Are Golf Hitting Nets Worth It
The end of COVID meant golfers could return to the driving range and the course, but many had already invested in golf hitting nets and other home training devices to keep up their golf during the pandemic. Even now, pros and amateurs use them, but are golf hitting nets worth it?
Golf hitting nets are worth it as you can practice when you want without having to travel to the range and pay for range buckets. They can assist with ball striking and improving accuracy, but they also have potential drawbacks if not paired with a launch monitor or proper training program.
Let’s look closer at golf-hitting nets, their costs vs. range costs, the pros, and cons of having one set up in your backyard, and whether they can improve your game.
Golf Hitting Nets Can Help Your Ball Striking
Consistent and accurate ball striking is a critical element of successful golf, and good swing mechanics are the core of good ball striking; golf hitting nets can certainly assist you in this regard.
While you don’t get to see the ball fly to check the shape and flight, you do get to hear and feel the ball off the clubface, and this is a good indicator of whether you are striking the ball well in your swing.
Another aspect of using golf hitting nets is you can see whether your ball is traveling online by using target pads which you can either buy as an accessory or, in some cases, they could be supplied with the golf net package.
Using targets when practicing with a golf hitting net will certainly help you work on your accuracy, and you can vary your technique in terms of alignment, wrist position and ball positions which you can then take to the range later on.
This is particularly effective when used for chipping, and pros like Lydia Ko use the golf nets to work on this specific element of their game.
Using A Golf Hitting Net Means Practice When You Want
Golf hitting nets provide convenience as you can practice whenever you want, even at 3 am! Being able to go out and hit balls is good exercise, provides freedom, and removes the need to head to the range whenever you want to practice.
Having a golf-hitting net is also great for pre-round warm-ups, and even if you are going to hit some balls at the course before teeing off, you can warm up before heading out, and that alone is worth the price of the golf-hitting net.
Another benefit to a golf-hitting net is that you can swing in the relative peace of your own space without having to listen to other golfers hit balls or have them close to you as you would on a range.
This can assist you with your concentration and focus, which you can apply to range sessions or golf courses.
Golf Hitting Nets Cut Range Costs
One of the most obvious benefits of having a golf hitting net is that you don’t have to pay for range balls when you want to practice, and the more time you spend using the net, the less money you are going to spend on balls and fuel to get to the range and back.
If you consider that a good quality golf hitting net would cost around $150 and adding a hitting mat about $40, you are ready to go for under $200.
Unless your better half doesn’t mind you digging up the turf in the backyard, that $40 hitting mat will go a long way to keeping the peace in your home and giving you a solid hitting platform.
If you compare that to the cost of range balls and the time you need to travel and gas, having a golf hitting net is worth the investment as you will save money over the season- and seasons to come.
Depending on the range you use, a bucket of balls would cost between $3 and $17, so let’s average out at about $10, and most golfers would hit two buckets at a range session, so $20 per session. Include around 15-20 minutes of travel time and some gas costs, which could be about $30 or so.
If you hit balls once a week (which isn’t enough), that would cost you around $120 monthly and two hours of travel time.
The golf net with mat for around $190 would pay for itself in under two months, and not only that, but when you do go to the range, your sessions should be better as you have been putting in the work at home as well!
Add A Launch Monitor To Your Golf Hitting Net
With the rise of indoor range facilities across the US that use virtual technology to track ball flight and swing metrics, having a launch monitor with your golf hitting net is a no-brainer.
One of the main drawbacks of the golf hitting net is that you cannot track distance , flight path, and shape alone. But adding a launch monitor to this setup essentially gives you a virtual golf range in your backyard!
Now, while some launch monitors can be pricy, like SkyTrak at just under $2000, FlightScope’s EVO is a great option at just $495 means you can be fully equipped for under $700!
Having a ball flight monitor to go with your golf hitting net would be the ideal and optimum setup for any golfer as not only can you practice whenever you want, save money and not have to travel, you can practice all year round even if you need to relocate your setup indoors for the winter – and that’s something no driving range can give you!
Other Resources on Golf Practice
We are developing, in the theme of our sites title, a one stop guide on Office putting sets and other practice methods and you can find other useful information in the list of articles below.
- How big is an office putting set
- Office Putting Set Vs. Practice Putting Green
- Must have Features of an office putting set
- Do you need your own putter for an office putting Set
- Do office putting Sets improve your putting
- Why Do putting Sets Have Ramps?
- Is an Office Putting Set Worth It?
- Why do golfers straddle the putting line
- How to Practice putting on a balcony.
- Are golf Practice Nets worth it?
- Are golf swing trainers worth it
Conclusion
Golf-hitting nets are worth it, and this is evident by how many pros use them to improve and maintain their own game at home. Adding a launch monitor and a hitting mat to your hitting net setup will further enhance the results achieved and save you money while playing and practicing when you want, without the distraction and noise of a range and you can use them when its raining!
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