Do indoor golf mats damage clubs

[jamesgoodchild]

As winter is here in Canada (we are supposed to be getting snow in a couple of hours), outdoor golf is over for the season. A friend convinced me to join a men's indoor golf league. I mentioned this to the pro at the local shop and he warned me NOT to use graphite clubs on mats for extended periods of time. Apparently, they do quite a bit of club repair because of this.

Anybody else have any experience with this? I'd prefer to use my new set over the winter and try to get a feel for them (I got them just as the season ended) versus my old set, but I don't want to damage them.

Thanks

[Trav]

I can't say for sure whether a mat would damage your clubs, though the pros at my club say it could (and on those days when the club range has mats, they even suggest warming up with older clubs).

However, while I can surely understand the desire to use those shiny new sticks (and it must be tough to put them away until spring), why even take a chance with good clubs for something as unimportant as indoor golf? What you want to maintain is a good swing groove. Older clubs will work just as well.

[jamesgoodchild]

Excellent point, thanks.

[schapman]

I got my new irons a few weeks back and have been hitting them at the local range that uses mats and not grass.

i right away noticed that there are scratches in the bottom of the clubs from the mats. Not a big deal because they aren't exactly high priced irons, but it's kind of annoying to see.

[onamission]

yes, using mats will scratch up the surface of the irons to some extent. no doubt we like to keep our clubs shiny, new and scratch free but as long as they dont hurt the performance of our game it should be fine. hahaha i remember coming home and wiping my clubs religiously... and theni got lazy and accepted the fact that it is inevitable for your clubs to get scratches here and there.


Also.. new indoor mats come with special (shall i say softer/ more shock absorbent) pad where you place the tee to protect the clubs from getting damaged

[Mr Eagle]

The mats may knock the clubhead out of line a little.Did you have them fitted? (If not why not) Have them checked for Loft & Lie before the new season.Its a good idea to do this at regular intervals anyway

[kekoa]

yes, if you play a soft blade like I do, mats will definitly throw off lie, loft, etc over time. I think even pro's who mainly practice off grass, get their specs checked out once or twice a month.

[schapman]

I would practice on grass, but the only grass range near me I know if closes at 4pm !

And I think they switch to mats this time of year. Damn you foul Canadian weather.

[st0wgolf08]

So it's not good to play at a simulator over the winter? I'm sure there mats are really nice if that matters, everyone on my team except me did, and they never had any club problems.

[svchiefs19]

first off, i dont really know where to put this thread, so i figured id go for the general topic. if this isnt the right place, sorry.

ok, here we go. i like to practice at home so i dont waste money at the range. i have a 1' x 2' practice mat that i use. however, its too light to withstand the blow of a swing. so i put it on a sheet of plywood to sturdy it up. now, when i make the proper swing and hit down on the ball the mat doesnt fly 10 feet forward, but i scrape the sole of the club on the plywood, thus scratching it up. i know there are mats out there that offer more protection and allow you to hit down on the ball, but they cost $60 and i dont want to pay for it.

so, any clever ideas how to solve my problamo?

any and all help is greatly appreciated

[squaddie]

Can you take the mat outside and place it on top of dirt or grass? I have a similiar 1' X 2' mat and take it outside if I want to practice full swings. Typically I put a thin towel underneath the mat to help keep it clean.

[chaptowngolfteam]

I know that the driving ranges in my area will occasionally sell some of their old mats for $10-20 depending on condition. Maybe you could look into that.

[svchiefs19]

Can you take the mat outside and place it on top of dirt or grass? I have a similiar 1' X 2' mat and take it outside if I want to practice full swings. Typically I put a thin towel underneath the mat to help keep it clean.

thats what i was doing but every time i swing the mat flys forward 10 feet and it's a pain to go get the mat after every shot.

[squaddie]

thats what i was doing but every time i swing the mat flys forward 10 feet and it's a pain to go get the mat after every shot.

Perhaps you are hitting the shots fat? If you are hitting the mat that far then perhaps your swings are too steep. The divot should be slightly in front of the ball position, but should not be digging up a lot of ground, unless you have an approach shot and are trying to put more spin on the ball with a wedge. Perhaps you could place three or four tees in front of the mat, evenly spaced, to help hold the mat into place.

[ks8829]

you can place some old carpet pieces on top of the plywood and you will hit the carpet instead of the hard wood surface. You might find other materials that you can place between the plywood and your irons that will also help absorb the impact so you don't hurt your wrists similar to driving range mats.

[Dub]

you can place some old carpet pieces on top of the plywood and you will hit the carpet instead of the hard wood surface. You might find other materials that you can place between the plywood and your irons that will also help absorb the impact so you don't hurt your wrists similar to driving range mats.

I was worried about his wrists, too.

Wrist injuries and golf are bad juju....take forever to mend and ache like the dickens. Be careful.

[Clambake]

Think about this.... you'll use these clubs hitting hundreds or thousands of shots each over their lifetime, swinging a piece of steel at 90MPH+ into dirt which has all sorts of abrasive particles in it such as sand, tiny stones, etc. and you're worried up scuffing up the soles a bit on a piece of plywood? They're GOLF CLUBs, not precious crystal figurines! Hit away, and think of the scuffs as badges of honor from someone who practices!

[PiKapp23]

...They're GOLF CLUBs, not precious crystal figurines!

Golf clubs are far more precious than any 'crystal figurines'.