Over the years, I’ve tried many of the best golf nets in my backyard to get some practice in when I wasn’t able to make it out to a range. At times it was frustrating because I would eventually wear a hole in the net and a shot would escape into a neighbour’s house three lots away. Additionally, I never really knew how I was hitting it, since I could only see the first few feet of the shot. I knew if they were solid, but couldn’t tell how much I was curving the ball.
(Image credit: Future)
Fortunately, a lot has changed in recent years. Nets are better designed and more durable. There are also affordable launch monitors out there that can, at the very least, give you a good indication of what kind of shot you hit. In fact, many of the best launch monitors on the market today are used as simulators by golfers around the world.
Which brings us to the Putting4Par Golf Net, which retails for under $100. There is so much to like about this net. It’s fairly easy to set up. It’s made with quality materials. And it is large enough – seven feet by 10 feet at the opening and six feet deep – that you can hit every club in the bag into it, including your driver.
(Image credit: Future)
In case you were wondering about the name, the idea is that the more you use this net, the better your ball striking will be and the more often you’ll be “putting for par” or better.
The Putting4Par net comes in a nice compact package and includes a carry bag, a sturdy mat with driver tee, five practice balls, and four target pockets you can hang on the back of the inside of the back of the net, perfect for practicing your short game or little competitions with your friends. It’s also endorsed by New Zealand’s Phillis Meti, a four-time world long driving champion, who uses it to practice at home. So as hard as she hits it, this net must be durable.
As for my own testing, I set it up in a backyard, and sure enough, it seemed to handle any shot I hit into it. In fact, I nearly hoseled a short iron, and it caught that one, too, though I would advise with any net to never set it up in a spot where a stray shot might do damage to people or property.
As for setting it up, it was fairly simple. You just thread two fiberglass rods that come in 15 connected segments diagonally through the top of the net. This does take a little time, and it’s difficult to do by yourself, so you’ll want to enlist another person for help.
(Image credit: Future)
Unlike some nets which pop up and collapse pretty much on their own (and are usually more expensive), you will have to take the rods out when storing. And when putting it together, it does take a bit of strength to get the last pin in place when bending the rods to get it assembled. It also comes with four tent-like stakes to anchor it in the ground when conditions are windy. Of course, if you set it up in your garage, those stakes won’t be necessary.
Another nice feature is the alignment stripe on the floor of the tent which helps players focus their aim on a point at the back of the net. As for the material, the net itself is made with an industrial-grade nylon fabric (660D), which means it should be able to take a beating for a long time. And the mat is thicker and studier than most of the best practice mats in the game (many nets don’t even come with a mat). The five generic practice balls are also a bonus.
