Winter Mats

[Deleted member 21258]

After playing a couple of courses that required mats(old course & turnberry), I don't really follow some people dislike of them.

Is there any particular reason why you or someone you knows doesn't like playing from them ?

 

[Papas1982]

After playing a couple of courses that required mats(old course & turnberry), I don't really follow some people dislike of them.

Is there any particular reason why you or someone you knows doesn't like playing from them ?

Probably all psychological, but i really couldn't get on with them. Used them again on two holes at Royal Liverpool and proceeded to scab the shots. I think its just the ball sitting a little higher off the ground. I tend to top the ball when on the matts.

 

[IanM]

It's just wrong!

 

[Oldham92]

Probably all psychological, but i really couldn't get on with them. Used them again on two holes at Royal Liverpool and proceeded to scab the shots. I think its just the ball sitting a little higher off the ground. I tend to top the ball when on the matts.

Surely if the ball is higher you would make contact lower?

 

[Deleted member 23344]

I don’t like them. Not a problem if the hole length is such that I can play an iron or hybrid direct off the mat, but the problem is driving when the hole is longer. There is rarely a decent hole in which to insert a long tee.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Probably all psychological, but i really couldn't get on with them. Used them again on two holes at Royal Liverpool and proceeded to scab the shots. I think its just the ball sitting a little higher off the ground. I tend to top the ball when on the matts.

Weirdly I do find that I normally caught the ball slightly thin .(normally I am the opposite a fatter)

 

[patricks148]

its a necessary evil up here in winter, little or no growth for 3 or 4 months. I don't mind them you can be very aggressive and go for flags as the ball stops dead off a mat, even with a rock of ball. I don't like hitting my hybrid or woods off them TBH, mat always goes further than the ball but have a mate who reg hits driver off the deck with one

 

[tugglesf239]

Probably all psychological, but i really couldn't get on with them. Used them again on two holes at Royal Liverpool and proceeded to scab the shots. I think its just the ball sitting a little higher off the ground. I tend to top the ball when on the matts.

Yeah

It had nothing to do with you being rat arsed from the night before eh?
😉

 

[Papas1982]

Surely if the ball is higher you would make contact lower?

Logic would say yes, but i imagine as i know the ball is higher i lift up excessively and hit higher on the ball.

Yeah

It had nothing to do with you being rat arsed from the night before eh?
😉

The other 83 shots were pretty decent

 

[upsidedown]

I don’t like them. Not a problem if the hole length is such that I can play an iron or hybrid direct off the mat, but the problem is driving when the hole is longer. There is rarely a decent hole in which to insert a long tee.

Think OP is talking about playing off Fairway mats . A couple of our fairways are really bad at the moment with lots of worm casts and have suggested we trial mats on these fairways but have not got any where yet, from my experience it's a far more pleasurable experience playing off a mat rather than a muddy fairway

 

[Bigfoot]

Think OP is talking about playing off Fairway mats . A couple of our fairways are really bad at the moment with lots of worm casts and have suggested we trial mats on these fairways but have not got any where yet, from my experience it's a far more pleasurable experience playing off a mat rather than a muddy fairway

We only have a couple of spots that need them - because the area is where everyone ends up hitting from a similar place. There are a couple of white lines that designate the mat area. I have found that I usually get a much better strike off the mat on our 7th with a wedge so have to go down a club.

 

[MendieGK]

Not really golf is it.

 

[MendieGK]

They bring it into play at our place where it gets wet on about 5 holes. The other option is to take it into the rough and place it. Imo a considerably better option

 

[Deleted member 23344]

Think OP is talking about playing off Fairway mats . A couple of our fairways are really bad at the moment with lots of worm casts and have suggested we trial mats on these fairways but have not got any where yet, from my experience it's a far more pleasurable experience playing off a mat rather than a muddy fairway

Sorry, I didn’t know such things existed ..what a sheltered life I’ve led!

 

[Nickrat]

Not really golf is it.

Nope, same reasons pro's don't do lessons off mats and insist on grass.....

 

[shortgame]

Not especially fussed either way so long as I know beforehand as a visitor.

For home course I want whatever means we have the best conditioned fairways come the spring. Will be interesting to see come March / April as one of my clubs has done away with fairway mats this winter for the first time in a long while. To my untrained eye there seems be more unreplaced divots than I've ever seen there before so not sure it will become the norm.

 

[Robster59]

Nope, same reasons pro's don't do lessons off mats and insist on grass.....

But we're not pros and as Patrick said above the grass up here doesn't grow in the winter so it's all about course protection. I use the divotEND Rocket Launcher fairway mat.
I prefer it to the traditional mats as it has give and guy can down in it. It's compulsory on fairways in the winter at our club.

 

[CliveW]

I have noticed this year that more courses are insisting mats are used in the first cut of rough as well as the fairways due to extensive divots at the edge of fairways.

 

[Orikoru]

Teebox mats are bad enough. As said above you can never get your tee to sit in right, the thing always seems to be bowed, and it just feels a bit wrong.

Fairway mats, I've luckily never had to experience and hope I never do. If you're hitting every shot off a mat you might as well be at Top Golf. Seems pointless.

 

[inc0gnito]

Teebox mats are bad enough. As said above you can never get your tee to sit in right, the thing always seems to be bowed, and it just feels a bit wrong.

Fairway mats, I've luckily never had to experience and hope I never do. If you're hitting every shot off a mat you might as well be at Top Golf. Seems pointless.

I played from a fairway mat for the first time at the weekend. Actually had a really good time. Thought it was going to be wierd and unnatural. But it felt fine and didn’t deter from the experience.