You’re stuck indoors. The Masters is still months away. Your regular foursome gets together for a coffee on Saturday mornings and you reminisce about those fine summer mornings where you beat your playing partners soundly. And you want to ensure you’re going to beat them again, even if you’re stuck indoors during a long Canadian winter.

Well, what about finding ways to get better indoors, honing those skills you’ll need to take fivers off your buddies this coming spring?

Here’s some options to consider for at-home golf training aids:

Work on your flatstick

That’s right—putting indoors is one of those skills you can work on practically anywhere. Try it in your basement, or in your office. But if you’re going to work on this important key to your short game, consider some easy aids to help you work on your stroke.

The Jef Putting Alignment Mirror is a great place to start. Any putting instructor will tell you that having the proper alignment at setup is key to making a good putt. You have to be aligned to the target and with your eyes and head in the appropriate place, and this putting mirror will help set you on the appropriate path.

What about your target? That’s where Jef’s Zero IN Putting Cup and Odyssey’s Golf Putt Target come in. Both items turn your office or basement into a practice putting studio. Shag carpet? No problem—just imagine you’re playing in the era of Old Tom Morris.

And if you don’t want to chase down errant golf balls—or your cat becomes too involved in the game—consider the ZTech Ping Pong Putting Unit. In this instance, the Ping-Pong Putting Cup bounces the golf ball back after each shot using a rubber band. That way you won’t have to chase an errant tee shot into the nearby hazard when things go really awry.

Track your distance

Canadians know the benefits and challenges of the indoor golf dome all too well. Lacking the distance to track a shot, it is often hard to determine exactly how well you struck a shot. But in recent years, companies have created a number of relatively inexpensive launch monitors that can be used indoors and out on the range in the summer.

On the upper end, there’s the SkyTrak Launch Monitor, which offers a commercial-quality product at a fraction of the cost of a Trackman. This connects to your iPad via Wifi, making it a practice simulator with impressive realism. And with no wires, it is easy to set up in any situation.

If price is your main consideration, consider Voice Caddie’s SC200 Swing Caddie Portable Launch Monitor. It’ll tell you your carry distance, swing speed, ball speed and smash factor—all keys to determining how well you struck your last shot.

And if you’re brave enough to hit shots in your basement (assuming your ceiling isn’t going to connect with your club) or if your garage is warm enough, Callaway’s Zenith Hitting Net will catch your shots, unless you suddenly get nervous and start hitting shanks like Tin Cup when he’s at the U.S. Open—then nothing will protect you. But if you don’t think that’s likely to happen, the Zenith Hitting Net should have you covered.

Practice Time at Golf Town

Now we get it – some of these set-ups can be quite large and you might not have space in your home for it. Did you know you can rent our simulators in store so you can practice all winter long? Take advantage of our private virtual driving range and book your session today.