The video below shows me hitting some 35 metre pitch shots to my green from a new hitting mat Bruce and I are developing. I must confess this is not the best part of my game – never has been, but installing a synthetic green in the backyard has certainly given me the opportunity to practice the short game some more.
We’ve added another element to the Supreme Green by developing some prototype hitting mats. These are smaller hitting tees that can be buried into the ground and give you a small area to hit shots from. Why? There are a few reasons…
1. My real turf has never been that good to hit from. While it looks good from a distance, the ball never came off it that consistently. Some shots would fly pure, while others gave a “flyer” lie and the ball would come out HOT and with no spin. It was annoying, because with pitch shots, you really can get quite precise. I figured if my grass wasn’t up to scratch, then others will have the same issue.
2. I didn’t want to dig up the turn with divots. This is especially true if you’ve got a small grass area and want to hit some shots. Divots are unsightly and take an age to repair.
So the answer are these little mats. Bruce and I are trying some different samples to find the perfect version. We may even produce a couple of options or even a hybrid version where you’ll have two different types of grass. One grass will be to simulate a tight and clean fairway lie and the other some rough. Some more benefits,
– they are small
– they allow you to avoid taking divots in your backyard
– they’re not in the way – mowers will go over the top
– easy to install ( a few minutes)
– allow you to practice all sorts of shots
– give you a perfect lie to practice chip and pitch shots
– top quality synthetic grass. Bruce thinks I’ll be able to hit “thousands” of shots before it will need replacing
– cost effective
The picture is a half-mat, I cut it in half so I could place another mat @ 50 metres. Ideal for testing purposes and just maybe a slightly smaller and sleek design is the way to go.
For me, these hitting mats will be to hit chip and pitch shots from. I’m going to scatter them around my green so I can work on shots of specific distances – if this doesn’t help my pitching then I’m not sure what will. I’ve only had these for a few days and already I can see some improvement.
These mats will also be ideal for those that don’t want to invest in a serious golf tee – you can hit all sorts of shots from them. Be sure to ask us about the small hitting mats if this is something you’re interested in. It shouldn’t be too hard to install – while I’m not that good with a shovel, it did only take a few minutes.
I have put together a short video of me from my new 35 metre tee. The video is certainly not going to win any awards but you can see how the ball can be better controlled from a nice hitting surface. From real grass these shots are not possible – unless you’ve got perfectly manicured fairway grass.
If nothing else, these mats give you a good excuse to hit some shots and work on your game. We’ll get back to you with more information or please contact us to learn more. We have some other prototypes on the go and we’ll post any new information when it comes to hand.