You bought a putting mat with the best intentions, right? But now it's gathering dust in the corner of your garage, right next to that exercise bike you swore you'd use every day. I get it. I've been there.
But here's what I discovered after a few months of experimenting with my PrimePutt mat: the secret isn't just buying the equipment. It's turning practice into something you and your family actually want to do.
PrimePutt mats come in three sizes (9', 12', and 15' long, all 3' wide), and honestly? Get the biggest one your space allows. The 15-footer has become our family's after-dinner entertainment center. The nylon turf rolls true — none of that bouncy carpet nonsense — and those three holes positioned at the end of the mat, brilliantly designed, turn what could be boring practice into legitimate competition.
The backstop is genius, by the way. No more chasing balls under the couch.
Around the World Challenge
Works best with the 12' PrimePutt mat
2-6 players
This was the first game that got my kids hooked on putting practice: simple concept, surprisingly addictive.
Here's how it works
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Start at the 3-foot marker, aim for the first hole
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Make it? Move to the 6-foot marker for hole two
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Make that? Try the 9-foot shot to hole three
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Now comes the fun part: work backwards through 9', 6', 3'
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The first person to complete the full circuit wins
My daughter figured out she could read the very subtle breaks in our mat after just two rounds. Now she's dangerous from 6 feet. My son? He goes for broke every single time and celebrates like he just won the Masters when that 9-footer drops.
Why kids love it: They can see their progress. There's nothing abstract about moving from marker to marker.
Speed Control Showdown
Perfect for the 15' mat
2-8 players
This game came about when my competitive brother visited. He kept making every putt, so we needed to level the playing field. Enter: the "don't make it" challenge.
The zones:
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6-9 feet from start = 3 points
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9-12 feet = 5 points
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The "money zone" (past the holes but before the backstop) = 7 points
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Land in any hole = LOSE 2 points
Watch a room full of golfers suddenly struggle with distance control when making the putt actually hurts them. My brother went from hero to zero in about three shots. My 8-year-old nephew? Cleaned up.
Play five rounds, and the highest score wins. Fair warning: this game gets loud.
Hole-in-One Relay
The 9' PrimePutt mat is perfect for this
Teams of 2-4 people
When space is tight but you've got a crowd, this relay format keeps everyone moving. Let's say you are having a family birthday and eight people want to play, but you only have the 9' mat. NO worries, this game is the ticket!
How it flows:
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Split into even teams
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Set three putting stations (3', 6', 9' markers)
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Team A tries the first shot
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Make it? Advance to the next position
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Miss? Team B gets their turn at the same shot
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Keep going until one team completes all three holes
The strategy gets interesting. Do you put your best putter on the furthest length putt? Do you save them for the pressure moment? My dad always wants the 9-footer. He makes about 30% of them, but when he drains one, you'd think he just won the U.S. Open.
Precision Points Tournament
2-6 players
This is pure strategy disguised as putting practice. Each player chooses five putts per round — any combination of distances they want.
The scoring:
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3-foot putts = 1 point each
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6-foot putts = 3 points each
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9-foot putts = 5 points each
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Miss anything = 0 points
Here's where it gets psychological: the "steal rule." If someone misses a putt, the next player can attempt the exact same shot for double points. Suddenly, that safe 3-footer doesn't look so safe when your teenager is eyeing double points behind you.
My wife consistently destroys everyone at this game. She takes four 3-footers and one 6-footer every round. Boring? Maybe. Effective? She's undefeated in the last three games.
Family Putting Olympics
15' mat for maximum chaos
3-8 players
When you want to turn putting into a full event, break out the Olympics format. You can use this for special occasions — birthdays, holidays, or when the weather's too nasty to go outside.
Our favorite events:
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Longest Make: Start at 3 feet, keep backing up until someone misses
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Consecutive Challenge: Most makes in a row from the 6-foot marker (current family record: 7, held by Grandpa)
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Speed Round: Two minutes, 6-foot putts, go crazy
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Pressure Moment: Make three straight 9-footers to "clinch the championship"
The blindfolded putting event was my idea. Terrible idea. Balls went everywhere, and people laughed so hard they couldn't breathe. We keep doing it anyway.
Set up five or six events, award points for placement (5 for first, 3 for second, 1 for third), and crown a champion. My 16-year-old won last time. He's been insufferable ever since.
What Nobody Tells You About Indoor Putting
These games work because they solve the real problem with at-home golf practice: boredom. Hitting the same 6-foot putt 50 times in a row isn't fun for anyone. But competing? Keeping score? Having something on the line?
That changes everything.
I'm telling you, your putting will legitimately improve by accident by playing these family games. Not because you're practicing more, but because you're practicing under pressure, but freed up enough to make good strokes, mainly because you are having fun. When your 8-year-old is talking trash and your mother-in-law is keeping score, those 6-footers start to matter.
The kids are picking up distance control skills without realizing it. They're learning to manage pressure. They're figuring out risk-reward decisions. All while having fun and wearing pajamas.
PrimePutt mats will have zero issues surviving nightly family tournaments. They will still roll true, still look great. The investment will undoubtedly pay for itself in entertainment value alone — never mind what your scores look like on the course now.
One last thing: start simple. Pick one game, get everyone comfortable with it, then add complexity. Trust me, once the competitive fire starts burning in your family, these putting games will become as routine as dinner. And a lot more fun than arguing over homework.
