Are mats really that detrimental to your game?

[Parmo]

I ask because we have a grass range but mat two bays, which I enjoy mud free! I just find this time of the year the ground is either frozen or you are swinging in a mudfest after a few balls, in the summer though I use grass 24/7.

So are mats that bad?

 

[birdieman]

Mats are fine for 4 iron up to driver.
For the shorther clubs you're supposed to be hitting before the bottom of the swing arc resulting in clubhead scooping a small divot. On mats you obviously can't do that (you can try!) so what you get is jarring through the club to your body.
To me that means you are not completing the swing correctly as the clubhead can't follow it's natural path so your follow through is not in the same place as it would be if you were hitting off grass i.e. you cant follow through the ball correctly after impact so instead of extending through the turf on it's natural arc your clubhead is bouncing off it's natural arc.
What that all means I don't know but for me repeatedly hitting 6i or 8i off mats can become quite unpleasant.
Maybe some ranges have better softer mats that help with this but the ones localish to me are reasonably brutal.
I seem to remember the ones at St Andrews Links practice centre being better.

 

[Parmo]

arr right, I don't tend to take divots anyway so maybe not too bad, but I shall spend more time with pitching, chipping and the likes on grass

 

[CarpeDiem]

So going with what Birdieman is saying, then yes, because you are changing your swing to suit getting good contact.

 

[birdieman]

arr right, I don't tend to take divots anyway so maybe not too bad, but I shall spend more time with pitching, chipping and the likes on grass

In order to generate backspin the club needs to strike the ball on a descending blow so the ball runs up the clubface whereupon the nice sharp edged grooves grab the expensive skin of your ProV1 and make it spin like a mad spinny thing!
That is achieved by keeping your weight moving to your left side and your hands ahead of the clubhead through the strike.

 

[Fore]

I came to the conclusion a while back that Range mats are only really any good for practising tee shots that don't require a divot to be taken. ie Long irons, woods and driver.
It's hard to find somewhere to actually practise proper fairway strokes off the turf especially in the winter.

 

[medwayjon]

Mats are very flattering to a poor strike and a poorly hit 7I will still fly vaguely like a sweet strike.

Hit a poor strike on grass and its different.

Agree with birdieman, I get all sorts of wrist and elbow pains after hitting short clubs at the range because of the lack of forgiveness in mats.

 

[Twire]

I was up at out local range before christmas. On the Thursday I hit 100 balls and on the Friday I hit 50 balls. Come Saturday I had a very sore left wrist, I put this down to hitting a lot of balls in a short space of time. I didn't even consider it could have been because I was hitting off the mats. After reading this thread I think I'll be a little more careful hitting short irons off the mats.

 

[Parmo]

Ok, I shall try the grass this weekend, though it is nice to see shots fly off the face on mats but really a 7i needs spin, that said it is cozy with a flask of coffee in the bay.

 

[RGuk]

My OPINION only.

I learned (practiced) to play entriely on mats. I started going round in over 110, and got down to a h'cap of 8.4. I was a member of a public course with only short game areas.

As most of you know, I also play music for a living and am extra careful to protect my hands and wrists.

I would agree 100% that for short clubs, you are not learning the entirley correct technique, although a mat seems ok for players that take a small divot.

If you enjoy range trips, just go for it! Buy a set of rubber tees and cut one down to "just peeking" above the mat.

I do LOTS of half and punch-y shots with wedges on mats.....I've never hurt myself.....and I use exactly the same technique as on the course, where I take a divot.

All practice is good practice (almost!!?)......do it and enjoy!!

 

[Robobum]

If you are hitting 1000s of balls off the mats then I'm sure that there will eventually be some wear damage in your wrists/ elbows etc. If you have an existing (although maybe unknown as yet) injury then this will aggravate it also.

If you are only hitting 100 or so balls a week off the mats then the risk is smaller unless your technique is such that you are "digging for oil" with your irons.

A perfect divot should be a very shallow one anyway and because (with irons) you want ball 1st contact, ball striking shouldn't be affected too much.

 

[marmar]

I hit off mats all the time down the range every week. Mind you we have a power tee system and the mat around the tee is very soft and grass like. Have to say I wouldn't want to hit off the traditional style of mat down there very much, can see a bit of pain coming from those!

 

[mikeyh]

Thing is, if its the only way you can practise then its better than none. I am practising in my garage hitting off an old dining room mat which is quite thick, and no damage yet (touch wood : ) ). Not hitting balls but it helps the swing position!

 

[viscount17]

my local range has those non-resilient black edged/based mats that are pretty unforgiving; I've taken to just hitting long irons and woods or half/3/4 swings on shorter irons and wedges - there is no grass practice area.

the local DG has the power tees, two-surface mats - one longer and 'tufty', the other a flatter but slightly spongy surface. off those I'll hit anything. only problem is that the tee heights don't suit, either too high or too low.

the other mats, and those I hate with a vengeance, are those on our winter tees. these are a hard abrasive. scouring pad set in, usually, a concrete base which is too narrow and frequently not levelled. the mats are too hard to tee through and the slots become so wide nothing will remain upright.

 

[USER1999]

That is where those nasty rubber tees your aunt buys you for xmas come in. I have a set, and although I hate and despise them, they do come in useful. Need to swallow some pride to use them though.

I can hit anything off mats. I find half wedges spin like a mad thing off mats. I prefer to practice with a 6i, as it is neither long, nor short.

 

[Herbie]

Mats affect the range of shots you can take.
Carry mats that some clubs use to protect fairways give you unnatural lies raising the ball a few mil above the ground which in time could have an effect on your striking when mats not in use.
Mats make you take shots you wouldnt normally take which could cock up your natural game and ball strike.

Other than that, if you are happy to use them and believe it has no effect on your game then fill yer boots!

 

[Mawgan]

I don't believe that these mats are actually detrimental to your game, if used for a 'reasonable' amount of practice. I would have thought that a complete lack of practice would be more detrimental.

I would say however that practice should simulate the playing experience and I daresay very few of us play our games off mats, and therefore playing from grass is preferable. As someone said, mats can flatter a poor strike. At this time of year though, certainly in this part of Kent, grass isn't a viable option.

 

[Imurg]

One of my local ranges has mats with 2 different "grades". A fairly soft "fairway" and bristly rough. The strike feels normal to me as the mat gives a bit on impact. So it really depends on the mats you have in front of you.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Maybe I am in the minority but I have no problem hitting off range mats (and most of you know what a practice junkie I am) and taking the same swing onto a course.

That said I prefer the longer nights or warmer weekends when I can hit off the grass at the practice ground but I'd rather hit off mats in the winter and keep the swing ticking over than not play at all

 

[billyg]

Mats are very flattering to a poor strike and a poorly hit 7I will still fly vaguely like a sweet strike.

Hit a poor strike on grass and its different.

Agree with birdieman, I get all sorts of wrist and elbow pains after hitting short clubs at the range because of the lack of forgiveness in mats.

seconded.

Any sort of positional iron shot is going to be compromised by an unyielding mat IMHO. Even a first cut of grass is going to be more forgiving than typical range mat. I personally take the results from mats with anything shorter than a 4 iron with a pinch of salts as far as quality of contact and distance is concerned.

bill