Hi Dave,

Thanks for the post. 

There are many reasons why you could have developed into a picker, and hitting off mats your entire life could certainly be one of them.  You are correct that it is more difficult to make a descending blow on a golf ball when hitting off mats; however, some individuals hit off mats frequently and are still steep into the golf ball. In the end, consistent, solid contact is the most important thing. If you feel you achieve this without taking a divot, I wouldn't worry.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Bubba

Thanks, Bubba...  as always, I do appreciate your imput.  Yeah, I'm really not terribly worried about it, because I do hit the ball fairly solid most of the time.  Just curious what thoughts people might have on the subject.  I really do think their might be a bit of a correlation there.  Thanks again...

I hit off the grass and the mats.

Admiral Baker allows hitting from the grass on Mon-Wed and off the mats Thur-Sun.  What I do for most of the clubs is hit off the thin section. The only issue is the padding is a bit thick so there is almost a false sense of security in that you might hit them solid there and end up chunking on the golf course.

There is one test I call the "Sorrento Canyon Test" because it is a range with thin mats that have very little padding between them and the concrete. It is sort of a "tight lies" test because the ability to hit off those translates into being able to pick it off a tight lie. 

The thing about thin mats, is they bring out any ill fit problems such as too flat of a lie (the ball will tend to block or slice).  I can still hit a flat lie club straight off grass.

The up side of hitting off the mats is that the ground is perfectly level. 

There is one driving range on a military base where they move the tee markers up and down the range.  At one location you could be hitting ball above the feet and uphil and at the other end it would be ball below the feet and downhill.

Dave, like Bubba said, do not try to change your ball striking. I have been a picker since I started playing when I was 8 years old and that was 59 years ago. There are many pros on the PGA Tour that are pickers so don't think you have to start a garden every time you hit the ball to strike it better. Look at it this way, fairway bunkers are easy as it is just another routine shot for you and the chances of getting tendonitis in your elbows are lessened. Even BH says that this is not a fault and not to worry about it.

DaveB

I was in the same psoition as you a few years back.  I was spending a ton of time at the range hitting off mats.  While this certainly help my game on the tee box with driver, i found it very detrimental to my game in regards my irons and especially wedges.  I was not hitting down on the ball and catching the ball thin with my wedges which lead to many overshot greens.  My solution was to only hit at driving ranges with grass which basically means I no longer go to the range outside of the one at my course. I now find that spending time playing as opposed to practicing has greatly improved my game.

We have been contemplating the same dilemna.  Our course has a good short game area, but, does not have a full rane - just mats and since we have been at the course, my ground game has not been that strong.  Due to injuries, I am reluctant to hit down on the mats and am a real picker.  I find myself missing iron shots thin and although my short game is good, it would be nicer to hit more greens.  Last week, we hit at a grass range and it was really nice to get that feedback.  Like others in this post, we are now thinking that we need to be at a course with a grass driving range.

Thanks for the replies, fellas...  yeah, I'm not going to change anything at this point in my life.  I've been a picker for 40+ years now and that's what I'll always be most likely... which doesn't bother me in the least.  I'll say this, I think it helps to be a picker in wet conditions.  And even though I only hit from mats, I like to go and hit balls just trying to get a swing down so I don't have to think too much about it on the course. I really enjoy hitting balls, especially when you get in a groove and hit like 20 or 30 in row dead on the sweet spot.  I'll still continue to use the mats, it's what's readily available to me.  But like Eric said, I think it may inhibit you from hitting down on the ball somewhat... maybe... i don't know.  It has never seemed to affect how I hit it on the course... I can hit it poorly in both places.

I would say that it depends upon the mat. There seems to be new technology going into new range mats. My local range used to have a metal slab with what looked like hair plugs sticking out of them. A steep enough swing would make a loud clack as you impacted the metal base.

A year later they invested in new foam based mats that had a thicker, curlier "grass" section. This denser top layer was more responsive for fat shots because you could feel it grab the head a bit bit before the ball contact.  And doesn't hurt you on steep swings because of the foam base.

You may want to consider buying a high tech mat yourself and swap your mat at the range.

Even off of grass, Greg Norman was a picker. 

I've always been a picker, so even with instruction on holding a lag longer, I'm still picking but with better contact.  The worst part of mats is there are no real fat shots and that comes with the false sense of security that your ball striking is great.  But for 7 months a year, it's my only choice.

Cathi...

No disrespect earlier... when I posted "Thanks for the replies, fellas", your comment was not yet posted.  Are you saying that your injuries have turned you into more of a picker, or the mats and possibility of further injury is causing you to try to pick the ball more?  It's so much nicer to be able to hit the ball off real turf as you would on the course.  I will say, the mats seem to be evolving into a much more realistic material.  The mats i hit off of at the range I go to most often are new last year and are the best I've seen.

Haha - none taken :)  I think you are right and the hardness of (sometimes), the concrete pad under the mat cause players to "pick" the ball.  I hear the new mats are really good and simulate grass quite well, but our course does not have those yet.  Lookin foward to it.  Have a great weekend everyone!

I have had several good sessions on the range mat, and take that same swing to the course and chunk it all day long.  It's very frustrating.  I have recently purchased a little mat (12" x 18") to hit shots in my front yard off of.  I was getting "in trouble" for digging up the bermuda.  I tested it out yesterday hitting a couple on and off the mat.  All my shots were the exact same distance, and when I catch one fat on the little mat, the thing jumps forward about 6", so it gives some feedback.  P.S. Don't tell my wife that I was hitting them off the grass again.  I cover my divots with the little mat!

i was a mat hitter and it messed up my wrists bad because I'm steep and hit down.

concrete under the mats do not give.

I've also hit off mats on grass and it seems to work well.

there should be some cushion or viable alternative to mats.

If you find it, let me know.

vern