If you’re like most golfers, you don’t get out to the course nearly as much as you’d like. Life gets in the way sometimes. But with so many amazing golf simulators and at-home practice options, it’s never been easier to work on your game from the comfort of your home.
Whether you’re dealing with bad winter weather or just don’t have much free time for golf, you can still get better even at home. The one piece of equipment every golfer needs for their home setup is a golf practice mat. This will help keep your lawn looking good and not take a chunk out of the carpet if you’re banging balls in the house.
But if you’ve ever hit off a golf mat at a driving range or golf course, you know that no two mats are the same. In fact, even the best golf hitting mats have come a long way in the past decade or more, making the experience more lifelike than ever.
As you probably remember, old school golf hitting mats used to be very clunky and could even cause wrist pain if you didn’t hit it right. Needless to say, it wasn’t the best experience!
Luckily, you don’t have to worry about that nearly as much with so much new technology. Plus, mats have never been more affordable as there is such a huge selection of mats to help you practice golf at home.
Instead of making you research all of these golf practice mats on your own, we put together this one helpful post to make your buying decision easy. So if you want a simple practice facility or a full at-home simulator, we’ll help you find the best golf mat for your house.
Best Golf Mats For 2020
When it comes to picking the mat (or mats) for your at-home practice, there are a ton of different options. Some are pretty affordable and don’t take up much room, while others are thousands of dollars, twice the size of other mats, but will last a long time.
We broke this post down into the bigger, full size mats first and then cover the smaller, more transportable smaller mats as well. Here are our top picks for the best golf mats…
Country Club Elite Real Feel Golf Mat
This is arguably the best golf mat on the market. The County Club Elite simulates what it’s like to hit a shot from the fairway as if you’re on the course.
With any of the sizes they offer, you can comfortably stand on the mat regardless of what club you’re hitting. It’s also one of the few mats that allows you to use a real wooden tee as well – no rubber tee required!
Here are some of the best features of these mats:
- Can be used indoors or outdoors.
- Comes in a variety of sizes (4’ x 5’, 5’x5’ and 5’x10’).
- Offers “No Bounce” feature which is the most common problem with mats. This looks and feels like you’re striking it from a real fairway.
- Has “True Divot Action” which doesn’t mask bad shots. Instead, it helps you realize if you hit down and through it or if it was a mishit. This hitting surface is very high quality!
- 3-Year Manufacturer Warranty which is a lot longer than most companies. These are used by golf clubs worldwide and usually last 2-3 years with heavy use. If you’re just using on your own, expect it to last for years or more.
The only downsides are that it’s only one type of grass, so you can’t practice hitting shots from the rough. But this practice mat is highly reviewed and loved by golfers all around the world!
Click here to learn more about the Country Club Elite real mat.
TrueStrike Golf Hitting Mats
TrueStrike has made the premium golf mat with this new edition that recently came out. It’s the most realistic feel and surface you’ll find when it comes to hitting golf balls off of a mat.
As they said on the website, “The True Strike Hitting System implements a revolutionary new concept, a thin layer of incredibly durable, yet soft, artificial strike surface with a silicone gel insert engineered under the strike surface. Not too firm and not too soft, it’s perfect.”
Here is what makes this golf mat one of the best ones out there:
- Gel-filled divot simulating subsurface. This makes it feel as if you’re actually taking a divot on the course from the comfort of your home!
- Large enough that you can use it with right-handed and left-handed players without switching it around.
When you purchase, you also get two ball trays, two gel sections, and four range mat sections. The only downside to this epic mat is that it’s so heavy duty it’s actually really heavy — it weighs in at 166 pounds. Don’t expect to buy this mat if you’re looking for something mobile. But if you’re a serious golfer who wants only the best, this is the mat for you.
Click here to learn more about the TrueStrike Golf Hitting Mats.
Fiberbuilt Launch Monitor Studio Golf Mat
If you’re looking for a mat for an indoor studio, you will love the latest mat from Fiberbuilt. This single sided mat is ideal for golfers with launch monitors as the mat is broken into three parts. One part is the Fiberbuilt grass section where you stand. Next is the performance turf section, and then the rough section.
Plus, this is a best mat on the list as it allows you to hit down and through it without any “turf shock.” Check out some of the best features of this amazing product:
- 7’ wide by 4’ long (broken up into three sections) making the surface unlike most.
- Created to fit launch monitors like Ernest Sports, Foresight, and SkyTrak systems.
- Hitting part of the mats have four tee holes, depending on which club you’re hitting and you can use real tees.
- Comes with a 300,000 shot guarantee or a 1-year warranty. The rubber base has an extended, 5-year limited manufacturer warranty.
The only downside to this mat is that it’s twice the price of the Country Club Elite but is geared more towards players looking for the ultimate at home setup.
Click here to learn more about the Fiberbuilt Launch Monitor Studio Golf Mats.
Net Return Pro Turf Golf Mat
Another great option if you have a simulator is the Net Return Pro Turf model. This mat is extra long surface so it works perfectly to have the ball hit your simulator and come right back on the mat. Plus, it’s very reasonably priced for such a large and high-quality mat.
Here are the best details about this lengthy but convenient golf mat:
- Approved for indoor or outdoor use.
- Weighs about 50 pounds and is ¾” thick.
- 10 feet in length. Traditionally, golf mats are only about half that size (at most) so this makes it the biggest selling point.
- Extremely portable. Despite being so big, it’s easy to roll this up and store or transport if needed.
- Doubles as a putting green! That’s right, you can even use this as a putting green with the optional putting cup and flag accessory as well. Since it’s so long, you can work on the putts inside 10 feet to improve your short game as well.
Click here to learn more about the Net Return Pro Turf mat.
Cimarron Sports Golf Mat
If you’re looking for a full-sized golf mat without paying the full size price, the Cimarron mat is the best one for you. For a fraction of the price of some on this list, you still get a full sized mat with tons of great features for your practice setup at one of the best prices.
Here’s the breakdown of the best reasons to buy this mat:
- Created for indoor or outdoor use.
- Three distinct sections of the mat to practice from all types of lies from fairway to rough.
- High-density tee turf so you can tee up drivers and fairway woods like you’re on the driving range.
- Knitted nylon fairway turf so you can practice hitting with all clubs.
- Semi-rough to practice for those times when you miss the fairway.
Click here to learn more about the Cimarron golf mat.
Small Golf Mats
As you can tell, there are no shortage of awesome full size mats for your at home practice needs. But some of the best ones above are pretty big so if you have less space but still want to work on your game at home, check out some of the best smaller options as well.
Fiberbuilt Flight Deck (Best Small Mat)
If you’re someone who is on the go a little bit more and wants a transportable mat, the Fiberbuilt FlightDeck will help you practice your swing nearly anywhere. Even though it’s very small, it will help have an awesome practice session at home or on the go.
Here are some of the best benefits of these golf mats:
- Can be used indoor or outdoor with any club in the bag.
- Small, lightweight and can even be packed in a suitcase.
- Despite its small size, it is made with high quality turf material.
- Fiberbuilt is a trusted brand with a 300,000 shot guarantee.
- Includes a stabilizer hole to allow you to hit with conventional tees.
Click here to learn more about the Fiberbuilt Flight Deck golf mat.
Rukket Tri-Turf Golf Hitting Mat
Another great option for a fraction of the price of the Fiberbuilt is the Rukket Tri-Turf golf mat. This is an awesome way to practice at home, save your lawn, and not break the bank.
Here is what makes these golf mats such a good investment:
- Made for indoor and outdoor use.
- Train from every lie. It has three distinct types of grass to help you master different shots so you’re more prepared on the course.
- Extreme durability. It has an extra thick rubber base that will keep the mat stationary while you practice and last for years to come.
Click here to learn more about the Rukket Tri-Turf Golf hitting mat.
Champkey Premium Tri-Turf Hitting Mat
If you’re looking for a small training mat but want different types of grass (instead of a one size fits all mat), the Chapmpkey is one of the best options. You can practice any type of shot with this mat as they have rough, fairway, and the ability to tee up the ball as well.
Here’s some of the best features of these golf mats:
- 3-Layer structure. This mat has three kinds of different materials that offer amazing shock absorption and are extremely durable.
- Small and lightweight. While it’s bigger than some, it’s only seven pounds made with an eco-friendly rubber base. This ensures it won’t move when you’re swinging.
Click here to learn more about the Champkey Premium.
How Pick the Best Golf Mat
So how do you actually pick the golf mat for your game? Here are some of the biggest factors to consider when shopping around.
Primary Use of Golfing Mats
First off, what are you planning to do with this mat? Is it a small mat to hit golf balls casually in the backyard or are you creating your own golf simulator?
These two situations are very different and usually require different types of mats. Plus, if you’re planning on using it indoors vs. outdoors or both, this should also play a factor as well. The last thing you want to do is buy an indoor mat and leave it outside and lose out on your investment when it rains.
Step one in picking the mat for your game is to get clear about what you want the mat for now and in the future as well. If you plan on creating a more in-depth at home setup, make sure to buy accordingly so you don’t have to purchase another down the road.
Golf Mat Turf Material
The next major thing to evaluate your mat for is the material itself. As mentioned before, turf has changed a lot over the last two decades and only become more like it is on the course than those old mats of the past. You want the surface to feel like real grass as much as possible!
Remember, you want to find a mat that makes it feel as if you’re on the golf course to give you the best practice session. The last thing you want is a mat that hides bad shots or gives you a wrist injury. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about that as we only selected the best picks for this list that were highly reviewed by fellow golfers.
Another thing to consider is if the mat has different types of turf to simulate both fairway and rough. This is common with a lot of mats and will help you practice missing fairways (as no one hits 14/14 fairways) which will make your practice sessions even more effective.
Finally, you want to make sure that you can insert a tee so you can bomb drivers as well. Some cheaper mats might just have a rubber tee which is better than nothing but ideally, you want to find one that you can hit with a wooden tee.
Size of Hitting Mats
Another factor is the size of the golf mat itself. Some are just a small strip of turf for a golf ball and a club with a minimal surface area, while others are the size you see at a driving range or even longer. The size of your practice mat also depends on the primary use and how much space you have.
Unlike indoor putting greens, you can’t usually roll up a normal golf mat as they will get a crease and are way too big. But a few on this list do have that option and double as a putting green like the Net Return Pro Turf model.
Not to mention, you don’t want an oversized mat that will take up a huge surface and make your family angry for taking up the entire backyard or garage.
Warranty / Guarantee
While size and turf material are important, don’t forget to look for golf mats with the best guarantee or return policy as well. It likely won’t matter if you’re only spending $100 or less but if you’re investing in a high-quality, premium golf mat you want to ensure you’re protected in case something happens.
Make sure to save your receipts and contact the manufacturer if anything goes wrong before the warranty expires.
Price
Finally, don’t forget about the price of your mat as well. While you shouldn’t make the decision 100% on price, it’s obviously something to consider when purchasing. Some of the mats on here are under $100 while others are more than a $1,000.
While it’s easy to look at price alone, don’t forget that you get what you pay for. Some of the more expensive mats will last you 2-3x as long as cheap ones and can also help your game much more as well.
Next Steps – Complete Your Home Setup
Now that you have all the information about the best golf hitting mats, it’s time to complete your at-home practice setup. While the hitting mats are arguably the most important part, there are still plenty of things to consider when putting it all together.
Practice Net vs. Golf Simulator
Once you have the “teeing ground,” it’s time to figure out what you’re hitting the golf ball into. If you’re keeping this as cheap as possible, you’ll likely go with a golf net instead of buying a full-on simulator. But if you’re investing more for better practice sessions, a simulator could be the best move and create an awesome experience for friends and family.
A golf simulator allows you to play cool courses from the comfort of your home! Plus, they have never been more affordable than now. Sure, some of them are still wildly expensive (like more than your car) but a lot of them aren’t more than a new driver.
Click here to read the Ultimate Guide to Home Golf Simulators and the best picks for your game!
Launch Monitor
Another way to make your practice sessions even more effective is buying a launch monitor. These devices are like having your very own PGA Tour swing coach and provide so many details about your game.
Remember, more you can measure in your game (like distance, ball speed, etc.), the easier it will be to know what to practice during your sessions. Similar to golf simulators, they aren’t nearly as expensive as they once were and for a few hundred bucks, they can really help your game.
Some of our top picks are the Swing Caddie SC300 and the Swing Caddie SC200. Both of these devices will help you learn more about your game even if you aren’t a “tech” guy.
Or, if you want the full setup as if you’re hitting at your local golf shop, make sure to check out the SkyTrak Golf Launch Monitor. This is the mecca of golf setups that is fun for the entire family. Not only can you use it for golf but it has fitness mode and other video games for your kids as well.
Click here to learn more about the SkyTrak Golf Launch Monitor
At Home Putting Greens
While having a net and practice area are great, don’t forget about your short game as well. Nearly 50% or more of all shots happen inside 100 yards and a lot of that includes putting so maybe adding a putting green will help as well.
Check out one of our top picks, The 77 Tech Golf Putting Green review here.
If you are really serious about golf, go here to learn how to build a backyard putting green.
Training Aids
While having an at home practice setup or simulator is awesome, it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll automatically improve (that’s golf for you). But if you’re committed to improving your game and want the best results, check out these 17 golf training aids that actually work.
Final Thoughts
As you can tell, there is no shortage of awesome golf mats on the market and range mats have come a long way in the past few decades. Whether you want a cheap golf mat for practice in the backyard to introduce your kids to the game or a full-on golf simulator mat, there are options for everything. Remember to think about things like hitting surface and other features mentioned above to get the best golf mat for your home setup.
Here are some of our top picks based on hitting surface, cost, and reviews:
- Best Value: Country Club Elite Golf Mat – These golf mats are a middle-priced mat that has everything you need whether you’re hitting into a net or setting up a full-on simulator.
- Most Versatile: Net Return Pro Turf Mat – These golf mats are the best for your simulator as it makes it easy for the ball to return back to your feet. Plus, you can easily double it as a putting green as well – unlike any other mat on this list!
- Most Portable: Fiberbuilt Flight Deck – These smaller golf mats are conveniently sized so you can take it on the go and practice where you like. Plus, they are built to last!
Go out there and pick one for your house, invite your friends over, get into nature, and enjoy it! Also, if you have a golf practice setup at home, we’d love to hear about it.