We’ve seen a lot of golf simulator setups and they can range from a simple net with a basic launch monitor to the most customized systems in crazy man caves. Regardless of how robust a golf simulator setup might be, the one component that often gets the least consideration is the hitting mat. Here’s the thing… you don’t want the simulator system you’ve always dreamed of to be paired with a mediocre hitting mat. That’s like buying a Ferrari and putting a set of 1979 AMC Pacer wheels on it.
You want your golf simulator mat to be as premium as the full simulator environment you’ve set up. Here’s why:
Accuracy
You’ve likely made a significant investment in your launch monitor and you’re excited for realistic game play and practice. So you want your hitting surface to provide the most accurate impact conditions and launch monitor readings in order to take full advantage of it. Fiberbuilt Golf’s Player Preferred Series has a hitting surface called Pure Impact Turf that has been launch monitor tested to most accurately reflect the launch conditions of real fairway turf while also delivering the sound and feel that better players prefer. (More on that later.)
Aesthetics
You’ve built out your beautiful man cave, complete with a great looking simulator setup, but you have a janky piece of turf you’ve thrown down and it takes the overall look from marvelous to meh. The reality is that you want a great-looking mat just as much as you want it to be a great-performing mat. You can use Studio Mats or Combo Mats that look very neat, uniform and (literally) elevated with their rubber base systems to frame the hitting surfaces. Those surfaces can use hitting strips such as what’s in the Player Preferred Series or Fiberbuilt Grass Series, or people who install simulators often prefer a uniform hitting surface like the Performance Turf Series, where you can even put a real tee right into the turf. Either way, you get a hitting surface that’s as attractive as the rest of your golf simulator setup.
Stability
The last thing you want in your dream setup is the nightmare of your mat moving under your feet. Slipping and sliding is a major problem with lower quality mats, and it will both throw off your swing and make your launch monitor information less accurate. So you can avoid these problems by using mats that have stable rubber bases (like our Studio Mats and Combo Mats) or use turf with ultra-grippy rubber backing (like the Performance Turf Series) that sits directly on the floor and stays firmly in place.
Feel and Sound
When you want the most realistic golf experience in your simulator setup, you not only want accurate launch conditions, you also want it to feel like real golf on a real course. With Fiberbuilt Golf’s three different hitting surface options, that’s exactly what you’ll get. The most advanced of the three, the Player Preferred Series, was created with a proprietary Vibration Absorption Layer to avoid the “mat effect” of traditional mats, in which the club bounces off the surface and gives no meaningful feedback on the quality of the strike. With the Player Preferred Series, you can hit down and through like real turf and you’ll get both the feel and sound of hitting on real turf. So you’ll know if you’re hitting the ball solidly or inconsistently, which will help guide your practice and make your play far more realistic.
Flexibility
Simulators vary in the kind of shots you can hit, with options for putting or not. In cases where it will only be swings (no putting), Studio Mats are perfect. But if putting is also part of the play on your simulator system, having the extra length, putting turf and cups of a Combo Mat is ideal.
Injury Prevention
If you’re golf crazy enough to make the investment in a home simulator setup, you’re most likely going to be hitting on it a ton. We often hear complaints from players like you that all of that repetitive impact can be jarring on your joints, especially your elbows and wrists. Make sure to install a hitting surface that takes it easy on your body, like the Fiberbuilt Grass Series, whose hitting strips use a bristle technology that allows you to hit down and through without fear of hurting your joints. (Plus, it’s ultra-durable with a 300,000 swing guarantee.)
Easy Setup
Yes, your simulator most likely will be in place for the long term, but there’s still no reason for a long, painful installation process for your mat. After all, you want to start playing on your awesome simulator setup as soon as possible, right? Thanks to its modular rubber base system, Fiberbuilt Golf’s Studio Mats and Combo Mats allow for exceptionally fast, tool-free setup. Quickly build the base, place the turf sections and hitting panels on top and you’re ready to go. And if you need to move anything, it comes apart and reassembles easily.
If you want more guidance on what to look for in a golf hitting mat for your simulator or to create your customized solution, get in touch with our customer service experts directly at (833) 328-3218 or customerservice@fiberbuiltgolf.com.
