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Anybody have a ton of experience hitting off golf mats at the driving range and paying attention to how that translates on real turf?
I need to hit balls badly, but everybody's range in town is mats-only right now. The last thing I need to do is waste hours on the range doing something that isn't going to help me on the course. I've always avoided golf mats. But the more I hit off of them, the more it seems like hitting off hardpan, and that's a good thing ... if you can hit flush shots off hardpan, you're dang good. |
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| # 16 2/1/2011 6:27:12 PM |
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I hate golf mats with the passion of three suns. No feedback...you could be hitting the ball fat and you hardly can tell. I also have a Hate relationship with mats, even though I live in So. Fla.That being said I live in Iowa...so mats are a way of life until late Spring. If that's true, it fits exactly in with MikeNomgi's advice on the golf mat ... if you can't tell you're hitting fat on the mat, then you go from the golf mat to the course and hit it fat because of the lack of feedback on the mat. Right? Anybody ever play at St. Andrews (or anywhere else) during the winter season when they make you hit off mats in the fairway? Colin Montgomerie said it's made a huge difference in course condition, saying the golf mats help preserve St. Andrews' fairways, so that when spring comes around, the course is tip-top. But I've always wondered what kind of mats are they using? A friend of mine is a member at Pleasant Valley in Sutton, Mass., where the PGA Tour had a tournament for many years until 1998. The week before the tournament, the members had to play off mats. Incidentally, PV was sold at auction last November. |
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| # 17 2/1/2011 7:14:17 PM |
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I hate golf mats with the passion of three suns. No feedback...you could be hitting the ball fat and you hardly can tell. I also have a Hate relationship with mats, even though I live in So. Fla.That being said I live in Iowa...so mats are a way of life until late Spring. If that's true, it fits exactly in with MikeNomgi's advice on the golf mat ... if you can't tell you're hitting fat on the mat, then you go from the golf mat to the course and hit it fat because of the lack of feedback on the mat. Right? Anybody ever play at St. Andrews (or anywhere else) during the winter season when they make you hit off mats in the fairway? Colin Montgomerie said it's made a huge difference in course condition, saying the golf mats help preserve St. Andrews' fairways, so that when spring comes around, the course is tip-top. But I've always wondered what kind of mats are they using? A friend of mine is a member at Pleasant Valley in Sutton, Mass., where the PGA Tour had a tournament for many years until 1998. The week before the tournament, the members had to play off mats. Incidentally, PV was sold at auction last November. Hard to blame them. Divots take weeks to heal completely. And I'm still not sure how much time the sand-filled divot needs ... a month? Needless to say, I'd rather not play off a mat at St. Andrews if I ever make it over there. But if the timing were out of my hands, I'd play any way they'd let me. |
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| # 18 2/4/2011 4:56:03 PM |
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Hitting off Mats is hard on you and the clubs. You are right about that it will add a shot to your bag. to pick a ball clean is a shot we all could use at some time.
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| # 19 2/26/2011 9:45:18 PM |
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I hit off mats constantly because its winter and i live in the suburbs of Chicago. I used to have trouble being able to tell when I hit the shot fat but now I know the different feel. Once I figured out how the fat shot felt different from the ball first contact I have not had a problem hitting off the mats. There is also a slight sound difference when you hit the mat first as opposed to contact with the mat after the ball. Yep, this year I hit off mats more than ever, and by about the third or fourth week, I could feel the difference in fat vs. crisp. I'll have to pay closer attention to the sound difference. I know it's there. |
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| # 20 2/26/2011 10:11:01 PM |
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hitting off a mat isnt a problem but make sure you put a small etowl down flat about 2 inches behind the ball.. we have a tendency to learn to hit to fat off of mats because of the bounce of the club.. dont touch the turwel to make sure the club is comming in contact with the ball before the ground.
otherwise you will be diggin a lot of dirt the first time out on the real track. |
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| # 21 2/26/2011 11:09:22 PM |
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When hitting off the mat, try not to pay attention on the distance but the direction.
It's a good way to learn to hit a shallow divot. |
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| # 22 2/27/2011 2:57:43 AM |
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I like hitting off of the mats, it forces me to have good contact(if you are you digging then you are doing something wrong, not making ball first contact, and that would translate to a fat shot on course.) A good tight lie hard mat is nice, and what I usually practice on. If you can make GOOD contact on the mat, you can make good contact on the course.
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| # 23 6/15/2011 10:22:52 AM |
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I can't stand hitting off of mats; however, it beats hitting off of ranges with no grass. The mats are not very good for your clubs either. I use them sparingly. But sometimes you just need to hit some balls. The worst part is hitting my driver. I hate trying to hit my driver off those horrible mat Tee areas. They are worthless.
I just stick to chipping and putting when the "mats only" rule is in effect. I only hit balls if someone leaves some on the range. I never buy balls to hit on range mats. It has helped my short game (and overall game) to spend more time chipping, pitching, and putting. |
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| # 24 6/15/2011 10:43:43 AM |
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The worst part is hitting my driver. I hate trying to hit my driver off those horrible mat Tee areas. They are worthless. Isn't this the one club where it shouldn't make any difference what surface you are playing off, since there is no contact between clubhead and ground? Or is it the rubber tees that bug you? |
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| # 25 6/15/2011 6:35:09 PM |
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The worst part is hitting my driver. I hate trying to hit my driver off those horrible mat Tee areas. They are worthless. Isn't this the one club where it shouldn't make any difference what surface you are playing off, since there is no contact between clubhead and ground? Or is it the rubber tees that bug you? Ironically, I had to hit off mats today at Longwood in Houston, and you're right ... the driver is the easiest thing to hit off good mats. The ones at Longwood have a new way to use tees that works really well. Instead of a little rubber tee, there's a much shorter rubber thingy that you stick YOUR tee into, however high you want, short tee, super long tee, whatever, then hit away. I POUNDED driver off that thing and loved it. |
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| # 26 6/18/2011 3:25:48 PM |
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If your if the Ball first as you should.... being on grass or mat or sand.... it does not matter....It's a mind thing... get over it and you will foucs on the ball no matter what lie you have.... hit it long and staright. :)
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| # 27 6/24/2011 12:16:10 PM |
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this depends on what they are using from mats. The typical flat mat is hard on clubs and your wrists. But there are some that have some really natural give much more like turf. VJ used to advertise one that had spring in it that is on some courses. I actually bought one and use it quite often from my barn.
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