my ball doesn't go in the hole I know I'm doing something wrong.

OK, that's next on my list.  Thanks for the explanation--that is awesome.

[Moppy]

I have that Amazon putting mat, SKLZ accelerator ball return. I read in the review on Amazon one complaint that the guy was zinging it past the hole after practicing with it, but I haven't noticed that. I just try to putt so that I let it just fall into the hole. What is bothering me, and I have only been playing for a few months and have had no putting lessons, is that I can pretty much sink everything with the mat from 5 ft in, and sink 8 out of ten from seven feet, but once I get on the course, I haven't the first idea of what to do to read the green so naturally, I usually two putt, with a fair sprinkling of three putts thrown in. It would be nice to convert just a few of those two putts, since that would just be found strokes.

Does anybody have any suggestions for a web video or something that takes on reading a green from square one?  Or is it just practice?  I am having a lesson this weekend that I wanted to devote to my towering banana slice and hitting to the right with the irons, but there may be more strokes to be picked up on the putting green.

[Nutter]

To answer your original question, no it won't hurt your on course putting in a negative way whatsoever.  All greens are different speeds anyways, even putting on your carpet helps as long as you're working on consistently hitting it towards a target.  Keep at it.

[dsc123]

So I picked up a fairly cheapo putting matt for practice at home.  However it is one of those types that has an elevated cup for no other reason that I see than to have the ball roll back towards you after it goes in to the hole.

My question is, will this have a negative effect on my practicing.  I feel as though in the long run it may hurt my judgement of the speed in real life situations

Just make sure to hit putts on the practice green before your round to get a feel for distance control.  Mats are great for ingraining your stroke and making sure you're hitting your line.

I did once spend all week hitting on my mat, then putt terribly at the course because I was making the stroke I had ingrained for the length of my mat.  But like I said, hit a couple on the green before your round and you'll be fine.