Guides · Enclosures, mats and hitting surfaces
What Is the SIGPRO Softy Hitting Strip, and When Does It Make Sense?
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The SIGPRO Softy is a replaceable 28-by-12-inch hitting strip that is about 2.5 inches thick. It makes the most sense in a permanent simulator floor where the stance area can stay in place and only the high-wear strike area needs to be replaced. The main design issue is not the strip itself; it is getting the surrounding floor to the same finished height.
Think of It as the Strike Zone, Not the Whole Mat
Your feet do not wear out a simulator floor nearly as quickly as repeated iron shots do. A hitting strip separates those two jobs. The stance area can be broad and stable, while the smaller insert takes the punishment from the club.
That is useful in a built-in room because replacing one strip later is much easier than pulling up a large mat or finished turf floor.
The 2.5-Inch Depth Is the Part You Have to Design Around
The standard Softy measures 28 by 12 inches and 2.5 inches deep. Drop it into a thin layer of artificial turf and it will sit far above your feet. A recessed opening, raised subfloor, or matching stance mat has to be part of the plan. The Indoor Golf Shop's own mat guide warns that a taller base can leave you hitting from 2 to 3 inches higher.
Work backward from the finished standing height. The strip should sit flush enough that you are not hitting with the ball noticeably above or below your feet.
Why People Choose a Softer Strip
The Softy is built to give the club more room to move through the strike than a thin mat laid directly over concrete. Some golfers prefer that feel during long indoor sessions, especially with irons.
Comfort is personal, though. A softer surface should still tell you when you hit behind the ball, and no mat should be treated as a medical solution for wrist, elbow, or joint pain.
The Thinner Softy Lite Has a Tradeoff
The Indoor Golf Shop also sells thinner Softy Lite variations, which are easier to blend into a lower-profile floor. Its mat guide notes that Softy Lite mats cannot take a real tee, while the standard Softy can.
Check those options before you build the subfloor. Changing the strip after the floor is finished can mean changing the recess too.
When Does the Standard Softy Make the Most Sense?
It is a strong fit when the simulator is permanent, the stance surface is already stable, and you want the part under the club to be replaceable. It is less convenient in a temporary room where the entire mat needs to be rolled up or moved after every session.
If you are still experimenting with ball position, launch-monitor placement, or handedness, use a movable mat first. Cut the permanent opening only after you know where you actually like to hit from.