Nobody ever tells you about the dangers of hitting golf balls from a hard surface turf mat… Learning golf is hard enough – How much harder it is to play well if you’re trying to hit shots off a hard surface mat! You might as well practice hitting shots from a cart path.
Why do people even consider practicing golf from a hard surface or Astroturf mat? Astroturf is nothing like grass… as far as hitting a golf ball goes. Think about it – Would you play golf on an Astroturf golf course? What most golfers don’t know about hitting from a golf mat could lead to serious, life-long injuries. When you hit from a hard surface or Astroturf, you may be subjecting your body to a shock that over time can lead to pain, inflammation, joint troubles and even long term injuries.
I’ve been doing a lot of research into soft fiber golf mats, which are specifically designed to overcome the epidemic problems of golf pain and injury. Keep reading and you’ll discover how the jarring effect of hitting off a hard surface is the biggest culprit!
How hitting from a Fiberbuilt SOFT FIBER mat is actually better than grass… A soft fiber mat will naturally ingrain in your swing the proper downward swing path. You’ll learn to create more backspin just because you’ll be consistently practicing the proper downward motion.
Golfers who practice with the Fiberbuilt mats consistently report they are hitting higher, straighter shots with their irons.
It’s extremely difficult to hit a metal / wood or hybrid club from a hard surface or Astroturf mat. The reason is because the flat sole of these clubs makes them even more likely to bounce off a hard surface, resulting in a thin or topped shot.
The Fiberbuilt soft fiber hitting surface is the most realistic artificial golf surface ever built. The ball sits nicely on top of the fibers, as it would for a fairway or 1st cut of rough. No other golf mat can come even close to the lifelike experience of hitting golf shots from our soft fiber mats.
“But what if I like hitting from a ‘tight lie’ so I can get a realistic feel for hitting the ball from a short cut fairway? Otherwise, how will I know that I hit it clean and make sure that I’m not hitting fat shots?”
That’s a question I asked because before I gought my soft fiber golf mat. I had gotten used to practicing a certain way from a hard surface mat or firm grass. What I discovered is that even a good ball striker will not get the ball to spin as much in a practice session from our soft fiber mat. It’s just physically impossible to create the same effect of backspin as you would from a tight lie.
However, here’s what surprises most strong players after practicing on a Fiberbuilt soft fiber mats: When they start to play, they get better backspin. The reason is simple – their practice swings had a stronger downward striking motion. Better backspin is the natural result.
This happened for me – I started hitting the ball much higher are a result of better backspin. My golfing buddies actually noticed the difference. I really like how I can make the ball stick on the greens.
More importantly for me is I’m not hitting shots thin anymore. I used to hit a line drive wedge every once in a while. Embarrasing, to say the least.
The more important consideration most serious players ask is “How can I hit a lot of balls in practice without injuring myself.” Think about how injuries have held back even great champions like Phil Mickelson, Mike Weir and even Jack Nicklaus.
Barb Mucha is a seasoned LPGA veteran who has won 5 times on tour. She makes an interesting observation about why even golf professionals like to hit from the soft fiber grass mat:
“Many golf pros are used to hitting from tight lies in well groomed ranges and fairways. They get used to the ‘tingling’ feeling in their hands if they hit a shot slightly fat. However, you don’t need to feel this shock from the ground or a hard surface mat to tell if you’ve hit a shot clean – you can tell by sound of impact and the ball flight. I appreciate practicing from a Fiberbuilt soft fiber golf mat because I can practice for hours without tiring my joints.”
Medical Research Reveals a Leading Cause of Golf Injuries: Hitting From A Hard Surface Golf Mat David Lindsay is one of the world’s leading Golf Physiotherapists and a foremost authority on golf related injuries.
He is the Head Physiotherapist at the University of Calgary Sport Medicine Centre. David has written over 30 peer reviewed articles for various medical journals. His research includes work on back, shoulder, wrist and elbow injuries sustained by golfers. His research reveals some interesting clues about the rise of golf injuries…
David Lindsay is also a personal Physiotherapist for:
- Stephen Ames – PGA Tour Pro
- Jason Zuback – 5X World Long Drive Champion
- Dale Goehring – Canadian Amateur Champion
- Wes Heffernen – Winner of 2 Canadian Tour Events
Here’s what David Lindsay has to say about golf injuries and hitting off a hard surface mat:
“The majority of injuries affecting golfers occur within the upper limb (e.g. wrist, elbow & shoulder). A major cause of these injuries is the jarring effect that occurs when the golf club strikes a hard surface. The harder the surface the higher the impact stress on the arms. This repetitive jarring leads to wrist sprains, tennis and golfers elbow as well as rotator cuff injuries to the shoulder.”