Fairway Mats

[Mandofred]

Hitting off grass, not a piece of plastic. I have tried my hardest this year but just can't get on with them. Just dosnt look right to me.
If you want to protect the fairways at least have the option to drop to the side. That way everyone is happy.
Just my opinion of course.

If the fairways had decent grass....I'd agree with you. If you end up looking within 6 inches of where your ball is (preferred lies)....and can't find anything more than a tiny bit of grass to put the ball on.....all you end up doing is ripping out that tiny bit of grass that won't re-grow for months until the weather gets better.

There is nothing even remotely hard about hitting off a fairway mat. You hit the ball just like you would off of grass. Hit the ball first...then the mat (or grass). We had the option of dropping to the side for a while...lots of deep divots all over the sides (better than the fairway I guess).

 

[Bobthesock]

Matter of interest, have you tried the Spurk? It really is miles better than any other mat I've played off. We have the choice of top to the side or mat, before I'd often pick the drop to the side, now I'm really happy playing off the mat.

No but it does look pretty good. Might have a go with one next year. Looks to sit closer to the ground which is the issue I have with the plastic ones. Been hitting everything thin since started using one of them last November.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I hate the hedge hog wheels because of the amount of damage they do.

I have one mate with them and you can see everywhere he has been and would hate for my ball to end up in one of the depressions they leave (from which there would be no relief unless in an area allowed).

We have had hedgehog wheels for 4/5 years now and what’s this “damage” they cause ? We don’t have any issues with them and they allow trolleys to be used more - we also don’t see sliding and skid marks from other trolley wheels

It has been well shown over recent years how much better fairways are in the late winter and spring with mats. Instead of bald divot holes, a lovely green sward.

Be wary of hedgehog wheels, unless your course is hilly when they can help reduce wheel spin and skidding. Concentrating the weight into the protrusions causes depressions in the surface where water collects. This can cause poor quality grass. When I was involved with the STRI many years ago this was shown to be the case.

have you got the STRI report to show that hedgehog wheels could cause poor quality grass - that’s different to the reports out GK has done with them

 

[rulefan]

have you got the STRI report to show that hedgehog wheels could cause poor quality grass - that’s different to the reports out GK has done with them

I'm afraid I haven't. The Committee I was on was disbanded some years ago and I haven't kept my files.

However, I found this in my notes from my club's Greens Committee meeting from about the same time. I believe our Greens Chair released the comments to a golfing magazine

Our greens manager (a former superintendent at the STRI and a Master Greenkeeper) took us out on the course and showed us the depressions that these wheels had made on a soft part of the course. The depressions were about 1/2" deep and had pressed the fine grass into the ground and torn some of the fine roots in the process. Some of the depressions still had water in the from previous rain. He then showed us an area on a hill where normal trolley wheels had lost grip on the grass and left skid marks.
However, a recent study by the STRI on behalf of the EGU showed that in comparison with buggies, all trolleys caused significantly less damage. In addition the damage was not significantly greater than caused by ordinary foot traffic.

The studs on the Hedgehog Fairway Protector reduce contact with the soil surface by over 85%, A fully loaded golf trolley with 3” wide flat wheels equates to 6-7 square inches in contact with the ground at any one time. If you then put Hedgehog fairway protectors onto the same trolley the ground contact would be about 1-2 square inches That means that the weight of the trolley is now concentrated on a far smaller area of the ground surface area. Thereby increasing the psi where contact is made. The STRI have not yet finished their field trials (which take some time) to determine the possible long term effects on root damage. However, the immediate effect on very soft ground is quite clear.

My recollection is that some while later the STRI produced their report for the then EGU Club Services Committee.

 

[Pants]

I have heard that some clubs now ban the use of hedgehog wheels (apart from heavy frost conditions) due to the damage they cause and the amount of mud they pick up and leave in lumps around the place.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I've only ever played one round in my life off mats.

I doubt if there will be a second.

You and me both. However having seen the effect the extra traffic we have had in terms of new members on the fairway I could see an argument. I am not sure how much golf I'd play with one as I don't like them and wouldn't take it too seriously if I did. Hated using one but and it'll be interesting to see well it recovers especially given the good weather this week

 

[jim8flog]

We have had hedgehog wheels for 4/5 years now and what’s this “damage” they cause ? We don’t have any issues with them and they allow trolleys to be used more - we also don’t see sliding and skid marks from other trolley wheels

We are a parkland course and we get a lot of areas where the grass is very sparse and areas where it is non existent. If somebody has hedge hog wheels it is very evident when they go through these areas with a series of small hollows in a trail where it has been taken.

Personally I would prefer to find my ball in the middle of a skid mark than nestled down in a hedge hog wheel dimple mark.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We are a parkland course and we get a lot of areas where the grass is very sparse and areas where it is non existent. If somebody has hedge hog wheels it is very evident when they go through these areas with a series of small hollows in a trail where it has been taken.

Personally I would prefer to find my ball in the middle of a skid mark than nestled down in a hedge hog wheel dimple mark.

We did insist on hedgehog wheels until our new head GK came in 6-7 years ago and he also said in his opinion they cause damage. We still have some members that have them on their trolleys and use them. I don't think the club have expressed to new members the fact that these wheels aren't necessary. Like you, it is easy to see who has a hedgehog trolley especially if you are following and there is a risk (albeit small) of finding their indentations

 

[AliMc]

I've only ever played one round in my life off mats.

I doubt if there will be a second.

Every winter i read numerous posts on here about the crap condition of the courses people are playing, maybe if they used mats for a short period things might improve, we have been using mats for years now Dec to Feb and the course has been in fantastic condition 12 months a year, every year, came off the course the last 2 days with nothing on the soles of my shoes, no muck or grass, using mats has had an enormous effect on the condition of the course, it seems to he a very small price to pay to have little to no divots even at this time of year on a very busy course

 

[bladeplayer]

We played links at weekend, choice of play off mats or drop outside the black lines all along the edges of the fairways
We opted to drop to the side . Saw a few playing off mats .. no ta , not for me

 

[Deleted member 15344]

We are a parkland course and we get a lot of areas where the grass is very sparse and areas where it is non existent. If somebody has hedge hog wheels it is very evident when they go through these areas with a series of small hollows in a trail where it has been taken.

Personally I would prefer to find my ball in the middle of a skid mark than nestled down in a hedge hog wheel dimple mark.

We are also a parkland course

If you have areas that are that bad sparse then i would expect them to be roped off from trolley use in the first place

In the 5 years I can’t ever remember going into a dimple mark off the fairway - and as it’s preferred lies then you get relief anyway

And a greenkeeper will prefer to see indents that repair better than a skid mark

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Don't understand the dislike for mats, a crap ball striker is a crap ball striker off either mat or grass, at least a mat will stop you getting a face full of mud.....
Embrace mats and have a course in good condition earlier in the season

 

[tugglesf239]

This is the one.....https://spurkgolf.co.uk/?gclid=CjwK...3HD-uOwu81XVOTeWhhEV3EwwuMCEn1gBoCirsQAvD_BwE & right when they say "the closest thing to playing off grass" & I'd add.... like Summer conditions!! If you're organised it speeds up play & protects fairways & par 3 tees. If your worried about weight then just take a club out. This is the Rolls Royce of mats!!!

I bought one of these in January.
They are simply amazing. Possibly the best 30 quid you can spend as a golfer (in winter*)

The rest of the lads also bought them after trialling mine.

Genuinely a 10/10 bit of kit if you are forced to play of mats.

 

[IanM]

I understand the benefits, I just don't want to play using them.

But, I've lived all my life south of the line where they start happening!

I didn't know they existed before I joined this forum

 

[Bobthesock]

Don't understand the dislike for mats, a crap ball striker is a crap ball striker off either mat or grass, at least a mat will stop you getting a face full of mud.....
Embrace mats and have a course in good condition earlier in the season

In my limited experience it's the opposite. It's mainly the poor ball strikers who like the mats and the lower handicaps who dislike them

 

[Mandofred]

Divots in the grass...

In my limited experience it's the opposite. It's mainly the poor ball strikers who like the mats and the lower handicaps who dislike them

Why do you think that is?

 

[KenL]

We played links at weekend, choice of play off mats or drop outside the black lines all along the edges of the fairways
We opted to drop to the side . Saw a few playing off mats .. no ta , not for me

I do not think this is a good idea. Chopped up semi with no relief is a no for me, I would rather play off mats.

 

[AliMc]

In my limited experience it's the opposite. It's mainly the poor ball strikers who like the mats and the lower handicaps who dislike them

Certainly hasn't been my experience at our place

 

[louise_a]

we came off mats today, I find mats very easy and forgiving to hiyt off. I didn't half thin a lot of pitches today

 

[williamalex1]

I do not think this is a good idea. Chopped up semi with no relief is a no for me, I would rather play off mats.

Agreed, come April from the tee if you're in the rough about 6 ft off the fairway, chances are you'll be in a divot.