Many times The Hackers Paradise will get requests to review training aids. We think it’s great because it means that golfers are really trying to practice and improve their game. With so many training aids, covering so many different purposes, it can be hard to decide which one to choose. Since I personally struggle with finding the bottom of my swing and the arch of my swing I was extremely excited to learn more about The DivotMat. What initially drew a lot of people to this specific training aid was it’s endorsement from Fred Couples. With a name like Couples backing a product it leads many golfers to believe it’s a legitimate tool.
We contacted the company and they were happy to send over a DivotMat for us to try. They have a few different package options and the one they sent, which was more than fine with us, was their basic package which includes one DivotMat, one DivotPad, 37 Divot Sheets, two instructional DVDs and one handy carrying case. According to the company the 37 Divot Sheets should be enough for over 1000 swings. Once the DivotMat system arrived at our office I was excited to give it a test run.
The carrying case really is quite convenient and everything fits very nicely inside it. The mat is a good size and is definitely big enough for even the most beginning golfer no matter how erratic their swing might be. The set up is also very simple, put a sheet on the sticky strip, lay the mat on the floor and start hitting. The portability of this training aid makes it great for indoor or outdoor use and can easily be used in an office as long as you have enough room to swing a club. Just to confirm the indoor abilities I brought the Divot Mat into my master bedroom and sure enough I was able to practice my full swing with no issues. At first it was a little weird to be swinging a club indoors and I found myself struggling to make a full swing for fear of hitting something, but after taking a few swings I relaxed and was able to hit like normal.
The basic principle behind this training aid is that it will show you where your club is going at impact. This will allow you to see where you take a divot, if you are standing too close or too far from the ball, and if you are hitting shots thin or fat. Overall, I must say that this product works exactly as described. I was able to see where my problems were and because of that I was able to alter my swing for a better shot at impact. After a couple weeks with the Divot Mat I found myself taking divots in the proper places and having a better distance to the ball. Not only was I able to see the difference on the DivotMat but also on the course and at range sessions.
As mentioned earlier one of my biggest problems was finding the bottom of my swing and because of that I would often top the ball and almost never took a divot. After a few uses with the DivotMat I actually started to hit balls fat because I was finally learning to ground my club. It took some range sessions from there to get the final kinks worked out but I honestly do think the DivotMat helped me to get my club close to the ground and allow me the chance to find the bottom arch of my swing.
Many might argue that this whole process can be used by just working with dirt on the ground, and they may be right. Theoretically, someone could make dirt piles on the ground and see where they are taking their divots but that removes the portability convenience of the DivotMat. On top of that I don’t personally think you will get as accurate and as instant of a result as you would with a device like the Divot Mat. I don’t think this is going to be a miracle worker that will instantly fix your swing but using this combined with practice and actual course play I do think someone can see some very successful results.
My biggest wish with the DivotMat is that it was a bit less expensive and that it came with more than 37 sheets. I know they say you can use a single sheet 30-40 times but I think it makes it hard to see which shot you took last. Plus for beginner golfers there is a chance they will have a really bad miss hit and tear the sheet, I know this, sadly, from personal experience.
Overall, I would suggest this training aid to golfers who are looking to hit more pure shots and who are dedicated to practice and improving their golf game. There are several different packages available on their website plus you can see a short video as well. The fact that this product can be used indoors and out was a major plus for me and if convenience is important than this could definitely be the right training aid for you. This is also great for people who travel a lot because this can easily be used in a hotel room, however, it is a bit loud when striking the mat so your neighbors might not like that. To learn more on this product you can visit their website here.
Your Training Aid Guru
Golfer Gal
