What good are range mats???

[golfbluecustard]

Am going through some lessons at the moment as my inconsistancy had finally got to the point of ridiculous - last round 8 points front 9 - 16 points back 9 just says it all.

First thing we're changiing is my grip and slowing down my swing speed so my body can keep up - to get to the point had a mixed session tonight off the range mats - on the way home went to grass driving range at the club i'm having lessons at (i'm not a member) and out of a dozen 7 iron shots 9 were as good as it gets, two a litle right and on one i farted on the back swing which kind of spoilt my tempo!!!.

Question is is hitting of grass just infinantly better than mats or did the stars just aline for my dozen or so shots? would of hit more but light was fading and i'd said to HID i'd be a hour and was nearly two.

GBC

 

[granters]

I'd say the grass is far more forgiving, as at some of the ranges the mats are so hard you have to clip it straight off the top, and whatever bounce there is on the club comes massively into effect.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Grass is much better. it gives you real time and realistic feedback on the quality of the strike. On a mat you can effectively hit if fat and the club will skid and still make decent enough contact. We play on grass so it makes sense to practice what you'll be doing on the course.

 

[bobmac]

Unless the mats you are using are really old, there should be no difference.
There are some golfers who think they will hurt themselves or damage their club if they hit down on it so end up trying to pick the ball up cleanly off the mat.
Wrong.
As long as you hit down on the ball (iron shots obviously) and you hear the club thump into the mat, there should be no difference to the shot off grass.

 

[grumpyjock]

found no difference, always use a short tee if you want to pick it off clean.
It is hitting down on the ball that give it flight.
Can hit high pitch shots off the carpet.
try hitting sand wedge off the carpet and see how high they go.

 

[Piece]

Unless the mats you are using are really old, there should be no difference.
There are some golfers who think they will hurt themselves or damage their club if they hit down on it so end up trying to pick the ball up cleanly off the mat.
Wrong.
As long as you hit down on the ball (iron shots obviously) and you hear the club thump into the mat, there should be no difference to the shot off grass.

Agreed. The worse type of mat is not the bare one, it's the mat that is poorly fitted and/or is loose in sections - a wrist and club killer as it grabs the club after impact.

 

[RGDave]

The worse type of mat is not the bare one, it's the mat that is poorly fitted and/or is loose in sections - a wrist and club killer as it grabs the club after impact.

or even a mat that's actually thin material over concrete.

I went to one of those "auto-tee" ranges and hit various shots off the tee at various heights. Towards the end, I slid a ball onto what I though was "mat" and hit a wedge. The expletives that I uttered cannot be repeated on here.
The was no mention whatsoever on the range to inform golfers to only hit off the tee....I though a mat was a mat.
They were wholly unapologetic, I told them to expect a letter from my lawyer.

still p***** off about it even now.

 

[Region3]

The worse type of mat is not the bare one, it's the mat that is poorly fitted and/or is loose in sections - a wrist and club killer as it grabs the club after impact.

or even a mat that's actually thin material over concrete.

I went to one of those "auto-tee" ranges and hit various shots off the tee at various heights. Towards the end, I slid a ball onto what I though was "mat" and hit a wedge. The expletives that I uttered cannot be repeated on here.
The was no mention whatsoever on the range to inform golfers to only hit off the tee....I though a mat was a mat.
They were wholly unapologetic, I told them to expect a letter from my lawyer.

still p***** off about it even now.

If they're the same as the ones I've used I think the short light green part is only for standing on.

Any shots I don't want to hit off the tee I hit off the longer dark green stuff next to the tee. I only hit partial wedge shots off the really thin stuff.