DIY TrueStrike gel pad 4x5 mat for around $175

[GungHoGolf]

Inspired by @mike80's great DIY gel pad mat for $271, I thought I'd share my version which came to around $175 (with $32 of gel pad and some lumber left over) and requires no cutting away of mat padding with a special tool.

I was motivated to try something different after owning a 3' x 5' Ultimate Matzilla Mat ($180) for 18 months, and it was 1) just a little too small; 2) was so thick and plush that my stance felt too squishy and my feet were making permanent indentations; and 3) the thick fibers grabbed the clubhead too aggressively, especially on slightly fat shots. Fairway woods in particular were difficult to pick cleanly from the mat without it slowing down the clubhead. I had some friends over recently for a round on TGC, and they were hitting everything about 3/4th as far as normal due to not picking the ball clean enough.

I decided to try a far cheaper mat (see below) with only 3/8" nylon fibers, and all clubs skim through it like butter or a nice moist fairway. It has virtually no padding (5mm foam backing), so the gel pad is a must, and feels awesome under the hitting area. Fat shots are not nearly as much of a shock to the elbows, have better distance, but still give enough feedback that I don't think I'll have a problem of drilling myself steep. I've only been hitting on it for a day, but I seem to be getting a little higher average distance from all shots, especially my 3W. It's also better for putting in TGC, as the short nap is closer to green speed and the ball rolls truer than on the thick stuff. Haven't noticed any green marks on my clubs yet, either.

I have no idea how long the mat or gel pad will last, but I'll update this post as the months go by. I'll be able to rotate the mat once, replace the gel pad once, and also move the SkyTrak around somewhat targeting maybe 4-6 different sections of the pad area. For now I'm quite satisfied with having a firm footing that doesn't leave indentations, along with a very forgiving hitting area.

PARTS:

1. UltraGel 18" x 16" x 5/8" gel pad from eBay - $64

2. 4' x 8' x 3/4" plywood sheet (MDF or particle board should work, too) - $25

3. 4' x 5' Premium Residential Golf Mat from AllTurfMats - $75

4. 1" wood screws and/or carpet tape


Cut plywood sheet to 4' x 5', then cut out 9" x 16" hole for gel pad at desired position (for SkyTrak, I used 4" from edge and 12" from front)





Cut gel pad in half to make two 9" x 16" pieces (you'll use one and have a spare to save or resell)





Put plywood in position, then lay in gel pad on top of the thin foam padding it was shipped with. (You may be able to use 5/8" thick wood and skip the foam padding layer.)





Put mat in position, and secure with a 1" wood screw at each corner and halfway points on long edges. Carpet tape is optional, but screws are easier to remove when it comes time to exchange pad or rotate mat.





Enjoy!

[inorkuo]

this diy idea is great. i'm trying to assemble all of the necessary parts to build a 1'x2' hitting strip version of this. for those that have done this method or the way Mike80 did it, does anyone have an opinion on whether it's better to put the gel under the hitting mat with the foam backing in tact vs cutting the foam backing out and putting the gel directly under the turf?

[theizer]

Just got my gel pad in today. I have to say, this stuff is impressive. I'm planning on not cutting it. I will have 16" x18" hitting area under the synlawn precision putt. I'm planning on wrapping the gel in saran wrap to keep it from getting dirty as it is quite sticky. Then I will enclose in a small custom pillow case with the foam liner it came with underneath.

[theizer]

So my garage build is really coming along! I will post a new thread with my whole build. I think it is turning out really great. One of the most satisfying parts is my mat. I have a full 8x12 mat. It is tongue and groove osb subfloor with Synlawn Precision Putt remnants secured on top.

For the the hitting area, I purchased this ULTRAGEL from amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...UTF8&psc=1

I ended up just wrapping the gel in suran wrap which worked out great since it can be handled without collecting dust and oils etc. It is sitting on one layer of the thin foam it was shipped in which ends up perfectly flush with the 23/32" subfloor material.

For the turf, I simply used 3/4" screws around the perimeter and seams...you cant really tell there there and they are easy to take out if needed.

Even though I don't have my net and impact screen, I was able to hang a rug and tarp from my frame and hit balls using my GC2 and FR1 software as well as TGC. I took 3/4 swings mostly since I don't have the full setup yet and didn't hit anything more than my 3 hybrid.

All I can say is...WOW! when I flush an iron, it feels amazing! I you hit it fat, it behaves very realistic..... and the Synlawn Precision Putt....it looks and feels absolutely wonderful. It seems VERY durable and since I normally take very shallow divots, I think its gonna last. Time will tell, but initial impressions seem very positive.

[theizer]

So far after about 30 rounds I still cant see any visible wear in the precision putt surface. Granted, I take very shallow divots in real life but my 17yr old son who has much faster swing speed occasionally hits down pretty hard into the mat.

[theizer]

Update - after about 60+ rounds and many range sessions, the SynLawn Precision Putt is holding up very well. I can just barely see some slight wear on the spot i hit from but i haven't had any issues with the mat becoming deformed or bublling (knock on wood). My my is secured with screws to the subfloor material around all edges and is NOT glued or taped to the gel. I have had zero issues with the plywood shifting or sliding (i have three 4x8 pieces of interlocking subfloor material sitting on my epoxy garage floor). So far everything is working great!

[brg1875]

Is your synlawn still holding up? Also where did you buy yours from? I'm thinking I'll only need a small amount to make some 1x2 hitting strips and some for replacement when the time comes.

[theizer]

I've only had about 7 rounds and a few range sessions but so far don't see any issues or wear on the Synlawn precision putt. It's well constructed stuff.

[Bilbo]

Hey guys I built this setup using RattlesnakeRon's setup with the exception I used the entire gel pad instead of half so I could move the hitting point around a bit more. I've only had my skytrak about a week and after one of my sessions (200 balls new spot) the mat is showing stress. Now, I've been called a supers worst nightmare at my divot taking skills as I'm pretty aggressive down through the ball, but my mat now has ripples. photos attached. It appears I've stretched it out in the hitting area. I will move the hitting area around and rotate the mat, but wanted to give anyone a heads up that is an aggressive divot taker that you may want to up the quality of the mat. Other than that I love the gel pad feel. It feels just like taking a divot out of a plush fairway.

[cspin]

Bilbo, what turf and/or mat are you using to hit from? Looks to be the Emerald Par from Allturfmats.

[Bilbo]

Yep, I purchased this one off Amazon - All Turf Mats - PGM4860 4' x 5' Emerald Par Golf Mat https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[inorkuo]

Bilbo too bad about the mat. is the gel still in good shape? it looks ok in the picture.

[cspin]

It would be helpful to know if any of the nylon turf has separated from its backing. The backing material is not the 5mm foam. There is a material that the fiber is woven into. The turf and backing are then somehow fused to the 5mm foam. The 1mm grip pad is glued to the 5mm foam. My bet is that the turf has pulled away from the foam, although that would not explain the indentations on the bottom of the mat (on the 1mm grip layer).

This type of turf is really not designed to take iron strikes. The 5mm foam is not very sturdy. I am not sure how the two materials are fused together, but I know that commercial driving range mats are done differently. It may also have something to do with it being over the gel. I bet the gel is just fine.

It would be interesting to see how this mat would hold up in a DIY Divot Action setup. It would probably do fine because of the way the plexiglas flexes down without resistance (unlike the gel).

[Bilbo]

inorkuo - gel is in great shape, stuff rebounds like nothing ever happened to it.

cspin - I don't believe the turf separated from the backing. It appears to be more of a stretching or even a heat ripple. like running scissors over a ribbon on a present to get it to curl up.

With the size of the gel I have a pretty good strike area so I can move the hitting area around quite a bit and turn the mat, but we will see. Not sure how long this will last, but will post back when I've completely destroyed this thing. You get what you pay for. How long do the high quality mats last?

[Stingreye]

was the mat glued to the gel?

[Bilbo]

inorkuo - gel is in great shape, stuff rebounds like nothing ever happened to it.

cspin - I don't believe the turf separated from the backing. It appears to be more of a stretching or even a heat ripple. like running scissors over a ribbon on a present to get it to curl up.

With the size of the gel I have a pretty good strike area so I can move the hitting area around quite a bit and turn the mat, but we will see. Not sure how long this will last, but will post back when I've completely destroyed this thing. You get what you pay for. How long do the high quality mats last?

nope it is free floating.

[Stingreye]

nope it is free floating.

Haven't built mine yet but if your glue it down to the gel, I wonder if that would slow down the stretching.

[Bilbo]

Update: It's official, my mat blew up today. Took a divot and caught a bit of the rubber tee hole (4 in in front of the ball) and mat ripped/disintegrated. The gel is fine, but for the mat you could tell it was only a matter of time. I ordered a CCE hitting strip to hold me over until I decide what to do permanently. So...$150 for about a month of use. Good thing it's only money.

[cspin]

RIP to your mat and cash! Wonder if it would have worn out that fast if it weren't over the gel. The force of the iron strike likely torqued the turf more because the gel deforms on impact, whereas if it was on a hard surface it would not as much. Would not want those forces on your wrist, elbow or shoulder if the mat were on a hard surface, that's for sure.

Still think the way to go is to source the turf that is used for high end nylon driving range mats and use that over the gel. That stuff is not going to break down. It would be similar to the other DIY True Strike mat that people are making by coring out the 5/8" black closed cell foam backing on their golf mat to fit a recessed gel insert. Finding the turf avoids having to incur the cost to buy an expensive full golf mat and then core out the foam backing.

[barlowtrail]

I have epoxy coated flooring. I am worried the plywood wood shift with a full swing. Has anyone run into this problem on non carpeted floors?