Golf Simulator Hitting Mats and Turf: Sizes, Thickness, Offset vs Center Hitting
The mat is the part of the sim your body actually touches, a few hundred times a session. It also changes your ceiling height and where the launch monitor sits. Here is what the specs tell you.
Offset, center or double hitting
- Offset hitting: the hitting strip sits to one side, so the golfer stands on the mat. Good when everyone who plays swings the same way, and for narrower bays where the tee is offset anyway (Carl's width advice).
- Center hitting: the strip is in the middle, so a right- or left-handed golfer can stand on either side. Needs a wider room for a centered tee (14 ft+ per Carl's).
- Double hitting: two strips, one for each handedness.
Real mats, sizes and prices
| Mat | Size | Thickness | Price read 2026-11-12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairway Series (The Indoor Golf Shop) | 5' x 5' | 1⅝ in | $466.99 SIG10 add-on price (SIG) |
| SIGPRO Softy | 4' x 7' | 2½ in | $749.99 SIG10 add-on price (SIG) |
| SIGPRO Softy | 4' x 10' | 2½ in | $899.99 SIG10 add-on price (SIG) |
| Carl's HotShot | 4'x5' offset, 5'x8' offset, 4'x9' center, 6'x10' center | 1¾ in | Price shown in Carl's configurator; we couldn't read it from the page (Carl's) |
| Fiberbuilt Player Preferred Studio, single hitting | 8' x 4' | Not listed on the collection page | $1,499 (Fiberbuilt) |
| Fiberbuilt Player Preferred Studio, center hitting | 10' x 4' | Not listed | $1,699 (Fiberbuilt) |
| Fiberbuilt Player Preferred Studio, double hitting | 12' x 4' | Not listed | $2,499 (Fiberbuilt) |
| Fiberbuilt Player Preferred Combo, single hitting | 8' x 10' | Not listed | $2,849 (Fiberbuilt) |
See SIG mats with the SIG10 · See Carl's HotShot mats
Thickness and your ceiling
The Indoor Golf Shop warns that taller mats reduce your swing clearance and says hitting mats add 1–2 in (SIG). On a 9'0" ceiling, a 2½ in mat leaves 8'9½" of usable height. If you are near the line in the ceiling guide, a thinner mat is a real fix.
Replaceable hitting strips
The spot you hit from wears first. Carl's HotShot uses 30 x 12 x 1.75 in replaceable inserts in three types: Standard (same turf as the mat, accepts real tees), Foam Divot (most forgiving on joints) and Gel Divot (most realistic, and "will punish chunked shots"). Carl's says the inserts can also go into other mats or floors about 1¾ in tall. An optional EPDM rubber base stops the mat shifting and adds cushioning (Carl's).
Launch monitor quirks
- Garmin R10: if you use a mat, the bottom edge of the device must sit above the mat (Garmin manual). Garmin's setup video says the mat should be at least 2 x 2 ft and recommends one big enough to stand on so you hit from the same level (Garmin video).
- Tee color: Carl's sells black driver and iron tees (2.66 in and 1.66 in) "to avoid launch monitor ball reading interference" (Carl's).
- Uneekor EYE MINI LITE: Uneekor lists it as not compatible with its Trouble Mat (Uneekor).
- Side-of-ball units sit next to the ball, so a bigger mat or a flooring system keeps the unit and golfer on one level.
How to choose
- Pick offset or center hitting based on who plays and your width.
- Pick a size that fits your stance and the launch monitor's floor position.
- Check thickness against your ceiling.
- Prefer a replaceable hitting strip if you plan to hit a lot.