Winter mats

[Bunkermagnet]

This winter, we are going to be using a fairway mat when pick and place is in force as a trial to see if there’s difference in the course condition once spring arrives.
I can understand the reasoning given but can’t help but feel if members were a little more careful in putting divots back it might not be an issue.
So those that have them in force during the winter, do you notice a difference in the use and no use come the spring, and which one/ones are the one/ones to have.
Cheers

 

[Backache]

We use winter mats, they appear to make a difference. I use a Spurk mat recommended on here.
Find it really good, much better to hit off than wet turf.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I've played most of my time at courses without mats and their fairways were no different come spring to my current course that uses mats. Grass recovers. Anyway, it's what the club wants so we do it.

The general opinion is that the Spurk mat is the best, as per @Backache . I got some spare astroturf from a carpet shop next to my work, cut it and stuck it to some thick plastic tiles (interlocking tiles for garages).

Matting on it's own moves too much. You need to attach it to something firm. I've seen plywood or equivalent used. Or buy a Spurk

 

[upsidedown]

We've used them for last 4 winters now and course is in significantly better condition going into Spring. It's voluntary at ours and suspect around 70 % of.members use a mat of some description . We suffer badly from 4 wormy areas on the fairways so ultimately far nicer winter experience

 

[rulefan]

We have had compulsory use for over 5 years. Despite a bit of initial resistance the spring improvement was so noticeable we have less than a handful of gainsayers.

 

[HPIMG]

Spurk is the best mat I’ve used by a mile. I hate mats but last year after getting the spurk I honestly didn’t mind it.

 

[Mandofred]

Oh God....I can't resist......who cares if the mat moves? If you hit the ball before the ground (as you SHOULD) it is completely irrelevent. If you hit the mat first.....your swing sucks. It's your fault....not the mat.

 

[patricks148]

We have been on winter fairway mats for close to 10 years now, makes a huge difference to the course come spring when we are back on the fairways. It was a no brained for the club, milder winters has meant more play in winter than ever before. We could get 4 to 6 months of zero growth here.
Playing wise, it allows you to play the course slightly differently, you get masses of spin of the ones we use so you can be very aggressive off the tee and be able to stop the ball, where as during the season it's hard to get spin on the ball from close.

 

[Bobthesock]

Oh God....I can't resist......who cares if the mat moves? If you hit the ball before the ground (as you SHOULD) it is completely irrelevent. If you hit the mat first.....your swing sucks. It's your fault....not the mat.

Absolute nonsense

 

[CliveW]

Most mats have a hole at the rear through which you car push a tee to prevent the mat moving.

 

[D-S]

This winter, we are going to be using a fairway mat when pick and place is in force as a trial to see if there’s difference in the course condition once spring arrives.
I can understand the reasoning given but can’t help but feel if members were a little more careful in putting divots back it might not be an issue.
So those that have them in force during the winter, do you notice a difference in the use and no use come the spring, and which one/ones are the one/ones to have.
Cheers

Do you play golf in Kent? If so, that is quite south for winter mat usage.
I know of only one course down this way that uses them and that is Burnham and Berrow as they were preparing for Open Final Qualifying (which ironically was moved to Porthcawl this year due to the state of Burnham’s fairways following last year’s hot spell).

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Do you play golf in Kent? If so, that is quite south for winter mat usage.
I know of only one course down this way that uses them and that is Burnham and Berrow as they were preparing for Open Final Qualifying (which ironically was moved to Porthcawl this year due to the state of Burnham’s fairways following last year’s hot spell).

I do
I'm told Litlestone has implemented winter mats as well,
We were hit hard by Leatherjackets the other year , with quite a few fairways thinned out badly. I suspect the damage that did may also have come into the reasoning, that and the amount of rain the last couple of winters.
Ultimately, the thinking is when pick and place is active you move your ball from a bare patch to a bit of grass and then turn that into a bare patch if the conditions don't alow quick regrowth.
This coming winter is a trial to see if there are any improvements in the course condition come the spring, but I can see them being a permanent winter thing going forward.

 

[Mandofred]

Absolute nonsense

So.....you think you are not supposed to hit the ball first?

 

[Jigger]

I friends who use mats at their club and they take some adjusting back to normality apparently. I played a course with them last winter and they were horrible. I’d rather not play.

 

[KenL]

Most mats have a hole at the rear through which you car push a tee to prevent the mat moving.

Which is a faff.

 

[upsidedown]

Most mats have a hole at the rear through which you car push a tee to prevent the mat moving.

I drilled a hole slightly smaller than a wooden tee in mine so it's there all the time, takes just a moment to secure to the ground and dead easy to pick up

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Cheers for all the replies.

 

[LizAig]

Winter mats are compulsory at our club and, given the state of the course after men’s medals when mats aren’t used, I’d say they make a huge difference! Often when divots are made in winter the ground is so wet that there’s nothing substantial to put back in the hole because it’s just been splattered around

 

[Old Colner]

We and the majority of clubs in the area have winter rules, mats only from the fairways or play from the first cut. many players including myself prefer to play from the side and only carry a mat for occasions when you may be blocked out on a doglegged hole.

 

[williamalex1]

We and the majority of clubs in the area have winter rules, mats only from the fairways or play from the first cut. many players including myself prefer to play from the side and only carry a mat for occasions when you may be blocked out on a doglegged hole.

We tried the lift and drop 2 yards into the rough option for a few years. The problem was, when the season did start if you were unlucky and did land in the rough, you probably would be in a divot. Edit, we now use mats through the green.