Ball Flight

[jbil8802]

So yesterday I played my first round of the year. I've been practicing off mats the last few weeks due to snow. I shot an 83 yesterday which is only 1 worse than my personal best which I'm extremely happy with. My main problem was with my wedges and irons. I chunked just about every wedge between 100-40 yards so I had to get up and down a lot which I didn't. I think my angle of attack has gotten too steep from the mats. I chunked a few irons but not nearly as bad. The problem is I felt like I was slapping at them and hitting weak fades. I always hit draws so this threw me off. The course was also very wet. My driver and hybrids were my strength and I was hitting my normal draws. Was it just the issue of going from mats to grass? What do you guys think?

[Severtheties]

I normally don't practice throughout the winter but was inspired to hit some and club test by Theoo. I went to the grass range for the first time yesterday. My AOA is pretty steep but I think because of this it got worse with the mats. I got it dialed back a bit but I have some work to do.

[hckymeyer]

So yesterday I played my first round of the year. I've been practicing off mats the last few weeks due to snow. I shot an 83 yesterday which is only 1 worse than my personal best which I'm extremely happy with. My main problem was with my wedges and irons. I chunked just about every wedge between 100-40 yards so I had to get up and down a lot which I didn't. I think my angle of attack has gotten too steep from the mats. I chunked a few irons but not nearly as bad. The problem is I felt like I was slapping at them and hitting weak fades. I always hit draws so this threw me off. The course was also very wet. My driver and hybrids were my strength and I was hitting my normal draws. Was it just the issue of going from mats to grass? What do you guys think?

Mr. Divots has been preaching this all winter.  After my first two rounds I think there is some merit to the idea that hitting off mats all winter gives you some bad habits.  You can't really dig on a mat so it doesn't matter how steep you come into it, the club isn't going to dig.

 

So I think that's part of it, the 2nd part is that the short game is such a feel game that it's the first thing to go when not playing for a while and the last thing to come back.  I was a hockey player and relate it to "having good hands" in hockey.  If you take some time off from the game your hands aren't going to be as good.  You're going to fumble some passes and your stick handling won't be as crisp.  But you can still take a slap shot.  Same for golf, you can still take a full swing, but those touch shots are going to take some time and practice to get back.

[Kor.A.Door]

The short game chunks are likely a little of both mats, and time off, playing a wet course doesn't help much either, since there won't be much use for bounce on the club, everything digs. I wouldn't think to much into it at this point, trying to make a change now when it's early could cause problems later

[Mr_Theoo]

I used to have this problem when going from mats to grass. So bad that I mentioned it to my coach since 90%of our lessons are on mats. He told me try not worry about the mat and focus more on the contact and making a good swing. That has definitely helped me when I switch from mats to grass and vice versa

[RoverRick]

I agree that this is early in the year to be too concerned about this.

[wbealsd]

My only option to practice in the winter is hitting off a mat, and IMHO while it definitely helps to stay in shape and generally keep a swing, there's an adjustment period when the weather breaks and I can hit off turf.  That's especially true with the wedges.

[jbil8802]

Sounds like it should work itself out once I can get on the grass at the range and start playing more regularly. Thanks for all the advice guys.

[PlaidJacket]

I'm not sure what type/brand of mats you guys use but I don't really have that problem transitioning from a mat to grass. My mat is the Country Club "Real Feel" mat. 5x5. It's pretty substantial by all measures. I'd estimate that it's about 2" thick. In fact it's designed so you can hit down and through a shot without that hard "bouncing" effect. I have to admit... I don't spend all winter hitting off it either. Where I live we can basically play year round aside from an occasional cold snap or rain day. Their mats aren't cheap but I think they are the best.

http://www.realfeelgolfmats.com/

[Kenny B]

Nice mat PJ.  Looks like it would be well worth the price if you are stuck indoors during the winter.  My only complaint about the website is that they don't have Muni "Real Feel" mats.  You know, the kind that is very firm and has various shades of green with a brown patch here and there; variable thicknesses and types of fiber that emulates Kentucky Blue Grass, Featherbed Bent, and Northern California Sinsemilla.  I like a mat that is more like the courses I play.  

[YESSIIR]

I wouldn't blame the mat! Its definitely time off and not being aggressive enough with the shorter irons (that's why its fading). I would practice a shorter more aggressive swing at 100 or less. Get to the point where your so aggressive you almost feel a pull coming. This should help getting the ball straighter and add a little spin to your ball! The key to a good short game is being aggressive and have control. Long easy swings will only get you in trouble especially on a wet course!

 

Through the Rough

www.ttrgolf.com

[Mike Z]

I have practiced for the last 3 winters indoors.  The first spring I had some issues with hitting fat, and they went away pretty quickly.  I came to the conclusion that the good I get out of all the practice outweighs the bad.  I do a lot of video in the winter. I also pay a LOT of attention to my hands.  You can tell when you are hitting it fat indoor.

 

Last year I had no issues going from indoor to outdoor except with direction - and that's why I got a SkyTrak so I could see direction and contact indoor as well as feel the contact.

 

Hoping for a quick start this year.