The second most important concept in putting is returning your putter face to square. Let’s look at some Indoor putting drills on face angle at impact to help dial it in.
Indoor Putting Drills Series
Aim
Speed
Face Angle at Impact ← You are here
Path
Green Reading
Drills Overview
Face Angle at Impact indoor putting drills are something you may find tedious. However, it is 95% of the reason you will hit straight putts.
There are training aids that measure face angle at impact.
There are also simple things you can do to physically see that you are hitting the ball squarely.
Your chances are much improved with the correct line, speed and a square putter face at impact.
The farther away from the hole you get, the more critical Face Angle at Impact is.
Here is the thing with measuring devices for face angle at impact. The tools I have are not a Quintic Putting Analyzer, Trackman, Capto, or SAM Putt Lab. They also don’t carry the hefty price tag.
My point is that there are less expensive accurate products. It get’s us in the ball park at a reasonable price.
Indoor Putting Drills: Face Angle at Impact
In my opinion, the Blast Motion Golf sensor and app are the best tools to measure face angle at impact.
The image below is from the Blast Motion Golf app. It shows an absolutely square Face Angle at Impact.
Obviously, not all putts are like that.
The putt was good so my start line was correct
Face Angle at Impact is one of the 11 putting metrics the device measures for every putt.
You attach the sensor to the end of your putter grip and the app rings up the metrics for each putt as you make them.
After several years of using Blast Motion Golf, I can tell you that tempo and path have a lot to do with my ability to return the putter head square at impact.
If I start getting lazy, I leave the putter face open. If I get too quick, I close the club face at impact.
It takes a lot of practice to be right on the money. I doubt anyone is perfect all the time.
They say pro golfers keep their putter face square at impact at around a half a degree or less.
My average for the last 10,000 putts is 0.2 degrees open. That may sound great, but it is an average.
I’d say out of 10 putts I have 2 or 3 putts that are over a degree open or closed.
What I strive for is staying under 1 degree open or closed at impact.
Reviews say that the product is accurate within 0.1 to 0.5 degrees for things measured in degrees like face angle at impact.
Face Angle at Impact Chart
Here is a chart on face angle variances. The key is this: If your putter face is open or closed 1 degree at impact you will start missing putts at 10 feet.
So, look in the chart for 2 inches. The cup is 2.125 inches left and right from center or 4.250 inches wide.
If you are off center by “more than 2 inches” you probably miss. Even at 2 inches you might lip out.
Matrix demonstrating the effect of misalignment from Laser Optics
Note: The cup is 4.25 inches wide. Half is 2.125 inches
| Putter Face Variance to Target | Variance of Misalignment | |||
| (In Degrees) | 5′ Putt | 10′ Putt | 15′ Putt | 20′ Putt |
| 0.50 | 0.52″ | 1.05″ | 1.57″ | 2.09″ |
| 1.00 | 1.05″ | 2.09″ | 3.14″ | 4.19″ |
| 1.50 | 1.57″ | 3.14″ | 4.71″ | 6.28″ |
| 2.00 | 2.09″ | 4.19″ | 6.28″ | 8.37″ |
| 2.50 | 2.62″ | 5.23″ | 7.85″ | 10.47″ |
| 3.00 | 3.14″ | 6.28″ | 9.42″ | 12.56″ |
To put things in perspective, the image below is pro golfer’s make percentages from 2022. Keep in mind this the best 200 players in the world.
Don’t beat yourself up too bad if you start missing putts as you get farther away. They don’t make them all either.
Indoor Putting Drills: Face Angle at Impact
Lined Golf Balls
This my second go to drill for face angle at impact. I use lined golf balls at home or at the course before a round.
If the lines wobble you didn’t have a square putter face at impact. The key is to roll the ball end over end so the lines are straight the whole putt.
You can buy them with lines or put them on yourself.
Indoor Putting Drills: Face Angle at Impact
Metrics on the right side
I’ve been using this recently and I’m happy with the stats accuracy. They don’t exactly match Blast Motion Golf, but are close.
I view this as more of a speed tool with the ability to track face angle at impact and putter path.
It works with a high resolution camera and with sticker dots on the putter face. The mat is only 4 feet long.
The real value in my mind is that you can hit longer putts than 10 feet and check your speed, path, and face angle at impact. I say 10 feet because the maximum distance putt on my other mats is either 6 or 10 feet.
You can hit putts in practice mode for 5 feet to 50 feet. I’ve hit putts 70 feet on it testing it out, but the drill you get has a max target of 50 feet.
In playing mode, you have to putt any length putt. It could be 3 feet or 70 feet. You keep putting until you putt out. Usually, inside 3 feet the EXPUTT RG concedes the putt.
My personal experience with the product is positive.
One thing I noticed right away was that my face angle at impact on putts over 25 feet was a little wild.
I’ve been able to work on correcting that, because I can do that in my living room.
Better than others
Putt length and break options are what sets it apart from Blast Motion Golf, the Wellputt mat, the PuttOUT mat or the Putt-A-Bout mat.
The image below is analysis over several sessions. My trend is real good, but there have been some bumps in the road getting used to hitting the ball on a five foot mat into memory foam.
I have a tendency to “hit” at the ball. Once you forget about the length of the mat and concentrate on making a smooth stroke things straighten out.
I may use a laser line on the mat to help.
This is the progress chart of a bunch of sessions
Trending to under 1.0 degrees – 0.0 is square
Indoor Putting Drills: Face Angle at Impact
What makes this a path and face angle at impact tool is the Mirror, Putter Gate and Ball Gate.
I you whack the putter gate, your path needs work.
If you are constantly hitting the ball gate, you face angle at impact is off a little.
Indoor Putting Drills: Face Angle at Impact
By itself, this is not a face angle at impact tool either, If you add the Wellputt indoor weighted tees, it can be.
I set up a putter gate and ball gate with this one using the weighted tees.
You could use other tools like the PuttOUT gates, mirror and ball gate on this mat also.
Indoor Putting Drills Series
Aim
Speed
Face Angle at Impact ← You are here
Path
Green Reading