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Sh@#$ off of range mats?

Bullitt5339

Bullitt5339

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I've never had the dreaded S-Word show up before, but today I went to the range to hit some wedges and nearly every ball was a hosel rocket. This is the first time I have been to this range since they replaced all the mats and made it mats only. The mats look really good, but they're pretty firm as well.

I'm typically a digger and take big divots with my wedges. When I walked away from the range, I met up with one of the Assistant Pros and he obviously saw that I wasn't happy and asked what was wrong. I didn't say anything, just handed him my wedge and he gave the "ewwww" and I set up for him to give me a quick check up on Thursday with wedges.

But after getting home and hitting some wedge shots in the yard, they were gone and I started thinking that maybe hitting wedges off the firm mats where I couldn't get my typical divot was actually causing the problems. Has anyone else had serious problems hitting off of those huge firm mats? Or could it be exposing other problems in my swing that I should be working on? If I'm hitting the ball first, then the ground, the mats shouldn't matter that much right?
 
If you're not hitting the ball first, then you're hitting the mat first and the club can bounce off of the mat and into the ball in a weird way. That could be your issue.
 
With the amount of bounce on wedges and how tight those cheap mats are, it's very hard to actually hit clean shots. I hate hitting wedges off cheap mats.
 
I think Ary nailed it. Matt bounce can cause weird stuff, especially if you are getting down in front of the ball.

FWIW - I stay away from those kind of mats if possible and stick to places that use True Strike matts. Hard mats are a recipe for wrist and elbow problems.
 
Bounce off of firm mats always causes weird things. I refuse to hit off of them before a round just in case those weird things happen because it's hard to recover after those shots get stuck in your head.
 
The other thing about matts that people have to be aware of... many times, the right side of the matt will be lower because that is where the vast majority of people stand. Next thing you know, the ball is a little above your feet, and all sorts of things can happen from there if you don't pay attention to it. I have been the victim of this more than once, so I always pay really close attention to this is I am forced to hit from matts.
 
I hit the range before a tournament recently and was shanking everything. I couldn't figure out what my problem was, but I was horrified about the thought of playing that way in the event. Whatever I was doing was a temporary thing though, I played fine that day and haven't had the shanks since. I wouldn't worry about it too much
 
Interesting posts....the mat had nothing to do with your shanks. They are contagious and like to travel in packs. Once you started shanking there was no end in site unless you corrected the issue right away.

By talking with asst pro and driving home it was enough to correct itself. But I'll bet the next you go to the range they will creep back in. If they do you'll only need to adjust your dismayed from the ball. Move back but make sure the weight of your body remains on the balls of your feet.
 
i never hit off mats ...me not hitting balls is better for my game then hitting off mats. im going to start the boycott mats for your sanity group. lol
 
Majority of Golf ranges over here in the UK are done with mats in covered bays, so we don't get much choice.

I've always hated hitting off mats, never gives you a true representation of ball striking, but needs must as they say :(
 
Mav281 said:
Majority of Golf ranges over here in the UK are done with mats in covered bays, so we don't get much choice.

I've always hated hitting off mats, never gives you a true representation of ball striking, but needs must as they say :(
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Totally agree, I was hitting the ball great all week at the range, on the course today everything was the opposite, no options other than mats where I'm based.
 
I havta agree with The Panda, hitting on mats don't cause them. .usually its standing too close to the ball. Which hitting bays can cause.
I will say mats can hide fast shots

tappin from my big as note2
 
Last year I noticed something strange off those mats too. I was fading everything at the range. To the point I was concerned that when I went to the course it would be a problem. Weird thing was those 2 times it happened I hit the ball better than ever with my natural draw. Totally weird.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Interesting posts....the mat had nothing to do with your shanks. They are contagious and like to travel in packs. Once you started shanking there was no end in site unless you corrected the issue right away.

By talking with asst pro and driving home it was enough to correct itself. But I'll bet the next you go to the range they will creep back in. If they do you'll only need to adjust your dismayed from the ball. Move back but make sure the weight of your body remains on the balls of your feet.
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I totally agree with the fix Freddie. ( My son had a case of them, and that is how we fixed him ) But I can honestly say I have had shanks twice in my life, and both times it was on some less than top quality matts. As a matter of fact, the one day I got them, I was warming up for a lesson on the matts. When I met with the pro, we had the lesson on the grass. I told him what happened on the matt. Got on the grass, and never hit one shank. Maybe a coincidence, but I can't see that.
 
"My name is _____ and I'm a sha*ker." LOL
I've battled them for 40 years - the virus was in remission for about the last 3 years, but resurfaced about a month ago. If I treat the malady with calm, rational thought it will go away again. I find that short half-wedges usually sparks the return, and is caused by not accelerating through the shot, and a flatter than normal swing plane.

Also hitting off mats is a definite "no no" for me because the virus tends to germinate and multiply in that environment.
 
I hate, hate, hate mats at a driving range. I think it should be against the law to have them there.
They do nothing but screw up my iron swing and probably everyone else's too.
 
bulldog said:
I havta agree with The Panda, hitting on mats don't cause them. .usually its standing too close to the ball. Which hitting bays can cause.
I will say mats can hide fast shots

tappin from my big as note2
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I agree, I hit on a mat alot (it is a real feel mat) and the only issue I have encountered is it will hide a fat shot, but it is easy to tell the shot was fat, from the feel to the sound. I understand hard cheap mats can not be fun, but with a good mat, I dont understand all the hatred towards mats.
 
shanep said:
I agree, I hit on a mat alot (it is a real feel mat) and the only issue I have encountered is it will hide a fat shot, but it is easy to tell the shot was fat, from the feel to the sound. I understand hard cheap mats can not be fun, but with a good mat, I dont understand all the hatred towards mats.
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That's the thing, if they don't have the good, new, almost like real grass mats...then they really beat a guy up! I don't "hate" hitting off of mats if they are the good, grass like mats, but of course I would rather hit off of real grass if given the choice.
 
Tadashi is right, a mat isn't the issue when talking about the s-word coming in to the swing. I fight the same issue from time to time, mat or no mat. My typical issue are my hands going towards the ball at impact, bringing the hosel in to play. I have to focus on posture and turn and not letting my right knee and hips go towards the ball but rather down the target line. Usually get that poor contact at the first of the year or if I'm tired. Happens to the best of us.
 
BIGBALL said:
The other thing about matts that people have to be aware of... many times, the right side of the matt will be lower because that is where the vast majority of people stand. Next thing you know, the ball is a little above your feet, and all sorts of things can happen from there if you don't pay attention to it. I have been the victim of this more than once, so I always pay really close attention to this is I am forced to hit from matts.
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I was thinking along the same lines,... except for another reason. Obviously your footprint will sink slightly hitting from grass. This won't happen on firm mats and you'll be positioned more above the ball than normal, creating a mini downhill lie. I avoid hitting from mats as much as possible. End up hitting a lot more fades from them and don't care for the feel at all. They're horrible for steep swingers.
 
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