Now that that the season is changing and colder weather is on the way, I’ve switched to my indoor putting routine. It’s time to take a look at warm weather stats and try improve on them over the winter.
After checking my stats, which were not bad for the year, I decided to focus on fundamentals this winter.
I finished the year being 100% from 3 feet and from 3 to 6 feet I made 81%. The other putts up to 30 feet were pretty good also. The putting stats are from my Shot Scope V3 GPS and Performance Tracking Watch.
My mechanics are a little off. While my make percentage is good from 6 feet and closer, my longer stroke length putts are not as consistent as I’d like.
I just noticed the inconsistent metrics when I started putting several times on day indoors.
Using three putting mats helps for different reasons.
The Blast Motion Golf sensor and app work great indoors. I measure metrics on 3, 6 and 10 foot putts.
My focus is on face angle at impact and tempo.
Other metrics I look at regularly are backstroke rotation, forward stroke rotation, backstroke time, forward stroke time, backstroke distance, speed of the putt, loft change and lie change.
Let’s take a look at the tools I use for my indoor putting routine.
PuttOUT Studio
This first mat is the PuttOUT 6 foot mat. It has a flat lie and gives you options in 1 foot increments.
I always try to use the gates and mirror. Sometimes I just like to have stuff out of the way and only use the Pressure Putt Trainer which is the ramp.
I like to try and make a number of putts from 3 feet and 6 feet in a row without hitting the ball gate or putter gate. Example: 10 in a row from 3 feet and 5 in a row from 6 feet and then I can remove the gates and mirror.
Wellputt 13 foot mat
This is the Wellputt 13 foot mat. I generally practice from 3 feet, 6 feet and 10 feet. The mat has .60 degrees or 1.2% slope from right to left because of my old house floors.
I have added The Wellstroke putting arc at the end trying to dial in my 10 foot arc and back stroke length.
The orange and black area at the end is the good zone past the hole.
There are quite a few locations marked on the mat to putt from. I use the markings that have backstroke and forward stroke markings which are at 3, 6 and 10 feet.
For up to 10 foot putts
Putt-A-Bout 6 foot mat
I keep one out on the front porch which is glassed in. Even when it’s cold it can be warm enough to putt out there.
This one is the Putt-A-Bout mat which I use for 6 foot putts. It has a left to right break of 1.6 degrees or 2.5%.
Why the porch? I like to get outside for one, but it’s an old house and the porch originally sloped so water ran off.
So daily, I can change my indoor putting routine.
Visio Aim Board (Available at US stores)
and
The Smart Golfer Laser Alignment System
It’s a good idea for the long winter season to change things up.
I have a laser attached to my back up putter to check putter face aim at setup.
Note: Do Not aim at reflective surfaces with a laser.
The markings on the Visio aim board are in degrees. The 5 foot putt markings indicate you would begin to miss the putt if your face angle at impact was off by 2 degrees. For the 10 foot putt you can only be off by 1 degree or less.
You can see why face angle at impact is important. The longer the putt the more critical it is.
A good goal would be to keep your aim and putter face square at impact to around .5 degrees or half a degree open or closed.
It’s not easy.
The Visio aim board opens to 5, 10 and 15 ft.
The Wellstroke Arc
I recently did a review on The Wellstroke so I won’t go into a lot of detail.
What I have settled on for now is using the metal indoor tees as indicators for backstroke and forward stroke. I’ve also been working on my putting path.
Using indoor tees for stroke length reference
Miscellaneous
I’ve purchase a Black & Decker BHFEA420J cordless vacuum to clean the mats. They do collect dust, etc.
It’s pretty handy on all surfaces.
This link is my Winter workout.
I’ve added a couple things as shown below.
I purchased a Fitbit Charge 4 and a Yes 4 All Stair Stepper Platform for exercise. So, I’m walking and using the stepper platform and our stairway for fitness. I do exercise band routines and stretching in the winter as well.
I hope go to the course in as good of condition and being as mechanically sound as possible.
Links
Set your own goals based on doctor’s recommendations. I can tell you that walking 5 miles daily is a lot. I can do that, but I find other activities that offer a cardio workout. It’s really handy for counting calories and it reminds you to get moving. (5 miles = around 10, 500 steps)
The App is terrific for my phone
I keep this by my putting mat. It is very sturdy and each to store. I looked up routines on YouTube.
Not visible in this photo – see website
It’s like one normal step up
Indoor Putting Drills Series
If you are interested in a more detailed set of articles on Indoor Putting Drills check this series out!