Mats, not a fan....

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By Speedy

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  • 11 Replies
  1. Speedy

    Speedy
    East Coast, NH

    So winter continues to drag on here in NH.. It's still cold and there's still plenty of snow on the ground so courses won't be opening for a while.. During the winter I try to stay in golf shape by hitting our local range with heated bays or hitting the simulator. But you can only hit of mats for so long.. Not a huge fan of it, hard to tell if I hit it solid or now know what I mean? I don't know..

    Anyways, every year I always set up a net and mat in my garage just to keep loose ONCE i know we're officially done with snowstorms so taking my chances... Thank god for big garages...

    Anyone else enjoy hitting off mats? Do you feel like it helps ya game besides keeping lose? I I guess it's better then pretending to hit in the living room and not having ya wife yell at you :)

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  2. Rich T

    Rich T
    Shrewsbury, MA

    I am with you, Speedy. Mats are not my favorite and I will seek out a grass driving range for practice when possible. BUT, you and I both know it is something we have to deal with in the winter months if we want to swing the club. I find that mats can lead to getting a little steep. This can appear fine when on the mat but quickly realize the issue when you get out on grass and take a divot 6" deep. OOPS!
  3. Dale V

    Dale V
    Surprise AZ

    No, not too crazy about them either. Our course's practice area is on mats and they rarely allow us on the grass. That said, its better than nothing. I try to take it to the course as much as I can, not just to avoid the mats but to make the first shot count. Swing the Orange Whip in the backyard. Hopefully you will get that warm weather soon.
  4. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military
    I play most of my rounds at a local municipal course and on Monday - Thursday we hit of mats. Not my favorite but does save the driving range considering we have about 65,000 rounds a year. We beat the rush and play in the morning when most folks are at work. If I want to practice I do it Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Generally just warm-up M-Th, but otherwise can work on putting and chipping, which is the money game.
  5. JBigda

    JBigda
    Boston

    Same thing here in Boston. What I did this year was get an Eyeline Golf trainer. It’s a flat plastic plate that you place essentially behind the ball. You will get immediate feedback if you are hitting the ground or the ball first. It has made winter training much more enjoyable.
  6. Steve S

    Steve S
    Tuckerton, NJ

    I feel your pain Speedy. Not a fan of scrubbing the green off my Titleist club's. Like you said, better than nothing. We have had enough days to play this winter. Just layer up. March has been a bit much with 5 Nor Wasters. Hopefully it warms up soon.
    Play Well,
    Steve S.
  7. Tyler H

    Tyler H
    Appleton, WI

    I hit up the simulator at my club in the winter. I also try to make a few trips south before we open up for the season in Wisconsin. This year's winter trips have taken me to Florida and South Carolina so far. Will be taking a quick trip to North Carolina next week and plan to get a few swings in while I there.
  8. Rooster

    Rooster
    West Wareham, MA

    Military
    I hate mat's. Always seems like I am trying extra hard to pick it clean. Hate when you get that mat buildup on bottom of club.
  9. Mark F

    Mark F

    Speedy,

    I agree with you to some degree. The range that I go to has mats as well as a grass area. The problem is that the grass area is all chewed up so my experience has been that I don't get good contact and can't really tell what I'm doing swing wise. My problem with using mats is that they are perfect lies and don't reflect the lies that I find myself in while playing on the course. Not too many ranges have longish bermuda grass that my course has if I miss the green. I'm sure that many of the T/T members belong to clubs that have a groomed practice area to work on chips and pitches but I don't, so mats it is. Fairways and greens.

    Mark F
  10. TomW

    TomW
    North Carolina

    My right elbow is not a fan of hitting consistently off mats so I avoid them as much as possible during the Midwest off-season and completely during the season. Also, I don't like the idea of banging my "new (relatively)" 718 AP1's off the plastic, so when I head to the indoor range during these winter months I use my old set of irons.
  11. Aloha Bruce

    Aloha Bruce
    Sunnyvale, CA

    I can hit off of grass year round in NorCal.
  12. Jim S

    Jim S
    East Point, GA

    I'm not a big fan of mats,I think you get used to picking the ball instead of hitting down and through the ball. You do not need to start off the season with bad habits. Be patient.

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