What’s the best golf practice net you can buy? There are some excellent models on the market, and some are downright dangerous pieces of junk. You are obviously looking for a portable driving range to groove your swing, not a useless product you have to return after paying for your neighbor’s broken window! Which practice nets are the best and which don’t stand up to well struck golf shots?
Let’s discuss features of a quality golf practice net, how skill level can determine your choice, and give a few good recommendations depending on your needs.
Golf Practice Net Comparison Chart
| Net Model | The Short and Sweet |
Reviews | Pricing |
Callaway Tri-Ball |
The Callaway Tri Ball hitting net is a very popular model with golfers. It has a very simple design and strong netting. A great selling point for many is that it comes in 3 different sizes.Read our full review… | Customer Reviews Read Our FullReview |
|
Callaway Quad Net |
The Callaway Quad Net has been a strong seller in the market for over 3 years, and it’s still popular today. The design is top quality with strong netting, a hanging target, and it’s tall enough for wedges. Read our Full Review… | Customer Reviews Read Our FullReview |
|
The Net Return |
The Net Return Pro golf net is hands down the best personal golf net on the market today. To get a more heavy duty mat, you’ll have to purchase a commercial grade, but even those aren’t as clever and useful as the Net Return. Read our Full Review… | Customer Reviews  Read Our FullReview |
$395 – $700 Click to See on Amazon.com |
Izzo Giant Net Models |
The Izzo Giant and Giant Jr. models have quite a few mixed customer reviews. Most complaints are about weak netting that tears, and the ricochet effect the net has with harder hit shots.Read our Full Review… | Customer Reviews Read Our FullReview |
$90 – $200 Click to See on Amazon.com |
Izzo Big Daddy Insta Net |
The Izzo Big Daddy Insta-Net is a slightly smaller net than all previous models mentioned. The main recurring customer complaint with this model is the net attachment plastic clips breaking easily.Read our Full Review… | Customer Reviews Read Our FullReview |
$49 – $79 Click to See on Amazon.com |
Extra Large Golf Training Net |
This “Extra Large Golf Training Net”, or any other name you may find people selling it under, is very cheap in price, and cheap in quality. The polyurethane backing tears easily and is flat out not recommended for anybody but those with very slow ball speeds.Read our Full Review… | Customer Reviews Read Our FullReview |
$49.95 – $99.95 Click to See on Amazon.com |
Wilson Extreme Golf Cage |
The Wilson Extreme Golf Cage is reported by many customers to have weak, shotty design. The netting rips easily and the poles break and crack. These are two complaints that steer us clear of recommending the net.Read our Full Review… | Customer Reviews Read Our FullReview |
$55 – $99.00Click to See on Amazon.com |
Golf Net Strength – The Most Important Feature
There are some golf nets on the market that just don’t cut it. The main problem is the strength of the netting. What good is a net that can’t withstand one day of hitting drivers into it?
Unfortunately, a lot of models can’t hold up for one practice session. No one wants to smack a shot into a net, only to have it travel 100 yards beyond because of weak netting! However, this exact thing happens with many net models.
Golf Net Models With High Strength Netting
The following practice net models get consistently high customer reviews and little or no reports of ripping holes in the netting during use. For golfers with higher swing speed and ball speed, these higher quality nets are a must.
Callaway Quad Net 8 Foot Golf Net – Few reports of net damage from high ball speed golfers.
The Net Return Pro Series Multi Sport Net – No reports of net damage from customers.
Poor Quality, Low Strength Golf Practice Net Models
The following nets are consistently rated poorly by mid to low handicappers because they just don’t hold up under fire. Beginners may find value in the following nets, but hard hitters of the golf ball beware.
Izzo Giant and Giant Jr. – There are reports of intermediate and more experienced golfers hitting just a few times into this net and it tearing immediately.
Any Wilson Practice Net – These get less than acceptable reviews as far as strength of netting goes and overall quality.
“XL Practice Net” (or Any Other Name For This Net) – These nets are mass produced and resold by various companies under different names. Many paying customers rate this net poorly. The cheap price definitely reflects the cheap quality.
Practice Golf Net Tightness – Another Important Factor To Consider
A few net designs, namely the Izzo Giant 12 foot model, are too tight. A hard shot immediately ricochets off the net into the golfer’s legs.
Keep this in mind when looking at a net. If it looks like a strange design that doesn’t make sense in the picture, then it most likely won’t make sense hitting a 200 to 300 yard driver into.
Golf Net Pricing – Do You Get What You Paid For? Or….
If you want to get the best golf practice net available on the market, then it is hands-down the Net Return Golf Net you’ll want to purchase. For more detailed information, check out our Net Return Multisport Net review page.
For those with a smaller budget, it really comes down to how skilled you are at golf, or more specifically, how hard do you hit the golf ball.
Beginner Golfers – Can Get away with buying A cheaper Golf net
Beginner golfers can get away with purchasing a cheaper net, with cheaper quality netting. You are less likely to rip a hole in the net and it will last for a longer time. These cheaper golf nets can also be great for junior golfers with slower swing speeds.
Low Handicappers and High Swing Speed Golfers – Quality Practice Nets Are A must!
These golfers MUST purchase a golf net that is of higher quality, or they may as well not purchase one at all. There is disgruntled customer report after report of hitting two or three long iron shots into these cheaper nets and a hole ripping in it immediately.
Our #1 Best At Home Golf Practice Net Pick
The Net Return, though more expensive, is the absolute #1 recommended golf net by us, many golf blogs, and by customers at the Amazon.com shopping site. Here are a few reasons why.
It’s strong enough to withstand any shot for years (good warranty).- It literally returns the ball back to address position. One ball needed.
- Instant shot feedback – Because of the design of the net, slice spin will cause the ball to return to the left, hook spin will return to the right.
- Tall enough to hit lob wedges into.
Our #1 Best Golf Practice Net On A Tighter Budget
For longer hitters with a lower budget, we recommend the Callaway Quad Net. Here are a few reasons why.
Though not quite the quality of the Net Return, it can withstand very hard hit shots over and over into it.- Large enough to accommodate all clubs, even wedges.
- Loose netting allows for low ricochet of shots.
- Cheapest pricing of the better golf net models.
Commercial and Ultra Large Golf Hitting Nets
If you are a golf shop owner, someone running an indoor or outdoor golf training facility, or just someone who needs a much bigger and heavier duty net, then you’ll want to take a look at some commercial hitting nets.
These nets come in sizes that are much larger and with a more permanent design that will resist wear and tear. Some at-home models are comparative, like the Net Return, but in general these commercial nets are better for large commercial spaces. You can get framing and netting for 1, 2, 4, or more hitting stations right next to each other.
Other Considerations When Purchasing a Golf Practice Net
Net Size – Hitting Lofted Clubs, Net Location, and Errant Shots
A quality hitting net is going to be tall enough to hit the lob wedge into without having to worry about missing the net. Of course, you have to keep in mind the size of the space you will put the net. Just make sure you’ve done measuring of ceilings and indoor spaces if you are going to put the net indoors.
Errant shots, ahem, like the dreaded “shank”, are bound to happen. Is the net wide enough to accommodate this? Most nets take this into account, but some are better than others. The Net Return has a model that comes with side netting to block shanks. Keep net width in mind.
Golf Hitting Mats
Many people don’t realize that it’s imperative to purchase a golf mat along with a golf net. It only takes one shot out of a normal lawn to notice that firstly the grass is way too long, and secondly, taking divots out of the lawn isn’t good for the look of the yard!
The hands-down best golf hitting mat we’ve found on the market for the price is the Monster Tee Golf Turf hitting mat. It’s 48” x ’60 inches (4 feet x 5 feet). It’s durable enough to hit down and through the ball with irons, and very thick. It actually holds regular wooden tees in the material. Otherwise, you may want a different size or quality of mat, in that case you’ll want to check out our golf practice mat reviews page.
So What’s The Best Golf Practice Net You Can Buy?
In conclusion, the best golf practice net you can buy depends on a few factors. Firstly, the strength of the netting is going to really be a big consideration depending on how hard the golfer hits the ball. Secondly, the pricing of the net is obviously going to be a big deciding factor. Thirdly, the space constraints of the hitting area need to be taken into account. We hope our research has helped you in your quest to find the best golf practice net around. Good luck!
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http://www.bestgolfpracticenet.com/golf-practice-mats-3-of-the-best-mats-for-any-budget/
http://www.bestgolfpracticenet.com/heavy-duty-golf-nets-the-best-commercial-strength-golf-nets/
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