you can buy replacement turfs from outside companies on ebay designed for the optishot that come without the hole, as well as a thicker turf that is supposed to be a little more forgiving.  never tried one, so i can't personally vouch for them, and I apologize to dancindogg if talking about these turf makers bothers you.

I feel your pain though, I would like to hit off the turf more, but it's so thin and hard that I change my swing to pick it off the turf because if I hit too fat, the noise the unit makes sounds like a gunshot going off in my apartment and my neighbors probably hate me

I have had great luck simply moving the ball back about an inch.  just enough to get it out of that hole..  I hear ya, makes it kinda tough, but moving it back a bit helps