Fairway mats

[harpo_72]

Different grass species, more weather, less money.

More challenge... all American golf handicaps are vanity caps ?

 

[Golfnut1957]

First day of mats this winter today. I love them and only wish I could use it everywhere, definitely including the rough there, and if I thought it would improve my dismal putting I'd use it on the green as well.

 

[rudebhoy]

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.

I took the plunge and bought one of these. It's just been delivered and I had a quick try of it in the back garden. It seems pretty decent, certainly doesn't move when you hit it, which is a big improvement on my original mat.

Looking forward to getting out on the course with it later this week.

 

[Bwgan]

I took the plunge and bought one of these. It's just been delivered and I had a quick try of it in the back garden. It seems pretty decent, certainly doesn't move when you hit it, which is a big improvement on my original mat.

Looking forward to getting out on the course with it later this week.

Order mine yesterday to give it a try... just had a dispatch so hoping it might be here to use tomorrow

 

[MendieGK]

A little update. I was one of the members to complain, and it’s been amended

 

[IanM]

Very interesting... so it you want to take a preferred lie, you must use the mat... wonder how many "high traffic areas" there will be?

But, it is good that the club listened to the membership.

 

[MendieGK]

Very interesting... so it you want to talk a preferred lie, you must use the mat... wonder how many "high traffic areas" there will be?

But, it is good that the club listened to the membership.

You rarely get a bad lie anyway on the fairway there or mud ball other than on 4, 8 and 16

 

[IanM]

I was thinking similar... but would expect you to be landing on the 16th green!!

 

[KenL]

A little update. I was one of the members to complain, and it’s been amended

Sensible decision. We will have them on all fairways and in the semi-rough starting in December.

 

[Zig]

Sensible decision. We will have them on all fairways and in the semi-rough starting in December.

Really interesting debate this one...

I'm a member at a links. I get the benefit of it being open and dry throughout the year. Appreciate how fortunate I am. Our fairways were a mess two summers ago due to the dry conditions, and it's taken till now to get them amazing again.

We're not using mats this winter... but I think we should be. I can't see the benefit in gouging out the fairways when there'll be no growth till March. Winter golf means forward tees, some GUR, wearing multiple layers etc etc etc... is playing off mats such an issue? Like the letter pictured above, our members would rather tee up/go to the semi. And the committee will argue our visitor numbers are high through the winter and visitors don't want to play off mats. I'd just rather have a good course for 8 months of the year, help the greenskeepers a bit, and not have to curse when I'm in an unnecessary divot in the middle of the fairway come April.

First world problem though. Understand others' views. Stay safe everyone!

 

[IanM]

I think the latitude of your golf course is very significant here... Burnham on the Somerset coast has very different weather conditions to Aberdeen etc etc

And, the forward tees you mention are in place, not only to protect the teeing ground over winter, but to make the landing areas further forward and protect the usual landing area on the fairway when there is less growth.

Several links on the South Wales Coast sell their suitability for winter golf on their drainage, having mats would nobble that.

 

[126849660]

My club has said fairway matts need to be used now or play from rough. Will most pro shops sell these ? Playing all this week so would be better if I can just pick one up in the morning from pro shop instead of buying online and waiting a few days

 

[Deleted member 25172]

Considering what a bog our course is in the winter, if I had my way I'd make mats mandatory between December-April and for trolleys to be banned for anyone under the age of 65 or with a medical exemption.

I think I'd have to leave the club if I put that forward though.

 

[patricks148]

My club has said fairway matts need to be used now or play from rough. Will most pro shops sell these ? Playing all this week so would be better if I can just pick one up in the morning from pro shop instead of buying online and waiting a few days

i'd imag most places would have them on sale or to borrow and return if the are going onto mats

 

[patricks148]

Considering what a bog our course is in the winter, if I had my way I'd make mats mandatory between December-April and for trolleys to be banned for anyone under the age of 65 or with a medical exemption.

I think I'd have to leave the club if I put that forward though.

i suppse it depends where you are. down south you still get ground temps where grass will still grow, so i understand the reluctance to have mats in winter, for us north of the boarder its not an option and longer, we can't even have drop to the side anymore as the raise in people playing in winter meant that on some of the short holes partsof the rough were trashed, so we have no real option

 

[Deleted member 25172]

i suppse it depends where you are. down south you still get ground temps where grass will still grow, so i understand the reluctance to have mats in winter, for us north of the boarder its not an option and longer, we can't even have drop to the side anymore as the raise in people playing in winter meant that on some of the short holes partsof the rough were trashed, so we have no real option

It's an absolute bog I promise you that, and when spring comes everyone is up in arms about the state of the fairways, with none, or at least very few who seem to consider why that is the case.

I don't want to play off mats, but I think that introducing them is a necessary evil at our place.

 

[pendodave]

Considering what a bog our course is in the winter, if I had my way I'd make mats mandatory between December-April and for trolleys to be banned for anyone under the age of 65 or with a medical exemption.

I think I'd have to leave the club if I put that forward though.

Iirc we have the same underlying geology (London clay) as you.
I agree with you completely. It's hard to explain to those who don't venture into this stuff in winter just how badly it drains and how fluid the top few inches are.
I'm sure that using a mat, rather than getting a face full of watery mud after every iron shot would be far more pleasant than the members imagine.
I use a weird plastic thing from Scotland when I'm playing alone, but don't like to take advantage if I'm in a group.

 

[Deleted member 25172]

Iirc we have the same underlying geology (London clay) as you.
I agree with you completely. It's hard to explain to those who don't venture into this stuff in winter just how badly it drains and how fluid the top few inches are.
I'm sure that using a mat, rather than getting a face full of watery mud after every iron shot would be far more pleasant than the members imagine.
I use a weird plastic thing from Scotland when I'm playing alone, but don't like to take advantage if I'm in a group.

Yeah, I'm at Mill Hill in NW London. Obviously, it was even worse the past winter due to the record levels of rain we had. But as you say, the "divots" in the winter aren't actually divots, but just big splashes of watery mud, so there's no way of putting it back to fix it.
Even though I know the outcome already, I think that I may bring it up and see if it could at least be considered.

 

[patricks148]

It's an absolute bog I promise you that, and when spring comes everyone is up in arms about the state of the fairways, with none, or at least very few who seem to consider why that is the case.

I don't want to play off mats, but I think that introducing them is a necessary evil at our place.

i suppse they would say its still a bog mats or not due to the soil. but mats isn't that bad... never fat a shot again and always get a good lie

plenty about still refuse to use them, a few get caught evey year, a snotty letter is not harsh enough punishment and doesn't stop the same people ignoring the rules

 

[Jacko_G]

Perfect lie every time - where is the problem???