Make New Friends, Play More Golf
Living in the UK, we all know the weather doesn’t do us many favours once the clocks go back. You’ll probably play less through the colder months, and the light fades before most of us have finished work.
However, winter offers a useful opportunity to work on a specific weakness, maintain your feel and build a practice routine you can carry into the season. That work could eventually show up in your scores and your handicap.
The trick is choosing an aid that suits what you want to improve, the space you have and how often you’ll realistically use it.
Ian Mullins, Editor of The Social Golfer, looks at the options.
Before you start shopping, use this table to narrow down your options.
| Training aid | What it can help with | Space needed | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Putting mat | Start line and repeatable putting practice | A clear, level strip of floor | Cannot reproduce the variety of real greens |
| Putting mirror or gates | Setup checks and feedback on your start line | Enough room for a putting stroke | Needs correct setup and a clear practice goal |
| Chipping net | Landing-point practice and short-game targets | A clear garden area or suitable enclosed space | Does not reproduce how a ball reacts on a green |
| Alignment sticks | Aim, ball position and setup reference points | Enough room to address the ball safely | Cannot diagnose the cause of a swing fault |
| Tempo trainer | Rhythm, balance and swing awareness | Full clearance for the trainer’s entire swing | Does not show the resulting ball flight |
| Practice net and hitting mat | Strike practice and regular full swings | A dedicated area with safe clearance and containment | A basic net gives little feedback on shot direction |
| Launch monitor | Distance and consistency, depending on the model | Varies by device and setup | Indoor suitability and available measurements vary |
| Resistance bands | Warm-ups and controlled strength exercises | A small, clear exercise area | Exercise choice and technique must suit the individual |
On smaller screens, swipe across the table to see all four columns.
Start by asking yourself what cost you shots this year.
Was it three-putts, thin chips, a slice off the tee or tired legs over the back nine? Your answer should guide your practice plan.
If you’re unsure what’s causing the problem, consider a golf lesson before buying another gadget.
Then look at the space available in your home or garden. A hallway, spare room and single-car garage each offer different opportunities. Think about your schedule too: ten minutes a few evenings a week calls for something quick to set up and put away.
It’s the same logic as deciding what’s worth buying new and what isn’t when you’re kitting out your bag: spend where it helps and keep the rest simple.
Once you have a clear practice goal, browsing golf training aids by area of your game may help narrow the choice. Check what each aid helps you practise and how you’ll recognise improvement.
Putting is one of the easiest parts of golf to practise at home.
A putting mat provides a consistent surface, while a putting mirror can help you check your setup. Putting gates give straightforward feedback on whether you’re starting the ball along your intended line.
Choose a task you can measure. For example, record how many putts you can roll through a gate from a fixed distance, then repeat the same exercise next week. That gives each session a purpose beyond simply hitting putts across the room.
Mats and suitable carpets can help with start line and repeatability, but they cannot recreate the changing pace, slopes and surfaces of real greens. You’ll still need time on a practice green to work on reading putts and adapting your distance control.
A good chipping net gives you a clear target for short-game practice. In a suitable garden or enclosed practice area, try landing a handful of chips in the same target zone before moving to another.
Keep the task simple. Consistent contact and a repeatable landing point are useful goals; merely getting the ball into the net tells you less about how you achieved it.
A few practical checks can help:
“We have to make a decision if we’re going low or high. That helps us commit to the shot.”
— Phil Mickelson, in his The Art of Chipping clinic, as quoted by GOLF.com
Alignment sticks are simple, versatile tools for checking aim and ball position. Placed on the ground, they give you reference points that are easy to revisit between sessions.
They can support a coach’s drills too, although they won’t explain why a slice or another fault is happening.
A tempo trainer may help you explore rhythm and balance, while a grip trainer can provide a reference for hand placement. With either, make sure you understand the intended exercise before repeating it all winter.
The useful question is: what feedback does this aid give me?
You should be able to explain what you’re practising, recognise a successful repetition and check whether it carries over when you remove the aid. If a fault keeps returning, ask a qualified golf coach to help identify the cause.
You may already have another useful practice tool in your pocket. A phone and tripod let you record your setup and swing, particularly when working on changes recommended by your coach. Keep the camera position and angle consistent so you can compare sessions more accurately.
Before swinging a club or trainer indoors, check the clearance above, behind and around you, including space for the follow-through—or you may find yourself replacing the lampshades!
A practice net can make regular hitting sessions easier if you have a suitable space, but there are a few things to consider:
With plenty of products available online and in golf shops, finding a mat is easy. Choosing a suitable one takes a little more care.
Look beyond thickness alone. The hitting surface, base, stability and how it responds to heavy strikes all matter.
Some mats allow the club to slide into the ball after contacting the surface too early, making a poor strike feel better than it was.
Choose a mat intended for repeated golf practice and use it on the recommended surface. If hitting from it causes discomfort, stop and review the setup.
A launch monitor can add useful feedback, but decide which measurements you want before paying for a long list of features.
Carry distance and shot-to-shot consistency can support useful practice. If you also want launch direction, spin or clubface information, check the model’s specifications carefully: those measurements are not available on every device.
Before buying for home use, check:
A device that suits an outdoor range may not suit your available space.
An NCG review comparing the Shot Scope LM1 with Trackman offers an example of what a simpler monitor can provide for speed and distance practice.
However, the testing described was at the range and on the course, so it should not be taken as proof of performance in a garage.
Winter is also an opportunity to maintain your general fitness and prepare for the walking and movement involved in golf. It’s an area that can easily get overlooked.
Consider a manageable exercise routine. That could involve more walking, suitable strength exercises at home or going to the gym.
Resistance bands are another option for a simple warm-up or strength routine, provided you choose appropriate exercises and use them correctly. You don’t need a room full of equipment to establish a regular habit.
Start at a manageable level and build gradually. If you’re returning from injury, have ongoing pain or are unsure which exercises suit you, ask a physiotherapist or appropriately qualified trainer for advice.
“When it comes to fitness and coaching I’ve learned you have to work smarter and better instead of just hard.”
— Pádraig Harrington, discussing his winter preparation with Irish Golf Desk.
Compare each aid against four questions:
Be cautious about promises to fix a slice in a few swings or transform your game without practice.
A tour professional’s endorsement may attract your attention, but it doesn’t establish whether the product suits your needs.
You can also start without buying anything. A mirror, a clear target and a notebook for recording results may be enough to establish a useful routine.
Pick one priority and give each session a measurable task. That might be starting putts through a gate, landing chips in a target zone or rehearsing a setup change agreed with your coach.
Keep sessions short enough to fit comfortably into your week.
Record a simple result, revisit it regularly and include practice without the aid to check what you’ve learned.
The most useful training aid is one that helps you practise with purpose—and earns its place through regular use.
Good luck!
Putting gates, a putting mirror and a compact putting mat are practical options because they need relatively little space. Check the mat’s dimensions before buying and make sure you can take your normal putting stance. Full-swing aids need clearance for the entire swing, including the follow-through.
You can work on setup, movement and rhythm through slow rehearsals, mirror work and suitable drills. You’ll still need to hit balls to check how those changes affect contact and ball flight.
Yes, if the surface allows the ball to roll consistently. Use it for start-line exercises and repeatable practice, but don’t assume its speed or roll will match a putting green.
Yes. You can rehearse your setup in a mirror, roll putts towards a small target or practise a movement your coach has shown you. Give each exercise a clear goal and record your results.
A net makes regular hitting practice more convenient, but it gives limited feedback on where your shots would finish. Use it for a specific drill or contact practice, then check your ball flight at the range. Otherwise, you could repeat a poor shot without realising it.
If you don’t understand what causes your problem, book a lesson first. A qualified coach can identify what needs attention and suggest an appropriate drill or aid. If you already have a clear practice plan, an aid can help you follow it between lessons.
Simple aids can be useful when beginners understand how to use them. Alignment sticks, putting gates and grip trainers can support lessons, while a coach can help prevent repeated practice of an unsuitable movement.
Start with two or three short sessions a week if that fits your schedule. Give each session one clear goal and allow enough time to practise attentively. A routine you can maintain is more useful than an ambitious plan you abandon after a fortnight.
Ian is the Editor of The Social Golfer. He has been reviewing golf courses for more than ten years. Ian was the Marketing Director of the London Golf Show from 2011-2016. He has had golf articles published in Golf News Magazine, Today’s Golfer and Golf Business News. Ian is also the Communications Director for The Cairns Cup (Golf’s Premier Disability Match Play Event).
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