Driving range mats

[Harry_Putter]

The mats at my local driving range are fairly old/worn and are rock hard especially when dry. I struggle to hit a decent shot off them without pain jarring up my arms when I catch the floor. I don't have this problem at my club as the mats are fairly new and 'spongy'. At the range someone has placed one mat on top of another and I now use these as they are much more forgiving. My question is - am I doing the right thing or should I be playing off a single mat? Sorry if this seems a daft question but I haven't been playing the game long.

 

[madandra]

H_P, whatever reduces the shock travelling through the shaft and into your wrists and hands. Even the driest conditions on the course allow the club to slide inder the ball without doing any damage to your limbs. I would avoid anything that doesn't feel comfortable and if it means doing a princess and the pea (7 mats) go for it.

 

[MVP]

Madandra is right(wow i wouldnt think i'd ever say, type that)

You could be risking injury if your hitting off of hard surfaces frequently

 

[Harry_Putter]

Thanks for that. I was just wondering why nobody else seems to use them, or maybe they do when I'm not there.

 

[Mr_Top_Shot]

You wouldn't try amd play off a tiled kitchen floor would you? So definately doubling up is a good idea.

 

[billyg]

I was warned long ago by a pro not to use hard mats. People really are injured by using them. If I go to a range and this is the situation it's going to be a rubber tee peg that day for me.

Some harder mats have a certain amount of 'bounce' to them and I guess this is achieved by having some sort of shallow cavity underneath.

The best ones ive come across have a strip of thicker faux-turf running down the target line. However, ive only seen these accompanied by the auto-tee machines. They're very good but can occasionally have an 'eppy if you strike too closely to the retractable tee peg. Very distracting sometimes.

Watch your wrists- you only get two and you need 'em both to swing a club.

 

[golfcitydweller]

h-p ,only problem with playin off a double mat is the height of the ball ,watch when u go back to hittin off grass again ,as u might catch them a little thin ,also if u continue to hit off hard mat -ur lofts and lies might get knocked out ....

 

[TonyN]

surely the above wont count if your standing on the mat, Even if you were on ten mats, your feet are still the same height as the ball. I dont know any ranges where you dont stand off the mat

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have suffered over the winter. Have a serious case of golfers elbow and been told the only real treatment is rest. Bugger that after all the work I've put in over the winter.

The new season is just starting (our club matchplay entries are up and the "board" events have started). Every time I go to the range I'm having to icepack my arm to keep the swelling up. Sadly I also suffer of the turf at my club's practice ground.

The mats I use are the EZtee ones where you pop the balls in and they automatically load on to the tee. It seems a fairly standard mat so I wa surprised when my arm began to hurt.

Seems I wasn't alone. Not sure how I'd get 2 mats on top of each ohter as it is one mat per bay and they look fairly securely fastened into the teeing area

 

[madandra]

surely the above wont count if your standing on the mat, Even if you were on ten mats, your feet are still the same height as the ball. I dont know any ranges where you dont stand off the mat

Euan, I agree with this point as the mats I play off are full length.

 

[RGuk]

Rock hard mats don't bother me a great deal but if I went to a range where I was seriously concerned about hurting myself, I'd just use a low rubber tee. I have my own set of tees for the range. Even an old mat should have enough give in it for short irons...but using two seems a.o.k.
I don't like the "fake grass insert" mats much.