What They Have in Common
Both are Fiberbuilt mats with an offset hitting position — the panel is to one side, not centered. Both use a rubber foundation with a 5-year warranty, and turf components with a 1-year limited warranty. Both take a friction-fit real tee holder. Same warranty structure, same brand, different enough that the choice isn't obvious.
Where They Differ
Size and Layout
The Grass Series Traditional 5×4 is 60 inches by 48 inches. The Player Preferred Studio 7×4 is 85 inches by 49 inches. That extra 25 inches of length on the Studio isn't just stance room — it's a dedicated 2-foot spacer section included in the base configuration, which Fiberbuilt sizes for a launch monitor. If you're running one, that's one less thing to sort out. The Traditional doesn't include a spacer, and Fiberbuilt doesn't publish a thickness for it, so whether a monitor sits flush or needs its own riser is a question you'd have to ask them directly.
The Studio does publish a thickness: 1.75 inches — worth measuring against whatever monitor you're running.
Hitting Panel and Shot Guarantee
This is the clearest difference. The Traditional uses a Fiberbuilt Grass panel — the one with the 300,000-shot guarantee. The Studio uses Pure Impact Turf. Fiberbuilt publishes the shot guarantee only for its Grass panels, not Pure Impact Turf, so the Studio comes with no equivalent promise. That's not necessarily a knock on Pure Impact Turf's durability, but if the guarantee matters to you, it only lives on the Grass product.
The Traditional also lets you push a real tee anywhere into the Performance Turf stance mat, not just through the panel's four holes. The Studio's friction-fit holder works through the panel holes. One more degree of flexibility on the Traditional, though the Studio's tee system covers standard tee shots.
One flag worth knowing: the Traditional's product page lists the included rubber tee as 2.265 inches, while every other Grass listing from Fiberbuilt says 2.625 inches. Which figure is right isn't something the listings settle — Fiberbuilt's own pages disagree with each other.
Weight and Portability
The Studio weighs 122 lbs. The Traditional's weight isn't published. At 122 lbs, the Studio is staying wherever you put it. That's fine if it's a permanent hitting bay; it's worth knowing before you set it down.
Who Should Buy Which
Get the Fiberbuilt Grass Series Traditional 5×4 if:
- You want the Fiberbuilt Grass panel specifically, and the 300,000-shot guarantee that comes with it
- Your space is tighter or your setup is simpler — no launch monitor, or you're handling the monitor placement separately
- The $100 list price difference is a real consideration
Get the Fiberbuilt Player Preferred Studio 7×4 if:
- You're building a simulator bay and need a mat with a built-in launch monitor spacer included from day one
- You want the larger footprint — 85 by 49 inches vs. 60 by 48 — for more stance room
- You can live without a shot guarantee on the hitting panel
The Bottom Line
For a simulator setup, the Player Preferred Studio 7×4 is the more purpose-built option — the spacer mat is included, the footprint is larger, and at $100 more at list it's not a hard pill to swallow. If you're drawn to the Grass panel and its guarantee, or you don't need the launch monitor accommodation, the Traditional 5×4 makes a reasonable case. But for a hitting bay where a launch monitor is part of the equation, the Studio is the better starting point.
Get the Fiberbuilt Player Preferred Studio 7×4.