7 Best Golf Alignment Sticks For Putting That Putting Coaches Swear By

There’s no feeling in golf quite like the frustration of a perfectly paced putt that slides just past the edge of the cup. More often than not, the culprit isn’t a bad stroke but a simple misalignment at address. To sink more putts, you must first ensure your eyes, body, and putter face are all aimed precisely where you intend, and that’s where alignment aids become indispensable training partners.

Friendly Disclaimer : This content is for educational & general research purposes only. Please consult healthcare providers or other qualified professionals for personalized medical, caregiving, or health-related advice.

Friendly Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support!

Why Putting Alignment is Key to a Consistent Game

A successful putt is the product of two critical elements: correct speed and a correct starting line. While feel and green-reading govern speed, alignment is a purely mechanical process that you can—and should—perfect. If your putter face is open by just one degree on a 10-foot putt, the ball will miss the hole entirely. This highlights how a tiny error in setup can negate an otherwise flawless stroke.

Building a repeatable pre-shot routine is the foundation of confident putting. Alignment aids provide the external feedback necessary to ensure this routine is correct every single time. By using them in practice, you train your body and eyes to recognize what a square setup feels like. This muscle memory translates directly to the course, allowing you to trust your aim under pressure without second-guessing your alignment over the ball.

Eyeline Golf Mirror: For Instant Visual Feedback

The Eyeline Golf Mirror is a staple on practice greens for a simple reason: it provides immediate, undeniable feedback on the most crucial aspect of your setup—your eye position. The goal for most golfers is to have their eyes directly over the target line. The mirror’s reflective surface and clear markings instantly show you whether you’re leaning too far over the ball or standing too far away from it.

Beyond eye position, the mirror includes lines to help you verify that your putter face is perfectly square to your intended line. Many models also have markings to check shoulder alignment. This all-in-one feedback loop allows you to check multiple fundamentals simultaneously, making it an incredibly efficient tool for grooving a consistent and fundamentally sound putting setup. It removes the guesswork and replaces it with certainty.

The Putting Arc T3: Grooving a Repeatable Stroke

While many aids focus on static alignment at address, The Putting Arc T3 is designed to perfect your alignment in motion. This training aid is based on the principle that a perfect putting stroke moves on a slight, natural arc, not a straight-back-and-straight-through path. The device provides a physical guide for the heel of your putter, forcing it to travel along this ideal plane.

By repeatedly tracing the device’s curve, you ingrain the feeling of a stroke where the putter face naturally squares at impact without any conscious manipulation from your hands. This is key for eliminating pushes and pulls. The T3 is less about where you aim initially and more about ensuring the putter travels on a path that delivers a square clubface to the ball time and time again. It’s a tool for building a stroke you can trust.

SKLZ Golf Alignment Sticks: Versatile and Simple

You will find a pair of alignment sticks in the bag of nearly every professional golfer, and for good reason. Their brilliance lies in their simplicity and versatility. For putting, these simple rods can be configured in dozens of ways to provide feedback on virtually any part of your setup or stroke. They are the Swiss Army knife of golf training aids.

Commonly, two sticks are placed on the ground parallel to the target line, creating a "track" that helps align your feet, hips, and shoulders. You can also use them to form a "gate" just in front of the ball that the putt must roll through, giving you instant feedback on your starting line. Their low cost and multi-purpose functionality make them an essential, non-negotiable tool for any golfer serious about improving.

PuttOUT Mirror Trainer: For Perfecting Eye Position

The PuttOUT Mirror Trainer takes the concept of a simple putting mirror and adds layers of precision. Like other mirrors, it helps you confirm your eye and shoulder position relative to the ball. However, its integrated, adjustable magnetic guides set it apart. These guides create a narrow "putter gate" that your putter must swing through, providing immediate feedback on the path of your stroke.

This combination of setup verification and stroke path training is incredibly powerful. It forces you to not only set up correctly but also to execute a precise stroke that delivers the putter face squarely through the impact zone. For players who struggle with a wobbly takeaway or an inconsistent path, the PuttOUT Mirror provides the constraints needed to build a more stable, repeatable motion.

Tour Sticks: The Classic Choice for Simple Setups

Tour Sticks are the original and most recognized brand of alignment rods, establishing the standard for this simple yet profoundly effective tool. Made of high-quality fiberglass, they are designed to provide a perfect visual reference for a straight line. While functionally similar to other brands, their durability and reputation make them a trusted choice for golfers at all levels.

Their primary use in putting is to establish a consistent setup. By placing a stick on the ground pointing at your target, you create an unwavering reference line. You can then align your feet, knees, hips, and shoulders parallel to this line, ensuring your entire body is aimed correctly. Another stick can be placed perpendicular to the first to check for correct ball position, making it a foundational tool for building a solid, repeatable address position from the ground up.

T-Stroke Putting Aid: For a Stable Wrist Hinge

One of the most common putting flaws is excessive wrist movement, which leads to an inconsistent clubface angle at impact and poor distance control. The T-Stroke Putting Aid is designed specifically to solve this problem. The T-shaped device attaches to the top of your putter grip and the long end rests lightly against your lead forearm.

This connection creates a stable triangle between your arms and shoulders, promoting a one-piece rocking motion rather than a handsy, wristy flick. If you break your wrists during the stroke, you will immediately feel the rod separate from your arm. This tactile feedback is incredibly effective for training the larger muscles to control the putting stroke, leading to a much more consistent roll and dramatically improved distance control on long putts.

Alignment Pro: Hinged for Complex Practice Drills

The Alignment Pro takes the concept of standard alignment sticks and adds a crucial innovation: a hinge. This allows the single device to be bent at a 90-degree angle, or any other angle required for a specific drill. This simple addition opens up a world of practice possibilities without the need to carry multiple, separate sticks.

For putting, you can create a perfect right angle to check your putter face alignment and ball position simultaneously. You can set up a "track" for your stroke path and a "gate" for your ball with just one tool. This versatility allows a player to build a comprehensive practice station that checks multiple fundamentals at once. It’s an ideal tool for the dedicated player who wants maximum feedback from a single, compact aid.

Ultimately, the best putting alignment stick is the one that addresses your specific weakness, whether it’s eye position, stroke path, or body alignment. These tools are not a substitute for practice, but they ensure that the time you spend on the green is productive. By incorporating one into your routine, you can build the confidence that comes from knowing you are aimed perfectly, leaving you free to focus on the one thing that truly matters: rolling the ball into the hole.