Is birdie ball putting green worth it?

Birdieball Putting Green Review

It’s that time of year again where I, like many other golfers are counting down the days until we can hit the course again. This winter I decided to avoid the early season slump by practicing my putting game in the comfort of my home. When researching what putting green would be best a name kept coming up, Birdieball. So is Birdieball the best putting green out there? I picked one up and here is what I have found.

What’s Included?

• The mat
• Bumpers for each end
• Cups with flag for how many holes you ordered
• Hole reducer to make hole 2 ½” in diameter
• Hole Plugs for all holes
• 1 high backed cup
• Hole deepening shim to make any hole 1” deep

Setup and First Impressions

Setting up the green takes hardly anytime. You simply unroll it, pop the cups in and you are ready to put. To store it you just take the cups out and roll it up smooth side facing up. The simple setup and breakdown make it ideal for someone in an apartment or that has limited space.

The greens are thin (½”) and have a very shallow cup. With the standard cup I had a lot of puts roll out the back of the cup that normally would be made. Birdieball does give you 1 high backed cup to combat this but if you want it on all the holes you will have to buy extra, they are $9.99 each. One more thing to note about the cups is that they are the exact same same height as the green which I noticed caused some putts to ride the rim and not go in. These aren’t disqualifiers but you will not get the satisfying ball drop sound like on the course.

How Much Do Birdieball Putting Greens Cost?

Birdieball offers putting greens starting at $55 for their 1’ x 12’ option and their most expensive options is $2650 for their nine hole mini golf system. They have many different options in between these two prices so you can find a green that fits their budget.

How Big Are Birdieball Putting Greens?

Birdieball putting greens come in a variety of sizes so you will be able to find one that fits your needs. They are available starting at 8 feet long and go up to 30 feet with in between sizes available in two foot increments. The greens come in 2ft, 3ft, 4ft, and 8ft widths. The 8ft wide greens are actually two 4ft wide mats sown together side by side so they will have a seam down the middle.

Durability

The greens are made from a foam very similar to pool noodles. They feel squishy but quickly go back to its original shape. After long term use it does start to show some wear but it doesn’t seem to affect the roll. If you have pets I would be careful about allowing them on the green. Pet claws will tear this green up. Cats will use it as a scratch post. My dog walked on it and ended up covered in little green dust.  Even though they are more susceptible to damage they still should last a few years of use. If your green does get damaged Birdieball offers free fill material on their website. To repair your green you just pour it on the messed up part and let it dry.

Are Birdieball Putting Greens Realistic?

Yes, their greens do a good job at replicating the feel of an actual putting green. Their greens come in three different stimp speeds so you can pick the one that matches the courses you typically play. The available speeds are slow, medium, and fast.

The slow options is a 9-10 stimp which is a good choice if you normally play public municipal courses. If you normally play private courses then the medium speed would be best, it clocks in at 10-11 stimp. If you are looking to match what the pros play at championship courses then choose the fast option at 11-13 stimp.

Birdieball greens have a dual stimp, meaning one direction is faster than the other. It’s not a major difference but you will need to adjust the speed depending which direction you are putting.

Chipping on a Birdieball Green

You can get a fairly realistic chipping experience with a birdieball green. If you want to practice chipping you will need to purchase a chipping mat as one is not included. Birdieball does sell one, though I have not tried it out. I have tested a few mats and have a full write up on some of the most popular options, if you are interested check out my chipping mat reviews.

Can a Birdieball Putting Green Be Used on Carpet?

For best results you should place your green on a hard flat surface. If carpet is your only option then the shorter and firmer the better. If you only have long carpet then you can use plywood as a backing.

Contour Shims

Contour shims are sold as an additional purchase to add break in your green. I found the shims under the BirdieBall do NOT give realistic breaks. If you want to add break you can use magazine or book for free. I am a strong believer that a flat level surface is the best for practicing your putting. Practicing at home is about creating a repeatable putting stroke to hit the ball square every time. On the course you visualize the break and line your ball up. Then you do your repeatable stroke and roll the ball right down your line.

Customization

The greens can come precut with up to 6 cups and a variety of cup configurations. They can also come uncut with a hole cutter so you can customize your green to your liking. Another customization option available is having your logo/photo printed onto the green or flags.

Summary

Birdieball putting greens are a great option for realistic putting practice at home. They offer a realistic feel that will transfer over to the course. If all you care about is getting better at putting then Birdieball is a no brainer.

There are however better greens out there but they come at a higher price point. There are two drawbacks to the Birdieball greens that might make you want to jump to the next price point and both involve the material they are made from.

The biggest drawback of the greens is the durability. Since the greens are made from a foam similar to a pool noodle you need to be a little more careful not to damage them. The second drawback for me is the look. If you are looking for a green that will always be out and a centerpiece of a room then I would go with a higher end green, or even a custom made one.

If these two drawbacks are important to you then you can read my Big Moss review or if you want something more custom I have an in depth custom putting green build guide.

You can purchase a Birdieball green from their website and in the comment section type “upgrade” and they will add 2’ in length to your order at no additional cost.

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