I've been using my PrimePutt mat for about six months now, and while it's hands-down the best putting surface I've ever practiced on, I wanted to get even more out of it.
Here's what I learned: PrimePutt isn't just a putting mat — it's a platform for serious skill development. The right accessories can transform really good practice sessions into revolutionary practice routines that transform your putting game in a hurry.
Putting Gates: Precision Training That Works
Most golfers practice by just aiming at the cup and hoping for the best. But if you're serious about improvement, you need to know exactly where your putts are starting and why they're missing.
Enter putting gates. This accessory forces you to start every putt on your intended line. Set them up eighteen inches in front of your ball, just wide enough for a golf ball to pass through, and suddenly every stroke becomes a precision exercise.
What makes this powerful on PrimePutt is the surface consistency. Unlike real grass where perfect strokes can deflect off imperfections, PrimePutt's uniform surface means consistent gate success builds genuine accuracy that translates directly to the course.
Start with wider gates to build confidence, then narrow them as your consistency improves. For tournament prep, I use gates barely wider than a golf ball, forcing absolute precision. When you've spent hours threading putts through narrow gates, that four-inch cup on the course looks enormous.
Distance Control Rings: The Key to Eliminating Three-Putts
Here's what most golfers don't realize: making more putts isn't about making more putts. It's about never three-putting. The key is distance control that consistently leaves you with tap-ins.
Distance control rings help you develop precise speed control that separates good putters from great ones. Set up rings at three, six, and nine feet from the cup, then practice lagging longer putts into each zone. The goal isn't to make the putt; it's to stop the ball within the ring every time.
Here are two great drills to use with distance control rings:
Ladder drill: Set up rings at ten, twenty, and thirty feet, then work your way up and down the distances.
Clock drill: Place rings around the cup at different distances and work around the clock, focusing on consistent speed from each position.
Alignment Sticks: The Foundation Everything Builds On
Poor alignment is the silent killer of putting improvement. You can have perfect mechanics, but if you're not aimed where you think you're aimed, none of it matters.
Most golfers think they're aimed correctly when they're actually pointing several degrees off target. Alignment sticks solve this by giving you an external reference for proper setup. Place one stick along your target line and another parallel to it at your feet to ensure correct body alignment.
What's valuable about using alignment sticks on PrimePutt is the immediate feedback from the true roll characteristics. When you're properly aligned and make a good stroke, the ball tracks exactly where you're aiming. When your alignment is off, you see it immediately in the ball's path.
Metronome Training: Consistent Tempo Under Pressure
Tempo is fundamental that everyone talks about but few golfers train systematically. Most players develop inconsistent tempo because they practice without any external rhythm reference.
A metronome gives you a consistent rhythm reference to train your stroke to match. Set it to 60-80 beats per minute and practice making strokes that match the rhythm exactly — one beat for backswing, one beat for forward swing, regardless of putt length.
What makes metronome training effective on PrimePutt is the surface consistency. You're not fighting unpredictable bounces that might disrupt your rhythm. Every stroke gets honest feedback about tempo and contact quality, developing a repeatable rhythm that holds up under pressure.
Putting Mirrors: The Truth About Your Setup
Setup flaws are difficult to self-diagnose because you can't see yourself during your stroke. Subtle alignment issues, eye position problems, or posture flaws can sabotage even the best stroke mechanics.
A quality putting mirror shows you exactly where your eyes are positioned relative to the ball, whether your shoulders are aligned correctly, and if your putter face is square at address. The feedback is immediate and honest.
Use mirrors for short, focused sessions rather than extended practice. Spend ten to fifteen minutes working on specific setup elements, then practice without the mirror to see if improvements hold up.
Creating Systematic Practice Routines
The real value of putting accessories isn't in individual tools, it's in combining them to create focused practice routines that address specific weaknesses and build measurable skills.
Start each session with alignment verification using sticks and mirrors. Move to gate work for accuracy development. Incorporate distance control training using rings. Use metronome training for consistent tempo. Finish with pressure putting drills combining all elements.
Track your progress with measurable metrics: How many putts out of ten get through the gate? What percentage of lag putts finish within three feet? This data-driven approach ensures practice time produces genuine improvement rather than just the illusion of progress.
The Investment That Pays Dividends
Quality putting accessories aren't cheap, but when you consider the impact that better putting has on your scores, the math works out quickly. The right accessories transform your PrimePutt mat from a casual practice tool into a precision training system.
Instead of just hitting balls toward a cup, you're developing specific skills with measurable improvement metrics. The difference in practice quality is dramatic, and the results show up immediately in your course performance.
Great putting is about developing reliable skills through focused practice with the right tools. When your practice tools provide honest feedback, measure real progress, and develop transferable skills, every minute practicing becomes an investment in lower scores.
That's the difference between just owning a putting mat and actually using it to transform your short game.
