Spurk Golf Winter Mat Review: A Practical Winter Solution

My golf club, alongside numerous others across the country, is enforcing the mandatory use of winter mats for the first time, meaning a product such as the Spurk Golf Short Pile mat could well emerge as one of the most utilized winter golf accessories.

However, is the situation entirely negative? I obtained both the short pile and long pile mats and conducted thorough tests at my home club to determine whether my preconceived notions about the inferiority of these mats could be dispelled.

Initial impressions were positive—the item arrives in a compact bag, which is available for an additional fee. While the bag is optional, it proves highly useful as it can be clipped to your golf bag for easy access and to conserve space for other necessary gear, such as waterproofs.

(Image credit: Future)

The mat utilizes six angled spikes on its underside to secure it in place during your swing. You must orient it so the spikes face the direction of the shot, place it on the ground, align it roughly toward your target, stomp it down with your foot, and you are ready to play. Although muddy shoes may transfer dirt to the mat, this is easily wiped away.

Ensure the tapered black section is positioned at the rear. This prevents mishits where striking the ball heavily might injure your wrists or dislodge the mat. The mat is sufficiently long that this is unlikely, but if you tend to hit fat shots, position the ball slightly further back to minimize this risk.

(Image credit: Future)

During my shots, I was surprised by the realism of the hitting experience. Ball flights were excellent, perhaps slightly higher than off grass because the ball sits cleanly and the mat compresses slightly upon impact, causing the ball to pop up and strike the face higher. However, the differences in trajectory and distance were negligible.

You must grip down the club slightly to account for the ball sitting slightly higher relative to your feet. This is more pronounced with the long pile mat, though that is typically used in the rough, mimicking a good lie in that terrain. The short pile mat lacks grain, but the long pile mat exhibits grain running toward the target, allowing for a clean strike despite its length.

(Image credit: Future)

I struck wedge shots, seven irons, and even a mini driver off the short pile mat, managing to hit them all cleanly. My angle of attack did not significantly affect the mat’s resistance, and it remained stationary throughout all shots. Overall, the mat did not detract much from the experience, and I was surprised by how much it resembled hitting at a driving range.

While many courses relax rules around the greens, using a mat undoubtedly makes chipping easier. You achieve a perfectly clean lie and can flatten it to generate significant spin. With no rough or dirt interfering with the strike, you can execute chip shots with more aggression and precise landing spots, especially on soft greens, allowing the ball to fly most of the way and stop predictably.

If your club, like mine, has introduced mandatory winter mats during the off-season, do not despair. Using them did not significantly detract from the course experience. The game becomes easier, likely leading to decent scores, as you avoid mud and poor fairway lies. Your course will look better and recover faster from winter, returning to summer conditions sooner, benefiting everyone.

(Image credit: Future)

I understand it is not identical to real grass, but it is likely as close as you will get, and Spurk Golf claims an added benefit of aeration for the fairways via the spikes. I cannot confirm or deny this specific claim, but the argument is plausible.

At £35 including the bag, it represents a modest investment for an item you will use every winter round. Furthermore, you can use it at home to practice chipping or hit full shots into a net. Considering the frequency of use, the value appears sound, and my testing revealed minimal marking on the mat or degradation of the grass quality.

You simply need to clean the sole of your clubs before striking a shot; transferring mud onto the mat will cause it to look worn. However, if you keep your clubs clean, the mat should remain pristine and in good condition for several seasons.