Winter Mat or Preferred Lies - what's best?

Previous Next

Everyone hates mud balls right?! Arguably one of the most confusing situations to be in as you're trying to figure out which direction this unwelcome passenger is going to influence your ball to go in.

However, did you also know that other factors can also affect how your shot flies? A wet golf ball combined with a wet clubface can dramatically reduce spin by up to 60% (sometimes over 2000 RPM for you data nerds) due to the reduced friction at impact.

With spin rate being a main component of peak height of a golf ball's flight, this reduced level of spin can lead to losses of 10-15 yards in carry distance. Therefore, make sure that you are utilising the preferred lies and ensuring your golf ball and clubface are clean and dry before you take your shot.

Even more beneficial than preferred lies is the use of your winter mat. As discussed earlier, friction between clubface and ball is a main determiner of spin rate. Anything that is caught between the clubface and the ball at impact will reduce spin greatly. I'm sure most of us have been prone to the occasional 'flier' during our golfing lives and this occurs when enough grass gets trapped between the clubface and the ball at impact that hardly any friction occurs leading to very little spin being applied to the ball. This creates a 'knuckleball' effect during flight.

The artificial turf on your winter mat is cut so short that the impact between clubface and ball is uninterrupted maximising your spin potential and resulting in more consistent launch windows and carry distances providing that a centre strike is achieved.

Therefore, not only are you helping to protect your golf course, you are also making the game a little easier.

If there is one tip I can give you for using your mat to its full potential, it is to grip down the club slightly from your standard grip position. If you are using a Spurk winter mat, they have a hard base to aid in their functionality but this causes the ball to sit slightly above your feet as the mat is partially raised above ground level. In order to counteract this, gripping down the club slightly will allow you to achieve a better and more consistent connection at impact.