Garden driving range

howbow88

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Does whacking balls into a net in your back garden help your swing? I've seen with these cheaper swing caddie launch monitors out now (eg SC300), you can have a driving range of sorts in your back garden.

I would like to think that strike consistency will improve, but I would be concerned that you dont have any real directional feedback. Eg you could hit 100 balls in a row that feel good, are all going a distance you're happy with according to the SC300, but every one could be slicing 30 yards right...

Does anyone else have something like this set up?
 

Parsaregood

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If you invest in a skytrak which is about 1200 it's very accurate almost as good as trackman or gcquad, even if you dont have a launch monitor hitting balls into a net can be good if you are working on something specific and also tying it in with hitting balls out in the open aswell
 

patricks148

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had a net and range matt some 13 years ago, used it a first, but no substitute for seeing the ball flight. so mat now almost invisible as the grass and moss have grown over it and the net long since rotted away
 

howbow88

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If you invest in a skytrak which is about 1200 it's very accurate almost as good as trackman or gcquad, even if you dont have a launch monitor hitting balls into a net can be good if you are working on something specific and also tying it in with hitting balls out in the open aswell
I read on here that Skytrak is only any good inside, and my house isn't big enough for a swing studio so that rules it out.

On a related note, has anyone seen Skytrak's TV ad? The bloke is just at breakfast and then thinks 'I fancy hitting some golf balls on my skytrak' and then gets dressed into his golf gear to do so. If I had an indoor swing studio, I would be hitting 90% of my shots in my pants without doubt.
 

ScienceBoy

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When I was a kid we used to ask farmers if we could use their fields. A couple had some that were on a big slope and were pretty useless. We would tee off a bucket of cheap balls from a boot sale and then spend hours picking them up...
 

Jacko_G

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I've often thought about a net for the garden but never done anything about it. I just think it would lose it's novelty factor after a while.

I have a lesson once a month with Trackman so happy just using/analysing the data sent through by the professional.
 

USER1999

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I am thinking of putting a net in my garage. Height is fine, just need to find a launch monitor I am happy with, that works within the space I have, and the budget I have. I think I would use it enough to justify the expense.
I would not use an outdoor one enough, for sure.
 

HomerJSimpson

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Not for me but with a range ten minutes away and a better one with Toptracer only twenty minutes away and a decent practice ground at the club I'd rather hit balls there and see the flight and direction for myself. I am still a little unconvinced by the accuracy of some of these launch monitors. I think in a few years time this market will really kick forward and then I'll rethink
 

howbow88

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I just want to be able to hit lots of balls near enough every day, without having to keep spending money at the range each time. It's £5.50 for 100 balls at my local place, so doing that 5 times a week is £30 when you account for petrol money.

And if I had this in my back garden, I would probably do more than 100 a day :D
 

turkish

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If you invest in a skytrak which is about 1200 it's very accurate almost as good as trackman or gcquad, even if you dont have a launch monitor hitting balls into a net can be good if you are working on something specific and also tying it in with hitting balls out in the open aswell

Where are you seeing skytrak for £1200??? I’ve been keeping my eye out for ages and even 2nd hand usually £1600+

Brand new you are £1900 plus the extra for software and shank case
 

Evesdad

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THis has been a project of mine for the last 12 months! I like to use the net when working on a move from my lessons. It takes away my attention from the actual outcome of the ball and stops the over thinking. So far every time I’m set to do it something breaks down and I have to shell out. Intend to get it done in the next month so fingers crossed.
 

howbow88

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THis has been a project of mine for the last 12 months! I like to use the net when working on a move from my lessons. It takes away my attention from the actual outcome of the ball and stops the over thinking. So far every time I’m set to do it something breaks down and I have to shell out. Intend to get it done in the next month so fingers crossed.
What is it that breaks down? The net?
 

HomerJSimpson

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I just want to be able to hit lots of balls near enough every day, without having to keep spending money at the range each time. It's £5.50 for 100 balls at my local place, so doing that 5 times a week is £30 when you account for petrol money.

And if I had this in my back garden, I would probably do more than 100 a day :D
I admire the enthusiasm and agree that regular range practice can be restrictive in terms of cost but for me it's about quality over quantity which is why I prefer to see the ball flying. Are you a member of a club and do they not have practice facilities? The issue I have with nets is you can stand there and work on stuff shown in lessons etc and hit it and feel its come off the middle but you simply can't tell if it's sliced/hooked etc and that a mat can hide some issues with strike
 

howbow88

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I admire the enthusiasm and agree that regular range practice can be restrictive in terms of cost but for me it's about quality over quantity which is why I prefer to see the ball flying. Are you a member of a club and do they not have practice facilities? The issue I have with nets is you can stand there and work on stuff shown in lessons etc and hit it and feel its come off the middle but you simply can't tell if it's sliced/hooked etc and that a mat can hide some issues with strike
I completely agree regarding nets, and that's why these new launch monitors that show distance and ball speed are only good on a range/course imo. It's a little silly if what you're doing feels great contact wise, the ball speed and distance are good, but actually you're pushing your ball a long way right. I just fear you'll end up reinforcing bad habits unless you have a true idea of the ball flight.

I'm a member and my club has a range, but there's only a 10% discount on range balls. My course is very much a public facility as opposed to an old school private club.
 

USER1999

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I completely agree regarding nets, and that's why these new launch monitors that show distance and ball speed are only good on a range/course imo. It's a little silly if what you're doing feels great contact wise, the ball speed and distance are good, but actually you're pushing your ball a long way right. I just fear you'll end up reinforcing bad habits unless you have a true idea of the ball flight.

I am thinking the opposite. I don't want to get distracted by the ball flight. I want to concentrate on increasing my swing speed, and getting a better strike. Fixation on direction is detrimental to what I want to achieve. Fixing the direction afterwards is the easy bit.
 

Orikoru

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I am thinking the opposite. I don't want to get distracted by the ball flight. I want to concentrate on increasing my swing speed, and getting a better strike. Fixation on direction is detrimental to what I want to achieve. Fixing the direction afterwards is the easy bit.
Yea, I can see both sides of the argument, but once or twice a week just focusing on strike surely isn't going to be detrimental. I still think you would know if you hit a bad slice or hook as well, a bit by feel and a bit by where it hits the net.
 
D

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Not for me but with a range ten minutes away and a better one with Toptracer only twenty minutes away and a decent practice ground at the club I'd rather hit balls there and see the flight and direction for myself. I am still a little unconvinced by the accuracy of some of these launch monitors. I think in a few years time this market will really kick forward and then I'll rethink

Why is that ? Never had any issues with any of the main branded launch monitors I have used.
 
D

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When I have practised into a net, the biggest difference I have seen is that my strike improves substantially. I assume it is down to hitting one ball after another then another.

We have used our net quite a lot, so I would say definitely worth doing, if you are willing to practise and can not always get to the course.

Control of golf ball direction etc, is another matter, as that probably would only improve with improving the swing(once you have a swing kind of grooved in)

one tip I would give, is it you get a net, then make sure you also buy either an impact(archery, its a really thick/heavy duty net) net to hang in front of the back of the net or hang a sheet in front, otherwise you will go though the net and balls will escape over time.

Best of luck.
 
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