The holiday season is here. It's cold outside, snow is covering the fairways, and your local course has likely closed for the winter. But here's the thing—none of that has to stop you from improving your game.
In fact, the golfers who make the biggest leaps in their performance are often the ones who use the off-season wisely. While everyone else is hibernating until spring, you can be sharpening your short game, building golf-specific flexibility, and strengthening your mental approach to the sport.
This guide breaks down everything you can do at home this holiday season to keep your game sharp—or even take it to the next level. We're talking about practical golf training at home that fits around family gatherings, holiday meals, and all the festive chaos. Whether you have five minutes between wrapping presents or a dedicated hour in your garage, there's something here for you.
The best part? You'll be spending quality time working on something you love while the holidays bring everyone together. Let's dive in.
Part One: The 15-Minute Daily Golf Mobility Workout
Before we talk about putting mats and chipping drills, let's address something most amateur golfers overlook: mobility. According to the PGA's fitness resources, maintaining flexibility during the off-season is crucial for preventing injury and preserving your swing mechanics when spring arrives.
The workout below takes just 15 minutes and can be broken into three 5-minute sessions throughout your day. Each movement is performed standing—no need to get on the floor or use any equipment. Do them while waiting for coffee, between holiday cooking tasks, or during commercial breaks.
Movement 1: Standing Torso Rotations (5 Minutes)
This movement targets your thoracic spine—the mid-back region that powers your rotation through the ball. Limited thoracic mobility is one of the primary causes of swing faults and back pain in golfers.
How to perform:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent in your golf posture
- Cross your arms over your chest, placing each hand on the opposite shoulder
- Keeping your hips stable and facing forward, slowly rotate your upper body to the right as far as comfortable
- Hold for 2-3 seconds, feeling the stretch through your mid-back
- Return to center, then rotate to the left
- Perform 10-12 rotations per side, moving slowly and deliberately
- Rest for 30 seconds, then repeat for two more sets
Golf benefit: This directly mimics your backswing and follow-through rotation. Greater thoracic mobility means a fuller turn, more power, and less strain on your lower back.
Movement 2: Standing Hip Circles (5 Minutes)
Your hips are the engine of your golf swing. Tight hips restrict your ability to shift weight properly and can cause early extension—that dreaded move where your hips thrust toward the ball during the downswing.
How to perform:
- Stand on one leg, using a wall or chair for light balance support if needed
- Lift your opposite knee to hip height
- Draw large circles with your knee, rotating from the hip joint—not the knee
- Perform 10 circles clockwise, then 10 counterclockwise
- Switch legs and repeat
- Complete 2-3 sets per leg
Golf benefit: Open hips allow for better weight transfer and a more stable base throughout your swing. You'll also notice improved balance during your finish position.
Movement 3: Standing Shoulder and Wrist Mobility (5 Minutes)
Your shoulders and wrists take a beating during a round of golf. This movement keeps them supple and ready for the demands of gripping and swinging a club.
How to perform:
- Extend both arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height
- Make fists, then slowly rotate your wrists in circles—10 clockwise, 10 counterclockwise
- Next, with arms still extended, make large arm circles forward for 10 repetitions
- Reverse direction for 10 backward arm circles
- Finally, bring your right arm across your body at shoulder height, using your left hand to gently pull it closer to your chest. Hold for 15-20 seconds
- Switch arms and repeat
- Complete 2 sets of the entire sequence
Golf benefit: Healthy shoulders mean a pain-free swing plane. Wrist mobility improves your ability to hinge properly and release the club through impact.
Daily schedule option: If 15 consecutive minutes feels like too much during the holidays, split it up. Do torso rotations in the morning, hip circles after lunch, and shoulder/wrist work in the evening. Three 5-minute sessions spread throughout the day are just as effective as one 15-minute block.
Part Two: Home Putting Practice That Actually Improves Your Game
When it comes to actual golf technique work you can do indoors, putting practice at home stands alone. It's accessible, requires minimal space, and—when done correctly—directly translates to lower scores on the course.
Here's a stat that should get your attention: according to USGA research, amateur golfers average over 30 putts per round, while professionals hover around 28-29. That 2-3 putt difference often separates a frustrating round from a satisfying one. The good news? Putting is the one area where amateurs can close the gap with dedicated practice.
But there's a catch: your practice is only as good as your equipment.
What Makes a Good Putting Mat
A quality indoor putting green is the foundation of effective home practice. A poor-quality mat can actually hurt your game by training bad habits. Here's what to look for:
True Roll: The ball must roll straight and predictably. Any mat that causes wobble, drift, or inconsistent ball behavior will train your eyes and stroke incorrectly.
Realistic Speed: This is critical. Most golfers play on greens that stimp between 8 and 10. If your home putting green rolls significantly faster than what you'll encounter on the course, you'll develop a tentative stroke and consistently leave putts short in real conditions. Too slow, and you'll blast everything past the hole. Match your mat speed to your typical playing conditions.
Authentic Feel and Appearance: The best putting mat uses synthetic turf that looks and reacts like real grass—not carpet material with printed alignment lines. When the ball slows down, it should grab slightly, just like on a real green. The surface should be clean and realistic, training your eyes to read putts naturally rather than relying on artificial guides.
Proper Hole Cup: A real cup-style hole—not a printed circle or ramp-back device—reinforces proper targeting. Hearing that satisfying sound when the ball drops is part of building confidence.
Our Recommendation: The Chiputt Mat
After extensive testing, we recommend the Chiputt Mat as the best indoor putting mat for serious practice. It checks every box: tour-grade synthetic turf that rolls true at realistic speeds, a clean surface free of gimmicky alignment aids, and a proper cup for authentic feedback.
Watch this quick overview to see why it's become the go-to choice for golfers serious about their short game:
Video: Best Putting Mat 2026: Master Your Short Game at Home
Putting Drills You Can Do at Home
Now that you have the right equipment, let's talk about how to use it effectively. Putting within 10 feet is where you can make the biggest impact on your scores. These are the putts that save pars, convert birdies, and prevent those soul-crushing three-putts.
Drill 1: Gap Putting (The Distance Ladder)
Just like you know how far you hit each iron, you should know your putting tempo for every distance from 1 to 10 feet. This drill builds that internal calibration.
The Basic Method:
- Start at 1 foot from the hole. Make the putt.
- Move back to 2 feet. Make the putt.
- Continue through 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 feet.
- If you miss, restart from 1 foot (or simply continue for a less intense practice).
Weekly Variation: To keep things interesting and ensure comprehensive coverage, try this schedule:
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday: Practice odd distances (1ft, 3ft, 5ft, 7ft, 9ft)
- Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: Practice even distances (2ft, 4ft, 6ft, 8ft, 10ft)
Each session takes only 5-10 minutes but builds tremendous confidence and consistency. Over time, you'll develop an instinctive feel for exactly how hard to stroke each distance.
Here's an example of the distance ladder in action:
Video: 10 Feet Putting Challenge on Home Putting Mat
Drill 2: Random Practice (The Gap Filler)
Not every practice session needs to be structured. Some of the best improvement comes from casual, mindful putting—what we call "gap practice."
Between Zoom meetings. While waiting for dinner. During halftime of the football game. Whenever you have a few minutes, step up to your mat and stroke a few putts without any specific goal.
This random practice serves multiple purposes:
- Stress relief: The repetitive motion is meditative and calming
- Reduced screen time: A healthy break from phones and computers
- Unconscious improvement: Your brain processes the movements even without deliberate focus
- Accumulated reps: Those casual 5-minute sessions add up to hours of practice over a winter
Think of it as a moving meditation. The putts relax you, and the repetition quietly grooves your stroke. When spring arrives, you'll be shocked at how solid your putting feels—and you'll have shaved strokes off your game without it ever feeling like work.
This naturally brings us to the mental side of golf improvement.
Part Three: Meditation and Yoga for Golf Performance
Golf is famously a mental game. The Mayo Clinic notes that meditation can reduce stress, improve concentration, and increase self-awareness—all qualities that translate directly to better performance under pressure on the golf course.
You don't need to become a meditation guru. Even brief daily practice—as short as 3-5 minutes—can make a meaningful difference in how you handle pressure putts and bounce back from bad shots.
A Simple 15-Minute Meditation Plan for Golfers
This routine can be done in one sitting or broken into smaller chunks throughout the day.
Minutes 1-5: Breath Awareness
- Sit comfortably in a chair with feet flat on the floor
- Close your eyes and breathe naturally
- Focus only on the sensation of breath entering and leaving your body
- When your mind wanders (it will), gently return focus to your breath
- This trains the same focus you need standing over a difficult putt
Minutes 6-10: Body Scan
- With eyes still closed, mentally scan from your head down to your toes
- Notice any tension in your jaw, shoulders, hands, or legs
- Consciously relax each area as you identify it
- This awareness helps you recognize and release tension during your swing
Minutes 11-15: Visualization
- Picture yourself on your favorite hole
- Visualize the perfect tee shot—see the ball flight, hear the sound of pure contact
- Walk yourself through the hole in your mind, executing each shot perfectly
- Finish by seeing the ball drop into the cup on your final putt
- Research from sports psychology supports that mental rehearsal improves actual performance
Quick option: Even if you only have 3 minutes, do the breath awareness portion. Those few minutes of centered focus carry into everything you do afterward.
A 15-Minute Yoga Flow for Golfers
Yoga combines the benefits of meditation with physical mobility work—killing two birds with one stone. This standing-friendly routine requires no mat and hits all the key areas for golfers.
Minutes 1-3: Mountain Pose with Breath
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart
- Arms at your sides, palms facing forward
- Inhale deeply, raising arms overhead
- Exhale, lowering arms back down
- Repeat slowly, coordinating movement with breath
Minutes 4-7: Standing Forward Fold to Half Lift
- From standing, hinge at your hips and fold forward, letting your arms hang
- Bend knees as much as needed to protect your lower back
- On an inhale, lift halfway up with a flat back, hands on shins
- Exhale and fold back down
- Repeat 5-6 times, feeling the stretch through your hamstrings and lower back
Minutes 8-11: Standing Crescent Lunge (Both Sides)
- Step your right foot back into a lunge, back heel lifted
- Front knee directly over ankle
- Raise arms overhead, reaching toward the ceiling
- Hold for 5 breaths, feeling the hip flexor stretch on your back leg
- Switch sides and repeat
Minutes 12-15: Standing Spinal Twist
- Return to standing with feet hip-width apart
- Place your right hand on your left knee, left hand behind your back
- Gently twist to the left, looking over your left shoulder
- Hold for 5 breaths
- Return to center and repeat on the opposite side
- This mirrors your golf swing rotation while promoting spinal health
Part Four: Yes, You Can Practice Chipping at Home
You read that right. With the proper setup, chipping practice is absolutely achievable in your living room, garage, or basement.
The Chiputt Mat comes with a complimentary chipping mat—a durable surface you stand on while hitting chips toward the putting surface. Because you're standing on it, it won't slide around during your swing, providing a stable base for consistent practice.
Setting Up Your Indoor Chipping Station
Position your putting mat as the target area. Place the chipping mat at varying distances—start close (3-5 feet away) and gradually increase as your confidence grows. Make sure you have adequate ceiling clearance and no breakable objects in the swing path or ball flight line.
The Bump-and-Run Drill
The bump-and-run is the safest and most practical shot to practice indoors. It keeps the ball flight low, reducing the risk of errant shots causing damage.
- Use your wedges or 9-iron
- Position the ball back in your stance
- Make a putting-like stroke with minimal wrist action
- Focus on landing the ball on the front edge of the putting mat and letting it roll out to the hole
- Practice controlling the landing spot—this is the key to great chipping
Distance Variation Practice
Move the chipping mat to different distances from your putting mat to simulate various on-course scenarios:
- Short chips (3-5 feet): Focus on soft hands and minimal backswing
- Medium chips (6-10 feet): Work on consistent tempo and landing spot control
- Longer chips (10+ feet): Practice committing to a fuller swing while maintaining control
Safety Considerations
For longer chip shots or any shot requiring a higher ball flight—including pitch shots—switch to foam practice balls. They provide realistic feedback on contact quality while eliminating any risk of damage to your home or injury to family members walking through.
The combination of a quality chip and putt mat setup allows you to work on the shots that matter most around the green. These are the scoring shots—the ones that turn bogeys into pars and pars into birdies.
Bringing It All Together
The holiday season doesn't have to mean a break from golf improvement. In fact, with the right approach, it can be the time when you make your biggest strides.
Here's your daily framework:
- Morning: 5 minutes of torso rotation mobility work
- Midday: 5-10 minutes of putting practice (gap putting or random practice)
- Afternoon: 5 minutes of hip circles and shoulder mobility
- Evening: 10-15 minutes of chipping practice or yoga/meditation
That's roughly 30 minutes of golf practice at home spread throughout your day—easily achievable around holiday activities. And the best part? Much of it doubles as stress relief and quality time with yourself during what can be a hectic season.
When spring arrives and you step onto the first tee, you won't be shaking off rust. You'll be ready. Your putting stroke will be grooved, your short game sharp, your body mobile and injury-resistant, and your mind focused.
Your playing partners will wonder what happened. You'll just smile and tee it up.
Start today. Your best golf season is ahead.
