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Effington
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Hey guys,

I'm considering getting a practice net for the home.  Since I have limited time, I will be able to play more as I don't have to leave the house, and also there is the saved driving range costs

I'm a high handicapper and am concerned that an errant shot on a typical net might miss, which I can not allow to happen.  This will be set up inside and destroying my house with a golf ball is not going to fly; one missed shot and the party is pretty much over.  I'm seeing some good reviews of a couple different nets that cost in $100-200 range, but am not able to tell if it can handle a shank or other types of mis-hits.  Anyone with more experience can help out here?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0087AM3EQ/

https://www.amazon.com/Rukket-Haack-Golf-Coach-Chris/dp/B00NSWHZCS/

This one looks like it can handle anything, but space might be tight.  It's going to be for my man cave so I have some flexibility with space, but this beast may be too much: https://allsports-us.com/collections/golf-cages/products/swing-cage-pvc-10-x-10-x-10-golf-cage-kit

 The last option I was looking at was Net Return, but those are much more expensive and not sure it's worth spending a lot more money if the others would work.  I'm thinking it might be the "upgrade" option if I'm using another one consistently but still want something more:  https://www.thenetreturn.com/collections/golf-net-packages

Anyone else have other suggestions or products that do the trick?  Keep in mind I am not handy so a DIY idea probably isn't going to work for me.

Any feedback is appreciated!

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I have extensive experience with The Net Return, and other "homemade" and custom units found in various retail stores, so maybe I can provide some insight.

It's surprising how hard it is to buy/build a hitting net that is durable and safe.  We had a heavy duty cage that was built in one of the retail stores I managed, and we spent more time trying to repair holes in the netting with zip-ties than we did selling equipment!  We had netting, backed by a heavy-duty tarp, backed by some type of blanket, and more netting...and balls kept finding their way through and were creating a hole in the sheet rock.  It was a mess.

The Net Return has been the only net that I have used that has held up to heavy use without falling apart.  When I say heavy use, I'm talking about setting it up and breaking it down 5x per week for 9 months each year and being tossed in the back of a truck, and having thousands of shots hit into it, and even players with the highest swing speeds never hit a ball through the net.  

The model I used was the Pro Series:
dimensions_large.jpg.9b7a89e99539be2fc1f2d7b43eb0f29c.jpg

It was only used for driver shots...no irons, so I didn't have to worry about shanks.  I never saw the net missed to the left or right, but I have seen shots hit over it.  It was possible if a player teed the ball too high, or went underneath it and popped it off the top of the crown.  If you're using it indoors with rubber tees, it shouldn't be a problem.  The only other issue I had is if someone hit a shot that happened to impact the aluminum frame tubes where they connect to each other.  It can dent the tubing and make it difficult to disassemble and set-up if that happens:

net_2.jpg.0d19e0a3334cab7a16e5f507447a90b9.jpg

If you absolutely cannot risk having a shot get loose in the house, my suggestion is to skip the less expensive options and spring for a really good net from the start.  If you go with a cheaper model with plans to upgrade, you're walking a tightrope.  It will be hard to justify paying for a more expensive net as long as the cheaper one is working, but your first sign that it needs to be replaced is when a shot eventually breaks through and causes damage.  By then it's too late.  If you were setting this up in a pasture and it didn't matter if shots went through, then that's fine.  But if it's to be used in your home, and you want to make sure the net stops every shot, I suggest The Net Return. There is a reason it's more expensive.

59bcbc99bc10d_demoday_4.JPG.08841cd5369ecc8b935db8fef6b7f662.JPG

Bridgestone j40 445 w/ Graphite Design AD DJ-7
Callaway Steelhead Plus 3 wood w/ RCH Pro Series 3.2
Adams Idea Pro hybrids (3 & 4) w/ Aldila VS Proto 
Bridgestone j33 CB (5-PW) w/ original Rifle 5.5
Bridgestone West Coast 52*, j40 satin 56* & 60* w/ DG S-300
Odyssey White Hot XG #9
Bridgestone B330-RX

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24 minutes ago, Effington said:

How is it for shanks / really bad hits?  Does it catch everything or do some miss the net?

I've not missed the net   They use to sell side netting that attached but I haven't seen it advertised lately.   I use it in my garage and my mat is about 6' from the net.  I imagine you could get close enough to just swing a golf club and miss the net. 

From the land of perpetual cloudiness.   I'm Denny

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One thing I want to caution about hitting into a net...

In the situations we're talking about, where the net is set up in a basement, man cave, garage, or even a small backyard, is not to attempt to create some space between your hitting mat and the net to try to "see the trajectory". That's when the net gets missed.  Check out the pic in my original post with the 3 nets lined up...shots are hit from about 3 yards away from the net.  Anything farther away than that really increases the chance for a miss.

This creates an unusual situation...hitting a golf shot and not seeing the ball flight.  For some people, it's an uncomfortable sensation.  What I've seen happen many times is guys hitting shots that are uncharacteristic because it's easy to get lazy when you don't have to worry about where the ball goes.  Players who normally hit a draw can quickly start hitting big slices and not know it.  This is why I feel like some type of launch monitor is a good idea to be used in conjunction with a net on full shots.  Otherwise you might be ingraining bad habits and not realize it.

Bridgestone j40 445 w/ Graphite Design AD DJ-7
Callaway Steelhead Plus 3 wood w/ RCH Pro Series 3.2
Adams Idea Pro hybrids (3 & 4) w/ Aldila VS Proto 
Bridgestone j33 CB (5-PW) w/ original Rifle 5.5
Bridgestone West Coast 52*, j40 satin 56* & 60* w/ DG S-300
Odyssey White Hot XG #9
Bridgestone B330-RX

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not to belabor the point as I am sometimes prone to do, I have done quite a bit with outdoor nets (plenty of photos in my Backyard Practice nets ( and acoutrements) thread). Generally, I stand about 3-4 paces (9-10 yards) and usually without concern. HOWEVER, It is still possible to pop up, hit on the crown, or any myriad other missed shots. CAUTION is the keyword here. I base my trajectory observation on what side of a suspended vinyl target I hit (or miss altogether). That and the sound it makes. Pitches and chips from about 45 feet away normally do not clear an 8 foot high net, but again these are only half (or less) swings working on technique more than anything else ie. gravity, paint-brush, hinge/hold, body turn, using bounce e.t.c.

Good suggestion on the golf monitor. It doesn't have to be an expensive one such as opti-shot, but you can get plenty of data from Swing Speed Radar, and others for around $100.

Edited by Hacker James

"James"

:titleist: 913 D3 with Aldila RIP Phenom 60 4,2 Regular Shaft,  :touredge: Exotics XCG-7 Beta 3W with Matrix Red Tie Shaft:touredge: Exotics EX8 19 deg Hybrid w UST Mamiya Recoil F3 Shaft:touredge: Exotics EX9 28 deg Hybrid w UST Mamiya Recoil F3  shaft, / Bobby Jones Black 22 deg Hybrid:touredge: Exotics EXi 6 -PW  w UST Mamiya Recoil F2 Shaft, SW (56),GW (52),LW (60):touredge:  TGS),/ ODDYSEE Metal-X #7 customized putter (400G, cut down Mid Belly)

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I've had a few cheaper nets in the garage before and lost a few windows cause of them.  I bought the net return home version once we moved since I needed a smaller version for inside.  It's been great although I did have 2 holes starting to develop in the net.  I emailed their support and they sent me out a new net no questions asked.  So can't say enough good things about that they stand behind their product.

 

They also have an option to extend the sides of their nets if you are afraid of shanking one

Edited by poser

Driver: Titleist 915 D3
3 wood: 15 Callaway X Hot pro
Hybrids:  18 Callaway X Hot Pro
Irons: 4-GW Callaway Apex
project x 6.0
Wedges: 54 , 58 Callaway
Putter: 2 ball
Ball: Callaway Chrome

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Just returned from talking to a retailer about practice nets.  Wanted to run some comments by the peanut gallery here and see if it sounds right.

The retailer had a similar size practice net as the ones I posted links to, at about the same price range.  The employee I talked to even said he owned one and used it for years.  He mentioned that it catches every errant shot except for the 90 degree shot directly to the side, which typically are on the ground and could use a supplemental pad to prevent damage to the house.  It made me more confident that a 7-8' net would be sufficient.  He is a good golfer and mentioned in about 5 years, he's hit only around 5 or so shots like that.

The net return again looks like an upgrade item for me.  My swing speed is pretty low (80 mph with a driver on a good day), so my thought was that if I really do hit a $150 practice net until there are holes, that can justify upgrading to a better model, but it may be unlikely to happen for a couple years.  I showed the wife the net return packages and she was suspect that it was necessary to spend that much, however if I wore out the alternative I believe that would a sign that it may be.

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Do a search (home net, home range, practice net, garage, etc etc), this comes up 3-4 times every year.  You can save a ton by making your own.  It's not rocket science.  Mine cost about $25 for the hardware and pvc.  And then a cheap net and a blanket to hang from the frame.  If I did it over again?  I'd just a hang a loose blanket. 

If I get a moment, I'll go find the big thread and post a link.

 

here - 

 

Edited by rehmwa

Bill - 

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47 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

  I'd just a hang a loose blanket. 

If I get a moment, I'll go find the big thread and post a link.

 

 

There ya go.....just string some line between two uprights and throw a comforter over it, or even use a length of threaded axle stock, couple of bolts and nuts. I saw one in Hank Haney's residence that looked very good, made out of wood and steel, turn buckles e.t.c.  I have some instructions somewhere in my cloud file, with parts, photo, and list of material for one I made from PVC.

Edited by Hacker James

"James"

:titleist: 913 D3 with Aldila RIP Phenom 60 4,2 Regular Shaft,  :touredge: Exotics XCG-7 Beta 3W with Matrix Red Tie Shaft:touredge: Exotics EX8 19 deg Hybrid w UST Mamiya Recoil F3 Shaft:touredge: Exotics EX9 28 deg Hybrid w UST Mamiya Recoil F3  shaft, / Bobby Jones Black 22 deg Hybrid:touredge: Exotics EXi 6 -PW  w UST Mamiya Recoil F2 Shaft, SW (56),GW (52),LW (60):touredge:  TGS),/ ODDYSEE Metal-X #7 customized putter (400G, cut down Mid Belly)

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4 hours ago, rehmwa said:

Do a search (home net, home range, practice net, garage, etc etc), this comes up 3-4 times every year.  You can save a ton by making your own.  It's not rocket science.  Mine cost about $25 for the hardware and pvc.  And then a cheap net and a blanket to hang from the frame.  If I did it over again?  I'd just a hang a loose blanket. 

If I get a moment, I'll go find the big thread and post a link.

 

here - 

 

Yup! You don't need to get fancy or spend a lot of money! Back in the day, my buddy got into golf and wanted a place to practice during the Winter. He lived, with his Mom, in a house with a basement deep enough that he could wing a golf club in it. He bought an old Army surplus parachute, found something to use as a mat, and had at it!

Let's face facts. You'd have to be pretty awful at golf to miss a net 10 feet away and as wide as his was!

Anyway, the next Spring when we started playing again, he never mishit a shot! He hit everything on the button. I know you can't see trajectory on a setup that is that close, but, if you're sensitive enough you can feel it! Many of us know how we've hit a ball without watching it fly.

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I recently put up a 10'x 15' net  ($50) strung on a cable between two trees so that I can pull it/retract it to one when not using it so as to keep it out of sight. Nothing exciting. But I did build a way to reproduce the idea behind the SKLZ glide which allow some for a down and through swing minimizing the shock on the wrists and eliminating the false security of fat shots. 

IMG_4665.JPG.273f8a452b301ea191f1c0fed2962786.JPG

 

 

IMG_4663.JPG.2c4e0ad1a01e22918ef8f9c316707001.JPG

 

mine:

IMG_4659.thumb.JPG.a994c25ccc343c76ccfa6060726cf556.JPG

 

Demo in my swing thread video above

Edited by woodzie264

Driver: :callaway: Rogue ST  /  Woods: :tmade: Stealth 5W / Hybrid: :tmade: Stealth 25* / Irons: :ping: i500’s /  Wedges: :edel: 54*, 58*; Putter: :scotty_cameron: Futura 5  Ball: image.png Vero X1

 

 -Jonny

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It's the FOV in post #66 in the My Swing Thread. Sorry about that.

 

Driver: :callaway: Rogue ST  /  Woods: :tmade: Stealth 5W / Hybrid: :tmade: Stealth 25* / Irons: :ping: i500’s /  Wedges: :edel: 54*, 58*; Putter: :scotty_cameron: Futura 5  Ball: image.png Vero X1

 

 -Jonny

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Oh, I see @woodzie264....good idea. I copied it and works great.  I simply took two screw eyes, screwed into the end of a real feel mat, and then ran two small, elastic shock cords (1/8  inch with plastic ball ends) through the eyes, tied the other ends together and secured the middle of  this "loop" under a rubber wooden tee holder secured by a galvlanized nail.  A couple of ball bungies would also do the trick. Took all of 40 seconds to make.

Since mine is on top of artificial turf, I did not want to punch any large holes that a large plastic lawn spike would make. The small nail makes a negligible hole and dissappears once the nail is removed if you need to move the mat.

Thanks for the idea.

Edited by Hacker James

"James"

:titleist: 913 D3 with Aldila RIP Phenom 60 4,2 Regular Shaft,  :touredge: Exotics XCG-7 Beta 3W with Matrix Red Tie Shaft:touredge: Exotics EX8 19 deg Hybrid w UST Mamiya Recoil F3 Shaft:touredge: Exotics EX9 28 deg Hybrid w UST Mamiya Recoil F3  shaft, / Bobby Jones Black 22 deg Hybrid:touredge: Exotics EXi 6 -PW  w UST Mamiya Recoil F2 Shaft, SW (56),GW (52),LW (60):touredge:  TGS),/ ODDYSEE Metal-X #7 customized putter (400G, cut down Mid Belly)

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