Golf Glossary
Putting green
In short
A putting green is a practice green where golfers work on their putting. It is usually close to the clubhouse or first tee, has several holes marked with small flags and plays much like the greens on the course. In English, every green on a golf course is also called a putting green.
What is a putting green?
The term putting green has two meanings in golf. In the Rules of Golf, the green of the hole you are playing is the ‘putting green’. In German usage, though, Putting Green almost always refers to a course’s practice green.
A practice green has several holes, often six to nine, marked with short sticks or small flags. Golfers warm up there before a round, check the day’s green speed and work on short and long putts. The grass is cut as short as on the course greens so the ball rolls in much the same way.
There are also artificial putting greens for indoor centres, gardens or offices, which let you practise whatever the weather or season. Many people searching for a putting green are therefore also thinking about one for home.
Practice green versus the green on the course
The green on the course is the target of every hole. The flag sits in the hole, and the special provisions of Rule 13 in the 2023 Rules of Golf apply: you may mark and clean your ball, repair ball-marks and leave the flagstick in.
A practice green is not part of a hole. Under the Rules, a practice green on the course counts as a ‘wrong green’ unless the Committee says otherwise by Local Rule. If your ball comes to rest there during a round, you may not play it as it lies. You must take free relief and drop the ball off the practice green.
Maintenance differs too. Practice greens take heavy wear from many players in a small area, so greenkeepers move the holes often, and the pace may differ slightly from the course greens.
Rules: practising before and during a round
Many beginners wonder whether they may practise on the course before a competition. Rule 5.2 of the 2023 Rules of Golf answers this. In stroke play you generally must not practise on the course before your round on the day of the competition. Putting and chipping on or near the first teeing area and practising on any practice area are expressly allowed, so the putting green is the right place to warm up.
Between two holes, Rule 5.5b also allows brief putting or chipping practice on or near the green of the hole just completed, on any practice green and on or near the next teeing area, but not from a bunker, and without unreasonable delay.
Many clubs and competition terms add their own guidance, for example about chipping on the practice green. Follow these in day-to-day play.
Using the putting green properly
A practice green is shared by many golfers at once. To let everyone practise well, a few principles apply:
- Bring only a few balls; three is usually enough.
- Do not putt to a hole someone else is using, and do not walk across other players’ lines.
- Only chip if it is expressly allowed on that green.
- Repair ball-marks, including other people’s.
- Never pull trolleys or bags across the green.
- Do not lean on your putter when taking the ball out of the hole, to protect the edge.
Some courses have separate areas for putting and chipping. In that case the chipping green or chipping area is for short approaches and the putting green is kept for putting.
Drills for the putting green
A short, well-planned session beats hours of aimless putting. These drills work well:
- Pace first: roll three balls across the whole green and try to stop them near the fringe.
- Ladder drill: one ball each at three, six, nine and twelve metres, aiming for a one-metre zone around the hole.
- Circle drill: six balls in a one-metre circle around a hole; only when all are holed does the circle move out to one and a half metres.
- Reading break: find a sloping hole and play the same putt from both sides.
Ten to fifteen minutes is enough before a round. Start with long putts for pace and finish with short putts that you hole confidently, so you walk to the first tee feeling good.
Green speed and the Stimpmeter
Every green rolls at its own speed. Green speed is measured with a Stimpmeter, a small ramp from which a ball rolls onto the green from a fixed height. The average roll distance in feet gives the Stimp reading; the higher the number, the faster the green.
This matters because your feel for distance depends on it. On fast greens a short backstroke is enough; on slow greens you need a firmer stroke. Weather, cutting height, moisture and season all affect pace.
That is exactly what the putting green is for before a round: a few long putts show how fast the greens are running that day. Remember that the practice green does not always match the course greens exactly, so pay close attention to your putting pace on the first two or three holes.
A putting green at home: what to look for
Golfers who want to putt regularly often consider a putting green of their own. Indoors, an artificial putting mat is usually enough. For gardens or patios there are larger synthetic greens with several holes and contoured slopes.
Key criteria are:
- Roll: the ball should run smoothly and at a pace similar to a real green.
- Length: lag putts need several metres; short putts need less.
- Base: a flat, firm base prevents ripples and unexpected breaks.
- Hole size: a regulation golf hole is 108 millimetres in diameter.
Synthetic turf does not fully replace real grass, which reacts to weather and maintenance, and reading real greens is best learned on the course. For technique, alignment and short putts, though, a green at home is a useful addition.
Try it at Golf Lounge
According to the course map, the Golf Lounge has a putting and chipping area for practising putts and chips. For a playful way to train, try the 9-hole ‘Blue’ Putt Course: nine short, mini-golf style holes for all ages, clubs provided, and open in winter too. For focused training, the PuttView green can be added after a course or coaching session and projects the putting line, pace and green contours onto the green. Then put it into practice on real greens on the 6-hole ‘Red’ short course, no golf licence needed.
Frequently asked questions
What is a putting green?
In everyday use, a putting green is a practice green at a golf facility. It has several holes and is maintained like the greens on the course. Golfers use it to warm up and to practise putting. In the Rules, every green on the course is also called a putting green.
Can I practise on the putting green before a competition?
Yes. Rule 5.2 of the 2023 Rules of Golf prohibits practising on the course before a stroke-play round, but putting and chipping on or near the first teeing area and practising on practice areas are expressly allowed. The putting green is therefore the usual place to warm up; also check the competition terms.
Am I allowed to chip on the putting green?
That depends on the facility. Many clubs allow only putting on the practice green to protect the turf and provide a separate chipping green or chipping area for approaches. Follow the signs on site, and wherever chipping is allowed, repair ball-marks straight away.
What if my ball lands on the practice green during a round?
A practice green on the course is a wrong green under the Rules unless a Local Rule says otherwise. You may not play the ball as it lies. Instead, take free relief and drop the ball within the relief area based on the nearest point off the green.
Is a putting green at home worth it?
For regular practice of technique, alignment and short putts, an artificial green is a good addition. Look for an even roll, a flat base and enough length. Reading real greens and feeling pace on natural grass are still best practised at a golf facility.
As of: October 2026