Garage Practice: Hitting mat(s) and net (or otherwise). What to buy?

[dave s]

Used the search function here.  Not much recent info on what is out there product-wise to help me get setup to practice in the garage.

I guess a couple of hitting mats, some sort of net?  What is out there that won't wear out after a couple hundred swings?  I can certainly anchor anything into the ceiling of my garage.  What works well?

Links to products welcomed.  First week of March and lots of practice needed before the snow disappears and temps warm up to 60 or so.

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

dave

[tstrike34]

Originally Posted by dave s

Used the search function here.  Not much recent info on what is out there product-wise to help me get setup to practice in the garage.

I guess a couple of hitting mats, some sort of net?  What is out there that won't wear out after a couple hundred swings?  I can certainly anchor anything into the ceiling of my garage.  What works well?

Links to products welcomed.  First week of March and lots of practice needed before the snow disappears and temps warm up to 60 or so.

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

dave

I don't endorse products normally (unless I am writing a product review), but my experience (see my swing thread) is a good net and a couple of mats. Depending on your swing mechanics (I am still working on my swing, but a groin injury has me sidelined for another week or so), I recommend a very good net that is wide enough to catch your shanks.

[JohnC]

Originally Posted by dave s

Used the search function here.  Not much recent info on what is out there product-wise to help me get setup to practice in the garage.

I guess a couple of hitting mats, some sort of net?  What is out there that won't wear out after a couple hundred swings?  I can certainly anchor anything into the ceiling of my garage.  What works well?

Links to products welcomed.  First week of March and lots of practice needed before the snow disappears and temps warm up to 60 or so.

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

dave

Excellent topic.

[dave s]

Originally Posted by tstrike34

I don't endorse products normally (unless I am writing a product review), but my experience (see my swing thread) is a good net and a couple of mats. Depending on your swing mechanics (I am still working on my swing, but a groin injury has me sidelined for another week or so), I recommend a very good net that is wide enough to catch your shanks.

I'm sorry for your injury, but laughed like heck after putting two and two together!  I'll look at your swing thread and see what you have there.  Any recommendations for me?  Other than something wide enough to catch a shank ball!!!

dave

[rehmwa]

http://thesandtrap.com/t/53895/hitting-into-a-net/180

12 pages of discussion = lots of great links to products and to homemade ideas too.

I took a PVC pipe and hung from it - a tarp, and a blanket (two layers since I found out the hard way that even a good tarp, single layer, you can hit right through it).

Eyebolts, nuts, clamps for the blanket, a couple carabiners, and a bunch of clothesline and it hoists up to the ceiling when not in use (just roll the tarp up and tie it to the pipe).  $25 max. and you're in business.

let the bottom stay loose (the 'loose' bit is how it's enabled to gently catch the ball - but you need to see if you have place for a full swing.  I can't hit wedges with this setup - too steep.  And woods, it's a bit tight.

The cheap little mat at the store lasted quite a lot, until the wife started then she started hitting the corners and tearing it up.

I have a Monster Turf product coming in a day or two.  ( http://www.allturfmats.com/product-p/mt4860.htm )  that link takes me to a page that's cheaper than anything else on that particular product - don't know why.  Will update once I get it to see if it's any good.

If your swing is decent, don't worry much about the edges.  If not, just get a bigger tarp and bring the corners forward - you hook a carabiner and line to a corner and tie it off to keep the corners forward.

[VegasRenegade]

A good camera for slow motion videos

[inthecup]

Do you have a budget?

I bought this a couple years ago and could not be happier.

http://www.thenetreturn.com/practice-golf-nets/golf-net-packages/*********-net-turf-package.html

It works as advertised, the mat is a very high quality piece.  I don't expect to replace it for years come, I guess the net would have to wear and I have not seen any wear yet.  It seams expensive but in practice is awesome.  Pulling balls out of a net it a PIA, this one comes back every time.

This year I found a Vector Pro on eBay and bought it for $900.

http://www.accusport.com/products/vectorpro

I had an old PC and monitor around so I was good to go.  The combination is unbelievable.  You can tell why a drive went far or didn't.  All the information is there.  I'd almost rather hit on the monitor then outside.

[rehmwa]

(inthecup - those are really sweet toys...)

sweet - we've banded the potential budget between

$25 and $4000

I think anyone should be able to work in that range

(I don't think we can go any lower, but the top end is open for more options....)

[Dave2512]

To be sure I wouldn't experience any issues from the mats being placed over concrete I put commercial grade anti-fatigue mats under my mats. As good as my mats are it made a big difference in softening up the feel. They double as shock absorbtion when I do calithenics in my basement, my net is down there.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Dave2512

To be sure I wouldn't experience any issues from the mats being placed over concrete I put commercial grade anti-fatigue mats under my mats. As good as my mats are it made a big difference in softening up the feel. They double as shock absorbtion when I do calithenics in my basement, my net is down there.

I did the same with an extra layer of an old carpet at the bottom. Carpet>Anti-Fatigue mat>Hitting mat.

[TheRocket]

A lot of good answers but if you ever wanted to take it up a few notches there is an great simulator for the home with awesome tracking. Its called Technique Prestige by TruGolf. My buddy sells them and it is awesome. www.dynamixgolf.com

[RPMPIRE]

Originally Posted by rehmwa

The cheap little mat at the store lasted quite a lot, until the wife started then she started hitting the corners and tearing it up.

I have a Monster Turf product coming in a day or two.  (http://www.allturfmats.com/product-p/mt4860.htm)  that link takes me to a page that's cheaper than anything else on that particular product - don't know why.  Will update once I get it to see if it's any good.

I actually just received this mat yesterday (purchased from Amazon) and compared to my old mat, this one is more plush and doesn't bounce at all. Only used it one night so far, but this is the best I've tried. For the price, you can't get anything better IMO.

[rehmwa]

Originally Posted by RPMPIRE

I actually just received this mat yesterday (purchased from Amazon) and compared to my old mat, this one is more plush and doesn't bounce at all. Only used it one night so far, but this is the best I've tried. For the price, you can't get anything better IMO.

Funny - mine showed up yesterday also.  Much lighter weight than I thought it would be.

I didn't want to put it down, though, we just had a foot of snow and the garage was really wet and messy.

I'm looking forward to hitting off of it (garage setup) and seeing how it feels.  This at 4 by 5 FEET and hitting off it and standing on it too, vs the current one about 1x2 feet and standing on a rubber sheet should be a big difference.

I did try the heated bays driving range for the first time on Sunday and the balls were crap and the matts were like hitting off of concrete.  Still good to practice and see the ball flight, but really looking forward to spring and hitting off real grass.

So you're one up on me here as you got to hit - thanks for the info, good stuff