The Case for Grass Tees
Grass tees replicate actual playing conditions. When you take a divot on grass, you get honest feedback: the direction of the divot tells you your swing path, the depth tells you something about your angle of attack, and the location relative to the ball tells you about your low point. None of this information is available on a mat.
On a mat, the club can skim through even on a slightly shallow, thin strike — the surface compensates for small errors in a way that real turf doesn't. This means you can have a fundamentally flawed swing and not know it, because the mat never lets you feel the consequences.
For irons specifically, practicing on grass is significantly more informative. You learn where the bottom of your swing arc is, how to take a proper divot in front of the ball (a key element of ball-striking), and how to control your angle of attack. These are the fundamentals that separate consistent ball-strikers from inconsistent ones.
Pros of Grass Tees
- Honest divot feedback on swing path and angle of attack
- Simulates real course conditions accurately
- Better for learning proper iron technique
- Natural feel underfoot and through impact
- No risk of wrist or elbow stress from a hard mat surface
Cons of Grass Tees
- Wear quickly at busy ranges — you may end up on bare dirt
- Often limited in availability (most ranges have more mat bays than grass)
- Restricted hours at some facilities (grass tees closed during certain seasons or times)
- May be harder to use in wet conditions
The Case for Mats
Mats are consistent, durable, and available at any time. The surface is the same whether you're the first golfer of the day or the last, in the heat of summer or the cool of winter. For ranges that see high volume, mats are simply more practical than grass — maintaining grass tee areas at scale is expensive and requires rotation to avoid over-use.
Modern mats have improved significantly from the hard, artificial-carpet surfaces of years past. High-quality mats now use multi-layer construction with realistic give that more closely resembles turf. While they still don't replicate grass, good mats are substantially more forgiving and natural-feeling than older generations.
Mats are also well-suited for working on driver and fairway wood technique, where you're sweeping the ball off the surface rather than taking a divot. For above-ground shots, the feedback difference between mat and grass is smaller.
Pros of Mats
- Always available, regardless of weather or facility volume
- Consistent surface quality throughout the session
- Good for driver and fairway wood work
- Suitable for all weather conditions
- More widely available at most driving ranges
Cons of Mats
- Hides errors — poor strikes can feel similar to good strikes
- No divot feedback for irons
- Hard mat surfaces can cause joint stress over time (wrists, elbows)
- Does not replicate the feel of playing on actual turf
- Ball sits in a slightly elevated position on artificial grass fibres
Which Should You Use?
If You're Working on Your Iron Game: Grass
There's no substitute for grass when you're trying to improve ball-striking. The divot is your report card. Practice your irons on grass whenever possible, and pay close attention to divot direction, depth, and position relative to the ball.
If You're Working on Your Driver: Either
Driver technique doesn't involve a divot — you're hitting on the way up, or at minimum sweeping the ball. The surface difference matters less here. Use whatever is available and most comfortable.
If You're Warming Up Before a Round: Mats Are Fine
A pre-round warm-up session doesn't need to be on grass. The goal is to get your timing and rhythm, not to work on technique. Use the mat bays, move through your clubs, and save the grass time for genuine practice sessions.
If You Have a History of Wrist or Elbow Issues
Hard mat surfaces can aggravate repetitive stress injuries. If you have any wrist, elbow, or shoulder issues, prioritise grass tees and be cautious about high-volume mat sessions.
Finding Grass Tees in Florida
Many Florida ranges offer both grass and mat options. Our site notes the surface type where known — look for facilities listed as outdoor with grass tees if this is a priority for your practice sessions.
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