Grass bays VS. Mats

[rob_golf1]

Right then, I have never been one to support the introduction of astro turf mats at any golf course or range facility, but today opened my mind.

At my local driving range, the last few months have seen my practice time spent out on the grass bays they have set up which is accompanied by a chipping and putting area, with a really well maintained green.

I hadn't been hitting the ball too well as of late and have started hitting the ground before the ball causing a lot of dirt being coughed up and the ball being topped a few yards. Anyway, to cut a long story short, the heavens opened for a few minutes, so I opted to go back under cover, and hit the remainder of my balls off the mats.

OMG, what a difference!! I was hitting the ball a lot more comfortably and a lot straighter. There was no top shots, and I genuinely started to enjoy my last twenty balls or so.

Has anybody else ever experienced anything like this or can somebody even try and help me understand where the difference was?? (I have booked lesson for Friday aswell, in an attempt to start hitting the ball a lot more comfortably again!!)

 

[tsped83]

I wouldn't get too excited by hitting it well off mats vs grass, as most golf courses are made from grass...

If you have the option to practice on the grass, take it all day long.

 

[Odvan]

To be honest Rob, I would love for any of my local ranges to have grass bays. I can hit my irons as sweet as off the mats BUT they are 'forgiving' in my opinion, in that if you hit slightly before the ball, your iron will simply skid through as opposed to chunking a load of turf. Won't necessarily be a sweet hit but it hides the divot.

 

[DAVEYBOY]

The shot you are suffering with is called a fat shot or a heavy shot (both the same) with a mat your club will bounce along and make better contact with the ball opposed to grass where the club digs in and makes very little contact with the ball sending it no where.

Look up how to stop fat shots on you tube to see if you can identify your flaws. Mark crossfield does some good videos on the matter.

 

[sneill]

The shot you are suffering with is called a fat shot or a heavy shot (both the same) with a mat your club will bounce along and make better contact with the ball opposed to grass where the club digs in and makes very little contact with the ball sending it no where.

Look up how to stop fat shots on you tube to see if you can identify your flaws. Mark crossfield does some good videos on the matter.

Would defo recommend this as I had similar problem few months back

 

[Robobum]

Hit balls out of a bunker, if you don't get ball first it won't go more than 20yds or so.

Mats hide the drop kick, give me turf all day long.

 

[Spark.]

I wish i could find a turf range near me, i dont like hitting off the mats.

 

[Foxholer]

Hit balls out of a bunker, if you don't get ball first it won't go more than 20yds or so.

Mats hide the drop kick, give me turf all day long.

Watched Scott Strange practicing this with a 5 iron at my old club - perfect striking every time!

Grass range every time for me too!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I tend to use the grass practice ground at my club where possible. If not, I use a range and focus on the contact more than distance as the mat will hide a lot of errors. Still in a few months time it will be the range or bust if many of us want to keep the swing ticking over as winter arrives.

 

[rob_golf1]

I always use the grass bays when possible, although they are running a little thin at the moment and its more like playing on the Sahara Desert, but im sure there will be some grass seed put down soon!

Not only am I struggling with a fat shot on the grass, but also a right slice, that I though I had got rid of out my game a few weeks back, but it seems to have returned!