Hitting into a Net

[David Hineline]

I built a putting green in the backyard this summer. While hitting the almost golf ball from the front yard over the house and onto the green a neighbor pulled up and asked if I wanted a hitting net they never used. It was brand new and my initial thoughts were, "not really", but I took up the offer and brought it home and set it up. I started hitting balls into the net and once I got past the initial concern about shanking the ball or something else that could cause damage by missing the net I started to focus on my ball striking. I hit thousands upon thousands of balls into the net with my mizuno irons and the feedback I was looking for was hitting the sweet spot with a consistent swing. I would then use the various limited flight balls from my hitting mats I planted around the yard hitting wedges into my green for my accuracy and flight control. I rotated my practice back and forth from ball striking in the net to touch and accuracy hitting to the pin. When on the course or at the range all of this payed off. When I showed up at the range I was light years ahead and just need to adjust alignment for my accuracy. The mizuno's have the best ballstriking feedback. They let you know how well you hit it so hitting into the net I know what the ball would do for the most part if I hit it thin or fat or on the toe or perfectly. I am beyond and advocate of using a net at home to develop and great golf swing. Hit 500 3 irons into the net and you will hit that club so much more consistently when you focus in on the feedback of solid ball striking.

[David Hineline]

[David Hineline]

[David Hineline]

[smellysell]

:jealous:

I have a mat and net in my basement, but only 8 ft ceilings, so I'll be grinding out thousands of 9-3s this winter.  Lots of putting on the boomerang too.

[David Hineline]

Thanks.Sounds like you can keep swinging the club and fine tuning the putting stroke. I can't practice the driver well at home unless I add a simulator. To much can happen with long clubs over the course of ball flight. I tried hitting it solidly into the net but at the range and on the course I was very inconsistent. That is the weak point in my game right now and prevents me from going to a 5 and below handicap.

I have talked to a few people that didn't like the idea of a net but my thinking is that it has limitations and it must be checked with actual ball flight but it is still a fantastic way to hit the ball more solidly because you can do it here and there all the time when it's at your home.

Adding this practice facility to my backyard probable shaved 10 strokes off my game this summer. I had quit the game for 12 years and returning was extremely challenging. I was never that great but I take this very seriously now and will be better then ever in the near future.

[smellysell]

Yeah, I know hitting into a net isn't ideal, but it is the only option in Montana from Dec-March or so.

[David Hineline]

Anytime you can hit balls is great. I've hit irons into the net for months now. Getting to the range and spending 2-3 hours hitting balls can be a real pain and dropping 10-15 bucks a pop plus gas gets expensive. I recommend that anyone who wants to improve their game should have a net at home and use it. Learn the nuances of your ballstriking and the feedback it gives you in the feel of the club then hone the swing into a net and look for "feel". Adding a putting green and being able to chip and putt greatly improves your skills and consistency along with ballstriking.

[westpenncyclist]

Originally Posted by Zeph

One of the great aspects of having a net is that you can go out and hit some balls at any time. If often went out to hit some balls after reading something on this forum or coming up with something that I might try to work on. Not having to pay for the balls is also wonderful. I sometimes went out to hit balls at 1AM because I was staying up late and reading the forum.

I totally concur. And when you just get that feeling, you just gotta get up and groove it. And since I'm not trying to hit a target beyond my comfortable range, I can focus on rhythm, tempo, and maintaining a soft grip.

More importantly, when you get fatigued, you can just put down the clubs and come back later. Nothing in golf is worse than taking fatigued swings. When you get fatigued, your grip gets tight. And when you're grip get too tight, you are more prone to injury (not to mention erratic shots).

I've demoed the Net Return a few times and plan to add it to my basement practice range. It seems to save time fetching balls. The best feature might be that the manner of ricochet seems to give ball spin feedback.

http://www.thenetreturn.com/

Anyone have any experience with this net?

[David Hineline]

The net return looks like a really well built net. I'm skeptical about the claim about ball flight feedback. It looks to be about $500.00 which is over 5 times what i payed for mine. If money isn't an issue this looks like a great net.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by David Hineline

Wow!  That is an impressive setup.  I'd love to have that chip and putt area in my yard.

[Dave2512]

Well done David Hineline!

[David Hineline]

Thanks! I can also hit a full L wedge into it with the almost ball which is about a 60-70 yard shot. I just spent all afternoon hitting balls and putts.

[Hoganwoods]

Originally Posted by David Hineline

Thanks! I can also hit a full L wedge into it with the almost ball which is about a 60-70 yard shot. I just spent all afternoon hitting balls and putts.

I'm assuming from the pic that you hit them from the back left over there.  Not worried about pulling one in a yard? :)

Very cool setup.

[mdl]

Originally Posted by David Hineline

Thanks! I can also hit a full L wedge into it with the almost ball which is about a 60-70 yard shot. I just spent all afternoon hitting balls and putts.

I'm a freakin broken record but if you've got 60-70 yards, get a bucket of BirdieBalls!  You'll be able to practice every single shot in the bag all in your yard with your sweet new setup!  My driver goes ~50 yards, feel is good for a practice ball, and they give you better shot info than other practice balls.  Buzz with good contact, some degree of flutter without, and give excellent start direction and shot shape info.

For long clubs you'll need to tilt them forward a bit.  I just got a cheap huge leftover astroturf roll at Home Depot and cut little rectangles out of it and stack two staggered when I need to.

[David Hineline]

The first pic shows 2 of three mats I use to hit balls along with anywhere in the grass. There is one further back for the far right pin. I have learned to hit and nice draw from that location using a foam to the far left pin. My neighbor directly behind me entertains quite a bit and has a few couples interested in having me build something like this for them. Occasionally I have to jump the fence to get all the balls.

[David Hineline]

Originally Posted by mdl

I'm a freakin broken record but if you've got 60-70 yards, get a bucket of BirdieBalls!  You'll be able to practice every single shot in the bag all in your yard with your sweet new setup!  My driver goes ~50 yards, feel is good for a practice ball, and they give you better shot info than other practice balls.  Buzz with good contact, some degree of flutter without, and give excellent start direction and shot shape info.

For long clubs you'll need to tilt them forward a bit.  I just got a cheap huge leftover astroturf roll at Home Depot and cut little rectangles out of it and stack two staggered when I need to.

I would like to try them but I could never hit them into the green. Even the Almost Ball will leave a ball mark when it's wet. Couldn't imagine the divots flying out of the green with the birdie ball.

[golfballs01]

David,

That is awesome that you got the net (FREE) and use it. You've isolated the thought process to the ball striking and not to the fear of a bad shot. Like anything else, its about the confidence that it builds. I am also a fan of the Mizuno clubs. They do indeed give great feedback. The thing that you might give thought to is if you practice too much hitting off of an artificial surface, you will become dependant on a perfect lie, and on the actual course shots, it will feel a bit foreign. I too have different hitting surfaces in my back yard, and find that I need to make somewhat of a transition to real turf before a round. Hitting into a net though took a little getting used to but like you said, once you began focussing on the shot and ball striking quality, it's as though the net wasn't even there.

Chris Warner