Surface for Hitting Platform

[jeffreylight]

Hello all!
I'm just starting my build and have decided on a ProTee sim. I have purchased ProTee and am now building the platform to hit from. This will be a 6' x 4' platform approximately 2-3 inches high with the ProTee sensor embedded at one end (right hand players only). There will be another 8' x 4' platform adjacent to it to house the putting sensor and serve as a practice putting area. I was thinking of using the BirdieBall surface for the putting platform but don't know what to use for the hitting platform.

My question for this thread is about the hitting platform. I want to stand on something that feels like real grass. It doesn't need to take a club well, take a real tee or eliminate club bounce since the club will never come into contact with it. The club will only be contacting the ProTee turf on the ProTee sensor.

So what do you all recommend I use to cover the rest of the platform? I know I could just use standard carpet but like I said, I want it to feel as much as possible like I'm standing on a real fairway when hitting the ball.

Any and all thoughts are welcome!!!
Thanks in advance for your experience and good advice!

[hankydysplasia]

I'm no expert, but I just made my own DIY Truestrike hitting mat. I used a 4x6 Tractor Supply horse stall mat, an OnlyGel motorcycle seat gel pad hitting cutout with a jigsaw, then covered the whole unit via carpet tape with a SynLawn Classic Pitch remnant. Turned out incredibly well. Plywood would have been better for movability as the rubber mat is flimsier and heavier, but in terms of feel, it's great.

[jeffreylight]

I assume that you used the horse stall mat and the Gel pad to recreate the feel of real sod?

[hankydysplasia]

Yes. Frankly the Synlawn Classic Pitch is very turf like itself. Probably didn’t need the rubber.