Trouble hitting off turf mats?

[$2 Nassau]

Hi everyone, new to the forum. I've got a quick question for you, do you ever have trouble hitting those turf mats? Haven't been playing many rounds lately but have spent some time at the range. Hate to search for excuses, but I have a heck of a time hitting off the turf mats....anyone else experience this?

 

[sandwedge]

I actually hit better off the mats but that doesn't help me on the course where there aren't any mats. I would try finding a range that doesn't use the mats or has an option not to use them if you don't want.

 

[Adam Pettman]

I hate the mats at the range they give you nearly zero feedback as to whether you've hit the ball fat or not.

 

[RickinMA]

alot of it depends on your swing - if you have a sweeping swing, the mats shouldn't have much impact - if you hit down on the ball and normally take a divot, the mats are going to give you a different result

i hit my irons OK yesterday at the range but my distances were all messed up because the signs were screwy - I needed an 8iron to get to the 100yrd sign at the range

I stopped on the way home at a football/soccer field near my house - dropped 3 balls under the goalposts and aimed at the other side - I had 3 balls land within 5 feet, 20 yrd from the post I was aiming at - 100yrds into the wind with my PW just as I expected and it was a nice tight grouping - I'm all about the shag field going forward

I also struggle with the tee height at the driving range - tees are either too high or too low

 

[ezra76]

I don't care for the rubber tees either. Tough to get one I feel comfortable with heightwise.

My problem is like Adam said, no feedback. I could hit 1000 perfect looking iron shots in a row off the mats. Off the grass I take a sizeable divot. After hitting balls off the mat I hit them fat off the grass. I also had some pretty good wrist pain after the last time as well. I had a thread about it a few months ago called "done with mats" and I am still done with them. I'd rather hit wedges off the grass in a rain jacket than hit off the mats now.

 

[demon]

its easy to hit decent shots off of mats since you take away the "fat shot" variable out of the formula, plus your club doesnt get caught up on different types of lies or different turf conditions.

 

[artfulgolfer]

I NEVER hit off mats. I took up the game 7 years ago and quit after 3 months after getting a bad case of tendonitis from hitting off mats. Even after quitting, the tendonitis lasted 2.5 years. I finally tried golf again 2 years ago and have been playing tendonitis-free ever since, by avoiding mats. If you hit down on the ball with your irons, don't even think about it. My game started getting a lot better too when I spent my practice time of the course instead of the range. We can all shoot scratch golf on the range

 

[RickinMA]

I'd rather hit wedges off the grass in a rain jacket than hit off the mats now.

this is what I did yesterday after the range- except I left the rain gear in the car - didn't want the noise of the rain on my hood preventing me from hearing the thunder

 

[extremeVFT03]

i find that after i hit off the mats when i go to play for some reason i hit alot of fat shots. i hate mats but when im working alot ill go to the driving range when its raining, my olny days off. but i find it hurts me more then it helps.

 

[BStone]

There are certain mats that are better than others, the ones with longer tyrf allow for some hitting down on the ball, but I will avoid mats at all cost.

 

[Greydawg]

I don't like hitting off of mats either.
And if you're like me and sometimes hit behind the ball,
I don't believe it does your clubs any good either.
But it's the 'only game in town' as far as a range is concerned.

I got my own rubber tee and cut it down to size.
Seems to work ok for me now.

 

[Sandpiper3]

Agree with Tmag, i avoid them at all costs, i absolutely hate mats. I cant notice when my swing gets a little iffy as my major swing flaw is coming a little steep and getting it fat, although I start to notice it in my wrists after a few bad ones