Which Mat for average golfer (bogey player)

[Ykaar]

Hi all,

After 6 months with my mat :

https://www.amtechrange.co.uk/collections/mats/products/range-mat-winter-tee-up-turf-150-x-150

I am pretty unhappy. I am 16 HCP, which mean perfect shots fill not my entire day unfortunatly
And these mat ("CCE like" according to the vendor) is punishing me on almost every single shot. I mean, on real course I am not punished as much as on this mat !!! Not even close ! So it take off a lot of fun. And its even worse for my girlfriend, same handicap but less swing speed (club is stopped 3 times on 4).

So ... Lot of very very good player here, and the main recommandation is to go with CCE. But my question is, for those who want something really easier, what is your experience/recommandation.
I would like something between the mat who is forgiven everything and the mat I have which forgive nothing.

I heard about truestrike could be in this category. Any advice ?

thanks !

[BWJones]

Depending on how much money you want to spend, you could try a divot action insert cut into your current mat, or spend more and get a true strike. I struggled with mats until I got a true strike. My friends also hit better off the true strike. I am not sure if it is the most realistic, but I do like it, and it has replaceable parts if they get worn.

[colinjm18]

I second the truestrike mat. It is very good and gives no pain and I have a little tendinitis in my right elbow due to heavy lifting at work and I’m able to hit down on the ball with no issues.

[Ykaar]

Thanks for your answers. TrueStrike could be a good alternative. As its very expensive, I am listening if some people found something close to TrueStrike with a smaller budget.

[wbond]

You can DIY a truestrike for much less than what they charge.

[GmanJeff]

Have you considered the DivotAction ToGo model? It is intended to provide a more forgiving and realistic hitting surface alongside an existing mat - the existing mat becomes a stance mat, rather than the surface you hit from. I have not seen any reviews or discussion of this option, but it might be what you're looking for - less expensive than an entire new mat, and no need to try to cut up your existing mat to modify it with an insert.

[msg]

I have a CCE mat and stay away from it. I am a decent ball striker and I have issues with it. You are right, it is more punishing than real grass. When I usually go to the range I have no issues with the mats they use, which obviously are not the CCE kind. When I play on the course, I see no disadvantage in practicing in these kind of cheap mats.

I am looking at getting a True Strike mat, but just the strip part and not the whole mat since I already have the CCE. Good luck with your search!

[Mike90210]

I would recommend calling Fiberbuilt- no shock or bounce on the clubhead so really easy on the wrists. They have a number of different mats per their website and they get decent reviews around here so it's worth a check imo

[Mase31683]

I have a TrueStrike mat and it's been phenomenal. My distances I hit on the mat are very comparable to what I get on the course. As far as the feel, I have no complaints. I've heard folks mention getting wrist pain with some other options, but I've never experienced anything like that with my mat.

[Ykaar]

Thanks again. For those who have the TrueStrike, one question : To get confortable on stance with the driver, do we need 3 fairways strip + 1 gel strip or only 2 fairways strips are enough ?

Glad to hear than TrueStrike with really different than CCE or equivalent !

[BWJones]

I have three range strips and one gel section in the end. Works perfectly with ST and hitting all clubs. You will likely need to cover the front “logo” part of the gel strip with a thin piece of carpet to allow a smooth putting roll. Mine works great for putting as well once I did this.

[Ronsc1985]

The mat should have nothing to do with tee shots. A CCE type mat only penalizes when you hit behind the ball. Instead of spending money on a new mat consider taking a lesson or two to correct your swing fault i.e. apparently often hitting behind the ball.

[Ykaar]

Hello Ronsc1985,

I only practice with my skytrak. Thats mean I almost never use a tee (except for driver). I have a CCE "Like", and maybe its not the same as CCE but I can honestly say I hit correctly 7/10 shots on real course. On the mat, this score down to 3/10 I think. Of course I would like to hit better, have a Pro coaching me etc ... but I cant (time ...). Plus, I am pretty good with my wedge for example (deep impact/divot in real life) ... on this mat, its awfull (for me).

Plus, when I know I hit the ball first and mat after, club can be "stopped". So I really dont like and as I intend to open a commercial facility, I dont want all average golfer hate the mat because its punishing them on every shot. People want to progress but they want fun to do that, at least thats my point of view. Add a back pain after many years of sport and this mat kill me !

But I will not say this is a bad mat, just not for me and probably not fun for average golfers.

[Shifty]

https://golfsimulatorforum.com/forum/build-your-own/mats-turf-and-flooring/133596-quick-hitting-mat-review-video-by-a-couple-of-good-guys

[fitness golfer]

The mat should have nothing to do with tee shots. A CCE type mat only penalizes when you hit behind the ball. Instead of spending money on a new mat consider taking a lesson or two to correct your swing fault i.e. apparently often hitting behind the ball.

If you are saying that a CCE penalizes your shot when you hit behind it more than other mats then this is obviously correct. But, as far as punishing your body, if you normally take a decent divot and are not a picker of the ball, the CCE mat is going to cause stress on your body whether you hit behind the ball or hit the ball first. With a descending blow, the club is still going down into the turf either way and the CCE is going to grab and resist the club movement more than other mats. Unless you are saying that a fat shot will have a steeper angle of attack and therefore dig deeper into the mat than a clean shot, I don't see the difference. I had a CCE and developed a bad case of golfer's elbow and I hit the ball first nearly every time. Rest and switching to a divot action insert has cured me!

[Tytow]

Got my ST a few weeks ago. I was so excited I've gone a bit crazy and I've been hitting at least 200 balls a day using a CCE mat. I'm a high handicapper, 34 in TGC but 17 IRL. I hit more fat shots than I'd like. That's my miss. Anyway... two days ago my elbow started killing me. I'm in my mid-50s and have golfed for about 20 years and never had elbow issues. Granted, never hit this many balls in this short of time before. Anyway, I'm going to return my CCE (fortunately got it from CostCo) and, based on research so far, probably go with the divot action. Not 100% sure about that yet (I don't like the idea of hitting of a tray-like mat, reminds me too much of my old opti-shot which I disliked immensely). Anyway, until research is done and new mat is purchased, it's ice and rest for me.