An efficient home practice space starts with the correct golf mat. Important considerations are feel, size, and longevity of the mat. Learn how to evaluate the possibilities while keeping your goals and budget in mind, as well as what to look for.
Identify the Golf Mat Size
You can purchase a golf mat that is as small as one foot by two feet if you don’t have much room. Smaller mats have the drawback of having insufficient space for a realistic experience when standing on them. Think about going larger with a foldable mat that you can store after using it.
For golfers who are about six feet tall, a five-by-five-foot golf mat usually suffices. When measuring your area, keep in mind both the usual distance your golf balls travel and the possibility of ricocheting. Learn how to measure out your area and select the appropriate size mat.
Think About the Shots You Wish to Work on
A good golf mat should be resistant to driving and chipping. Granted, not everyone is adept with irons. Consider your practice objectives before selecting your mat. Check out this little comparative table.
Examine the Durability of the Golf Mat
Select the longest-lasting mat that fits your budget for optimal use. Though the density, quality, and overall thickness of the mats vary, most feature a rubber foundation and a nylon surface. The mat tends to weigh more when it is more durable. A less sturdy, lighter, but less expensive mat can be a better choice for you if you must be able to move and store it frequently.
Select a Mat That Has the Same Feel as the Real Thing
Your practice shots will transfer more smoothly to the courses the more realistic your golf practice mat is. When assessing every mat, look for responses to these four questions:
- Is it possible for you to strike through the mat?
- Is there anything on the mat that counteracts shock and artificial bounce?
- Does the hitting surface have enough variation?
- Can wooden tees be used?
All things considered, you also want a mat that won’t mar or scratch your clubs. To focus your search, seek product reviews and assurances from other golfers.
Selecting the Right Golf Mat
We will divide the golf mats in this part into three sizes: standard, oversized, and complete cover. To see why you might prefer one size over the other, continue reading.
Golf mats in Standard Size
The most widely used mats are these. They are 3′ to 5′ long and 4′ to 8′ wide. The price range for these mats is between $200 and $1000, depending on the materials and size. These will be the most affordable golf mats you have, excluding hitting decks and pads. They leave enough for a launch monitor and enough area to adopt a complete stance.
The disadvantage of standard-size mats is that they are less accommodating than larger mats when it comes to left and right-handed play. Another drawback is that golf balls will fall to your floor if the turf isn’t completely covered from mat to net. If the flooring beneath your golf simulator is wood, you run the risk of causing harm to it after a few strokes. In general, you should have something covering the spot where your ball lands unless your flooring is carpeted.
Bigger-than-normal Golf Mats
Approximately twice as large as regular mats are these mats. Usually 8 to 12 feet long and 6 to 10 feet wide. One of these mats’ best features is that it usually cover the whole hitting area from mat to net. Guaranteeing the ball lands on a matting area protects your floor and makes the ball return easy. Additionally, a lot of them include a central striking surface with a left- and right-handed stance area. If your golf simulator makes use of an overhead camera or sensor, this is vital.
The golf ball must be positioned precisely in overhead systems, which are typically permanent. It becomes challenging to accommodate left- and right-handed golfers if you don’t have a central hitting area. Putting surfaces are created on top of golf mats, like the Fiberbuilt Combo Golf Mat & Putting Green, by utilizing the excess space inside the mat. An excellent improvement over the basic golf mat and its additional features.
Conclusion
You may probably disregard these as golf mats. A more accurate description for this choice would be “hitting surface,” as it consists of a whole AstroTurf spanning a considerable area, often even the entire room, rather than just one golf mat.
These frequently need a customized build of some kind. They are the priciest option for a golf mat, but they also look the best and offer the greatest flexibility. The drawback of these alternatives is that they are far more permanent, which makes it more challenging to replace items that wear out.
