Mats for Tees

[BoadieBroadus]

Looking to gauge opinion here on the use of mats for tees. Not the iffy moveable mats that come out in November and give you just about enough space to tee off but are treacherous when frozen, but a proper, sleeper supported high grade huxley type mat of say 3m by 4m.

Our club tees can be pretty small with little scope for expanding a turf tee, and are often in shaded areas. Hence grass grows relatively poorly, there are few positions for the markers to go and by about the last week of April resemble a Great War battlefield (esp par 3's).

Were it up to me I would put in a proper high grade tee mat on all holes which needed one, which could be used all the way through winter and for most non comp use through the summer.

We did install 2 on the course, but these were met with howls of discontent (ok they took maybe 2 months to settle in) and have since been removed.

Am I alone in thinking that a good mat is a far better option than a poor turf area? Why is artificial turf treated with such disdain by amateur golfers? Has anyone on a committee ever tried to install these and been met with opposition?

I've seen a few iffy ones in my time, but there are plenty possibilities for a really good artificial turf, shouldn't they be used more often?

 

[patricks148]

Torvean in Inversneck has a least one full time artificial tee. I think its the 6th medal from memory. back in the tree's and they have had this for at least 7 or 8 years. most use an iron from the tee as its only a 300 yard hole.

works fine for them, i would say its the best tee on the place.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Can definitely see the logic behind it, especially if it's a hole where driver or woods will be used. As you won't be hitting down surely it's just something to stick the tee into