We Found The Best Putting Mat for At-Home Practice (After Testing 5 Options)
By Zach McArthur, PGA Professional
Updated on May 28, 2025
Want to lower your scores without hitting the course? More golfers are doing exactly that, thanks to one surprisingly simple piece of gear: the putting mat.
Putting mats are becoming a must-have for anyone serious about shaving strokes. But not all putting mats are created equal. So, we took it upon ourselves to test the top options on the market to help you find the best one for your space, your stroke, and your sanity. Because your journey to a smoother, more confident putting game should start with the right surface.
How We Picked The Best Putting Mats
Realistic Roll
The most important thing in any putting mat is how it feels. We prioritized mats that offered a true, smooth roll—the kind that mimics the speed and consistency of a real green. A putting mat should feel like practice, not pretend.
Premium Materials
We looked for mats made with high-quality materials, sturdy backing, and thoughtful design—mats that lay flat right out of the box and look as good in your home or office as they do in your garage.
Durability
A great putting mat should hold up for years. We tested how each mat resisted wear, wrinkling, and edge curling over time, especially with repeated use in different environments.
Ease of Setup & Storage
Convenience matters. We gave higher marks to mats that unrolled flat, stayed flat, and could be moved or stored easily without a complicated setup.
This is the same high-quality nylon turf that pros use for their own indoor practice. It rolls true on any surface and lays flat right out of the box—no creases, no fuss. It’s also the only mat in our testing that got unsolicited praise from PGA Tour players and was selected for use on a professional US tour. If you're looking for a realistic putting surface that actually helps you get better, this is it.
BirdieBall is a good pick if you want a lightweight mat with flexible options. It’s easy to move around, available in multiple speeds, and can be ordered in custom sizes for larger spaces. The foam rolls close to a real green and gives you the ability to simulate different stimps, which makes it great for pace control. Just keep in mind that the foam isn’t as durable as turf, and the shallow cups don’t offer much feedback on makes vs. misses.
Description: Perfect Practice is compact, easy to set up, and designed for smaller spaces like apartments or offices. The alignment lines and dual-hole design can help you focus on aim and consistency, and the ball return speeds up your reps. Just note: the carpet-like surface doesn’t always lay flat, and the roll quality isn’t on par with turf mats.
PrimePutt Putting Mat stands out as the top choice for at-home putting practice, offering a refined balance of realism, simplicity, and premium design.
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PrimePutt (Top) vs Perfect Practice (Bottom) Surface
What stood out right away was the roll. PrimePutt rolls true—identical to a well-cut practice green. No need to fuss with ironing it out or weighing it down. Just unbox it, roll it out, and you’re putting on the same surface tour players trust for indoor training.
It’s also built to last. The nylon turf is wear-resistant (even under foot traffic or pets), and the base doesn’t warp or shift. The quality feels intentional—like something made for long-term use, not just casual practice.
You won’t find alignment tracks, ball returns, or gimmicky extras here. PrimePutt is stripped down in the best way: it’s just a clean, flat surface that makes it easier to focus and build a repeatable stroke. And because it actually looks good, it’s one of the few mats that’s just as at home in your living room as it is in the garage.
If you want something pros actually use—and not just endorse—this is the one.
BirdieBall Putting Mat stands out for golfers who want to control stimp speed and customize their setup. You can choose from multiple speeds (9–13), order different sizes, and add accessories like bumpers or break pads to fit your space. It’s light, easy to move, and sets up quickly with minimal parts.
The foam surface gives you decent roll and the different speed purchase options make it a helpful tool for dialing in speed control. It won’t feel quite like a real green, but for pace-focused drills, it gets the job done.
It’s also easy to live with. Assembly is simple, the mat is light enough to store or move without hassle, and the variety of layout options makes it a great fit for larger rooms or awkward spaces.
The tradeoff is in the foam. Over time, it can show wear—especially in high-traffic spots—and it doesn’t hold up quite like nylon turf. The shallow cups also mean feedback is limited compared to more advanced mats.
If you’re looking for something portable, modular, and customizable, BirdieBall is worth a look. Just know you're trading off some realism and durability in exchange for flexibility and customizability.
3. Perfect Practice Putting Mat – Compact, visual, and solid for stroke work
Perfect Practice is a compact mat built for tight spaces and focused reps. It features alignment lines, a smaller precision hole, and a built-in ball return—making it a solid pick for players working on stroke mechanics or aiming drills in smaller rooms.
This mat is all about structure. The track lines and target zones are helpful if you're just starting out or trying to iron out stroke path issues. And with the ball return, you can keep the reps going without chasing down your putts.
Where it falls short is feel. The carpet-style surface rolls slower and doesn’t stay perfectly flat. If you’re on anything but a smooth floor, you might run into wrinkles or slight warping—especially around the hole area. It's good for repetition, not realism.
Durability is also a consideration. Over time, the backing can curl at the edges, and the return system’s magnets may need readjusting. It’s not built like a tour-grade mat, but it’s not pretending to be either.
If you need something affordable to reinforce alignment or tempo in a small space, Perfect Practice does the job. Just know that you may eventually outgrow it if you’re chasing a surface that mimics a real green.
PrimePutt is made from the same high-grade nylon turf pros use during indoor training. It lays flat out of the box, rolls true on any surface, and holds up under heavy use. It’s also the only mat in our lineup with non-sponsored praise from PGA Tour players—and the only one chosen for use on a professional US tour. If you’re after realism, durability, and a mat that won’t need replacing, this is the one.
Buy now
May be sold out.
After testing a full lineup of indoor putting mats, PrimePutt came out on top for its performance, build quality, and overall feel. It’s the closest thing we found to putting on an actual green—no learning curve, no setup issues, just a clean surface that helps you get better.
Other options, like BirdieBall, bring something different to the table. The foam design adds challenge and variety, but it doesn’t quite replicate a real green. Perfect Practice leans more training aid than putting surface, with visual guides and built-in returns—but the roll and turf quality fall short.
In the end, the PrimePutt Putting Mat was the one we kept coming back to. If you’re looking for a mat that looks, feels, and performs like the real thing—this is it.
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