With the winter golf season now well and truly in full swing, many golf clubs will already have mandated the use of winter golf mats when playing from the fairway. With this in mind, I thought it would be useful to create a short blog post highlighting some of the very best winter golf mats that Amazon has to offer. I’ve compiled this list based on my experience owning and using some of the mats, recommendations from other golfers, and from my own careful research of reviews.
Of course, there’s no requirement to purchase a golf mat from Amazon but I selected them as the marketplace due to the wide variety of mats they have available and the fact that some of the mats I own or have used can be purchased from there. If you do make any purchases using the affiliate links in this post, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases but at no extra cost to you.
Important considerations prior to purchase
To help you pick the best winter golf mat for your specific needs, you should give careful consideration to the following, you should give careful consideration to the following before buying:
- Size
- Weight
- Security (to the ground when playing a shot)
- Durability
- Cost
my top 5 Amazon picks
With the above in mind, here are my top 5 recommendations (descending order) for the perfect winter golf mat from Amazon.
Golf Preferred Lie Winter Rules Rocket Launcher Sm...
The divotEND preferred lie winter rules smart mat is quite unique in terms of a golf mat. Unlike many other golf mats that use synthetic grass, this mat is made from polymer materials and has been carefully designed to be small and lightweight, yet at the same time flexible and hard-wearing. I previously owned one of these mats, using it for around two seasons ad generally getting on well with it. I liked how small and compact it was as I could carry it in my back pocket/carry bag between shots. It was also hard wearing and despite being used for many shots (often from the frozen ground), it never cracked. What I didn't like so much about this mat was that it felt a bit too springy, so if you caught the mat before the ball (and many of us amateur golfers do), the ball sometimes ended up just jumping in the air and not going very far. I also didn't enjoy playing fairway wood shots off of this mat for this exact reason. The divotEND mat is a good mat if you're looking for something really small, cheap and durable but you need to be a solid ball striker to get the best out of it otherwise you can be left looking a bit silly after some shots.
Winter Fairway Golf Mat - Green
Similarly to the above divotEND golf mat, the Powerhouse golf winter fairway mat is designed to be small, lightweight, easy to carry and hard-wearing. This mat uses a special blend of plastics to create hundreds of small bristles which can withstand mishits and temperatures as low as -20 degrees celsius. Unlike the divotEND mat which is arced, this mat lies completely flat on the ground and is secured by small plastic grippers located on all four corners. There are also two holes (front and back) which can be used to further secure this mat with tees, which I found was often necessary. I have also owned one of these mats in the past and found that I liked it a little more than the above divotEND mat. For me, it gave a better feeling when striking the ball (and on mishits) and didn't pop the ball up in the same way as the divotEND mat did. What I did find a little frustrating with this mat was that it could sometimes be difficult to keep the ball stationary when trying to position it on a slight slope. However, despite a couple of negative points, I think the fact that it is reversible for tee shots and that it comes in other colours makes it a solid option for anyway wanting an easy-to-carry and use winter golf mat.
CHAMPKEY Premium Synthetic Turf Golf Hitting Mat |...
The Champkey premium tuft golf mat is available in 4 sizes. Unlike the first two fairway mats in this list, I haven't owned or tested this golf mat but I'll still give you my thoughts on it anyway. I like the fact it has a solid rubber base which will likely help to make it more stable (through its weight) and will also give a nicer feeling when hitting any golf balls fat (just like at the driving range). It comes with a small rubber tee holder and 9 plastic tees of differing heights, so will be useful for tee shots when the ground is frozen. I also like the fact that it uses astroturf which in my experience feels much nicer to hit off of than the above two plastic-type mats. With the smallest version of this mat weighing 1.25KG and being 8" x 17" inches, it is larger and heavier than the above two mats, so careful thought will need to be given to carrying his mat during your round. I've also noticed from looking at the reviews on Amazon that there are concerns from a very small number of the 2,354 reviewers that the mat isn't perhaps quite as durable as they'd have hoped (e.g. tearing after 200 shots). Of course, as I haven't tested I cannot comment on this but it's worth looking into if you are thinking of getting one of these mats. Overall, though, I know from experience that rubber-based mats (see #1 below) are a joy to hit off of during the winter season and if you're happy to carry/keep it in your golf bag, this might be a good option for you.
SPURK GOLF Winter Strike Mat (Fairway protection a...
The Spurk golf winter golf mat is the second most expensive mat on this list but, despite its slightly higher price tag, it seems to be a massive hit with golfers on social media. I've lost count of the number of times I've seen this mat recommended when golfers have been seeking recommendations on Instagram or Facebook. At 300mm x 110mm, it's small, lightweight and benefits from a solid base underneath the astroturf top cover. What I really like about this mat and what I believe makes it so popular is the unique claw system on its base which helps to keep it secured to the ground, and the fact that there is a hole to allow you to insert a golf tee. Given its size, it would also be easy to carry/keep in the golf bag between shots. With regards to potential downsides with this design, I'm not sure how durable the spikes on the base would be and I can see potential issues if trying to use this during particularly frosty conditions as it's unlikely this could be pegged into slightly frozen fairways. Despite this, I can definitely see the appeal of this mat given its size, weight and the fact it can be properly secured during normal conditions. It also scores really well in terms of Amazon reviews, with 62% leaving it 5 stars.
Callaway FT Launch Zone Golf Hitting Mat, Black, 8...
My number one recommendation for the best winter golf mat available is, without a doubt, the Callaway Golf FT Launch Zone mat. I actually bought this back in November of 2016, and here we are six years later, and it’s still performing beautifully. It honestly looks almost exactly the same as the day I first brought it home. What makes it so great is that it has a solid but flexible rubber base with a high-quality astroturf top. This combination gives you the closest possible feel to hitting off real grass compared to any other fairway mat I’ve tried. It’s incredibly tough and durable, and what I love most is how forgiving it is on poor strikes. It copes tremendously well with "fat shots"—maybe a little too well, if I’m being honest! It makes me feel like a grade-A ball striker all winter long, only to be humbled once I’m back on real turf. The mat doesn't rely on spikes or pegs to stay put. Instead, its solid weight of 1.36 kilograms does an excellent job of keeping it firmly in place while you swing. Plus, if you need to use a tee, the mat comes with a super handy rubber insert designed to accommodate most, if not all, types of tees. It is slightly larger and heavier than other options at approximately 8"×15" (or 20×40 cm), which means it probably suits those who use a golf trolley more than those who carry their clubs. That said, I routinely carry my clubs through the winter and have no issue whatsoever fitting this mat into my pencil bag. If you prefer, there’s even a small hole at the top where you can attach a carabiner clip or tie a rope to hang it from your cart or bag. Truly, this isn't just the best winter golf mat I’ve ever owned; it might be the best golf product I’ve ever purchased. Take my word for it, if you invest in this mat, you won't regret it. You’ll be the envy of your golf group, and I guarantee it will help you play better golf and make those cold winter rounds much more enjoyable.
So there you have it, 5 fantastic options for those of you looking to buy a new winter golf mat. Feel free to let me know in the comments area below if you own or have owned any of the above winter golf mats, what you think about them, and if there are any mats I’ve missed that you think should be on my list.
If you enjoyed this article, then why not continue the winter golf theme by reading my recently published 5 ways to help look after your golf course this winter article or taking a look at my 15 must-have winter golf essentials?
Thanks again for reading.
Andy
One Response
Used the powerhouse mat this year, it’s flimsy construction allows it to move on your take away letting your ball move resulting in unwanted shots, mainly the dreaded s word (shank)