Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat Review – Is it the Best Budget Golf Mat?

This Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat review will examine why I think it is the best budget golf hitting mat on the market today. It is often hard to separate the competitors in the golf hitting mat market, but I believe there are a few criteria where Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat really shines, and puts it a step up on the competition.

In my Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat review I’ll take a deeper dive into where this golf hitting mat excels, and what puts it over the top as the best budget golf mat for your home golf simulator.

Price

Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat price is among the cheapest for premium golf hitting mats. It comes at a lower price than some of the following popular models: SIGPRO Softy, GungHo Holy Grail, and Fiberbuilt Golf Mats. While the price point suggests that their golf hitting mat is a budget option, the quality of their product rivals some of the top golf mats on the market. 

The price holds up due to not only the quality of the product but also the longevity of the use you will get out of the hitting mat. The Carl’s Hotshot Hitting Mat won’t break your golf simulator budget, and it will last you as long as you need it due to its replaceable hitting strip, we will touch on that later.

Design

The Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat comes in three different sizes: 4×5, 5×7 and 4×9. The 4×5 and 5×7 models  place the hitting strip insert on the side of the mat, while the 4×9 has the hitting strip down the middle. This model is handy if your have family members or friends who are righties, and lefties. This will allow you both to use the simulator without having to change the setup for righties or lefties.

Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat is a soft, easy-on-the-joints golf mat that lets you play pain free days on your golf simulator. It is designed to offer an authentic grass feel that mimics the response of hitting off a fairway. The primary material is a high-end synthetic fiber designed to withstand heavy use both in and outdoor.

The Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat sits at a height of 1.75 inches. The height and plush synthetic grass allow it to accept real tees. It also has 3 precut holes to accept rubber tees offering the consumer two different options when teeing the ball. For those who do not want the pre-cut holes, they can opt for replacing the base hitting strip insert with Carl’s Divot Hitting Strip, but this hitting strip does not accept a real tee.

If you are looking for an even softer feeling hitting surface, consider adding the Carl’s Divot Hitting Strip. This hitting strip is built with a foam under the hitting strip, for further softness on the joints. The model is designed to create the feel of making a divot on the course. The softness of the hitting strip makes it more forgiving with fat shots, which doesn’t always deliver the most realistic feedback that golfers are looking for. It can mask poorly struck shots, that on real grass would not have responded in the same manner.

Replaceable Hitting Strip

The replaceable hitting strip is what sets Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat above other budget hitting mats. Other cheaper budget options like the Country Club Elite, or SwingTurf Golf Hitting Mat that come as one solid piece of turf. Golf mats are prone to wear, and tear, and depending on your rate of use, you can expect your golf mat to last you 12-24 months before you are likely going to need to replace it.

When single-piece turf mats start to wear you are going to have to replace the whole hitting mat, and drop another 500$+ to replace it. With the Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat, all you have to do is take out the hitting strip and replace it with a new one. The Carl’s Extra Golf Mat Insert is the exact hitting strip that comes standard with the Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat, and it costs only 80$. At that price, you will able to keep your hitting area brand new for years at a fraction of the cost of having to replace the entire mat. That’s a game changer when choosing which golf hitting mat to choose.

Also if you have a preference for the softer Carl’s Divot Hitting Strip, that also fits into the Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat. Giving you a range of options for a different feel on the hitting strip, without having to replace the hitting mat entirely. The hitting strip area can also accept hitting strips from other manufacturers if you find one that is more to your liking. The replaceable section just opens up a ton of flexibility on what type of hitting surface is available in your hitting mat.

Non-Slip Base

Keeping your golf hitting mat from moving is crucial for providing a consistent, and safe practice area. Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat has you covered in this area. A Non-Slip Base can be added to your order at an additional fee.

With a strong and durable foundation, the hitting mat will stay in place even with fast swing speeds. The base provides an extra layer of cushioning that adds comfort to your joints as you push down into the ground. The Non-Slip base assembles easily with interlocking plastic pieces. 

If you are interested in adding the Non-Slip base to your Carl’s Hotshot Hitting Mat, be sure to order it through the custom mat listing.

Another way to prevent the mat from sliding is to recess it into your golf simulator flooring . If this method interests you have a look at the article above, as I show an example of how this was done with a 4×9 Carl’s HoSshot Hitting Mat.

Conclusion: Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat Review

In the golf hitting mat market, the margin of difference for the top-quality mats can be small. Which makes choosing which one to start with a difficult process. I feel when shopping for a golf simulator hitting mat, three main criteria emerge, price, flexibility, and longevity. In my review of Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat, it checks the boxes on all 3 of my main criteria.

The Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat is priced more competitively than other premium golf-hitting mats on the market. While it offers more longevity than other popular budget mats due to the replaceable hitting strip.

Which hitting surface is best, will often come down to a personal preference, and it is really hard to tell if you personally like the surface until you hit off of it. The luxury that Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat provides is if you don’t like the feel of the current hitting strip, no issue just swap out the hitting strip with another brand, rather than having to buy a completely new hitting mat.

For all the above reasons in my opinion Carl’s HotShot Hitting Mat is the best budget golf mat for a home golf simulator.

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