Swiss Golf Simulators All venues Map By canton By city Open now Near me For business

2 October 2026 · 9 min read

Buying a golf mat: hitting mat for garden and home, size, thickness and price

A 150 by 150 centimetre mat cost CHF 228 to 530 at Arcadia on 2 October 2026. Plus size, thickness, backing and the question whether a mat protects your joints.

Buying a golf mat: hitting mat for garden and home, size, thickness and price — post image

For home use, the best choice is a mat of about 150 by 150 centimetres with a cushioned back. According to the retailer Arcadia that is the standard size. Four mats of this size cost CHF 228 to 530 there on 2 October 2026, and a small mat of 60 by 35 centimetres cost CHF 29.90 at Golfers Paradise. Whether a thick mat protects your joints is claimed by retailers and manufacturers. I did not find a study that measures it. The prices below are retailer prices from 2 October 2026 and they change.

What size does a golf mat need?

Arcadia writes that most hitting mats measure 1.5 by 1.5 metres. Smaller ones exist under 1.0 metre, and XXL mats go up to 5.0 by 2.0 metres. Small models start at 60 by 30 centimetres. They save space, but you often end up standing next to the mat. For simulators the British retailer Open Golfer names three sizes:

SizeVerdict according to Open Golfer
120 x 120 cmMinimum: covers stance and ball position but leaves no margin.
150 x 150 cmRecommended: enough room around the stance, and the ball position can move forward and back with each club.
150 x 300 cm or moreFor a dedicated simulator room, with no step between mat and floor.

Allow for the swing as well. According to Open Golfer the club reaches 100 to 130 centimetres from the body at full extension, and you should keep at least 30 centimetres of clearance to any hard surface. How high and how wide the room must be is in How high must the ceiling be for a golf simulator.

What does a golf mat cost in Switzerland?

Here are the Arcadia mats in 150 by 150 centimetres, with what the shop writes about turf and backing. The date is 2 October 2026. Some prices were reduced: the Basic cost CHF 228 instead of CHF 285, that is 20 % less.

ModelTurfBackingPrice on 2 October 2026
Basicgolf artificial grass, 1.5 cmPVC foam backing, 1 cmCHF 228
Easy Teeartificial grass, 2.5 cmfoamCHF 326
Quattronylon yarn, 1 cmtwo foam layers with a spring systemCHF 359
Classicartificial grass, about 1 cmrubber granulate, 2 cm, 3 cm in totalCHF 530

Then there is the small version. The Chip and Drive mat by Masters measures 60 by 35 centimetres at about 2 centimetres high and cost CHF 29.90 at Golfers Paradise, reduced from CHF 44.90. According to the shop it protects the ground when you hit woods and irons. So it mostly protects the floor or the lawn, rather than reproducing a swing.

In this selection the price rises with the build of the backing: from one centimetre of foam, through foam with a spring system, to rubber granulate. For the Easy Tee Arcadia states a lifespan of more than 7 years. That is the retailer's claim, and I have not checked it.

Thickness, turf and backing: what to look for

Arcadia gives a thickness of 1.5 to 2.5 cm for standard mats. The turf should sit at the height of the fairway, whose cutting height the shop puts at 10 to 15 millimetres. The Easy Tee has 2.5 cm artificial grass, so you push a normal tee in anywhere and need no rubber tee. On the other three mats in the table, tee holes are already there.

On material, nylon is according to Open Golfer the most common fibre in the better mats. Polypropylene is softer and cheaper, but its fibres flatten faster under repeated impact. Polyethylene is too soft for full swings and tends to go into putting mats. What you need for putting at home is in Practising putting at home.

Weight decides whether the mat slides. Arcadia writes that heavy versions weigh 15 to 20 kilograms and are meant for a fixed spot in the garden. With enough weight or a rubberised underside you usually need no pegs. Not every mat suits the outdoors, some are made for indoor use only.

Does a thick mat protect your joints?

That is what the sellers say. The manufacturer Fiberbuilt wrote in 2021 that harder surfaces can cause "turf shock", which often brings pain in the elbow, shoulder or wrist. Arcadia writes that a thicker mat gives more protection and comfort for the joints but costs more. Open Golfer says thin mats of 15 to 20 millimetres pass more impact force through the club into the joints, and names 20 to 30 millimetres as a good middle ground. These are statements from firms that sell mats.

On 2 October 2026 I searched Europe PMC for studies on hitting mats and practice mats in golf. I did not find a study that compares mat and turf in amateurs. So I know of no measured figure on this. What studies say about golf injuries in general is in Avoiding golf injuries.

The floor matters too. On a concrete garage a thicker mat gives more cushioning, on carpet a thinner one is enough because the carpet cushions as well (Open Golfer). And a hard, thin mat lets the ball climb higher on a fat shot than turf would. The data then look better than the shot was. How to recognise fat shots is in Avoiding fat shots.

Which mat for a net, the garden or a simulator?

With a net or in the garden it comes down to weight, fixing and weather, as described above. What a net, a mat and a swing trainer give you, and what only a launch monitor measures, is in Practising golf at home.

In a simulator the height of the mat counts. With camera devices such as the Foresight GC3, according to Open Golfer the ball should not sit too high above the measuring plane. The retailer recommends 20 to 30 millimetres, that is 2 to 3 centimetres, and writes that feet and ball should stand about as high as on a fairway. Radar devices react less to the mat. After fitting a new mat the retailer advises hitting 20 to 30 shots with different clubs and comparing the data with your known course numbers. The parts list for a DIY build is in Building a golf simulator yourself, the sums for a home setup in Buy or rent a golf simulator.

What this means for you: the mat against simulator hours

The directory lists an hourly price for 80 of the 110 indoor venues, with a median of CHF 50 per bay (as of 2 October 2026, our own entries). The Basic at CHF 228 is therefore about four and a half hours, the Classic at CHF 530 a good ten. The small mat at CHF 29.90 costs less than one hour.

A mat measures nothing. Carry, spin and club face only show up on a launch monitor. Buying makes sense if you hit balls at home often. If you first want to find out whether you really practise, the small mat is enough. Before you buy, check five things:

  • Size: 150 by 150 centimetres, if the space allows.
  • Backing: cushioned, and for simulators 20 to 30 millimetres in total.
  • Turf: nylon, if you practise often.
  • Weight and floor: enough weight or a rubberised underside, and think about the floor underneath.
  • Tee: holes or tall turf, so that you can play with real tees.

One hour as a trial before you buy

If you want to know before buying how much a mat at home would give you, book one measured hour first. The golf simulator near me page shows you the nearest venue, the map all of them by canton, and the hourly prices are on golf simulator prices.

Frequently asked questions

What size should a golf hitting mat be?

For home use the retailer Arcadia gives 1.5 by 1.5 metres as the standard. Small mats start at 60 by 30 centimetres, where you often stand beside the mat. For simulators the British retailer Open Golfer names 120 by 120 centimetres as the minimum and 150 by 150 as the recommendation.

What does a golf mat cost in Switzerland?

On 2 October 2026 a small mat of 60 by 35 centimetres cost CHF 29.90 at Golfers Paradise. Four mats of 150 by 150 centimetres at Arcadia cost CHF 228 to 530. These are retailer prices, partly reduced, and they change.

How thick should a golf mat for a simulator be?

Open Golfer names 20 to 30 millimetres in total as the middle ground for simulators: enough cushioning, and the ball does not sit too high. Thin mats of 15 to 20 millimetres cushion less. That is one retailer's judgement, not a measurement.

Does a golf mat protect your joints?

Manufacturers such as Fiberbuilt warn of "turf shock" on hard surfaces, and retailers recommend a cushioned backing. I did not find a study comparing mat and turf in amateurs in Europe PMC on 2 October 2026. I know of no measurement on this.

Do I need a special mat for a simulator?

With camera devices such as the Foresight GC3 the height counts: feet and ball should stand about as high as on the fairway. Open Golfer advises comparing 20 to 30 shots with your known course numbers after fitting. Radar devices react less to the mat.

Sources