Cheapo mat vs. $$$$

[Capz65]

Hi Capz65 - ok, thanks, I will consider it. Why do you think that is better than 'TrueStrike' which uses gel under the mat, or 'MagStrike' which uses a slider that is held down with magnets?

Thanks...
-Brett

The goal is to get the closest feeling to taking a divot. When you take a normal divot with a real swing, you feel practically no resistance. You don't feel the weight of the turf. So I think dead air is the way to go as opposed to a gel that remains stationary. The club is bouncing off the gel not slicing through it. I feel like it's just unnecessary. To be fair I'm just brainstorming, not going by experience. I just don't have the money to buy and try all the concepts out there. Does my reasoning make sense?

And I'm not familiar with the magstrike but I'll look into it before I dive into a diy.

[wbond]

I went down the path of trying many, both DIY and original versions. I've settled on magstrike and fiberbuilt as the best for me. Here was my thread on what I did.

https://golfsimulatorforum.com/forum/build-your-own/mats-turf-and-flooring/130683-ultimate-diy-hitting-station

[Brettster]

Capz65 - I differ on that, your not hitting off of turf that has 'dead air' under it, there is actual soil there - and that is what the Gel in the TrueStrike is trying to do.

I think the 'gel' is supposed to feel 'more' like real turf, because it allows you to 'pinch' the ball between the turf on top, and the gel that is mounted under the turf layer - that is why it is appealing to me, and seems more real. That is also the reason that TrueStrike claims you get more accurate distances (that 'pinching' affects spin of the ball and consequently distance traveled, height, and most certainly backspin when the ball lands).

Magstrike is going to be a difficult DIY, I think... look at wbond post about his hitting station to see. Good luck, keep us posted on how it goes.

As wbond says, it really matters what is best for each individual and that is why I recommend anyone considering a new mat, get out and try other mats in local Sims (bars) to see how they feel, or if you walk away with sore arms/wrists - like I used to do with everything BUT Fiberbuilt! Though, to be fair, the other types of mats were not in existence back then, and that's why I'm looking to try some of those (Holy Grail, SIG Softy, TrueStrike, MagStrike) to see how they perform for me AND how my wrists feel after.

[wbond]

James Spratke it's all covered here. https://golfsimulatorforum.com/forum...itting-station

[James Spratke]

Thank you!

[Brettster]

wbond - thanks for the correction... Can you please let me know the name of US Distributor you bought that from?

[Capz65]

wbond that's some serious r&d. Great job on the comparisons and diy. I was leaning towards foam springs like in Dormeo mattresses but sourcing them cheap would be a stretch. Love the magnet approach. I was afraid the dead air theory would give it too soft of a bounce but the magstrike video shows otherwise.

Brettster I see your point that the gel mimics the turf but its still stationary resistance. Unless it's super soft to allow the club head to go through it like a wave it just seems unnecessary. But I need to demo some locally if I can to really know

[Brettster]

Capz65 - not really, you need something to mimic sod, and 'gel' sounds perfect for that, if it is thick enough. You want it to have some resistance, but not too much (too grabby), or you'll kill your wrists... that's always been the problem with these other solutions. The more I think about it seems one of the best solutions would be a (spring-action and a softer foam material under mat).

wbond - did you ever try a Soft Strike mat? I don't see one on your list at the hitting station.

[Capz65]

I mentioned the foam springs used by Dormeo mattresses. They're called octasprings. See them in the link. The design seems perfect for a hitting strip if the sizing fits. Though I highly doubt they're cost effective or attainable for a diy project.

[dmacko99]

Hey guys, I think I have found the ultimate compromise. Pro Turf out of Georgia makes a Super Tee mat - it's primarily crimped nylon. They also have an Ultra Tee mat with thicker foam underneath. No pain for me and my 10 x 5 ft mat is gorgeous. If you're interested in seeing more, take a look at my video review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jauPUPi3bRI

[barwick11]

Capz65 I've got a cheap (like a hundred bucks) mat from China (on Amazon). Ordered a Holy Grail hitting strip and it's absolutely perfect. Made the cut in the cheap mat, put the HG in place, and never looked back. Can't go wrong.

[Brettster]

barwick11 - do you have a pic? How long will the China mat hold up? I bought a real nice Durapro for my stance mat - very durable and supposed to last a long time. This one: https://tinyurl.com/perfectreaction-5x5golfmat

Then there are these Motivo's that look interesting as they have the strip built in, and they have multiple turf (fairway, first cut, rough), like this:
https://tinyurl.com/Tri-Turf-Master-TourGolf-Mat

[Capz65]

Capz65 I've got a cheap (like a hundred bucks) mat from China (on Amazon). Ordered a Holy Grail hitting strip and it's absolutely perfect. Made the cut in the cheap mat, put the HG in place, and never looked back. Can't go wrong.

I think you're right. The HG seems to be the closest match to the divot action I'm trying to replicate. I looked at it awhile ago and ruled it out because I wanted something deeper than 1", thinking it could bottom out. Now I'm thinking if I'm taking divots deeper than that then my attack angle is too steep anyway. Also I'm doing research on foam types and firmness that they've already done and probably perfected. I'd end up spending more on trial and error than what the HG strip costs.
Thanks for the help!

[Brettster]

Capz65 you say:

. I looked at it awhile ago and ruled it out because I wanted something deeper than 1", thinking it could bottom out. Now I'm thinking if I'm taking divots deeper than that then my attack angle is too steep anyway.

I thought that myself... but believe now the 1" will do fine. However, what I really want is to have that same type of 1" bottom-out on multiple turf types, so 1.) fairway, 2.) first cut, 3.) rough, and I think this Motivo Tri-Turf mat may do the trick...

I may consider cutting that and making a similar bottom-out action to the 10" strips of both First Cut and Rough, here's the mat:
https://tinyurl.com/Tri-Turf-Master-TourGolf-Mat

[jdang307]

Soft strike is seen here. Some here bought it and gave positive feedback. I'd still like to see that forward motion combined with open air cushion underneath.

Intrigued by the mat, but really want to know what screen he's using. Thing is silent!

[Capz65]

Intrigued by the mat, but really want to know what screen he's using. Thing is silent!

Yeah good catch! Doesn't give off the normal thud does it?!

[MongoOnlyPawn]

I don't think you'll know until you hit off of whatever you purchase. I've hit off of Country Club Elite big mat & the CCE hitting mats, the Holy Grail, Truestrike gel, Callaway Launch Zone & the Fiberbuilt Flight Deck......

My earlier comments about the Holy Grail were wrong & incorrect.

I was at a facility that claimed the hitting mats were Holy Grail, but in fact they were not, I just recently found that out, had obviously made some earlier comments thinking they were not anything special. I'd like to acknowledge that I was wrong.

I've been using an authentic Holy Grail now for a month and I think it's a very realistic representation of turf. In addition, it's a lot less impactful on my left wrist which is having a bit of a scaphoid bone/ligaments issue.

You can tell when you hit it a bit fat and it does penalize for distance when doing so, which is more reflective of real life, but it also allows you to not hammer the crap out of your hands/wrists/elbows/shoulders if you're trying to work on the short game.

It's a very effective yet minimalist design, but durable and easy to fit where you need it as they can make different sizes.

Not that my opinion counts for much, but it's a great product & I highly recommend it.

[Capz65]

Thanks for clarifying. Looks like you tried all the big names. Is the HG top of your list?

[MongoOnlyPawn]

Yes, the Holy Grail is all I'll use going forward. The golfers that play with me like it as well. I ordered a spare one on my last order so that even the infrequent leftie that attends has a nice mat to hit off of.

[Jgold2790]

Anyone know how long it will take to get the holy grail mat from preorder?