The SKLZ Accelerator Pro Ball Return Golf Putting Mat Review

Having the need to practice my putting I brought a SKLZ Accelerator Pro Ball Return Putting Mat to see if it would help. 

Well first thing I noticed was the quality build and the overall excellence of the design. The turf felt almost real which was a great relief as I wanted the surface to feel as realistic as possible, so I could get in to the putting mode. It was fully transportable too so I could have used it in my office or home. Great alignment tools and a gravity fed ball return made practicing putting a dream.

Considering you use the putter more than any other club in your golf bag - I'll explain why I rate this Mat.

Why I like this Golf Putting Mat

• It's a top quality build with the materials adding value to the overall design.

• The Matt has three different putting areas - 7', 5' and 3' helping you create confidence when putting. 

• Gravity Ball return system that means you can keep practicing putting without having to go and retrieve your golf ball.

• Excellent Back and Through alignment guides (see below)  that help you focus consistently smoothing your putting stroke.

• Top quality realistic turf that really emulates the putting surface. This is the first thing I noticed about the SKLZ putting Mat.

• The up-to-the-hole putting gradient trains you to hit the golf ball at the right distance for holing putts. No one wants to see a putt fall short!

• It's a durable and long lasting Mat that will help you practice for many years and reduce your golf scores!

The Key features of the SKLZ Putting Mat are:

• Plastic, Rubber materials that are durable.
• True-roll putting mat with alignment guides and ball return for use at home or the office
• Nine-foot mat with an uphill grade at the end to train the golfer to putt 18 inches past the hole
• Gravity ball return for continuous practice, designed to adjust to each putt distance
• Durable true-roll turf--edges of mat designed not to unravel
• Stimpmeter rating of 10 on a firm rug and 11 on linoleum surface

Putter Line - On the Green Putting your Golf Ball to the Hole

Using a putter line to Sink your putt

Creating a set of putting routines exists as an essential element to your game of golf. It helps focus your mind, creating the confidence to ensure your game flows smoothly with you scoring consistently. Having a series of simplistic procedures can help strengthen this integral part of your round of golf.

Putting warm up before your golf round

Before your round commences, take time to warm-up on the putting practice area. There’s a great chance that this will help relax your putting swing. In addition, it gives you a feel for the green conditions, in contemplation of that day’s weather. Wet or dry conditions affect ball speeds upon the putting green.

One of the commonly overlooked aspects of putting remains the focus on reading the green. Make sure as you approach the putting-area that you’re taking note of the slopes on the green. Getting a good read’s essential to holing your putt.

Clean your putter before and after you take a putt!

Handling your putter remains another great routine to adopt, even as you approach the green have your putter ready. This creates a psychological connection with the most frequently used club in your golf-bag. You will unconsciously begin to think how to swing your putter. Give the putter’s face a wipe too. This serves two functions. The first’s to literally remove any physical dust or mud from the surface.  The second function helps wipe any mentally negative thoughts from your mind. Confidence remains integral to good putting, so remaining positive is the key here.

Always ensure your ball is marked correctly on the green with your ball marker. Pick up your ball to clean it thoroughly. This will help remove any detritus from your ball allowing it to travel freely upon the green. Take note of the grass length with observation to any moisture on the green. These factors will impede your ball’s speed. Remove any impediments from the line your ball will take to the hole. Twigs, stones, and worm casts will need removal before you take your putt. These obstacles will cause your ball to bounce off its intended line if left in place.

How to read a golf green - the slopes and slides

Visualize the line your ball will take to reach the hole. You have already seen the slopes from your approach now you need to take two further readings of the green. From the ball to the hole, kneel down looking at how the slopes will move the ball. If you need to putt uphill, you will require more force on your putting swing. In reverse, if your ball travels down a slope then adjust the force appropriately. The second reading to take runs from behind the hole looking towards the ball. Look for confirmation of the slopes you read previously.

Preparation - and Keeping Your Head Down when Putting

Make sure you take three preparation swings with an imaginary ball. It’s always wise to make sure your practise swings remain clear from your ball to avoid a penalty if you accidentally make contact. Confirm the line the ball needs to travel with your rehearsal swings judging the speed required to make your ball sink. Keep your head down while breathing deep to help relax. Many golfers lift their head too early, causing the swing of the putter to come out of alignment.

 

Simple putting routines will make your round highly enjoyable while reducing your golf handicap. Just remember to read the greens, clean your ball removing any permitted obstacles on the route to the hole. Ensure you have the correct line combined with the required pace to allow your ball to reach the hole. Stay relaxed by breathing deeply watching with great relish, as your ball sinks into the hole, time-after-time.

How to Read a Golf Green and Putt your Golf Ball

Reading a green is referring to a technique in golf of understanding how the slopes and conditions of a green will affect the direction your golf-ball will take when it comes time to take your putt. 

There are many conditions that can change the roll of your golf ball. To begin with you should examine the green on your approach before you even get close to your ball. 


Try to ascertain the way the green leans, or whether it sits flat like a table, or slopes in one general direction.

Look at the green side fringes and surroundings - the weather effect

Consideration needs to be given to the surrounds as well. Has there been recent rain and do the edges look saturated. Most greens are very effective at draining water, however playing a round early in the morning there will often be residual dew left on the putting surface. The same can be said if there has been a recent shower during your round of golf which will result in the green slowing down.

Feel the grass and look at the cut

One of the best ways to check for this is literally to stroke the green with your fingers and check for moisture. This has an added bonus as well. Brushing the green with your hand allows you to feel the length of the grass on the green. 


Both the moisture and length of grass will affect how well the ball rolls and so you will need to putt with more force than normal. The reverse can also be applied if the green is dry and the grass is short or has recently been cut, in this instance use less force, the greens in this condition are fast.

Having ascertained the general slope of the green on your approach and  the condition of the putting surface, you will now need to fine-tune your reading.

How to read a green for the best chance of putting your ball into the hole

Firstly kneel down behind the ball but far enough so you can clearly see the ball and look for any slopes or angles that lean away from the hole. Make sure that you can observe for slopes that lean to the left and to the right of your ball. You will need to factor this into what direction you will hit the ball when it comes to putt.

Now is a good time to walk to the back of the hole and look back towards your golf-ball. Ensure that the hole is also clearly visible and you are low to the ground. Judge whether the slopes from this side look and feel the same as from the ball-side.

The Etiquette of putting - look out for players lines and ball markers

Every golf player should have a  professional Ball Maker with a Divot Repair Tool.  
When you return to your golf ball walk wide around the whole watching out for other players ball markers. As you are walking check your natural sense of balance and feel in your feet any slopes that confirm the directions you saw whilst looking at the hole at ground-level.

Now you have all the elements of the green in your mind, and it is time to focus and decide the direction and pace you need to hit the ball into the cup, it is time to trust your senses and believe in your vision to sink the ball you have read the green successfully after-all.

Tips for Putting the Golf Ball from off the Green

When playing golf there will be many instances when you need to get on the putting green from a short distance. Most golfers automatically reach for a wedge club. 

 

However the less risky shot is to putt onto the green. It is the easiest shot to play as the club is flat faced so the ball will travel relatively straight. All that’s required are a few thoughts and considerations to the surrounds of the green.

Before putting from off the Green

Before you have reached for your putter you need to consider the distance and roll of the green approaches. Draw an imaginary direct line from your ball to the hole and consider how the slopes affect the ball. Check the length of the grass and its thickness. Obstructions that your ball will need to travel through will affect the pace of the golf ball. Are there any wet areas or boggy patches? All of these elements will affect the balls direction and how fast it will travel.

A heavy putter or winter putter will give you enough weight to confidently strike the ball from the green fringe areas.

Ball Position and the Lay of the Ball

A handy tip to know is how the ball is laying. If the golf ball is sitting up nice and crisp then all is good. If it is sunken in the fringe grass, then how you hit the ball will create bounce. The grass on the fringe will catch your putter if you putt to low to the ground. Instead you will need to chop down slightly making the ball pop out.

Blind hills and slopes that will reduce the speed of your golf ball

Before putting onto the green over a blind hill or slope check to see what lies behind it. The last thing you want is to putt over a hill into a bunker. Check how patchy the grass is and whether the slope will slow or speed your golf ball up.

The Golf Green the Fringe and GIR

It is essential that you read the green. Notice the slopes and the in what direction the green runs will need to be taken into consideration. If for example a slope forces your ball to the right before you get to the green, whilst the green runs to the left, then you will need to hit the ball straight taking note as the ball moves one way then the other to finish on the target! Remember though that a ball on the fringe is not counted as GIR - see the Greens in Regulation (GIRS) page on my blog for an explanation.

Putting onto the golf green is an essential skill to understand when playing golf. Not only is it a low-risk shot but if hit with the correct pace and path it will end up very close to the pin. This type of shot is considered by some as requiring no skill, but when played with the above tips you will amaze your golfing partners and yourself too.

Your Minds Eye and Golf Ball Putting to the Hole

Over the course of a round of golf this will be the shot that you play the most and yet very little attention is given to either improving this part of your game or practicing it off the golf course.

Ideally what every golfer is looking for is to reduce their handicap, which in essence means to improve their golf. Now as a test of whether or not you need to improve this part of your game it would be wise and profitable the next time you play golf to record not only your score for each hole, but how many putts it took you too.

The Pinemeadow Golf Men's PGX Putter uses a great optic guidance system to focus your minds eye when putting. This helps you line up the putt to give it the correct trajectory before you putt.

What you should be looking for on your scorecard is to 2 putt only. Anymore than 2 putts a hole and you have problem with your putting technique which needs to be resolved. To emphasize this point if you take 3 putts every whole, you will increase you handicap by a staggering 18 points! Nobody wants to see this.

Why you need to 2 Putt - how to reduce your golfing score

On the positive side, if you aim to 2 putt each hole there will always be a very good chance that you 1 putt. This in effect will be a very big bonus not only to your scorecard, but your self-confidence as a golfer.

Unfortunately there are no secret formulas or tricks that can help you accomplish the achievement of putting every putt you see. However you can improve your technique so that you increase your percentage.

The power of the minds eye in golf

Your minds-eye is a great tool in getting that putt to sink. Minds-eye often refers to seeing the line the ball must take to drop-in the hole, for example close your eyes and watch the ball travel and drop in the hole, this is your minds-eye working! You have to see how the line shapes and moves the ball according to how the green slopes.

Now you have seen the line, next you need to consider the varying factors that can impede the balls movement. Ask yourself the question if the green slopes up or down, look at the length of the grass on the putting green and consider the moisture prevalent on the course. If there are any obstacles, twigs, worm casts, leaves then immediately remove them.

To help you get in the putting-mood it will be beneficial to take 2 or 3 practice putts away from the ball. You may be questioning how far to hit the ball, well here is a technique to help settle your minds-eye.

The pre-golf routine to reduce and lower your handicap

Firstly take a practice swing and really aim to hit the imaginary ball very hard well beyond the hole, say a percentage of 50% (plus) extra than is necessary.  Next take another practice swing at an imaginary ball and aim to massively under-hit the ball so it falls very short for example -50% (minus) distance. Your next practice putt will now settle between these two in terms of tempo and feel. This is the putt you need to make.

Step up to the ball and take the putt.

There is no need to allow or make your mind wonder, you have all the elements in place in your minds-eye.

You have:

• The read
• The line
• The pace

All you need to get the 2 putt in the hole.

Have a look at the Scotty Cameron Golf Select Newport 2.5 Putter - RH 35" as a second resort if the above golfing  tips seem daunting.