Best Putting Aids 2024

If you need some help on the greens then here are some putting aids to help.

Best Putting Aids
(Image credit: Golf Monthly)

It looks the easiest, it could well be the hardest, but putting is arguably the most important to successful golf. The putter is the most used club in the bag, and is the only club used on every hole, so it's crucial you can roll putts well if you are to shoot the scores you desire. 

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. Having a nice putter is only good if you know how to use it, and these putting aids can help you get that putting stroke working and shave shots off your scorecard in due course. 

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. If a player is looking to cut their handicap and shoot better scores, the easiest way to do that is to become a killer with the flat stick. These putting aids can help match all those variables together to create a solid, consistent putting stroke.

So what putting aid suits what you need to work on? A flat putting mat for distance control? Or a elevated mat with a hole to visualise that golf ball dropping into the cup? Putting mirrors are regular appearances on the practice greens on PGA Tour golf courses too, as pros look to perfect their putting stroke. 

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. This means practicing doesn't have to be an hour-long exercise. Take 10 minutes of your lunch break to hit a few putts and you'll be surprised at home beneficial it can be!

For more buying guides around putting and practice, check out our comprehensive pieces on the most forgiving putters and best golf training aids too.

The Quick List

Best Putting Aids

Why you can trust Golf Monthly Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Top pick

Perfect practice perfect putting mat

(Image credit: Golf Monthly)
Tour-validated model

Reasons to buy

+
Lots of lines and checkpoints to hone your putting stroke 
+
Quality materials throughout 

Reasons to avoid

-
Need a flat floor with a lot of space to use

When people think of putting aids, automatically most with think of the classic putting mat - and for good reason.

With Dustin Johnson's name on the box and after seeing several adverts for this mat, we tested the 9ft version to put it through its paces, and we were not disappointed. The mat does come in smaller sizes for those who might lack the space required for a full-sized putting accessory. 

Mats often vary in speed – some are lightning quick while others feel like you’re putting on a wet green. This mat is quick, but not silly speeds. The incline before the hole encourages brave, well hit putts that will install confidence in the user over time, while various lines on the mat help create visual aids while practicing which help improve alignment as well as the start line of the putt and path of stroke.

There’s no need to break your back by continuously picking the ball out of the hole, either, with you ball conveniently rolling down the wooden runner on the right of the mat and back to your feet for you to line up and do all over again. To save it getting too repetitive, there are two holes to aim at which allows the player to play mini challenges. One hole is bigger than the other, so when you aim for the smaller hole and then revert back to the normal sized hole, it feels a lot bigger than it should (in the best way). It’s a great confidence building exercise.

Despite the length of the mat coming to 9ft, it is easily stored away and isn’t too big when rolled up.

Most challenging

PuttOUT Devil Balls Review

(Image credit: Future)
Easy to understand, difficult to master

Reasons to buy

+
Provides instant feedback on the putter face angle
+
Feels like a real golf ball
+
Helps train quality ball strike too

Reasons to avoid

-
Only useful on short putts of 6ft or less

If you like a challenge while practising your putting, the Devil balls from PuttOUT could be the product for you.

They give immediate feedback on your face angle at the impact of your putt, with the ball designed with a flat edge impact zone to help the player feel the face angle delivered at impact and to promote the right feel to get the putter face as square as possible upon striking the putt.

The Devil balls, true to their name, have half the tolerance of a regular golf ball which makes these knee-knocker 3ft putts doubly difficult. During testing, we quickly gained a better understanding of face angle using this product which has helped on those short putts to save par. Not to discriminate for high-level players, PuttOUT present three difficulty levels of golf balls that slowly reduce the tolerance of face angle you can present for the ball to roll correctly. The alignment marker that comes as part of the set also works as a handy training aid to encourage you to hit up on the ball.

Best for storage

PuttOUT Putting Mat, grey putting mat, golf mat

PuttOUT Putting Mat

Ideal for storage

Reasons to buy

+
Multitude of drills 
+
Great for perfecting your putting stroke 

Reasons to avoid

-
Not as good without investing in the full PuttOut Home Practice Studio

PuttOUT really do know how to make putting aids, and their putting mat is one of the best putting mats available on the market. Alignment guides on the mat for target points, distance markings and pointers for a medium-to-fast green are all present for you to use and work on your drills.

Measuring at just under 8ft long, the mat rolls up easily for storage and transportation. The underside surface of the mat itself is quite tacky, meaning it wont crease or roll up while you practice. The testing process on this mat proved its excellent durability and quality, and it’s easy to see why it has become such a popular model on the market. It runs around a 10 on the stimp metre and is available in a range of different lengths, widths and colors.

Best putting game

PuttOut Premium Pressure Putt Trainer

(Image credit: Golf Monthly)
A fun but also very frustrating putting tool

Reasons to buy

+
Gives better understanding of pace control 
+
Requires a lot of practice 

Reasons to avoid

-
Not that much versatility

PuttOUT offer great range with their practice tools, and the Premium Pressure Putt Trainer is another example of that.

It is designed to simulate the exact conditions of hitting a putt by returning the ball the exact distance the ball would have gone past on a real green. The perfect putt will stay in the hole but this is a difficult and often frustrating task, it’s really difficult to do which can help focus the player while he or she practices if they can deal with the frustration.

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. We think the price is pretty reasonable as well, especially in the number of cool colors and special edition finishes you can get it in.

Best for pace control

A putter and ball on a putting mat indoors

(Image credit: Future)
Ideal for those wanting to work on pace control

Reasons to buy

+
Loads of alignment aids 
+
Can try plenty of different drills 

Reasons to avoid

-
No hole at the end

A common misconception when practicing your putting is that you have to hole putts over and over again. Good putters avoid three putts more than they one-putt, so dialling in your distance control is the crucial first step to becoming efficient on the greens.

The Pure 2 putting mat, available in three or five metre sizes, is a great putting mat for those looking to improve their pace control on those longer, lag putts. The unusual feature of this mat is that there is no hole at the end of it, but in testing 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.

These mats do come at a premium price, especially the larger models, but the more you use it the better value for money you will get – and you should use this one a lot if you’re serious about improving your putting!

Best for breaking putts

The Breaking Ball Putting Mat

(Image credit: Mark Townsend)
Made by Me and My Golf

Specifications

Length (ft): 7, 11
Stimpmeter: around 11

Reasons to buy

+
Great roll and quality balls
+
Brilliant packaging, will last a lifetime

Reasons to avoid

-
A little on the pricey side

Gone are the days where putting mats are flat, straight and typically a bit boring. The Breaking Ball Putting Mat provides three revolutionary breaking balls that are weighted differently to replicate three severities of break. The green represents slight break, red medium and blue a heavy sloping break. The ball can be adjusted to slide right or left through the screw inside the ball.

This mat adds another dimension to your practice from home, allowing you to practise those 4ft tester putts from the comfort of your own home. The balls sound like they’d feel a bit weird to hit, but they don’t feel to alien to the sort you would us out on the course. This product simulates real putting really well, which is all you can ask for from a device you can easily use at home.

How we test golf gear

At Golf Monthly we test golf gear with the same ethos because we aim to be as thorough and transparent as possible because this will better inform us on the quality of products, and therefore we aim to inform you as well. 

A crucial part of this ethos is simply by using the products properly, whether that be out on the golf course, or in the case of training or putting aids, on practice areas, driving range or at home. We feel this is a good way to see the performance of the products, test the manufacturers claims, and see what the product is like in the real world. 

What makes our reviews worth your time is that they are made for golfers, by golfers. There no such things as 'buying a good review' here - if a product is good, we'll tell you how and why. In the same way, if a product is disappointing, we'll give our opinions as to why that is. With so many options for golf equipment out there, it is important to us that we help you find the right gear for your game and that begins with our rigorous testing and reviews. 

How to choose a putting aid

Golf putting aids are evolving - gone are the days where its a simple flat mat with a hole in it. They now comes in many shapes and sizes, promoting different aspects of the putting stroke for you to work on. Here are some of the main things to consider before deciding which one is right for you: 

Design

Different designs of putting aids do different things. If you want to work on the mechanics of your putting stroke, a mirror is the kit for you, whereas some of the putting mats listed above can help more with feel and pace control on the greens. Alternatively, if you want to add a bit of fun to your putting practice, there are models for that, too.

Durability

What is the point of paying money for a putting aid that wont last very long. Aids go through more wear and tear than you think, especially mats used at home that are rolled up and stored. As a result, it's important to choose one with sufficent durability to match your intended use.

Portability

The best devices are ones that can be transported. Staying in a boring hotel on a work trip? Bring your putting aid and hit putts for an hour! The competitor in you will thank you come Sunday when the putter catches fire in the club competition.

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

Given the range of options, there are useful putting aids on the cheaper side of the spectrum, not just the more expensive side. Pick a sweet point for your budget and go from there to choose the aid that fits your game best.

FAQs

What putting aids do the pros use?

When we have been out on Tour we have seen professionals using a variety of different putting aids. Some decide to simply use tees and alignment sticks whilst others use putting mirrors. We believe some also use putting mats and practice greens in their own homes as well. 

How do you practice putting in golf?

There a variety of ways to practice putting these days because there are several different elements to putting. As such the answer to this question will entirely depend on what you want to work on. If you want to work on your stroke, then a plane device or mirror will do the job, whereas if you want to practice with games then an aid with a hole will work here. Additionally there are devices for alignment, pace control, posture and several other facets to putting as well. 

If you want more buying advice, why not take a look at our guides on the best golf net, or best golf mat as well.

Sam Tremlett
E-commerce Editor

Sam is Golf Monthly's E-commerce Editor which mean's he oversees everything E-com related on the site.

This takes the form of creating and updating Buying Guides, reviews, and finding bargain prices for deals content. 

Working with golf gear and equipment over the last six years, Sam has quickly built outstanding knowledge and expertise on golf products ranging from drivers, to balls, to shoes. 

He combines this knowledge with a passion for helping golfers get the best gear for them, and as such Sam manages a team of writers that look to deliver the most accurate and informative reviews and buying advice. This is so the reader can find exactly what they are looking for, at a good price.

Additionally Sam oversees Golf Monthly voucher/coupon content which seeks to find you the best offers and promotions from well-known brands like Callaway, TaylorMade and many more.

Unfortunately, Sam is not a member of any club at the moment but regularly gets out on the golf course to keep up the facade of having a single-figure handicap.