From the mat to grass...what's going on?

**chris408** · August 19, 2008

Well I've been working on changes on my swing with the club pro to help with some consistensy and the dreaded topping of the ball. Found that I raise my shoulders during the down swing and my takeaway was more hands than shoulder.

I've mainly been hitting off the mat at the range and during our video sessions. I've felt that I've made some pretty good progress. I was hitting some pretty good shots off the mat.

Decided to start practicing off the grass range, and I was topping like crazy. I spent this morning on the grass range, topping the ball off the grass and off the tee. It was TERRIBLE!! I did hit some decent shots, but not the same ratio as on the mat. I could tell I was lifting again. And my divots were either before the ball or there wasn't any. And if there was, it was tiny.

So I went back this afternoon, and the same thing. So I went back to the mat range and I was making good contact again. Granted, I did top a few, but the majority was good contact. I don't get it.

Anyone else have similar issues? It's very frustrating to "think" I've made progress and see the problem some back.

**Rugger** · August 19, 2008

My local range forced everyone to use mats for about the last week or so. It took me a while to get used to them, but I eventually did. Then when i went to play, on grass obviously, I was topping the ball also, which is something I NEVER do. I don't know what it is about going from mats to grass.

**NBGC** · August 19, 2008

When I've hit off the mats and gone to grass I usually hit the ball fat the first few. Off the mats the club glides over the mat and still make good contact with the ball. On grass your club digs...

I've never gone from mats and then topping.

**Treemagnet** · August 19, 2008

When I've hit off the mats and gone to grass I usually hit the ball fat the first few. Off the mats the club glides over the mat and still make good contact with the ball. On grass your club digs...

I'm the same way, I just hit a little fat after using the mat. But that only lasts a few shots.

**rubbery** · August 19, 2008

Like nbgc said, when you hit what would be a fat shot on a range mat, your club simply bounced off and still makes clean contact with the ball, whereas on grass, your club would go right into the dirt and possibly snap your wrists. It's not horribly difficult to tell what would have been a fat shot on a mat if you're paying attention.

If you're problem is topping on grass and not on the mat, my only guess would be that since you can't really hit a fat shot on a mat, you have no problem going right at the ball, but on grass, you don't want to hit it fat, so you're not totally committing to the shot.

**Dub** · August 19, 2008

I sort of dread hitting off mats.....but it may be all that's allowed when it has been raining.

I loose my tendancy to hit down on the ball. This doen'st help at all once I transition back to real turf.

I'm so grateful for having a nice practice facility with excellent turf nearby....3 miles away or so. Their prices are very reasonable, too.

**JaY_B** · August 19, 2008

I don't want to sound rude, but hitting golf balls off the range at the mat will not lead to a top on the course, making this correlation is irrational, You probably just wasn't swinging it well on the day.

**extremeld** · August 19, 2008

i think i have spent my last day at a golf range with mats, i am so used to hitting of level mats at golf ranges and having some guidance on set up from all the right angles.

On sunday i hit like a dog on a sloping wet golf tee (ld event). Its just too easy to make good contact after a while if you are hitting of matts with exactly the same height of tee and exactly the same condition underfoot - muddy tee on sunday whats that about!

sliding about no shape to the drives, meant no confidence and hitting real weak shots - didnt help that on the range beside the event i was beasting it there and broke my two favourite drivers.

i am off to jjb to buy a hundred cheap balls then its practice on the grass only.

k

**TommyD69** · August 19, 2008

I would say that if you are topping the ball and/or picking it. Beside the fact that you are lifting your shoulders, you are (mentally) afraid of hitting it fat.
There is nothing worse than keeping your head down, and getting a face full of wet dirt when you hit it fat off the grass.
You just have to commit to staying down on the ball... plane and simple.
Don't get too steep, and let the club take a divot.

**nevets88** · August 19, 2008

Maybe you were subconsciously afraid of hitting the ball fat on the mat, so you picked off the ball cleanly, got used to it and it didn't translate well back on real grass?

**Wannabe Paper Tiger** · August 19, 2008

I am just going to state the obvious. When you made swing changes - on the mats - i am guessing it didn't transfer over cause it's mental.... psychosomatic... did you work on drills for your swing change? If so work on them on the grass - this will help with you confidence... just a suggestion.

**steve8820** · August 19, 2008

The mats are far more forgiving when making impact with the ground behind the ball. So, you can lull yourself into thinking you are making great swings when off a mat. When actually you are chunking as you quickly find out when you take a few swings on natural turf. My advice is to stay away from the mats if you can.....

lynxer23 · August 19, 2008

I usally hit fat on mats. I find that the grass is much more forgiving!

**chris408** · August 19, 2008

Thanks all for the replies, comments, and suggestions. Didn't get to go out this morning, but I think working through the issues, both physical and mental, on the grass sounds like the best way.

mikeloury25 · August 21, 2008

I feel the same way. like most my golf swing has flaws but with the mats unless I am using the tee I cant get enough feed back. and for the most of life I have just been a real hacker and rarely played golf. spent most of my days trying to hit long balls at the range and developed a swing that goes straight to the ball with irons. this hasn't really hurt me much now that I am playing the courses more these days, but I invested in a 54 and 60 wedge and now with my same swing I am skulling these wedges more regular than I like. 50% of the time. so now I have gotten a bunch of balls to practice at a local recreation park off of the side of say a practice football field to focus on my irons and wedges on real grass so I learn to hit the ball but strike through it and take a divot instead scooping, which has got me in big trouble with my wedges.

**fusioncal** · August 21, 2008

Well I've been working on changes on my swing with the club pro to help with some consistensy and the dreaded topping of the ball. Found that I raise my shoulders during the down swing and my takeaway was more hands than shoulder.

Hit down.

The truth is you get bad habit practicing off the mats and the feeling of hitting clean. Tell yourself that you're going to get a chunk of dirt after you hit the ball on the grass. Notice that particular spot about 2 inches in front of the ball when you address? Hit it with your club and take some dirt, but not too deep okay?

**fusioncal** · August 21, 2008

I usally hit fat on mats. I find that the grass is much more forgiving!

Definitely forgiving...with shovel.

**chris408** · August 21, 2008

Well I've been mainly hitting off the grass this past week, and it was only today that I think I "re-found" my swing near the end of my practice session this morning. Using clubs that was giving me the most grief, I was able to hit some solid shots. Don't get me wrong, I was still topping, pushing, and pulling some shots, and definately need to do more work, but I made contact.

I started on the grass by hitting off a tee, making sure I could at least make contact. Even that started as a problem, but when I "got it", I progressively lowered the tee until the ball was solely on the gress. I constantly checked the various parts of my setup, ball alignment, swing, etc., making sure I was technically correct.

I'll be more confident/comfortable when I can go out to the grass range tomorrow, or even this afternoon, and repeat with the same irons. Repetition, for me, is confidence building.

I've stopped hitting off the mat. I think the mat has it's advantages, especially if that's all available and for tee shots, but I'd recommend working of the grass. I think I became too comfortable with the "ease" of hititng of the mat that it give me a false sense of confidence. It hid some flaws in my swing that was only apparent when on the grass, so I had to re-adjust.

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From the mat to grass...what's going on?

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