Bert
Club Champion
Sorry if this has been asked before.
Are driving range mats bad for your game?
Are driving range mats bad for your game?
Driving range mats
- Thread starter Bert
- Start date
Craigg
Q-School Graduate
Very difficult to swing them.......
Craigg
Q-School Graduate
Sorry, couldn't resist.
I personally don't mind them, as long as there is a bit of substance to them and they're not worn out. Certainly wouldn't say they are bad for your game. In what way do you mean?
I personally don't mind them, as long as there is a bit of substance to them and they're not worn out. Certainly wouldn't say they are bad for your game. In what way do you mean?
Tongo
Journeyman Pro
I've never found them detrimental. But its obviously impossible to replicate an on course scenario at the driving range, particularly this time of year when courses are so soft.
Tis a bit like a cricket net and then switching to actual wickets during the first few weeks of the season.
Hacker Khan
Yurt Dwelling, Yoghurt Knitter
The obviously do not replicate hitting off grass. And they can mask a few issues as you can not dig into the mat before the ball like you can on grass, and the club may skid on the mat meaning you hit the ball OK. Thus giving you the impression that with that swing you hit the ball well.
But I'd say on the main if you can practice off grass, but if this is not possible hitting it off mats is a whole lot better than hitting it off concrete, or not hitting it at all.
But I'd say on the main if you can practice off grass, but if this is not possible hitting it off mats is a whole lot better than hitting it off concrete, or not hitting it at all.
Bert
Club Champion
What I really meant was can you practise efficiently on them i.e. improve your game without picking up bad habits you might not do on the course?
srixon 1
Journeyman Pro
The only detriment that i can think of is this. Because you cannot take a divot it can encourage you to swing so that you sweep the ball off the mat. Okay for long irons or fairway woods, but not for wedges and short irons where the ideal strike is downwards.
They can mask a poor strike and even a fat shot will skid a little off the mat and make an ok strike but to me the range has it's place to work on drills and keep the swing ticking over at this time of year
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
If I hit a ball from the fairway like I hit balls off of range mats, I would have given this game up years ago.
Seriously.
Hate them with a passion.
Seriously.
Hate them with a passion.
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
Its much easier to still get a half decent strike off a mat than off grass, so if you repeat a flaw on a mat enough times its a dangerous habit to then take onto the course
seasidehacker
Assistant Pro
The quality of the mats are so different from range to range its hard to answer that question. I have two ranges near me, first one has lovely mats that you can get under the ball a little and the other range has mats like concrete. You have to hit the ball dead on and your feet slip as you swing.
I would say poor quality mats ruin your game as apposed to all mats. Just tee it up and use your driver if you struggle.
I would say poor quality mats ruin your game as apposed to all mats. Just tee it up and use your driver if you struggle.
ManinBlack
Tour Winner
I wouldn't put it as strongly as that but if I hit it OK at the range I know I'm going to hit it well on the course. At the range I use the mats are hard and smooth & any shot hit behind the ball goes nowhere (& hurts a lot this weather!) The pro teaching me uses a very low tee, which is a good idea, simulates a decent lie on the fairway.
jpjeffery
Assistant Pro
This.
I hate hitting off mats, so much so that I'm considering only ever using the tees at the range, which means I'm only going to be practising for 18 tee shots (rather than for the other 86 shots!)
seasidehacker
Assistant Pro
I think this is the only way to use the range
yes, most range mats are infected with Shermanitis, best avoided
