Did you know that improving putting is one of your fastest ways to get lower scores and have fun on the golf course?
Imagine how much handicap you would have if you could eliminate all three putts during rounds. What would that look like?
The problem is that most golfers have busy lives and simply don’t have the time to constantly drive to the nearest golf course just to practice their putting stroke. There are many practice putting greens available that can help.
If you’re not sure which putting green to buy, I’m doing a 3 part series on a variety of different ones. In this review, I’ll dive into what I like and don’t like about the BirdieBall Putting Green. After reading this, you’ll be able to decide if it’s worth a shot.
A Quick Overview of the BirdieBall Golf Putting Green
BirdieBall is most commonly known for their main product, the practice golf ball with reduced flight. Because of its 40 yard maximum flight distance, this was a great invention. Since 2003, the company has been making golf training aids.
BirdieBall’s putting green is available in many sizes and speeds. The company offers both pre-built putting areas and customized options. You can also choose whether you want an indoor or outdoor practice putting green.
My Golf Spy awarded the BirdieBall putt green the title of Best Putting Mat in 2022. This is a very prestigious honor. I tried the 4×12 Classic Slow putting course. BirdieBall’s goal is to give golfers a practice green that feels as close as possible to the real thing.
What I Love About The BirdieBall Putting Green
There’s quite a bit to like about the BirdieBall putting green. The company clearly has invested a lot of resources and time in research and development. Here are some of my favorite features on the BirdieBall Classic Slow.
- Shipped SecurelyThe BirdieBall arrived in an oversized box with lots of tape to hold it in place. The pieces were easy-to-find and everything arrived as expected. This was nice to see because I’ve had negative shipping experiences with other companies.
- It arrived quickly:This was a bonus. Everything was securely shipped and the package arrived in a matter of days. It was refreshing to get something quickly in today’s age, where shipping delays are all too common. BirdieBall offers free shipping for orders above $100. This is a nice bonus.
- Instruction BookletBirdieBall also included a small instruction booklet that quickly explained how you can set up the practice golf. This made it easy to install. Again, this may sound elementary, but I’ve received products with no setup manual in the past. As you might imagine, that’s a major headache.
- Great SizeI was impressed by the overall size and quality of the BirdieBall test mat. I highly recommend the 4 x12 size if you have the space in the home or office.
- Bumpers:Rubber bumpers were provided to place on the sides and back of the mat. These rubber bumpers prevent your golf balls rolling off the mat and smoothen the surface.
- Hole DepthThe BirdieBall had deep holes that I loved. This made it feel more authentic to sink putts into these holes.
- Cups at both ends:This is my favorite feature, as it saves me a lot of time. It can be tedious to gather all your balls and transport them back to the right side with other brands that only have cups on one side. You don’t have that headache with the BirdieBall mat. This means you can practice more putts in half of the time.
- Competitive PriceThe BirdieBall putting-green is also affordable, which I love. Are there any putting mats that are cheaper? Yes. They are only half the size of the BirdieBall Mat, and most come with just one cup.
What I Don’t Like About The BirdieBall Putting Green
BirdieBall putting-green has its limitations, just like any product. These are the areas where BirdieBall could make improvements. This part of the review may seem a little bit harsh, but I believe in giving feedback that’s 100% honest and transparent.
- Bubbles after Laying The instruction booklet warned that it’s common to notice some air pockets after laying the putting mat out. While that may be true, these didn’t go away after several hours. This was quite disappointing.
- Slick Surface: BirdieBall claims that this is their “slow” putting surface, but I didn’t think there was anything slow about it. It’s easy to put golf balls on, but it felt more like I was putting them on a tabletop. Even the fastest natural greens in the country aren’t quite this fast.
- Surface Material This is a good addition to the smooth surface, but it’s worth mentioning. BirdieBall claims that their Styrofoam-like material feels more like a real putting green. This gives the putting surface a spongy feel that I didn’t care for.
- Leaves FootprintsI noticed several footprints that were left behind from my putting stance. Again, BirdieBall claims that this makes it more realistic, but I’m not so sure I agree with that logic. Is it possible that any of your playing partners have ever walked in the middle of your putting line. You might need to find new friends if this is the case.
Overall Rating and Thoughts: 5.0/10
After carefully weighing out all factors, I’ll give the BirdieBall putting green a 5 out of 10 rating. I find the overall size and the holes on both sides of this mat to be huge pluses. I appreciate the ease of putting the mat together and the helpful tips in the instruction booklet.
My main problem with the putting surface is that it keeps me from rating at least a 7 instead than a 5. The putting surface is too fast for my liking. This would limit the potential for a golfer to improve their overall putting skills. I also didn’t like how the spongy material didn’t smooth all the way out, even after several hours.
Double-sided carpet taping is a great way to smoothen the putting surfaces and remove any air bubbles. You can use it to tape down all the edges of your putting surface. I’ve used that trick with other brands in the past, and it’ll give you a purer roll.
A heavier bumper would make this practice more eco-friendly. Any additional weight will help to keep the mat flat. This would allow for a more natural rolling of the golf ball.
You can also brush the grain with a coarse bristle broom to improve the practice mat. Be sure to brush gently because you don’t want to damage the material. This will slow down your putts which is a must with this practice green.
BirdieBall’s putting mat is a solid product. Any kind of putting practice is better that none. This mat is superior to nylon options.
However, if you’re serious about improving your short game and lowering your handicap, there are some better putting mats out there.
Watch my review comparing the BirdiBall vs PrimePutt vs Wellputt, or click into each putting mat’s written review below:
- PrimePutt Putting Mat Review
- WellPutt Putting Mat Review
