Updated on November 9, 2026
👉 All Our Golf Rankings: The Best Launch Monitors and Simulators, The Best Training Aids…
What equipment do you need to practice golf at home? Start with a putting mat: Golf Monthly ranks the Perfect Practice as the best overall, and the PuttOut as the most practical. To hit balls, a net such as the Spornia SPG-8, named the best backyard golf net by Golf Monthly. And to take it a step further, a launch monitor, the basis of a simulator. Here are our rankings, built by cross-checking the year’s major tests, with the best golf gloves as a bonus.
The 5 Best Putting Mats
| Rank | Putting mat | Price | Cited by | What the tests say |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perfect Practice Putting Mat | 129,99 $ | 3 out of 4 | Golf Monthly: Best Overall Mat Today’s Golfer: best for pace control National Club Golfer: selectedCheck price on Amazon ↗ |
| 2 | PuttOut Putting Mat | 79,99 $ | 4 out of 4 | Golf Monthly: The Easiest to Store Today’s Golfer: best for everyday practice National Club Golfer and GolfMagic: selectedCheck price on Amazon ↗ |
| 3 | Wellputt High-Speed | 189 $ | 3 out of 4 | GolfMagic: Best Putting Mat Today’s Golfer: Best for Fast Greens Les Alexiens (French test): recommendedCheck price on Amazon ↗ |
| 4 | PrimePutt | — | 2 out of 4 | Golf Monthly: Best Materials GolfMagic: The Best High-End Mat |
| 5 | Pure2Improve 3.0 | 99,80 $ | 2 out of 4 | Golf Monthly: Best for speed control Today’s Golfer: The Easiest to UseCheck price on Amazon ↗ |
Price: suggested retail price in the United States as reported in the reviews; —: price not published in dollars. Cited by: number of reviews out of 4 that recommend it.
1. Perfect Practice Putting Mat
Golf Monthly’s overall top-rated putting mat: it features numerous alignment lines and two raised holes that require precise control, along with a ball-return ramp. It requires some space (about 3 m), and its fast roll can be surprising on slow greens, according to Today’s Golfer.
2. PuttOut Putting Mat
The most cited in the tests (four out of four): it rolls out and packs away in seconds and lies flat. On the downside, it is shorter than others and has no real hole, just a target.
3. Wellputt High-Speed
A French brand praised by GolfMagic, Today’s Golfer, and Les Alexiens: two speeds depending on the direction of play, instructional markings, and an exercise app. No physical holes, and the larger versions are bulky. About €149 for the 3-meter version in France.
4. PrimePutt
The high-end mat: a nylon turf that rolls like a real green and features real holes. However, it has no alignment markers, and its price—ranging from £342 to £572 depending on size—makes it a product reserved for enthusiasts.
5. Pure2Improve 3.0
A long mat with colored zones for practicing speed control on long putts—simple and durable. There’s no hole at the end, like most of the mats on this list.
The 5 Best Golf Nets for Practicing at Home
| Rank | Net | Price | Cited by | What the tests say |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spornia SPG-8 | — | 3 out of 4 | Golf Monthly: best backyard net MyGolfSpy (2023): No. 1 |
| 2 | SimSpace Deluxe | ≈ $400 | 1 out of 4 | Golf Monthly: the sturdiestView price ↗ |
| 3 | FORB ProFlex | ≈ $400 | 1 out of 4 | Golf Monthly: easiest to set up, the safestView price ↗Check price on Amazon ↗ |
| 4 | Hit Run Steal 10×7 | 119,99 $ | 2 out of 4 | Golf Monthly: The Largest GOLF.com (2023): Best Budget Option |
| 5 | Net Return Pro Series | 1 095 $ | 2 out of 4 | GOLF.com (2023): Editor's Pick MyGolfSpy (2023): No. 2 |
Recent tests of golf nets are rare: Golf Monthly tested them in 2025 and 2026, GOLF.com and MyGolfSpy in 2023. Prices as listed in those tests.
1. Spornia SPG-8
Golf Monthly’s best backyard net, already No. 1 in MyGolfSpy’s 2023 test: it pops up on its own, its sloped base returns the balls and its side panels catch mishits. It is harder to take down, a two-person job. Allow about 2.5 m in height and width.
2. SimSpace Deluxe
The sturdiest and most stable model in Golf Monthly's test, featuring a steel frame. An optional impact screen makes it the foundation for a future simulator. It's heavy and requires two people to set it up.
3. FORB ProFlex
According to Golf Monthly, it’s the easiest to set up (in just a few minutes) and the safest, thanks to its roof and deep sides. It has a larger footprint than other nets.
View price ↗Check price on Amazon ↗
4. Hit, Run, Steal 10×7
A large, light flat net, ideal for hitting woods, at a low price. It has no mat or side panels and needs space.
5. Net Return Pro Series
The premium choice: automatic ball return and a 250,000-shot guarantee. Expensive, and its latest recommendations date from 2023.
A golf simulator at home: where to start?
A simulator is a launch monitor that measures every shot, a net or an impact screen, a hitting mat and course software. The biggest expense is the launch monitor: we compare them all in our ranking of launch monitors and simulators. For a complete installation, including the screen and software, see our ranking of the best home golf simulators.
- Garmin Approach R50: Golf Monthly’s top pick for simulators, an all-in-one unit with a built-in screen. The most expensive (about £4,300).
- Square Golf Omni: the best value for Golf Monthly, at $1,599.99.
- Rapsodo MLM2PRO: the affordable kit to get started, at $699.99, the most portable for Today’s Golfer.
For space, allow at least 3.7 m deep, 3 m wide and 2.6 m high according to Golf Monthly; Today's Golfer recommends 4.9 m wide instead.
The 5 Best Golf Gloves
| Rank | Glove | Price | Cited by | What the tests say |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Callaway Tour Authentic | 39,99 $ | 4 out of 4 | MyGolfSpy: best glove (Triple Diamond version) GolfMagic: best glove of 2026 Today’s Golfer: best performance National Club Golfer: most durableView price ↗Check price on Amazon ↗ |
| 2 | Titleist Players | 31 $ | 3 out of 4 | Today’s Golfer: best leather glove National Club Golfer: top pick MyGolfSpy: staff pickView price ↗Check price on Amazon ↗ |
| 3 | FootJoy StaSof | — | 3 out of 4 | Today’s Golfer: best for warm weather MyGolfSpy and GolfMagic: selectedView price ↗Check price on Amazon ↗ |
| 4 | FootJoy WeatherSof | — | 2 out of 4 | Today’s Golfer: best all-weather glove GolfMagic: affordable gloveView price ↗Check price on Amazon ↗ |
| 5 | VICE Golf Duro | — | 2 out of 4 | Today’s Golfer: best value GolfMagic: affordable glove |
Price: price published by MyGolfSpy in the US; —: no dollar price published.
1. Callaway Tour Authentic
The only glove cited by all four 2026 tests: very soft cabretta leather, a second-skin fit, and good durability for a leather glove. The version MyGolfSpy awarded is the Triple Diamond.
View price ↗Check price on Amazon ↗
2. Titleist Players
The most worn glove on the professional tours, according to Today’s Golfer, with very consistent sizing. It wears quickly, sometimes within a few weeks.
View price ↗Check price on Amazon ↗
3. FootJoy StaSof
One of the best grips in MyGolfSpy’s test, recommended for warm weather and sweaty hands. More expensive than average.
View price ↗Check price on Amazon ↗
4. FootJoy WeatherSof
The best-selling golf glove in the world: affordable, soft straight out of the pack, effective in all weather. The right first glove, even if it wears fairly quickly.
View price ↗Check price on Amazon ↗
5. VICE Golf Duro
The best value for Today’s Golfer, very durable. It is mainly sold on the brand’s own website.
Video lessons for practicing at home
- Five Golf Workshops You Can Do at Home: Putting, Chipping, and Swing
- Practicing Golf at Home: DeChambeau’s 3 Exercises
- Practicing your short game at home: arcing putts and chips
- The Bottom of the Swing: Four Steps to Practice at Home with Your Irons
- Practicing at home in winter with a simple rope
All the others are in our topic Practice at Home.
How we built these rankings
We do not test the equipment ourselves: we pull together the major tests. Putting mats: Golf Monthly, Today's Golfer, National Club Golfer and GolfMagic (2025-2026), plus the French test by Les Alexiens. Nets: Golf Monthly (2026), Golf Monthly (test of 5 nets, 2025), GOLF.com (2023) and MyGolfSpy (2023). Gloves: MyGolfSpy, GolfMagic, Today's Golfer and National Club Golfer (2026). For each product, we count how many tests recommend it and the awards it received. These rankings are reviewed every year.
The “Check price on Amazon” buttons link to Amazon, which shows the price and availability of the day. They only appear for products we found there.
Fred’s take on practicing at home
For me, the best investment at home is a putting mat: it takes up almost no space and a few minutes a day are enough to save strokes on the course. A net and a simulator come next, if you have a garden or a garage.
Frequently asked questions about practicing golf at home
What is the best putting mat?
The Perfect Practice Putting Mat, named the best overall putting mat by Golf Monthly. The PuttOut, recommended in all four reviews, is the best choice for small spaces, and the Wellputt, a French brand, offers the most comprehensive training with exercises.
Which golf net for the backyard?
The Spornia SPG-8, named the best backyard net by Golf Monthly: it sets up on its own and returns balls. For quick setup and maximum safety, choose the FORB ProFlex. Allow for at least 2.5 m in height and width.
How much space do you need for a home golf simulator?
According to Golf Monthly, it should be at least 3.7 m deep, 3 m wide, and 2.6 m high. Today’s Golfer, on the other hand, recommends a width of 4.9 m. Measure your room first, then choose the launch monitor.
What is the best golf glove?
The Callaway Tour Authentic is the only glove recommended by all four 2026 reviews (MyGolfSpy, GolfMagic, Today’s Golfer, National Club Golfer). For an affordable first glove, try the FootJoy WeatherSof.
Can you really improve your golf game at home?
Yes, especially when it comes to putting and consistency in making contact. A putting mat and a few regular exercises are all you need to get started; a net or a launch monitor will then help you work on your full swing.