Winter mats already

[Orikoru]

Prob off topic slightly but I've only played one place with what I'd class very decent winter Mats rather than a small Mat just cemented somewhere

These mats are fantastic , they are entire width of the tee box (so can get a good stance and not feel cramped) they are made of astro turf rather than matt meaning they can take a castle tee (at least that's better than trying to balance a tee in the little holes or a normal mat)

If you use an iron you always get a perfect lie

Lovely mats

More clubs should use them

I've played somewhere that had them last winter, I think it was Aldenham. As you say, rather than stupid little slots to wedge your tee in, the whole mat was made so you can stick a tee in anywhere you like. Vastly superior to the old kind of mats. I hope they catch on!

 

[Norrin Radd]

I have never played on a course that has required the use of a mat and hopefully never will ,they sound awful.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I have never played on a course that has required the use of a mat and hopefully never will ,they sound awful.

why do they sound awful ?

Some of the best courses in the country use mats for some period over the winter

Many use them for practise and certainly helps with ball striking

 

[Norrin Radd]

I never said they are awful just that they sound awful meaning the idea of playing golf and teeing it up for every shot to me in my opinion ,as that is all it it as I have never used them ,not what golf is all about .
And yes I'm not a fan of pick and place ,play it as it lies and if everyone does then it's a fair playing field mud on your ball or not.
I can see that some courses north of me might see the need for them but not for me thanks

 

[rulefan]

I never said they are awful just that they sound awful meaning the idea of playing golf and teeing it up for every shot to me in my opinion ,as that is all it it as I have never used them ,not what golf is all about .
And yes I'm not a fan of pick and place ,play it as it lies and if everyone does then it's a fair playing field mud on your ball or not.
I can see that some courses north of me might see the need for them but not for me thanks

Using a fairway mat doesn't involve 'teeing it up'. You play from the surface of the mat.
Under CONGU rules, using a tee on a mat would make the round a non-qualifier anyway.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I never said they are awful just that they sound awful meaning the idea of playing golf and teeing it up for every shot to me in my opinion ,as that is all it it as I have never used them ,not what golf is all about .
And yes I'm not a fan of pick and place ,play it as it lies and if everyone does then it's a fair playing field mud on your ball or not.
I can see that some courses north of me might see the need for them but not for me thanks

I am a similar mindset. All the courses I've played in winter periods have had wet patches but stay open without the needs for mats. By the spring and the warmer weather the grass grows back. If, as per my home course and many others the green staff can also be proactive by roping off areas so players walk away from areas around the greens and via the rough, especially with trolleys and buggies

 

[patricks148]

I never said they are awful just that they sound awful meaning the idea of playing golf and teeing it up for every shot to me in my opinion ,as that is all it it as I have never used them ,not what golf is all about .
And yes I'm not a fan of pick and place ,play it as it lies and if everyone does then it's a fair playing field mud on your ball or not.
I can see that some courses north of me might see the need for them but not for me thanks

so 90% of the golf courses in the UK then

 

[mikejohnchapman]

Interestingly our course has moved away from tee mats and temporary greens. They did this 2 years ago and say it has had no adverse impact - although they do tend to use alternative tees for a couple of the short holes. Yes we use placing and rope off some of the approaches but other than that BAU.

I am surprised more courses don't use a clublength placing in winter (I know it can't be qualifying but why would you want it to be if the course is in winter condition) as it would avoid a lot more deep divots hitting from poor lies.

 

[Norrin Radd]

so 90% of the golf courses in the UK then

Not in my area ,it's probably the other way round.

 

[patricks148]

Not in my area ,it's probably the other way round.

woosh, 90 % of the courses would ne north of you wouldn't they?

 

[Norrin Radd]

woosh, 90 % of the courses would ne north of you wouldn't they?

No shirt shitlock

 

[patricks148]

No shirt shitlock

that was the point, not the ones near you in the deep south

 

[2blue]

I never said they are awful just that they sound awful meaning the idea of playing golf and teeing it up for every shot to me in my opinion ,as that is all it it as I have never used them ,not what golf is all about .
And yes I'm not a fan of pick and place ,play it as it lies and if everyone does then it's a fair playing field mud on your ball or not.
I can see that some courses north of me might see the need for them but not for me thanks

Haha... noooo.... I think you've been a bit misled. No tee used... you put it on a mat for a 'good lie' ie. after all 'a good lie' is what we want our golf course to provide as often as possible but obviously can't when it's drenched & muddy...... because that's what golf is all about... everybody having a fair chance.... not someone frequently having to play with mud on their ball whilst others are fortunate enough to avoid it. After all it's Winter Golf, so I don't really understand the fuss.

 

[rulefan]

By the spring and the warmer weather the grass grows back.

One of the benefits of living darn sarf. Spring is earlier.

 

[patricks148]

just had the email, mats start the 4th Nov, till mid march...firing your chips straight at the flag and it stopping here we come

 

[Jacko_G]

just had the email, mats start the 4th Nov, till mid march...firing your chips straight at the flag and it stopping here we come

Prefer my chips with salt, no point in throwing them away!

 

[KenL]

Many use them for practise and certainly helps with ball striking

Not sure I agree with that in terms of improving your game. They make hitting the ball acceptably a lot easier as they are so forgiving.

 

[Jacko_G]

Mats are mats. If your club decides they're required you use them. The greenkeepers job is hard enough without adding unnecessary work and anguish by chopping up fairways for 5 months of the year.

Winter golf is about fresh air and exercise.

 

[Imurg]

Our par 3 tee boxes are looking very tired now.
For some reason there's never been a sand and seed box or any remedial work done of them since I've been there.
It's becoming hard to find a patch of flat grass to put your ball on.
They should be using mats on these fees but they don't seem to want to.
First club I was at had purpose built winter tees very close to the normal tee box so the length of the course barely changed.
Would seem to be a sensible idea but far greater a mind than mine disagree....

 

[Orikoru]

Our par 3 tee boxes are looking very tired now.
For some reason there's never been a sand and seed box or any remedial work done of them since I've been there.
It's becoming hard to find a patch of flat grass to put your ball on.
They should be using mats on these fees but they don't seem to want to.
First club I was at had purpose built winter tees very close to the normal tee box so the length of the course barely changed.
Would seem to be a sensible idea but far greater a mind than mine disagree....

I don't mind mats for the tees if need be, as you're hitting off a tee regardless. I wouldn't want to play every shot off mats though. Feels like you might as well be at Top Golf if you're going to hit everything off a mat - it would be warmer there as well. That for me, isn't golf. Yeah you sometimes get an awful muddy lie but that's just winter golf, you just do your best to deal with it don't you?