Question:
You can hit an inch behind the ball on a mat, and the club will glide through and you’ll think you’re Jack Nicklaus. Do the same thing on the golf course, and you’ll think you’re Jack Klugman. Hitting behind the ball on grass will result in a "fat" shot, which will go a fraction the distance a cleanly struck ball will. You don’t get that feedback on mats. I strongly recommend you find a range that will let you hit off grass. Randy
Not all ranges have grass areas, or more to the point, those that do have "divot areas" with occasional spots of grass thrown in for good measure 
The only way that I’ve been able to deal with it is to get one of those rubber tees that barely reaches above the surface of the mat, about 1/8 or 1/4 inch. Bring a knife or pair of scissors to the range with you and do the deed yourself. Play the ball off of that. If you hit the mat and glide across into the ball you will hit it really thin and recognize that you have hit a bad shot. This will NOT be the same as hitting off of grass, but at least you will recognize that you have hit a bad shot. The ball will not react the same as grass, but it will still be "bad." And be sure to take that rubber tee with you and bring it back with you to the range every time. C’mon what did it cost them, a nickel? And you just paid how much for that bucket of balls??? Just my $0.02 Christian Kiely
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just starting up the game, and I do what I can to put in some time on the practice range. Read a couple of books (Little Red Book, Golf 4 Dummies). Took a lesson to get me started. I don’t remember reading anything that would help me hit the ball cleanly off the mat when all I’ve done is tee up the ball. I’d like to think I can pull it off, but a little guidance and instruction here would be even better. You won’t find any written instruction anywhere on how to hit off mats because you won’t find any golf courses that are carpeted with artificial turf, so there’s not much demand for that information. Hitting off mats is SOOOOOOOOOO different from hitting off grass that any practicing you may do on mats may be nothing more than good excercise. It certainly won’t prepare you for what’s ahead on the golf course. You can hit an inch behind the ball on a mat, and the club will glide through and you’ll think you’re Jack Nicklaus. Do the same thing on the golf course, and you’ll think you’re Jack Klugman. Hitting behind the ball on grass will result in a "fat" shot, which will go a fraction the distance a cleanly struck ball will. You don’t get that feedback on mats. I strongly recommend you find a range that will let you hit off grass. Randy
You must be using those Big Fat Berthas that disguise all of the feel. It is very easy to feel where you first make contact; with the ground or with the ball. It doesn’t matter whether you’re hitting off mats or natural grass. In fact, when I hit off mats, I really work on keeping my eye on the ball and I can SEE where the club hits by the way the astroturf changes color. I have a mat in my basement where I hit into a net about 5 feet in front of me. This is where I groove my swing. Granted, this shouldn’t be your only form of practice. It’s just like when people ask, "Should I practice my short game or my long game?" Well, you should practice both! Hitting off mats isn’t bad for you, in fact it’s very good for you in many ways. Just make sure it’s not the only practice you’re doing. When you practice on a mat, concentrate more on feel, not results. The mats are definitely more forgiving. When you want to concentrate on results, hit from real grass (like maybe on the course!) -Barry — <:|+-#-+|:<:|+-#-+|:<:|+-#-+|:<:|+-#-+|:<:|+-#-+|: Binary Data Services – http://www.looksee.com/bds "How to set up your own Web Site with FREE setup, Buy Sell Trade Golf Clubs – http://www.looksee.com/barry
Response:
Just starting up the game, and I do what I can to put in some time on the practice range. Read a couple of books (Little Red Book, Golf 4 Dummies). Took a lesson to get me started. I don’t remember reading anything that would help me hit the ball cleanly off the mat when all I’ve done is tee up the ball. I’d like to think I can pull it off, but a little guidance and instruction here would be even better.
You won’t find any written instruction anywhere on how to hit off mats because you won’t find any golf courses that are carpeted with artificial turf, so there’s not much demand for that information. Hitting off mats is SOOOOOOOOOO different from hitting off grass that any practicing you may do on mats may be nothing more than good excercise. It certainly won’t prepare you for what’s ahead on the golf course. You can hit an inch behind the ball on a mat, and the club will glide through and you’ll think you’re Jack Nicklaus. Do the same thing on the golf course, and you’ll think you’re Jack Klugman. Hitting behind the ball on grass will result in a "fat" shot, which will go a fraction the distance a cleanly struck ball will. You don’t get that feedback on mats. I strongly recommend you find a range that will let you hit off grass. Randy
Response:
Just starting up the game, and I do what I can to put in some time on the practice range. Read a couple of books (Little Red Book, Golf 4 Dummies). Took a lesson to get me started. I don’t remember reading anything that would help me hit the ball cleanly off the mat when all I’ve done is tee up the ball. I’d like to think I can pull it off, but a little guidance and instruction here would be even better. My starter set? Dynacraft Copperheads, TT Rockets w/ Sensicore, and Griptec grips (thinking about Winns next season). Vincent
Response:
I don’t remember reading anything that would help me hit the ball cleanly off the mat when all I’ve done is tee up the ball. I’d like to think I can pull it off, but a little guidance and instruction here would be even better.
Just my $.02, but try and find a range that will let you hit off grass tees. There’s such a huge difference in hitting off of grass as compared to mats that practicing off of the mats may do more harm than good. No way to take a divot off a mat! 
John Livengood VMARK Software Westboro, MA To reply via email, remove the *s
Response:
Just my $.02, but try and find a range that will let you hit off grass tees. There’s such a huge difference in hitting off of grass as compared to mats that practicing off of the mats may do more harm than good. No way to take a divot off a mat!
It seems to me that lately, every time I try to hit off mats, I hook most of my shots. Does this make sense? When I was teeing it up to use my wood, I wasn’t hooking so much. — Remember Ray Ainsley! (See www.tezcat.com/~yoyo/Golf/ainsley.html for explanation)
Response:
It’s not all that easy to hit it off the mat, actually. I’d suggest working with your irons on the tee: try a 9 iron, then a 7 (if you’re hitting it more or less solidly), then a 5 and then, if you’re feeling brave, a 4 or a 3….. Same deal hitting off the mat: if you hit the 9 OK, move down to the 7, etc. A central paradox of golf is involved here: you must hit DOWN in the ball to make it go UP. Look at the back and the BOTTOM of the ball at address and try to make contact there…. (There’s also a problem with hitting the ball FAT off a mat – i.e. hitting too far behind the ball – the club will *bounce* and perhaps make decent contact. After a while, though, you learn the difference in feel of hitting the ball cleanly and bouncing into it.)
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I don’t remember reading anything that would help me hit the ball cleanly off the mat when all I’ve done is tee up the ball. I’d like to think I can pull it off, but a little guidance and instruction here would be even better. Just my $.02, but try and find a range that will let you hit off grass tees. There’s such a huge difference in hitting off of grass as compared to mats that practicing off of the mats may do more harm than good. No way to take a divot off a mat! John Livengood VMARK Software Westboro, MA To reply via email, remove the *s
There is a way to "take a divot" off a mat. Call for a brochure from Par Buster at www.parbuster.com, 1-800-933-6987. They’ve got a floating mat called the Sod Buster that allows you to hit through the ball without fear. The mat provides a pretty true feel to a grass surface. I carve a pretty good divot and don’t have a problem hitting from this tee mat. It gives good feedback too on fat hits, unlike normal hard mats that bounce the club. Jerry