Golf is complex, but the best short game training aids don’t need to be

The full swing a golfer makes on most tee shots and approach shots is an interconnected series of movements involving different parts of the whole body: hands, arms, shoulders, torso, hips, legs, and feet. (And don’t forget the brain!)

The pros make it look easy, but for the average golfer, getting all of these parts coordinated can be challenging. As a result, there are many training aids out there that focus on one or more parts of the body and getting a feel for things.

By contrast, the short game (chipping, putting, etc.) requires much simpler movements. Factors like hip turn and generating lag no longer apply much, if at all. It stands to reason then that the best short game training aids should also be simpler – especially those intended for improving your putting skills.

Don’t worry about having “the perfect putting stroke”

Putting is one of the most intuitive, least technical elements of the game of golf. If you can crumple up a piece of paper into a ball and toss it toward a waste basket, you can putt!

And yet, many short game training aids are intended to help you achieve the nirvana of “the perfect stroke.” They focus on things like arc or starting a putt perfectly online.

Focusing too hard on these technical aspects of putting can actually result in one of the worst things you can do while you putt: think about mechanics. Golfers can get so wrapped up in these technical aspects that they become hesitant to pull the trigger and lose their confidence on the greens.

This is true of golfers of all ages and skill levels. World-class golfers can go from a great putter with a homegrown stroke to bewildered and lost. Beginners can get overwhelmed from the start.

Instead, the best short game training aids will focus on something called Proprioception, by helping you practice without having to consciously think about your environment.

And one quick scroll through social media videos highlights an even harsher truth: even with a "perfect" stroke, things like variation on the green can still result in a putt going in versus missing. So rather than focus on trying to make a perfect stroke, short game training aid should help you keep it simple.

Too many short game training aids take you away from reality

Just as there are many training aids out there for the full golf swing, there are an increasing number of short game training aids as well. However, most of these short game training aids are designed in a way that is too far removed from the real experience a golfer has on the course during a round.

Short game training aids like mirrors, laser guides, strings, gates – even the old standby of a chalk line – might help you make the same putt over and over again on the practice green. But then what happens when you reach the green on the first hole? There’s a very good chance it is not the exact same putt that these training aids had you practicing beforehand.

You stand over your putt, and those mirrors, lasers, gates – are nowhere to be found. You’ve trained yourself to focus on something that is no longer there. That’s why the best short game training aids help you focus on the ultimate goal: the hole, and getting the ball into it.

PutterCup training aids are designed to build your putting skills intuitively

PutterCup short game training aids build your confidence on the greens intuitively and help you develop skills that translate seamlessly from the practice green to the course. They place your focus on the hole and not your stroke.

Depending on the type of putt, each training aid has a unique design that helps you focus on what matters for the situation at hand.

For short putts like those inside of six feet, the single most important thing is to get the ball to the hole. That’s why the PutterCup Speed Bump is designed to encourage you to make a firm stroke.

For longer putts where the trick is to get it close and give it a shot at going in – like tossing a paper ball into a waste basket – the PutterCup Center Cup helps boost your focus by giving you a precise target to aim at.

The Bottom Line: Improve your putting with PutterCup training aids

To sum it up, when it comes to short game training aids, the simpler the better. Whether you’re a beginner or highly skilled, invest in short game training aids that leverage your amazing human superpower of proprioception and help you focus on the hole and not your stroke. PutterCup training aids are designed to do just that. But don’t just take our word for it – try them out for yourself and see the difference they can make in your confidence and focus. Happy golfing!