Anyone use a golf mat at home?

[Coastal]

I was thinking about getting a mat to use at home to practice my swing, maybe some wiffle balls etc. I go to the range about 3 days a week but would like to practice at home as well.

Any recommendations?

[Elvisliveson]

I use a 3 x 5 mat that I got new last year on Ebay for under $100. I coupled that with a Callaway net I got in Marshall's in the same price range. I put them in the garage and hit real balls. The only think is the feedback issue; you can't tell for sure where the ball is going. So, it's not I good idea to use it to work on swing changes, etc... It is good for staying loose, warming up or just repeating a swing that you've already grooved on the range.

[Coastal]

I'm more at the stage that I'm working on balance and swing form so I can get a consistant contact.

That's the size mat I was thinking about. They have the residential and commercial, I didn't know if the lower priced residential offered enough padding to use on a hard surface.

[Elvisliveson]

I guess it depends on the manufacturer, but I found the residential type mat to have sufficient padding; I use it on my concrete garage floor without incident. However, I do hit more shots off the tee than anything else because I could imagine the surface not holding up under a constant barage of iron shots.

[madcityscott]

I just bought the Sklz Launch Pad golf mat and it's great: well made, heavy and it has two levels of turf as well as two different height tees. Retail price is about $30.

[Doctorfro]

I have a mat that we use at the edge of our driveway and hit a 30 yard pitch to a regulation golf hole I put at the edge of our property. That's one shot I've got in the bag! But we do use the almost golf balls to hit some full shots off it if needed. We aren't far from the range but it is nice to just step out the garage door and hit a couple to keep the feel.

[Coastal]

Well it sounds like a mat is a good investment, I'm going for it.
I'm fortunate to have the course and range in my neighborhood but as someone said, it's nice to be able to just practice swing for a bit without a big ordeal.

[RCF]

I like this Callaway mat. It's very portable. It's pricey at $29.00 but I had a $10 reward card from Dick's.

[Alley Cat]

I use a 3 x 5 mat that I got new last year on Ebay for under $100.

I know this is off the original topic, but I was thinking about getting a net for the reasons you mentioned, however all of the reviews I've read online for different nets weren't very positive.

I'm moving into a place with a nice back yard in July and wanted to get one, but like I said, the reviews that I've read on most of them make them sound like the netting never lasts long or comes undone etc... how's your Callaway? Anyone else know of any good DURABLE nets?

[wachesawgolfer]

I have a mat but rarely use it because it is different hitting off a mat and I found it does not help hitting off real dirt/tight fairways. I believe you would be better served just hitting whiffle balls off hard packed dirt than using a fluffed up well padded mat.