Putt like a Champion

These training aids will help you putt like Open winner Brian Harman.

by Tony Dear

The Georgia native hit just 106 putts during the four days of competition, gaining 11.57 strokes against the field on the greens. From ten feet and closer, he holed 58 of 59 putts which is, frankly, supernatural. In his post-championship press conference, Harman alluded to an old training aid he’d found in his barn that had helped him revive his typically-sound putting stroke. He didn’t specify its name, but his description of the device suggested a putting mirror made by AZ-based Short Game Gains and first introduced in 2020.
We’re not suggesting for a moment that working with the SGG Putting Mirror or, indeed, any other training tool, will make you as devastating on the greens as Harman was in England. But giving one time to work and affect the changes in your stroke that will see you holing more putts is never a bad idea. Here are five tools we’ve tried and recommend:

Short Game Gains Putting Mirror

Putting mirrors have become popular with golfers that play a $2 Nassau as well as those that win the Claret Jug. Simply by addressing the ball you can glean some very useful information like how square your putterface is and where your eyes are in relation to the ball. Then, as you make your stroke, you can ensure the path of your putter remains consistent and the ball starts on the correct line. Like a T-Square or weighted club, the putting mirror is really an effective tool we like for several reasons – inexpensive, well-made, easy to use, effective with only a few minutes practice every day.
$27.50
shortgamegains.com

Perfect Practice Putting Mat

There’s a lot to be said for practicing your putting indoors at any time of the day. A putting mat won’t change you stroke necessarily, but the Perfect Practice mat does have some stroke-improving features that make it invaluable. Readers might be familiar with the Perfect Practice Putting Mat by now and that it’s endorsed by Dustin Johnson who wasn’t quite on his game at Hoylake like Harman was. This is extremely well-made, has a high-tech Crystal Velvet surface, two different-sized holes and it rolls the ball back to you should you find one of them.  At 9′ 6″ long (Standard, two other sizes available), it allows for an eight-foot putt.
$130
perfectpractice.com

The Putting Arc – MS-3D

While we certainly think using any of these training aids will have a positive effect on your putting if used correctly and given sufficient time to work their magic, this is the only one whose use is designed to build a specific type/shape of stroke. The others give feedback on where your current stroke might be faulty which will lead to you making the necessary changes, but with this one the change is instant. And regular use will help you build a consistent, unchanging arc.
$90
theputtingarc.com

Short Game Gains Cup Reducers

Another product from the company founded by Hannah Gregg and Frederik Lindblom, these very simple but very useful cup reducers work on the age-old premise that making a specific task more difficult will make the actual task you need to accomplish seem significantly easier, thus giving you more confidence to succeed. After practicing with these (comes in two sizes) the hole may not seem like a bucket, exactly, but it will look bigger, and you’ll probably feel less stressed.
$18
shortgamegains.com

The Delta Putt

You look at the other tools listed here and instantly discern what they’re designed to do. Behold the Delta, however, and you wonder how on earth it’s going to improve your putting. Each side of the triangle is assigned a certain standard – Amateur, Pro, and Tour. The three straight sides each have a curved section (to mimic a ball) and each of those sections is a different size – Amateur the biggest, Tour the smallest. It’s relatively easy to make good contact and send the triangular puck along a Delta mat when striking the Amateur curve, but your strike needs to be pin-point with the Tour curve to propel the puck straight and without spinning. Another aid that works over time to improve the precision of your stroke and level of concentration.
$30
gsixproducts.com

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Colorado AvidGolfer Magazine is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.

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