Putting Greens For The Indoor Golf Aficionado
Talk to any pro golfer or coach and they will tell you that to be an excellent golfer, you need to frequently practice your putting moves; in fact, 40% of your game comprises of putting.Where else is practicing your puts and lowering your handicap more convenient than in the comfort of your own home?
An indoor putting green offers the expediency of practicing your short game anytime, any day without any excuses. But with so many indoor golf turfs on the market, how do you go about choosing one?
When shopping around for an indoor putting green, you need to consider factors such as cost, size and your golfing needs. But what is really important is the true roll, speed and durability offered by the indoor turf.
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What Effects True Roll, Speed And Durability?
Indoor golf turfs can be categorized into two types: the texturized type and the slit-film. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages pertaining to how they affect true roll and speed.
Texturized artificial turfs can be polypropylene or nylon. While both types of yarns are good quality, polypropylene is much better than nylon because nylon tends to easily retain moisture and can cause the putting green to keep moving around on the floor unless you glue it down.
When deciding between texturized and slit-film, the first thing to consider is whether you will be playing long shots or you will just be putting and chipping.
Slit-film greens are best for hitting long shots because this type of green has more infill material than the texturized type. The infill material reduces the ball’s kinetic energy once the ball is hit. In other words, the more the infill material, the longer the shots you can hit. Texturized turfs work better for putting and chipping.
Texturized Vs. Slit-Film Manufacturing
An outright difference between a texturized and split-film indoor putting green is the look of the filaments. Slit-film turfs are trimmed while texturized ones are not.
Texturized Putting Greens
The base is the most important factor to look at when choosing a texturized turf. This type of green is more prone to wrinkling and contracting, making it crucial for it to have an excellent base, also known as backing. Look out for a rubber base to ensure that the turf does not keep slipping or moving around across the floor.
A texturized green is also denser because the fibers are usually heated down and they clamp close together to produce a heavier turf. The only way to know that you are buying a high quality texturized green with a good density is to buy from a well-known manufacturer. It might cost a little more but the investment will certainly be worth it.
Slit Film Putting Greens
As mentioned above, a defining characteristic of slit-film greens is that they are trimmed and not heated together. They also have more infill material (silica sand) than the texturized ones do.
Something to look out for when choosing a slit-film green is the density of the fiber, also known as the denier. Common deniers range between 5700 and 7600. Just because a green has a lower denier does not mean it will not last longer; it only means that it is smoother compared to the tighter green with a higher denier and therefore takes longer to relax.
Texturized Versus Slit Film Indoor Putting Greens
Other Factors To Look For When Shopping For An Indoor Green:
Cost:
A good quality indoor green that will last you for at least 10 years is not a small investment. If it’s way too cheap compared to the average market price, the green will likely have quality issues. The more the features you want in your putting green, the higher the price will be.
Size:
Indoor gold greens come in a wide array of sizes. Some are as small as a strip; others can fit in small office or basement, while others can be spread across an entire room. Amateur golfers typically require a small or medium-sized green, which is great for practicing your short game. Advanced players who need to practice their long shots do better with larger greens.
Installation:
Most indoor putting greens are easy to install—all you have to do is just roll them out as you would a carpet. However, others come with a base that needs to be put together. Greens with a base are usually costlier but have many advantages—they can be installed on unlevelled surfaces and they are typically denser. However, greens with bases are not as easily portable as the carpet type that just need to be rolled up and carried anywhere.
Here Are The 4 Putting Greens We’ve Reviewed:
1. Big Moss Augusta Putting Green
At 4′ x 12′ and seam taped on the edges, the Big Moss Augusta is a chipping green and a premium putting green in one.
Whether you need year-round practice or are teaching others on how to improve their swing, this versatile green is great for home and office use. Setting it up in minutes is a breeze – all without tools. Break Snakes let you create unlimited contours and the True-Roll downgrain feels like a freshly-cut, bent grass.
Make sure the Augusta putting green is laid down on a solid surface. A deck, driveway or concrete garage floor will do just fine.
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2. GimiYaa Golf Putting mat
This golf putting mat folds up compact and doesn’t take much room when not in use. It’s easy to assemble and magnets hold return rails in line. Spread the green, insert the baffle, and place the return track next to the green, you can quickly start practicing putting.The continuous ball return allows you to train without interruption. And because you can keep putting without re-setting, you can focus on maintaining a steady stroke and consistent tempo on each putt, making your training more efficient and effective.
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3. Dancin Dogg OptiShot Infrared Golf Simulator
The OptiShot Golf Simulator has sixteen precisely-tuned, high-speed 48MHz infrared sensors. Each one instantly tracks your club — before, during and after contact — giving you precise and accurate feedback on each and every shot.
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4. Callaway Odyssey 12 Ft. Indoor Putting Green Golf Mat
This golf turf practice mat comes with an optional foam wedge for added challenge. Sharpen your aim and speed with this high-quality putting trainer mat. Engineered to give you a real-life putting surface feel, you’ll notice your putts improve in no time. With five recessed cups with hole-fill inserts and a slightly longer putting length than the Odyssey 8′ or 10′ golf putting mats, you’ll really get the putting training you need no matter where you’re getting your practice in.
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