No more playing off fairways until March :(

[Lanark_Golfer]

Mats started from Monday at my place, with the option of placing 1 club length into the rough instead. We are on proper tees and greens right through the winter and it's a small price to pay for having the course in tip top condition during the qualifying season. Don't get me wrong, I'd much rather hit from the fairway but I need a little practice out the rough sometimes :rofl:

 

[Nosevi]

Each to their own as far as I'm concerned, if you don't like them, you don't like them.

We don't have mats at my place but we do have 'lift and place' winter rules in force so your ball is always on a decent lie anyway. I kind of try to hit ball then turf so not sure why a mat would make any difference whatsoever - the ball's gone by the time I hit the mat. I hit off mats a lot and I hit off turf a lot - makes not a jot of difference to me on a well struck shot. If I hit it a tad fat it makes a difference but strike it cleanly and I couldn't care what the ball was lying on.

 

[hovis]

I don't understand this " saving fairways'' even if they're trashed over winter they soon come back in no time. The belfry pre germinate their seed so they're transformed in no time

I'm with homer. I would leave a club with fairway mats. The green keepers get paid so go and earn it

 

[Merv_swerve]

I don't understand this " saving fairways'' even if they're trashed over winter they soon come back in no time. The belfry pre germinate their seed so they're transformed in no time

I'm with homer. I would leave a club with fairway mats. The green keepers get paid so go and earn it

I'm always surprised how quickly our fairways come back so good. As wet as it was in February, by April/May they were fantastic.

 

[Hobbit]

I've never understood this fad for mats. Most courses have survived countless winters. Machinery/fertilisers etc are more sophisticated than x years ago but there's a need for mats?!? Seriously, mats?!? There's less golfers playing than 10 yrs ago, and we need mats?!? Sorry, but I just think its rollox!

 

[Val]

Nats or first cut at my home course. No hardship really.

 

[Jensen]

We've got the option of mats or teeing up. Seems strange to me as divots are still taken when the balls teed up, so where's the sence in that.

 

[User20205]

I've never understood this fad for mats. Most courses have survived countless winters. Machinery/fertilisers etc are more sophisticated than x years ago but there's a need for mats?!? Seriously, mats?!? There's less golfers playing than 10 yrs ago, and we need mats?!? Sorry, but I just think its rollox!

I think the argument for them is that regeneration time eats into the season. We had gur in two fairways until may this year. That was after an especially wet winter and we do suffer generally because of the clay sub soil.

If it's good enough for St Andrews....

Seems a bit of a silly reason to leave a club or stop playing especially in the off season.

I support it, as do most of our membership.

 

[LanDog]

I can't use them for pitching off, my course back home in Ireland didn't have them and the fairways were fine, flooding was the bigger issue, the course I play here that does use them doesn't have better conditioned fairways, and twit also suffers from flooding so I don't see the sense,

It's bound to lose club's money over winter, if you weight it up, would it be cheaper to bin the mats and invest more into keeping the course?

 

[JCW]

My green fees are due in January , £1565 , If you think I am then going to play of mats after paying that , think again , anyway we dont even play on temp greens , course is still in great condition so I dont buy into that at all , sorry , mats not for me ...............

 

[richart]

You fellas can't like your clubs much if you'd leave because of 3 months off mats. 12 rounds maybe. 6 qualifiers

I agree. If we had to play off mats through the winter I would certainly not leave the Club. We don't have mats, winter tees, greens etc, so I would be very surprised if it ever happened.:fore:

Just in case Ascot does have mats, our membership is now full Homer.

 

[User20205]

I'm surprised at some of the ' mats no membership' stand point. Especially those that reference the amount paid

There's a point of difference between a member and a consumer. There seem to be more consumers....

 

[Oddsocks]

You fellas can't like your clubs much if you'd leave because of 3 months off mats. 12 rounds maybe. 6 qualifiers

As Chrisd said, £1200 a year subs to play driving range golf for a 1/4 of it ... Dragons dem style .... Sorry I'm out!

As it is we don't have a single mat or temp .... Around here that's what I expect for £1200pa

 

[richart]

I'm surprised at some of the ' mats no membership' stand point. Especially those that reference the amount paid

There's a point of difference between a member and a consumer. There seem to be more consumers....

I couldn't be bothered joining a new club because of mats. Not like I am on the fairway much any way so wouldn't really notice. Love my club, and have loads of mates up there that I wouldn't ditch over a few months of mats. Course is ok as well.

 

[User20205]

As Chrisd said, £1200 a year subs to play driving range golf for a 1/4 of it ... Dragons dem style .... Sorry I'm out!

As it is we don't have a single mat or temp .... Around here that's what I expect for £1200pa

How is it driving range golf??

All you do is use a mat when on the fairway, still use full tees, still use proper greens. I genuinely think if your quoting how much you pay, you've become a consumer.

 

[williamalex1]

Nats or first cut at my home course. No hardship really.

Only because you play down south most of the time .
I don't like using mats, but IMHO they are a necessary evil in my part of the UK.

We have a couple of courses in my area that don't use mats over the winter period [ sand based good drainage] and they do attract temp winter memberships[ on a shorter course] from November till April ? for £150 .

 

[richart]

How is it driving range golf??

All you do is use a mat when on the fairway, still use full tees, still use proper greens. I genuinely think if your quoting how much you pay, you've become a consumer.

Just worked out I hit 6 shots from the fairway last time I played 18 holes, and I played well. 6 shots using a mat out of 80 odd.:mmm:

 

[Foxholer]

I've used a mat once and would avoid it wherever possible.

It was on a Scottish links course, so 'fairly normal' up there - and links grass is a lot more fragile. But I would not be happy down South playing off mats.

Btw. Not only does St Andrews play off mats for a few months, but TOC is only open 6 days a week! Something like 'Golfers may not need the rest, but the course does!'!

 

[JustOne]

I would leave. That simple.

 

[fundy]

I'm surprised at some of the ' mats no membership' stand point. Especially those that reference the amount paid

There's a point of difference between a member and a consumer. There seem to be more consumers....

You say that as if its a problem and that youre happy as a member to treated poorer than you would be as a consumer. Each to their own I guess.....