The Best Golf Training Mats for the Home or Garage

Practice is key to improving your golf game, but without the ability to replicate the course, your efforts can fall short. Emulating the feel of smashing a fairway drive, creating a divot, or short-distance chipping is essential. That’s why analyzing the best golf training mats should be central to your equipment purchases.

Golf training mats — also known as golf mats, driving range mats, or golf-hitting mats — can give you the feel of the course while providing long-lasting durability and a size that meets your specifications. Get one step closer to teeing off by researching the best golf training mats and what to look for before you buy.

The Best Golf Training Mats: What To Look For

Like golf balls, clubs, office putting mats, or golf carts, not all golf mats are created equal. They can have major differences and slight subtleties that either complement your practice regimen or cause headaches. Obviously, you want the former.

When you’re in the market for a golf practice mat, consider these aspects to help you choose the best option.

Size

The best golf training mats fit comfortably wherever you decide to put your practice area. Obviously, you need to adjust your measurements to account for your golf swing and your golf simulator setup or golf net, if you have one.

The most popular golf hitting mats measure 3 to 5 feet long and 4 to 8 feet wide. However, portable golf putting mats can fit in tight spaces and are as small as 1’x1’.

You may also want to consider an additional stance mat. These smaller mats allow you to take your stance off the training mat for more room. It’s also ideal for practicing your putt on office putting greens, which often require the golfer to stand on a surface adjacent to the putting green or hitting strip.

Pro Tip: If you want to hit drives off your mat, the smallest size is probably 5’x5’. Anything smaller is only recommended for chipping, pitching, and hitting irons.

Durability

Durability is another vital aspect of golf mats. When you’re practicing chip shots, drives, punches, and bump and runs, you will undoubtedly hit the mat on occasion. A mat can only take so much abuse before it deteriorates.

Some of the best golf training mats have 300,000-swing guarantees, while others have no guarantee at all. How much you play and how good you are can help you determine how much durability is a factor in your purchase plans.

Hitting Surface

You can’t simulate real grass or real turf with even the most high-quality golf mat, but you can get close. Artificial turf feels realistic and is the most durable of any variety, albeit with a bigger price tag. Some turf is so realistic that you can place a real tee in the turf and hit shots with your favorite golf club.

Foam training mats are the perfect solution for golfers who want a portable solution. Though they’re the least durable, they’re ultra-lightweight, making them ideal for the golfer on the go.

A rubber training mat is the mid-range model. It’s cheaper than artificial turf but offers similar durability. The rubber base adds stability, they’re approved for indoor and outdoor use, and many also have a removable rubber tee — just like you’d find on mats at the driving range.

Budget

Budget is a major factor when considering the best golf training mats for your needs. Cheap mats start at about $100 to $200, but the most expensive and arguably the best golf-hitting mats can easily range from $1,000 to $4,000.

Consider your skill level, dedication, and financial situation before you pull the trigger on a pricey mat.

Usage

The varying construction, price, and durability of even the best golf training mats don’t necessarily translate into the best one for you. How you use the mat is an important aspect.

If you have a $6,000 golf simulator, adding a high-end mat will complete the feel and quality of the entire experience. But if you’re a new golfer hitting balls into a net or trying out a new launch monitor, a more affordable option will do. Think about your goals, your usage, and your dedication before you buy a mat.

The 6 Best Golf Training Mats To Improve Your Game

Now that you’ve honed your golf mat knowledge, you’re ready to expertly assess the best golf training mats on the market today. While many of the best golf mats share the same characteristics, they have minor differences worth noting.

Ideally, you should inquire about these models at your local golf shop or golf fitter and play in person rather than relying on Amazon reviews. Or, ask around at the driving range, golf simulator bar, or when you’re with friends. With some research, your indoor golf setup will be almost as awesome as the golf course itself.

1. Fiberbuilt Golf Player Preferred Golf Mat

If you have the cash, the Fiberbuilt Golf Player Preferred is the best golf training mat money can buy. At just under $4,000, however, many players can’t always justify the purchase.

Nevertheless, this mat is unlike any other. Using Fiberbuilt’s proprietary Pure Impact Turf surface, the training mat allows you to practice drives, chips, and even putting — all with one product. It also has a vibration absorption layer that delivers the feel and sound of real grass rather than the artificial “turf golf” feel you’ll get with cheaper mats.

2. Truestrike MK7 Golf Mat

One of the foremost problems golfers find with training mats is getting the true feel of the fairway or tee box. Ordinary mats typically use turf over a foam surface, which can feel artificial at best.

With the Truestrike MK7 line of golf mats, you get the feel you’ve been searching for. A layer of silicone gel over injection-molded foam provides a divot-simulating subsurface. This allows the club head to play through the ball just as it would on natural grass

3. Country Club Elite Golf Mat

The Country Club Elite golf mat proves you don’t have to spend a bundle to get a high-quality mat. Voted the best new product at the annual PGA Merchandise Show, this mat starts at $300, but has one thing others don’t — feedback from PGA Tour pros.

Available in multiple sizes, the Country Club Elite is widely considered one of the best golf training mats for its price, ability to set a tee anywhere on the surface, and divot action. All of these add up to a realistic option that’s light on the wallet.

4. Fiberbuilt Flight Deck Golf Mat

At $99, the Fiberbuilt Flight Deck golf mat is the best golf training mat for those on a budget. This small oval mat is portable, takes up little room, can be used inside and out, and can take swings from wedges to woods.

The Flight Deck also uses Fiberbuilt Grass, which promises to withstand up to 300,000 swings before it deteriorates. If you live in a small apartment or don’t want your spouse to know that you’re practicing when you should be painting the deck, the Flight Deck is the golf mat for you.

5. SIGPRO Golf Mat

SIGPRO golf mats are an excellent midrange option that combines a traditional hitting strip with stance mats on each side — perfect for right- and left-handed golfers.

A heavy-duty rubber tile base sits beneath the mat to provide extra stability and the realistic turf provides a feel comparable to the fairway. The only drawback to the SIGPRO is that the rubber base is heavy and intended to stay in the same place. If you want to move it, expect an hour or two to move it.

6. The DIY Mat

Sometimes, the best golf accessories are the ones you make yourself. Building your own mat may seem counterintuitive, but if you have the DIY or handyman spirit, it’s surprisingly easier than you think.

To start, purchase a piece of polycarbonate board. It’s essentially a piece of super-durable plastic that can stand up to the abuse of multiple golf swings. You should also buy a tube of clear constructive adhesive.

The turf is entirely up to you. Tee Line turf that’s at least an inch thick is highly recommended, as its durable and still gives you a similar feel to the golf course. Divot-simulating turf is also an option, but it doesn’t have the durability of Tee Line. Whatever turf you choose, make sure to cut it to the correct size to fit your practice area.

Liberally apply the construction adhesive to the polycarbonate board and put the tuf on top. Place heavy weights on top of the turf and let set for about three hours. Cut away the extra polycarbonate with a utility knife, and voila! You have the best golf training mat — entirely from your hands.

The Best Golf Training Mat Is the One That Strikes the Ball on the Head

You don’t have to plop down thousands of dollars to improve your golf game. The best golf training mats are merely a tool that helps you hone the mental and physical aspects of the game. If you can keep cool, remember your training, and steadily improve, the mat has done its job.

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