I picked up a WellPutt mat and the Wellstroke a few months ago to get some much-needed practice on my short game. In this Wellputt mat review, I’m going to share my experience with both over the last few months and give you some pros and cons to consider.
Full disclosure up front – I have not used other putting mats extensively, so I will not be comparing the Wellputt to other putting mats. And, I can only compare the feel to real conditions on the golf course.
Key Takeaways
It is designed to play at a 10 stimp, and in my experience, it is true to real conditions.
You will only want to use it on a hard surface, or low-pile carpet. If you place the Wellputt putting mat over a thicker carpet, it may be uneven and will not work as expected.
It is much more than a simple putting mat, there are games you can play, and plenty of graphics that all have a different purpose to help you work on different parts of your putting.
Wellputt Mat Review
The first thing I noticed about the Wellputt mat was the quality. From the box, to the manual, to the mat itself, everything is high quality and very well thought out.
Manual? Yes, there is a manual! At first, this seemed odd. Why would I need a manual, I’m just here to work on my putting. But after a quick glance I started to realize that this was much more than a simple putting mat.
All of the graphics on the surface mean something. Every little line, angle, the different colors, they all have a specific purpose and the manual helps you understand how to get the most out of the mat.
What have I benefitted the most from? My distance control!
I’ve also seen improvement in my stroke. An area I used to struggle was with my takeaway. It wasn’t a smooth straight takeaway, it would at times veer off track. Using the alignment markers and the Wellstroke has helped immensely with this as well.
Quality
The quality is noticeable from the instant you pull it out of the box. Wellputt mats have a nice rubber backing that give it a bit of weight to help it lay flat, and to keep it in place on your surface.
Practicing Distance Control
When you are putting to the main hole, you’ll see a “bad zone” short of the hole, and a “good zone” past the hole. The good zone is the orange arc behind the hole.
That arc also represents the area where your ball could end up after rolling over the hole when putting from one of the spots on the side of the mat, coming in at an angle.
The black and green sections at the opposite end also serve as landing zones so you can work on your distance control in the opposite direction.
I have always been a “die it in the hole” putter. And as you can imagine, I leave a lot of putts short. There is nothing more frustrating than leaving a 6ft birdie putt short.
After working with the Wellputt putting mat over the last couple of months, I’m seeing it translate on the course and my putts tend to be about a foot past the hole when I miss.
Final Thoughts on The Wellputt
If you are looking for a quality putting mat that you can setup at home, in the office, or at the hotel while you’re on the road…the Wellputt is a great option.
I usually have mine setup in the basement, but I have also taken it with me on business trips. It rolls up easily, and lays flat (other than about an inch at the very end, but very temporary) when unrolled.
As I said at the beginning, I don’t have a ton of experience with other putting mats, so I only have a real green as a frame of reference. That being said, if I were to somehow lose this thing to lost luggage, I would absolutely buy this again.
It feels very realistic and gives you tons of different options to work on your putting. Including distance control, feet alignment, games, club alignment, etc.
Wellstroke Review
What is the Wellstroke? It is a small mat about 2.5 feet long and 7 inches wide. It is designed to help you work on your putting stroke.
Just like the Wellputt mat, the Wellstroke is high quality.
I have used a competitor stroke trainer before and it was basically a piece of cloth that required tees to hold it in place. Needless to say, I didn’t use it very much.
The Wellstroke is made from a thicker rubber type material and has a little weight to it. Notable features include:
Carry case that can hold the Wellstroke and 4 golf balls
Indicators for your feet alignment
Markings of a ruler in both inches and centimeters for your backstroke and follow through
An arc for your putter to follow (different options available)
Several holes to create a tee gate drill
Indicators for ball and putter alignment
The Wellstroke is available for both left and right handed putters. It also has different arc angles to choose from. 12 degrees is the one I have, it was recommended on their website for most golfers.
How I use The Wellstroke
I have struggled with my putter takeaway, almost pushing it in the direction I’m facing as I take it back. If you were drawing the shape of an oval from your ball position, that’s sort of what my stroke looks like at times.
Needless to say, it’s not a very smooth stroke at times. I’ve been using the wellstroke to help me get started on a much better path.
With the arc and graphics on the layout, I can watch my putter trace along the correct path and get a feel for a much better stroke.
I also use it to hone in on my start line. There are preset holes in the mat so you can place tees or marbles to do a gate drill. Essentially making sure your putter goes through the “gates” and makes center contact.
There are also spots at the end of the mat with varying widths to help you with your start line. Getting the ball to roll nicely between the “gates” at the end of the mat is another way I use it.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a high quality putting mat, or a stroke trainer, the Wellputt is a great option. It rolls and unrolls very easily, making for easy storage and it lays flat when you are ready to use it.
The material is high quality and it rolls very nicely.
There are multiple visual aids to help you with your alignment, distance control, and getting the ball to the back of the cup.
Overall, I am very happy with the Wellputt and the Wellstroke. Both are high quality and I am certain will last for many years.
Extra – 15% off with Coupon Code:
AFF15_BIGTEES