Blue Ribbon Gear – Putting Aids
With the start of the new year and many golfers stuck inside, we thought it was a perfect time to hand out some Blue Ribbon Gear awards to the best putting trainers. We went back through our entire catalog of putting training aid reviews to find the five best, so no matter what your issue, there’s a trainer here that will help you sink more putts.
Note: This list covers a diverse array of trainers, and the order they are listed in should not be taken to indicate a ranking.
PUR Truth Trainer
I know I just said this list isn’t in order, but if I had to give every golfer one putting trainer, it would be the PUR Truth Trainer. The reason is simple: this trainer does it all. It has the best gate trainer I’ve ever used, and the variable length allows you to ramp up the difficulty to nearly impossible levels.
On top of that, it has the ability to train any stroke shape, eye positioning, stroke height, and stroke length. The Ghost Holes also let you work on speed control and reads. Finally, most of these pieces work independently, so you can pick and choose exactly what you want to work on in each session, or you can go nuts and put them all together to form putting trainer Voltron.
Full PUR Truth Trainer review HERE
Use code PLUG to save 20% on all PUR trainers HERE
If the PUR Truth Trainer is a little overwhelming to you, check out the PUR Truth Prepare. This is “just” the gate trainer, which is still an amazing tool for dialing in your putting.
Full PUR Truth Prepare review HERE
Use code PLUG to save 20% on all PUR trainers HERE
PuttOUT Pressure Putt Trainer
The PuttOUT Pressure Putt Trainer is the most addictive putting trainer I’ve ever tested. Its genius is in its simplicity – get the ball to stop in the small depression on the ramp. Not only is it easy to understand and use, the ramp returns every missed attempt, prompting you to give it another go. Also, the circle at the bottom of the ramp is the same size as a regulation hole, so even your misses should build your confidence.
At just $30, this trainer is a great value and the best way to motivate yourself to spend more time on your putting mat.
Full PuttOUT Pressure Trainer review HERE
WhyGolf Putting Thing
The WhyGolf Putting Thing earns a spot on this list for its ease of use and smart added features. This is a dual gate trainer – one gate for the ball, one gate for the putter head. You can use both gates at once or focus only on one element. Any adjustment takes only a couple seconds leaving more time for practice.
WhyGolf leveled up the Putting Thing by adding an alignment rail (not pictured above) which allows the Putting Thing to help you with your reads and distance control. Finally, the alignment rail serves as a Stimpmeter, so you can get a scientific measurement of the green speed rather than guessing.
Full WhyGolf Putting Thing review HERE
A Great Putting Mat
One of the best ways to improve your putting is to have a great putting mat at home. A mat that lies flat, has consistent speed, and rolls true will give you the opportunity to get honest feedback on your putting 365 days a year.
Three putting mats that deserve to be considered as the best in the field are those from PuttOUT and PrimePutt. PuttOUT offers mats in a variety of sizes, they roll up easily, and they’re affordable. If you want a larger, more premium option – and you have the space to leave it set up – you should consider PrimePutt. Finally, if you have the requisite space and need more variety in your life, the PuttOUT AirBreak is impossible to beat.
Full review of PuttOUT Putting Mats HERE
Full review of the PuttOUT AirBreak HERE
Full review of the PrimePutt Putting Mat HERE
SlingShot Lights Out Trainer
The SlingShot Lights Out Trainer is a bit of a sleeper pick, but it’s a training aid that’s stayed in my rotation for over two years. This simple putting target is surprisingly tricky to master. Actually, I’ll be more honest – it can be maddening when your aren’t in full command of your speed. But like the PuttOUT Pressure Putt Trainer, even your “misses” are makes, so you’re training yourself to a tougher-than-necessary standard. Additionally, the Lights Out Trainer gives you the ability to putt anywhere. You can throw it down on an indoor mat or create an extra hole on a crowded practice green.
The only hangup is that – as of this writing – SlingShot only sells the Lights Out as part of a package. Perhaps a bunch of emails from Plugged In Golf readers could convince them to change that.
Full Lights Out review HERE
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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