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At the Driving Range: Mats or Grass?

For practicing with the big stick I think it's fine. Anything other than that and I don't like it. Hurts my hands as I'm a bit of a digger so I tend to hit down on the ground hard. If the club can't take a divot then the force goes back up through my hands and ends up hurting them after a few shots.
 
I tend to have a steeper swing so mats don't do my wrists any favors. At my local range they have both indoor and outdoor ranges so I use the outdoor as much as possible but when the weather is bad they close the outdoor range. When that happen i just use the indoor the work on driver, woods from tee and irons from tees.
 
I was a beginner once and I learned hitting off mats, and I've practiced almost exclusively on mats since. Been playing for 15 years off and on. I also hit down and through the ball and I know what it feels like to strike a ball well. Sure I'm no scratch golfer but sometimes I break 80 but mostly shoot mid 80s. I only play about 3-4 times a month and practice even less. I dont think the fact that I'm not a scratch golfer is because I learned to play hitting on a mats. Just sayin.
 
I don't like practicing off mats. Thankfully the closest range to me uses grass year round. I practiced off mats for a while and felt like my ball striking was worse because of it.
 
I'm not a fan of mats and I don't ever practice off of them. I like to practice the same shots I'm going to hit on the course and I have yet to see a course covered with that fake grass, so I don't do mats.
 
I prefer hitting off of grass but mats are fine if thats my only option.
 
I try hard not to use my irons on mats unless its my only choice and then I just hit 10 or so to warm up - just don't think it is indicative of what I'll see on the course. We have a lot of palces with mats around here and I am noticing more with the thicker stuff - though still not liek grass in terms of simulating course perforamcne at least I am less worried about trashing my club specs (which is not a huge deal to me anyway)
 
Not many places around here that do have mats so I am not accustomed to them at all.
The few times I have had no choice and had to warm up before a round off of mats have just felt terrible to me...
 
I prefer grass but am accustomed to hitting off mats. Not too many places close to Philly have grass ranges.


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If I could take my mat with me to the course and hit off it for every shot, I would say mats all the way. The couple of times I have been able to actually hit some balls this winter were in a dome and I was doing great. Then the weather warmed up some and I tried hitting a few outside in the yard. Everything was fat city. I thought my swing had improved, instead it was just the mats keeping me from hitting it fat. So now it's back to the drawing board.
 
Always grass.. Mats for me launch the ball super high in the air and are very inaccurate. I also find them too easy to hit off of.
 
Dent said:
Always grass.. Mats for me launch the ball super high in the air and are very inaccurate. I also find them too easy to hit off of.
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Amen. I'm done with mats. I think I'm a world class ball striker and once I get on grass I realize I'm a mod-handicap with more flaws than strengths.


Tap before talk.
 
I can not stand mats!! They are, however, a great way to groove a terrible habit into your swing unknowingly.

The only time I will hit off of them is in the winter, inside of a dome. Otherwise, if the grass tees are closed, I won't be hitting balls.
 
I only use mats when I use my Tour Striker Pro, for which it's supposed to be used on. Grass any other time. If it's only mats, I usually just chip and putt, working on my lackluster short game.
 
I was up in Pleasanton, CA at a course called Calippe Preserve. They have a nice driving range with a number of hitting stations outfitted with matts, and a grass hitting area just in front.

But get this....... They had a sign that said "Please don't hit off the MATTS". I've never seen that before, and I was thrilled. Grass all the way for me. I actually find hitting off grass easier than matts.
 
No doubt about it, grass all the way.
 
Grass all the way. I had to hit off mats this winter and there just terrible. The grass tees are finally open at my local range so time to get to work!
 
I feel like an all star when I'm on the mats......Unfortunately, doesn't translate to either grass or the course.
 
I prefer turf but seems to be more mats all the time. The other thing is to find a range with good turf. Most of them are so chewed up.
 
grass! but i do love the adjustable tee with automatic ball placer at some of the new ranges.
 
RadRob said:
I was up in Pleasanton, CA at a course called Calippe Preserve. They have a nice driving range with a number of hitting stations outfitted with matts, and a grass hitting area just in front.

But get this....... They had a sign that said "Please don't hit off the MATTS". I've never seen that before, and I was thrilled. Grass all the way for me. I actually find hitting off grass easier than matts.
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I played TPC Harding last Friday and they had fake plastic grass mats. Really sucked. For a hundred bucks, can I get some grass, please? Wente has grass, Lone Tree has grass, Peacock Gap has grass, even Boundary Oaks has grass. grrr
 
Been wondering if mats are hurting my technique? I really ONLY have mats .. so mats it is.
I wonder if that's why I have never really been a digger? My local Riverwalk just had new mats yesterday and I was thrilled, but if I had a choice...
 
bajapalm said:
Been wondering if mats are hurting my technique? I really ONLY have mats .. so mats it is.
I wonder if that's why I have never really been a digger? My local Riverwalk just had new mats yesterday and I was thrilled, but if I had a choice...
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I don't think Mats will hurt your technique but you will get a more accurate reading of how you are hitting the ball off of grass. Being from San Diego myself, I would recommend going to Stadium Golf occasionally as they do have the option for both mats and grass surface and the prices are reasonable.

Also, good to see another San Diegan on here. I do love playing Riverwalk as it is the only course I've ever shot under par at. I play in a league there during the summer and really enjoy being out there. I just wish they charge so much money on the weekends. $89 is extreme in my opinion.
 
around here all the ranges have mats and some have grass, but like many have said it is not the best grass. it looks more like a neglected back yard than a fairway, and worst of all some place will charge more to use it. the one range i know has a $3 up charge to hit out the poorly cared for grass. i would love to be able to practice on well cared for bent grass but that won't be happening anytime soon. i'm not sure of its effect on my game i hit nearly as many thin as i do fat.
 
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