Fairway Mats

[Lord Tyrion]

One thing we don't have here, which appears to be common down south, is hedgehog wheels. I'd never heard of them until I read about them here. I actually saw some not that long ago and I would have thought they would do more harm than good, but that is another debate.

I'm in Northumberland and it is the same. Never seen nor heard of hedgehog wheels until this forum. They are a bigger pain as they are not cheap. I don't know any courses that use fairway mats but some do require you to hit from the first cut. Seems an odd one that, as has previously been highlighted.

 

[jimjoachim]

also, for those using the mats. is it normal to have to use it everywhere?
the new rule at ours is for fairways and rough. if you even have a chip from the fringe it must be from the mat.
basically, every shot that isn't with putter must be off the mat. Is that normal??

 

[patricks148]

also, for those using the mats. is it normal to have to use it everywhere?
the new rule at ours is for fairways and rough. if you even have a chip from the fringe it must be from the mat.
basically, every shot that isn't with putter must be off the mat. Is that normal??

We are everywhere except the Rough really, unless you are using the putter. i think its a big advantage chipping, as its almost impossible to duff it off the mats we use and you get loads of spin. I know Leven use them everywhere including the rough. I think i remember Bomber telling me it was because they had so many winter members and the place was getting destroyed over the winter.

 

[Jamesbrown]

Every club within 10 miles square of me uses them apart from one which is a pay and play.

I abandon my club around December and go there with a society.
It’s open whatever the weather including snow.

I just can’t play off a mat. I look at it and I’m instantly annoyed and don’t want to play.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Are these the ones you would use?
https://www.fairwayproductsonline.co.uk/docs/winter_golf_mat_leaflet.pdf

I couldn't decide which side was better for chipping. with the grassy side it felt like I didn't have any feel. with the other side you needed perfect contact

I shaved off most of the bristles on mine so it sat a little lower, otherwise the ball seemed to be about an inch too high. I find the shorter bristles easier to play off than the flat side.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

One thing we don't have here, which appears to be common down south, is hedgehog wheels. I'd never heard of them until I read about them here. I actually saw some not that long ago and I would have thought they would do more harm than good, but that is another debate.

On the advice of our green keeper we had last winter free of hedgehog wheels and he has come back and said the course suffered no more damage in a very wet winter than it had done the year before, equally wet using them. We have never used mats and I think many would leave if they were introduced. That simple. I'd certainly look to join a local club not using them. We never seem to have an issue with the quality of the fairways once Spring comes

 

[HairyBullet]

October to March at our club,they aren't mandatory but the majority use them,i personally don't unless ive got a muddy lie or want to hit a driver off the deck.

 

[HairyBullet]

Ha Ha,just reaised this is an old thread,it popped up on the search function

 

[Grant85]

Not at all. You're still playing a round of golf with your friends. It's just winter protection rules. Our club has them as mandatory from last week or you can hit from the first cut of rough. I don't mind them as I know it's for the good of the course.
I use a Divot End Smart Mat (aka Rocket Launcher) fairway mat which I prefer over the two previously mentioned above.
Divot End Fairway Mat

Completely agree with Robster. I use the same mat, that I got for about £10 7 years ago. It is light and compact, stays in my bag all year so I don't forget it or lose it.

Golf, certainly in Scotland, is not exactly a 365 day per year pursuit and I'd rather head into the season in a few weeks with a reasonably well maintained course rather than having patches of sand and repaired divots at every landing area.

Up here, there are no 'proper' competitions on during the winter (usually there is a winter league where you simply 'play the course as it is' whether that is with short tees, temp greens etc.) But there are no medals or opportunity to change to your handicap.

For those that haven't used mats before. I'd say it is quite a bit easier, effectively giving yourself a perfect lie on every shot. And you find when the mats go off that you might hit a few tops.

However, for me, still better than not playing.

Temp greens however... I don't enjoy and would tend to not bother playing if these were on.

 

[HamiltonGuy]

Don’t mind playing off mats and recently changed to one of those divotends from the original Astro hanging from my bag.
Winter greens I wouldn’t get out my bed for though feel they are a nonsense and would rather they just shut the course to protect it

 

[LGC2019]

We use fairway mats in the Winter. Generally I don't have a problem with them as I do think the course benefits during the summer months. If you are on the fairway we do have a rule that gives you the option to move your ball to the nearest point of the rough (not nearer the hole) and place it if you wish.

Make sure you stick a tee in the mat at the back (if it has a small hole) when playing a shot. The amount of players I see hitting a shot and the mat goes further than the ball!

 

[Britishshooting]

One club I play doesn’t need them as the drainage is brilliant and has a lot of run off due to it’s location.

The other club has been on mats since December.

Don’t mind playing either, it’s for the good of the course due to less efficient drainage and location so I appreciate that. Rather have good conditions to play off in summer. Infact they’re still allowing buggies on the front 9 at the better draining club which I object to.

I prefer playing off grass, the mats from 100 yards in on wet receptive greens just equals SPINNNN!!

Fun if you are larking about But one thing I love most about winter is target golf so it detracts from that.

 

[patricks148]

One club I play doesn’t need them as the drainage is brilliant and has a lot of run off due to it’s location.

The other club has been on mats since December.

Don’t mind playing either, it’s for the good of the course due to less efficient drainage and location so I appreciate that. Rather have good conditions to play off in summer. Infact they’re still allowing buggies on the front 9 at the better draining club which I object to.

I prefer playing off grass, the mats from 100 yards in on wet receptive greens just equals SPINNNN!!

Fun if you are larking about But one thing I love most about winter is target golf so it detracts from that.

our reason for having them is nothing to do with wet fairways, its more to do with the cold temps and there is little or no growth for maybe 4 or 5 months if its a cold winter. merely to prevent too much damage to the fairways over winter.

played today and one of the guys in my 4 ball who lives in Edinburgh and was using a solid (hard plastic) backing with astro on the hitting side mat made by some company in Fife. had a go with it.... ooosh, was like hitting of a roof tile, horrible

 

[Robin Hood]

Optional at my club.
I use one and find it very useful.
They do protect the course.

 

[KenL]

We have them December, January, February from fairway and first cut. I don't mind them but not overly happy that club made us use them off the fairway in winter medals. This is allowed by CONGU.
Hitting a long shot into the wind off a mat is not easy, far too much spin on the ball.

 

[Jacko_G]

They don't bother me at all. They're used for a reason.

It's hardly a hardship hitting off a mat. Certainly not a reason to stop playing the course and go to the range instead. Winter golf is about exercise and fresh air. Not anything to be taken seriously.

 

[User20204]

Can someone use a fairway matt in a qualifier from the tee ??? Possibly should be a separate topic but probably not worth one.

 

[need_my_wedge]

We are using them this winter for the first time, everywhere. Largely due to the course being burnt up throughout last summer. Took a bit of getting used to, but great lie every time and get loads of spin playing into greens. We have also been asked to use them on par 3 tees, and any other tee when using an iron. Can see the course recovering but it still needs tlc, so happy to keep using them.

 

[2blue]

Are these the ones you would use?
https://www.fairwayproductsonline.co.uk/docs/winter_golf_mat_leaflet.pdf

I couldn't decide which side was better for chipping. with the grassy side it felt like I didn't have any feel. with the other side you needed perfect contact

This is my preferred mat & I've tried a few.
Smooth side up for 4 to 7 irons, woods & rescues using about 1 club more…. which need sweeping off...... grassy side for wedges which still require a very positive strike for best effect & spin.

 

[2blue]

Can someone use a fairway matt in a qualifier from the tee ??? Possibly should be a separate topic but probably not worth one.

You can certainly use them in Q Comps when Preferred lies in use, but I'm unclear if can be used off the tee. Makes sense to do so as Par 3 tees need protection but I recall reading something that suggested not... never looked it up further so happy to hear if anyone knows