Review: ProAdvanced ProInfinity Putting Mat

Endless Putting Practice Possibilities
We all know that practicing our putting is the biggest factor in lowering our scores, yet for many golfers it is the least desirable part of practicing.  We’ll hit buckets of balls for hours yet spend less than 15 minutes on the putting green.  Even if we have an in-house set-up we really want to hit the ball hard, even if it is into a net a few feet away, doing virtually nothing for our game.  Why?  Because practicing putting is boring.  If you have a putting green or mat at home already, you know there is only so much time you can spend on it.  It just feels like the same boring thing over and over.  The ProAdvanced ProInfinity Putting Mat really offers endless possibilities for practicing putts.  It takes some of the boring out of practicing with its multiple green speed options as well as the foam wedges which create different putting angles.

In the box is a 10′ long x 20″ wide carpet with 6 foam wedges, a silicone cup, a foam backstop and an eraser rod for brushing the carpet.   The first thing that immediately struck me is how different this “turf” was.  Most putting mats use some form of astroturf, that bristly product we associate with indoor grass.  This however is more like a plush carpet which is very soft to the touch.  This “carpet-like” material is what allows this product to have 4 different speeds: 2 when putting one direction and 2 when putting the other based on which way you “comb” the eraser rod.   The speeds vary from 8 to 12.5 on the stimpmeter.

The ProAdvanced ProInfinity Putting Mat rolled out perfectly smooth right out of the box.  Since it is 10′ long I couldn’t use it in my office or guest room.  I had to lay it out in my living room.  I didn’t mind this but my wife isn’t the biggest fan.  It does roll up quickly and easily so I can move it to wherever there is space in the house.  While I like the longer length, it does limit where I can use it in the house.  Setting it up and figuring out the speeds was pretty straight forward.  Brush it one way for “down-grain” putting or brush it the other way for “into-the-grain” putting.  Depending then on which end you putt from gets you the 4 different speeds.  The back stop is a nice touch so that putts hit a little too hard don’t hit the trim or roll under furniture.

Another unique feature is the ball-tracer feature of the carpet.  As you can see from the picture below, when you putt a ball, there is a line left on the carpet which shows your exact putt line.  Sure you can see the results of in-the-hole or not, but going from start to finish to see where the real issue is when you don’t make putts is pretty key, especially when you use the foam wedges.  You really can learn if it is the read you got wrong or the putt.

The final aspect that makes the ProAdvanced ProInfinity Putting Mat so unique are all the lines and slashes.  When I first opened the box and laid it out, I kind of thought it was overkill.  There are so many that it might seem overwhelming at first glance, but as you use the instruction book and start playing the games, they really offer help in getting better.  The lines by the putter head help improve your stroke consistency with distance of back stroke and squaring the putter head at impact.  The distance markings really help create different practice modes so that you don’t just hit 10′ putts over and over.  Add some foam wedges here and there and now you have breaking putts which can also be a real struggle for many golfers.  You can learn to read a putt and practice hitting it on-line.

The winter might finally be winding down, so there is no better time than now to get better at putting.  It is the most unique and complete practice putting green I’ve ever used.  The variety of challenges and the ability to practice different speeds keeps things fresh so that practicing putting doesn’t become stale and boring.  The simple act of practicing will make you better and the advanced options with this green will certainly help on the course.   The ProAdvanced ProInfinity Putting Mat offers endless putting practice possibilities.

For more information:  http://www.greatgolftrainingaids.com/

Quick Hits:
+4 different speed options
+Ball tracer
+”Break” foam wedges
+Training slashes and marks
+Guide and games

–10′ long might not fit where you want to practice.