Fairway mats

[rudebhoy]

Our place has put fairway protection in force this week. In previous years we had the choice of playing off a mat, or moving the ball to the semi rough and playing from there. However the powers that be have decided moving the ball is no longer allowed, and a mat must be used.

Our Pro shop is selling the one below, it's a bit cheap and nasty, I'm finding it a struggle. Can anyone recommend a decent one?

 

[MendieGK]

They’ve done that at burnham
This year. Terrible decision in my opinion, we pay good money to be a member of a links course to get all year golf, and now they do this.

 

[evemccc]

I’ve never played on a mat - just seen them on Rick Shiels videos where he plays at Birkdale a few weeks before the Open.

Really doesn’t strike me as something i would want to do. Seems harder, as the ball would be raised higher than your feet

 

[ScienceBoy]

I’ve never played on a mat - just seen them on Rick Shiels videos where he plays at Birkdale a few weeks before the Open.

Really doesn’t strike me as something i would want to do. Seems harder, as the ball would be raised higher than your feet

We all play off uneven lies so it’s something you quickly get used to I am sure.

If you golf a lot over the winter then investing in a personal mat is a very good idea, you probably need to pay a lot more to make it worth it but if you golf enough it will be.

 

[rulefan]

Our place has put fairway protection in force this week. In previous years we had the choice of playing off a mat, or moving the ball to the semi rough and playing from there. However the powers that be have decided moving the ball is no longer allowed, and a mat must be used.

That has always been contrary to the Rules of Golf and expressly forbidden by CONGU for qualifiers

 

[Robster59]

I use the Divotend fairway mat. I prefer it to the mat shown above as it compresses when you strike the ball. I understand Masters Golf do a copy.
Divotend Fairway mat

 

[Zig]

We were given these to use at one course a couple of winters ago in Ireland. I bought one when we came back to use as didn't like the depth of astroturf ones and felt like I was going to hit the front of it all the time. Have no issues at all using this. https://www.fairwayproductsonline.co.uk/winter-fairway-mat/multimat

I'm a member at a links course too... taking divots is the same wherever you play - the grass can't grow if it's not warm enough. Happy to play off these to get a divot free course in April.

 

[Orikoru]

I’ve never played on a mat - just seen them on Rick Shiels videos where he plays at Birkdale a few weeks before the Open.

Really doesn’t strike me as something i would want to do. Seems harder, as the ball would be raised higher than your feet

Every year this debate pops up, haha. (I'm with you, doesn't seem appealing.)

 

[robinthehood]

Every year this debate pops up, haha. (I'm with you, doesn't seem appealing.)

I think at a lot of places they are mandatory.

 

[Orikoru]

I think at a lot of places they are mandatory.

Then I'd play somewhere else.

 

[evemccc]

If you play a links course in winter where fairway mats are mandatory, the course provides the required mats, right?

So no need for possible occasional visitors to such courses to buy one?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

The one in the OP is ok , they are loads of different options

When the drought happened and we lost our fairways we used them for a couple of months and they helped , thankfully we not longer need to

Wasn’t a fan of them before after using them they aren’t that big of an issue and maybe some clubs should use them more often

But agree with Mendie that I can’t understand why links courses use them when they selling point of a links course is year round golf.

 

[rudebhoy]

If you play a links course in winter where fairway mats are mandatory, the course provides the required mats, right?

So no need for possible occasional visitors to such courses to buy one?

our place is selling them to members for a fiver which you can get back when the rule is lifted (if you are that tight!), or lending them to visitors. Bit of a pain for the guys in the shop as they need to sanitize them when they are handed back in by guests/visitors.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Don't have a problem with mats as such.

Don't know the reasons why some courses have introduced them, perhaps post up reasons given ?

However given the amount that courses are being pounded by extra rounds of golf(still mentally busier at the courses I go to) and lack of growth in winter and the last few years weather growing conditions, cant say I am surprised that mats use are growing.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Before too many get overly grumpy, Rudebhoy plays at a parkland course, not links. A very nice course it is too. It tends to suffer a bit in the winter and so this makes sense. Last week was very wet up here, still is now, so it is fully understandable why they have brought the mats rule in.

Carry on being grumpy about links and mats etc but it does not relate to the OP.

 

[Sports_Fanatic]

I don't understand why more courses don't encourage use throughout winter in socials, and then potentially allow normal in a comp once a week. Still reducing overall impact to the course of divots.

Got to admit I've used them a few times and thought they were absolutely fine, particularly compared with some bare or wet lies you can get in winter on some courses.

 

[Golfnut1957]

https://spurkgolf.co.uk

This is what you need, I have one and they are brilliant. The little legs face forward so the mat never moves when struck by a club. You can get short or very short "grass" and as an added bonus the back spin on wedge shots is pure tour pro, which is great until spring comes around and we have to revert to real grass.

As for the debate about mats or not, I'm all for them. It's winter, the course is getting beaten to death so anything that brings us out the other side in a healthier position is more than welcome.

We used them last year for the first time and there were areas of the course that come spring were in so much better condition than in previous years it was obvious that it is a no brainer. The club has re-introduced them starting today, or you can play out of the rough.

 

[IanM]

They’ve done that at burnham
This year. Terrible decision in my opinion, we pay good money to be a member of a links course to get all year golf, and now they do this.

I am in shock! We were planning an escape from Wales to play Burnham in the next few weeks.... got the Dormy booked as usual in Feb, I hope there are not in use then. I'll get lynched!
Is this a one off or a new winter policy?

That has always been contrary to the Rules of Golf and expressly forbidden by CONGU for qualifiers

hence why they suspend qualifiers "off season!"

 

[Orikoru]

You could contact a few astroturf providers, tell them you're thinking about doing your garden and ask them for a bunch of samples. Then pick the best one to use as a mat. Won't cost you a penny.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

The one in the OP is ok , they are loads of different options

When the drought happened and we lost our fairways we used them for a couple of months and they helped , thankfully we not longer need to

Wasn’t a fan of them before after using them they aren’t that big of an issue and maybe some clubs should use them more often

But agree with Mendie that I can’t understand why links courses use them when they selling point of a links course is year round golf.

Possibly because grass won't grow over winter. Yes links is great for winter golf as it is not a muddy swamp but we face the same facts of nature with growth.

We started using optional mats a couple of years back after after a cold spring going straight into a long dry hot spell which meant we hardly had any growth before August. Most members use them as we understand the fairways will be in much better shape early season and it is a benefit.

Visitors are not required to use mats.