Do golf mats damage your clubs?Ultimate Guide and Practice Tips

Many new golfers wants to know this.” Should I Practice on Indoor mats and if I did do they damage my clubs?

Yes! using mats to Practice swings will scratch up the surface of the clubs to some extent. There is no doubt we like to keep our clubs shiny, new and scratch free but as long as they don’t hurt the performance of our game it should be fine.

Since the Golf Indoor mats are firm and sturdy , golf mats may scratch your golf clubs. So, when it comes to practicing your swing, nothing beats hitting off real grass – and while a mat is a good substitute, it does increase the chance of you doing damage to your golf club

Green synthetic practice mats are the worst thing for your golf game that I know of. You can hit six inches behind the ball and not even know it, because the ball still gets airborne. Practice nets are awful, too. Swing a weighted club instead.”- Lee Trevino

Are golf hitting mats worth it?

As long as you keep in mind that the ball flight you see may not exactly mirror what you will achieve on the course, hitting from mats may be a fantastic method to improve your swing and keep your golfing muscles in shape.

Golf mats allows you to simulate a genuine golf course, and when you’re through, you can simply roll it up and store it.

Despite being an excellent at-home practise tool, many golfers avoid utilising a driving range mat.

There are numerous reasons why expert golfers avoid using driving range mats, according to them.

One typical concern is that the mat might harm your golf equipment.

Mats can damage your Golf clubs

The truth is that if you swing the golf club correctly, hits off the matting should feel pure. They may not produce the same pure sound as tight fairways, but a proper hit will feel pure in your hands. For many years, I would hit horrible strokes off the mats while doing admirably on the course.

One typical concern is that the mat might harm your golf equipment. Mats are frequently supported by concrete or rubber. Depending on your swing, your club may come into touch with the underside surface, which might accelerate the degradation of a club. It is extremely damaging to irons.

A golfer can produce divots on real grass. Obviously, striking off of matting without a tee makes making a divot difficult.

Driving range mats have two primary drawbacks: club degradation and injury.

Hitting off mats may Increase your Risk of getting Injured

Another common complaint about mats is that they create soreness and agony in a player’s wrists, arms, and shoulders.

Injuries can develop as a result of the surface beneath the mat and the lack of give it provides in comparison to a natural surface.

While the playing surface on traditional mats may resemble grass, they do not play like hitting on grass.

Golf mats typically have a top surface of fake grass attached to a foam base and are frequently put straight onto concrete. This implies that when humans are repeatedly struck by hard synthetic mats, a range of undesirable side effects may occur.

This fact is supported further by a recent Global Golf Post article titled ‘Injuries Are Golf’s Insidious Hazard,’ which highlights the dangers of continued golf practise on hard unrealistic golf mats from an early age, claiming that they are the cause of wrist, shoulder, and back injuries later in life.

It’s horrendous …I can always tell players who have that kind of background by their wrist and elbow problems. Sometimes, I will see a player who has come back from a week’s intensive training on mats and almost every time, she will have done more harm than good.” Dr Andrew Levick speaking about hard mats in the Global Golf Post article ‘Injuries Are Golf’s Insidious Hazard’

Mats may get you in to Poor swings

Golfers can drive the ball exactly off of a mat with each stroke.When they return to the golf course and play on the natural surface, however, those beautiful strokes are replaced with unsightly ones.

The driving range mats encourage poor habits, which can be difficult to change once you return to the golf course.

Keep in mind that the amount of time you spend practising on a golf mat is not always predictive of how well you’re going to play.

You’ve probably experienced this experience: you have a fantastic range session, then your golf game is a misery. Or the inverse occurs. You hit a bunch of bad shots on the driving range but end up smashing it on the course.

Then there are some who routinely hit their poorest strokes away from the golf mat. They’re great in a round of golf, but put them on a practise mat and they shank every stroke

Pros and Cons of Mats

Golf Mat Pros:

– They are more forgiving which gives you more positive mental feedback and keeps you encouraged when you are going through swing changes.
– You get the same lie every time so you can build a repeatable stance/swing.

Golf Mat Cons:

– Mats can get you in to Poor swings

You should however be able to both hear and feel this so it shouldn’t affect your learning process if you are in fact paying attention.

– using mats can be hard on your joints and body in general. Many a golf student has developed tendonitis after repeated mat use.

This is common if your form is not correct. If you have bad form or are going to hit down hard behind the ball, your body is going to feel the impact from the concrete even with the best mats on the market.

Tips for Hitting off a Golf Mat

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to striking every club from a golf mat. Shorter clubs are usually simpler to hit than longer clubs. Golf clubs with broader soles and a lot of bounce are more difficult to control. However, as long as you know how to practise effectively, there is an advantage to attempting any of them.

Here are a few suggestions for each group.

Practicing with Your Driver

A golf mat is ideal for practising drives at home or at the driving course. We really appreciate the chance to work on fine-tuning your driver settings.

The aim of swinging your driver is to capture the ball on an upward trajectory.

If you can utilise tees on your artificial grass, choose short tees. You won’t be able to sink the tee as far into a golf practise mat as you would into the ground. This implies that a standard long tee will stretch out much further than it would in a normal golf game.

Practice how you intend to play. The same is true for rubber tees. Check the height to ensure it is compatible with your tee box configuration.

Practicing with Wedges

Distance control is one of the most difficult abilities to master in the game of golf. It’s no surprise that so many golfers practise their wedges at the driving range.

It’s hardly surprising, therefore, that many golfers become disheartened when they whack their wedges off golf mats.

If you strike the artificial grass too soon, the club will bounce due to the firm surface of the practise mat. When it comes to wedges, this may be a major issue. Those clubs have previously been designed to bounce on natural grass. They don’t need the golf mat’s assistance.

The Best Golf Mats

Are you thinking of purchasing your own golf mat? A mat is unquestionably a valuable addition to your practising arsenal. But be picky. Varied practise mats produce different outcomes.

You want a mat that has been built with golf mechanics in mind. Keep an eye out for the following qualities.

Must-Have Features of a Good Golf Mat

First and foremost, your golf mat must be safe. Choose a forgiving surface with some give as you contact the turf. You don’t want to smash your knuckles.

Find a strong, non-moving mat, which is also connected to safety. Some golf mats may slip on you and ruin a nice shot or even put you off balance. Check to see whether yours has a solid grip.

The importance of durability cannot be overstated. The most significant advantage of having a golf mat is that you can get more practise time in. With this in mind, you’ll need to choose a mat that can withstand a beating. There have been several hits. Look for a dense grass with lots of give.

Final Thoughts

Not many golfers have access to grass-surfaced driving facilities. Depending on where you reside, the driving ranges may or may not have mats.

Driving ranges in colder climates or places where growing grass is difficult at certain times of the year may favour matting.

Furthermore, some driving ranges may be less expensive since they use mats instead of actual grass.

If driving ranges with Astro turf mats are the greatest option, you must practise on them.

Otherwise, it is far better for your game to search for grassy driving ranges. Your game, body, and clubs will all be grateful.

A decent golf mat will undoubtedly help your game. All you need is the proper mat, the right mindset, and a few pointers for hitting it off the artificial grass.

Above all, keep in mind that no practise mat, no matter how good, can completely duplicate the features of a golf course.

Use your mat to perfect your form, but don’t place too much emphasis on your achievements or mistakes on an artificial surface.

Finally, please tell us what you think! Do you have a preferred golf mat? Do you have any pointers for training on a synthetic surface? Do you have any queries or notice anything here with which you disagree?