Driving Range - Off the Tee or the Mat?

[MoodyShrimp]

Was just wondering whether people practice directly off the mat with their irons at the range? I can get a good strike off the tee but I am worried that when I am doing a round such practice will be irrelevant!

[TXRains]

I'll be honest, I prefer real grass if only because those mats make me nervous. I'm sure it's all in my head but I find myself topping many a shot off those mats because I'm afraid of messing up my clubs. Illogical? Probably so, but the real grass is my preference.

[MoodyShrimp]

I'll be honest, I prefer real grass if only because those mats make me nervous. I'm sure it's all in my head but I find myself topping many a shot off those mats because I'm afraid of messing up my clubs. Illogical? Probably so, but the real grass is my preference.

That's what I find off the mat. I either scrape the top of the ball or plough the club into the mat. I suppose grass would be the best idea but the English summer means that I would be stood out in the pouring rain and wind every time I wanted to hit some balls!

[NuclearMike]

Guess I'm lucky- no mats!  Grass only.  I don't, though, like the feel or feedback when using a mat.

[Jebent]

I also like hitting off the grass over mats, but like NuclearMike no mats at the range I go to.

[BeRich]

The range I usually go to has mats.  I prefer grass too for obvious reasons, but I hit fine off of the mat while I'm there.

[jamo]

Grass. But if I have to use a mat, I hit directly off the turf unless I'm hitting a driver.

[MoodyShrimp]

Thanks for the feedback. I can't really see the point thwacking ball after ball off a tee with my irons when I would rarely do it during a round. Will perhaps stick to driver/woods off tee under cover and venture onto the grass, if the weather isn't too bad, to use my irons.