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Range Mat Woes

Not a fan of mats at all but seems at least most courses have the newer softer ones. For the ranges with really bad mats (read: the only ones open in winter around here), I grabbed a mini mat from golfsmith. Gives enough it isn't hard on the wrists and it will move a little if you hit down through it.
 
Not a fan of the mats at MOST driving ranges, so put me in that category. There are some mats out there that are good though, and have a real feel to them. At least at close as you can get on turf. If given the chance though, I would only hit off of grass, without a doubt.
 
I refuse to hit balls off mats. Only ball I will hit off a mat is teed up for a 4w, hybrid, or driver. Living in San Diego, you would like that I get to hit off grass all year long but as far as i know there is only one full time public grass range and that's in Del Mar. Instead I was able to find a local course that has a seperate short practice game area that allows for shots from greenside chips to 150 yards approaches. it is the only way I will practice
 
I wish I could practice off grass all the time. Most courses nearby have mats only which is a shame. Least they have areas for chipping haha
 
I definitely hit some fat shots the last two days I was able to get out and play. Comes with the territory I suppose. Once the green range opens I expect a good majority of those shots to go away. Even with my monster tee mat a fat shot still appears like decent contact.

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I won't hit off of mats, it just doesn't feel natural. If I can't swing on grass I just work on putting in the house during the winter.
 
I don't think I have ever seen an outdoor range with mats before.
 
yoopergolfer said:
I don't think I have ever seen an outdoor range with mats before.
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They're everywhere around here. Grass ranges are the exception from what I've seen. The uptick in cost to use them is usually enough to chase casual golfers away.
 
I've hit off of mats all winter, both at the simulator places, my garage, and the golf dome. The one I have in my garage (monster tee) is by far the best. I'm thinking about getting a small one to keep in my car to take with me. I have some tendinitis going on in my elbow now, and I'm sure hitting fat shots off of hard mats has contributed significantly to it. I have taken the last few days off from swinging to try and get it to heal. I'm so ready for this snow to melt.
 
My courses outdoor range uses mats, quite hard mats. At this time of the year I don't mind hitting from them as the land that the range was built on is pretty waterlogged most of the year, unless we see a decent spell of sun. Which is rare in Scotland.
 
I walked off the last range that required me to hit off mats. When i first started playing, i was practicing almost 3 times a week and was hitting off mats about 70% of the time, i did not know any better. Well carpel tunnel set in and really set me back, and my doctor said Mats was not a good idea.
 
My local range does have grass, but it's not open yet. There are a few other ranges that are mats only... technically. One of them is a very long arc, and in the middle are the heated bays. People will go WAY down to the far end, then walk in front of the mats and hit off the grass. One other place has THE WORST mats known. I went there once, spent 10 minutes trying to find the one mat that wasn't torn to pieces, then had to spend 30 minutes cleaning all the nasty green gunk off my irons when I was done. I'll never go there again.
 
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