Fairway Mats Trial Now Underway at Harleyford

Many of you may have noticed that the use of fairway mats is becoming increasingly common across golf clubs throughout the UK. With harsher winters and hotter, drier summers predicted to become the norm, more and more courses are introducing mats as a way to protect turf, reduce wear, and maintain fair playing conditions throughout the year.

With this in mind, Harleyford Golf Club would like to stay ahead of the curve by trialling fairway mats on a temporary basis.

Trial Mats Available in the Pro Shop

We currently have a stock of eight mats available in the Pro Shop, which members are welcome to borrow and test during social rounds. We kindly ask that any mats borrowed are returned after use, so that other members can take part in the trial as well.

Please note: these mats are currently at the lower end of the quality range, as they are intended purely for trial purposes. If a fairway mat scheme were to be introduced permanently, members would have the option to either:

• Purchase their own mat, or

• Use higher-quality mats provided by the Club

Competitions and Scorecards

One of the main questions we have received so far concerns the use of fairway mats during competitions and for submitting general play scores. While the Rules of Golf do allow mats in certain circumstances, their use in qualifying play would require a formal Local Rule to be introduced.

For that reason, we kindly ask that any members currently practising with the trial mats use them for social golf only, until an official decision is made and any Local Rule is confirmed.

Member Feedback Welcome

At this stage, no final decision has been made, and this trial is purely exploratory.

We would be extremely grateful for feedback from any members taking part, as your views will help guide the Club in deciding whether fairway mats could play a role in future course management.

We are also discussing the trial with the Men’s, Women’s and Seniors Committees, so members are welcome to share comments directly with them as well.

Further Reading

For those interested, the topic of fairway mats has been widely discussed across the UK golf industry. A recent article from National Club Golfer includes expert insight from a BIGGA course manager, highlighting how mats can significantly reduce turf damage and improve course presentation heading into spring: Does using fairway mats in winter really make a difference? (National Club Golfer)

As always, thank you for your support. We encourage members to take part in the trial where possible, and we look forward to hearing your thoughts. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.