Hitting into a Net

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by rehmwa

But then if you sandbag that net and pin in down, then the netting gets worn out a LOT faster unless the frame is super flexy.  It has to travel a bit else you'll get holes a lot sooner.

True.  Another issue that I ran into with that type of net.  Was the durability - or lack thereof - of the actual netting itself.  I can't tell how dense or course the netting is on the one RPMPIRE linked.  So I didn't address this issue.  The net I had wasn't very good and it ended up getting some holes in it.  It lasted a good two years of regular practice before it was ready for retirement.... But I paid like $100 for it at the time.  So I guess you get what you pay for?

[dsc123]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

The net that I am going to buy is the SwingBox.  It is small, compact and will easily fit into a room indoors.

http://iswingbox.com/

Holy crap that looks perfect!

[RPMPIRE]

The room I'm putting the net in has a good amount of room so I can definitely accommodate some space behind the net. My concern mostly is if I shank it. I might have to put a tarp or a blanket in front of me just to protect the walls on that side. Products like the iswingbox and the Net Return have some decent shank guards, the price is a little too steep for me. Personally, if I could afford it, I would choose the Net Return because it is tall enough to allow you to hit wedges and is about half the weight of the Swing Box. Both are around the same price point.

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

The problem with this type of net if you plan to use it indoor is twofold.

1.) You need a lot of room behind the net - because the force of the golf ball will hit into the net - but the net will still travel several feet before the net becomes taught and the ball is stopped and drops down or reflects back toward you.  So make sure the room you are placing it into has enough depth allocated that you can properly set the net up, place yourself into the room to make a full swing - and still have enough room for the net to expand beyond to absorb the blow of the golf shot.  I'd say to be safe... Take the depth of the net and add 10'.  Obviously you need ample space to swing in front of the net... Then you will need to reserve another 3' to 5' behind the net so that it doesn't damage your drywall.

2.) I had a net similar to this in my garage when I lived in Chicago.  And the problem I found was that I needed to move it out away from the wall as described above.  And then had to get sand bags or weights to keep it from moving as the net was placed onto a concrete floor.  So there is no way to anchor the net if you place it indoors on carpet, wood or concrete flooring due that the force of impact moves the net.

So when it was all said an done, I ended up having to get a tarp and blanket (to hang behind the net) to prevent damage in our drywall - and getting some weights to place into the four corners of the net to keep it from moving.

The net that I am going to buy is the SwingBox.  It is small, compact and will easily fit into a room indoors.

http://iswingbox.com/

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by RPMPIRE

The room I'm putting the net in has a good amount of room so I can definitely accommodate some space behind the net. My concern mostly is if I shank it. I might have to put a tarp or a blanket in front of me just to protect the walls on that side. Products like the iswingbox and the Net Return have some decent shank guards, the price is a little too steep for me. Personally, if I could afford it, I would choose the Net Return because it is tall enough to allow you to hit wedges and is about half the weight of the Swing Box. Both are around the same price point.

For me, the problem with yours and with Beach's iswingbox would not so much be a shank, but a skyball.  Pretty sure if I got under one with a driver (and as embarrassing as it is to admit, it still happens) that would go right over both of those nets.

Bottom line is, there is no feasible way to make me comfortable hitting real balls with full swings in my house.

I'm currently trying to decide if it's possible to fit something in my already too-full garage :)

[rehmwa]

Quote:

I'm currently trying to decide if it's possible to fit something in my already too-full garage :)

I was in your position too.  It's pretty easy to just put up some hooks and clamps along a ceiling joist and hang a tarp and blanket whenever you like - once you install the hooks (or carabiners) all you need is a step ladder for take up and break down.  It takes up no room since the area you hit from is the open spot when you take out the cars anyway.

Mine was the next step.  Just have a rail you can hoist up and down to hang the tarp from.

You just need to make sure there is a place in there that you can take a full swing without hitting a wall, shelf, opener, etc - then that'll define where the tarp needs to hang.  If you can't take a full swing, it seems kind of pointless.....

the only issue for me is winter is too cold, and in the warmer months, my setup won't work with the garage door open....I have a fix for that, but I'll wait for warmer weather.

Good luck.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by dsc123

Holy crap that looks perfect!

Yeah for the small amount of space that I have, it really is.

Originally Posted by RPMPIRE

The room I'm putting the net in has a good amount of room so I can definitely accommodate some space behind the net. My concern mostly is if I shank it. I might have to put a tarp or a blanket in front of me just to protect the walls on that side. Products like the iswingbox and the Net Return have some decent shank guards, the price is a little too steep for me. Personally, if I could afford it, I would choose the Net Return because it is tall enough to allow you to hit wedges and is about half the weight of the Swing Box. Both are around the same price point.

The Net Return would be my ideal choice, but unfortunately I don't have the room for something that big at the moment.  Space here in Newport is a premium...  I'd definitely recommend you get something to eliminate the dreadful shank damage that is bound to happen when you hit thousands of balls.  So if you go with the original net you linked, you'll want to consider that.

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

For me, the problem with yours and with Beach's iswingbox would not so much be a shank, but a skyball.  Pretty sure if I got under one with a driver (and as embarrassing as it is to admit, it still happens) that would go right over both of those nets.

Bottom line is, there is no feasible way to make me comfortable hitting real balls with full swings in my house.

I'm currently trying to decide if it's possible to fit something in my already too-full garage :)

For me, the SwingBox would be used to simply hit irons, hybrids and fairway woods into... All off the deck.  Mainly 6i to groove my 5SK mechanics... And validate them with my camera.  So hitting under it with a Driver would never be an issue for me as I wouldn't tee it up.  Everything I've targeted and looked at has some flaws associated with it... But for me, I think the SwingBox would be the most ideal for the footprint I have to work with (which is limited).  And I saw your garage... Where the heck are you going to put a net?  You're going to need to have a garage sale first!!

[RPMPIRE]

I completely agree, especially with my driver and 3 wood. Also, I don't really intend to practice hitting either woods indoors. The goal for having the net is to better my ball striking with my wedges and irons. I'm mostly concerned with the height of the net because I like practicing with my wedges and just worried about over shooting the net and going into the wall.

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

For me, the problem with yours and with Beach's iswingbox would not so much be a shank, but a skyball.  Pretty sure if I got under one with a driver (and as embarrassing as it is to admit, it still happens) that would go right over both of those nets.

Bottom line is, there is no feasible way to make me comfortable hitting real balls with full swings in my house.

I'm currently trying to decide if it's possible to fit something in my already too-full garage :)

[Ernest Jones]

I've set up a hanging blanket for a net and an old carpet with some foam underlay for a mat. Like the previous posters I'm scared poop-less to hit a full swing on a real golf ball indoors so I bought a package of callaway foam practice balls. Can't see ball flight at all due to the blanket being about 2 feet infront of my swing radius but really I'm concentrating on keys 1-3 so ball flight isn't a major concern yet, it's all about clean compressing contact. Because the foam balls don't provide a heck of a lot of "feel" feedback, I'm using a strip of painters tape directly behind (and touching the back of) the ball and another piece of tape 3 inches in front of the ball. The goal is to miss the aft piece and strike the front piece, I assume if I can perfect that it will translate to a good and solid downwards strike in the real world as well. Keys 4 and 5 will have to wait till winter is over but I'm pretty confident that the work I'm doing now will pay huge dividends come spring. My only regret is there isn't enough room to get a decent camera view for review but again, the goal is to improve the actual ball first contact, I'll work on the curve later.

[smellysell]

Here is my setup in my unfinished basement.  The ceiling is high enough to do full swings, but I can do 9-3s until my heart is content, which is better than nothing, especially since I've been working on a Slicefixer sort of swing and he swears by them.

[tstrike34]

For my setup (posted under my Swing thread), I really love my net, but I wish there was a way to washing my bullseye (I guess 409 and elbow grease could take care of it) of ball marks. I do like my garage, but I have to wait until my cute neighbor above leaves for school or goes out of town. I had to use bricks as stabilizers to keep the net from moving.

I like it, but I seriously need a new hitting mat. I have put two BIG BIG holes in the mat.

[David Hineline]

Really cold but worked on the swing before the snow hit. This is the Martin Ayers drill

[David Hineline]

Originally Posted by smellysell

Here is my setup in my unfinished basement.  The ceiling is high enough to do full swings, but I can do 9-3s until my heart is content, which is better than nothing, especially since I've been working on a Slicefixer sort of swing and he swears by them.

Wish i had this right now.

[smellysell]

Originally Posted by David Hineline

Wish i had this right now.

I've been hitting about 100 balls a night down there, and the same number of putting strokes.  Wish I could do full swings, but am loving it anyways.

[David Hineline]

Originally Posted by smellysell

I've been hitting about 100 balls a night down there, and the same number of putting strokes.  Wish I could do full swings, but am loving it anyways.

Can't you hit full iron shots? I hit my three most of the time because it's the hardest to hit flush. Have you tried the Martin Ayers drill? It's the perfect drill! It's one of the links when my vid ends.

[smellysell]

Originally Posted by David Hineline

Can't you hit full iron shots? I hit my three most of the time because it's the hardest to hit flush. Have you tried the Martin Ayers drill? It's the perfect drill! It's one of the links when my vid ends.

No, I can do full wedges, barely.  And that being said, I never technically swing a wedge "full", more about 3/4 probably.  I've been doing the drill with a 9-3.  It's been really helpful.

[golfballs01]

I really like this video. It clearly demonstrates the proper impact position of the hands as well as the involvement of the hip rotation. I have my students do partial swings with a 7 or 8 iron in this fashion. first to remove the feeling that they have to maximize the clubs length, and second to acquire the feeling of impact. Hands are ahead of the ball at impact, which incourages a downward strike onto the ball, thus compressing the ball and controlling its flight. This guy demonstrated the drill really good. Too few people realize that this isn't just a drill, it's an actual shot used on the course, whether hitting from under a tree, trying to get back out into the fairway, or hitting a low shot that needs to run up onto a long green.

[bryanblyer]

Originally Posted by shortstop20

I've already decided I am buying an Opti-Shot and a net. You'll be seeing some swing videos over the winter.

You have a review up on the optishot? just looks to cheap to be effective

[RRLavigne]

I have an Optishot and it's pretty amazing for the money. It's plastic BUT I've hit it hard a lot and it hasn't had an issue. Been playing at least one simulated full round per day in my basement since last Christmas (Not to mention warming up on the simulater driving range) so it's seen a lot of use and because i'm not that advanced as a golfer a lot of abuse. It has it's drawbacks because it doesn't read the ball, it only reads the club, you can't divot, there's no sand in the simulated bunker, etc., BUT IMO it's MUCH better than simply hitting into a net, you DO get useful feedback ... and it's a lot more enjoyable than hitting into a net which is TOTALLY BORING.

And if I spend $35 or $40 a round at the local OptiGOLF pro simulator shop and played as much as i've already played at home on the Optishot (I play a round just about everyday) I would have spent close to 2 grand compared to the $399 I spent on the Optishot. I'd recommend it to any golfer who's show bound during the winter, so much better than hitting into a net or putting the clubs away for 6 months at a time.