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Outdoor Hitting Area

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Scooby45

Scooby45

Use data, get better.
Albatross 2024 Club
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Have you set-up a semi-permanent outdoor hitting area before? How did you go about it? Any insight to share? Mat recommendations for outdoor use?*

It is something I have kicked around in the past and it sounds like at least @tucsoncacti is doing it as his house so would appreciate any thoughts and comments.

I know I won't be good at pulling a mat and net into and out of a garage with any regularity, but I could see myself grabbing a club and a few balls to take cuts for 15 minutes.


*(and yes I started the thread on mats are no fun, but swinging clubs vs. not trumps those feelings)
 
I did. I have a Rukket net and an off brand mat I bought on Amazon. Both have held up really well. I forgot to take the net down and it got destroyed in the storms last week. It needs replaced anyway. The mat is still going strong and is one of the better ones I’ve hit off. I’ve got it set up on a concrete slab and I have no elbow or wrist pain afterwards. I’m going to stop using it for 2 reasons. One is I need to invest the time in my short game instead of full shots. That part of my game is more important. Second reason is with no target and no way to see ball flight I end up swinging as hard as I can and ingraining some really bad habits. Not that I have a fundamentally sound swing but it gets really bad after hitting into a net.
 
@Scooby45 I will send some pics later. I put two 8 foot fence posts in. If you can imagine, the area is a rocked are where former owner parked a camper. Posts are ten feet apart. I got two nets (to prevent ball breaking through) and I have a target that returns balls. I just need to clean up the area a bit. I have a mat from Amazon, and I have a CC Elite hitting strip too. Everything besides the netting I already had on hand from my garage setup in AZ.
 
I've done this before. A couple things to consider:

Lumpy surfaces are distracting.
Really consider the possibilities of what you might hit if you miss the net. It happens. I repeat, it happens.
 
Hawk said:
I've done this before. A couple things to consider:

Lumpy surfaces are distracting.
Really consider the possibilities of what you might hit if you miss the net. It happens. I repeat, it happens.
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Yep.....did it in my garage setup a few times.
 
I did a diy hitting net years ago. I had the room in my back, side yard. It was a 10X10X10 foot cage. of the net

Used electrical conduit pipe for the frame. Netting came from an army surplus store. I used shower curtain hangers to hang the netting. At the back of the net, I hung a heavier material at the ball impact area to save wear, and tear on the net.

My hitting area was a 2X4 frame that held two full pieces of sod to hit off of. Sod was replaced as it wore out. It also was irrigated for a longer life. Home Depot was just a few blocks away.

I could hit every full/partial shot I could think of. Even sand shots of of blow sand. It was pretty sturdy, and lasted for years.

It also doubled as a batting cage, as our daughters played fast pitch softball.
 
I'm fortunate to have a lot of room behind my house I can hit balls into and retrieve with a shag bag, so won't be any help with that part. I poured a small concrete pad with room for a CC elite hitting strip build into it and then covered the standing area with some astro turfish stuff from Lowes. I also tilled and seeded and area that I want to be able to hit from grass, but I haven't put enough time into it. Planning this summer to bring in some sand and set up automatic watering for it and see what we can get going.

Astro turf needs replaced, but the hitting strip has never come inside and is still going strong.
 
I have a space beside my garage where the previous homeowner parked his boat. I've been wanting to put in something like this, just haven't pulled the trigger. I envision doing it in such a way that I can turf the inside of the cage to use like a putting green and get some kind of launch monitor to make a sim out of it. I would put a window in the side of the garage to put a TV in the window and some kind of portal so I could run wiring out to a LM if needed. I would also need to bring in an electrician to run lighting to the area.
1712757918727.png
 
WLG1952 said:
I did a diy hitting net years ago. I had the room in my back, side yard. It was a 10X10X10 foot cage. of the net

Used electrical conduit pipe for the frame. Netting came from an army surplus store. I used shower curtain hangers to hang the netting. At the back of the net, I hung a heavier material at the ball impact area to save wear, and tear on the net.

My hitting area was a 2X4 frame that held two full pieces of sod to hit off of. Sod was replaced as it wore out. It also was irrigated for a longer life. Home Depot was just a few blocks away.

I could hit every full/partial shot I could think of. Even sand shots of of blow sand. It was pretty sturdy, and lasted for years.

It also doubled as a batting cage, as our daughters played fast pitch softball.
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what did you do maintenance wise for the sod?
 
I’m about to start a backyard remodel and part of that is a dedicated golf practice area. This is a basic design. IMG_0221.jpeg

The net is a 10’x10’ cage. The original one I bought from Amazon the corners were garbage and collapsed over the winter. I upgraded to a setup that is much sturdier. https://a.co/d/hbe0ScD it uses 10’ sections of 1” electrical conduit you can get from Lowe’s or Home Depot.

For the hitting mat I’m building a knock off of the center hitting fiberbuilt IMG_0220.jpeg
To do that I got a 10” x 24” real feel hitting strip to have a plush surface to hit off of. For standing on I got a couple of 4’ X 5’ golf mats from Amazon to build a 4’ x 10’ hitting area. The hitting strip is 3/4” thicker than the standing mats. To get the standing and hitting surfaces the same height I bought some 3/4” horse stall mats from tractor supply. I’m going to be cutting a hole in the mats to be able to insert the strip.

For putting and chipping I’m looking at a pro putt systems standard model https://proputtsystems.com/indoor-putting-greens/. I have the space to put in their “Green Monster” which is 10’ x 20’. They have several sizes that would work inside the cage.
 
Scooby45 said:
what did you do maintenance wise for the sod?
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I just kept it watered. Yes, hitting balls off iit did some wear, and tear. Ive never been a big divot take with my iron. When it became unusable I replaced it with a new piece of sod. Sod was pretty cheap back then.

This was back when synthetic grass was not as advanced as it is today.. If I was build another one today, I would probably a long fiber piece of synthetic turf.

I know Walmart sells a hitting mat with long and short fibers for around $20. See picture. I would just need to make sure my feet, and mat were close to the same level.
 

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This is what I have so far. Once it dries out a bit I’m going to treat the posts before I setup. Obviously got work to do with the rocks.

IMG_2930.jpeg
 
This + original Rapsodo was my setup for awhile before I moved and built my garage setup.

75E25C9C-F571-47C4-8891-E2FE187C6E3C.jpeg
54A0A186-E52D-4F76-AD31-9CF3CECFC26B.jpeg
 
It’s in a temporary location but the net is back up and I got to hit balls today! Tomorrow I’m doing some surgery on the mats to get the nice hitting strip in the game.

IMG_0230.jpeg

Yes the target is on backwards. When it was the right way hitting the rings left black marks on the ball.
 
leftybob said:
It’s in a temporary location but the net is back up and I got to hit balls today! Tomorrow I’m doing some surgery on the mats to get the nice hitting strip in the game.

View attachment 9257097

Yes the target is on backwards. When it was the right way hitting the rings left black marks on the ball.
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Are those gaps in the back corners? I hope you keep every shot hitting the target.
 
Scott F said:
Are those gaps in the back corners? I hope you keep every shot hitting the target.
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Obviously I never miss the target. 🤣

You can’t really see it in the picture there are 2 layers of net on the back. The one you can see in the picture is the inner net.
 
My setup is portable. I only leave it out when there’s an extended outlook of good weather. I bought the Spornia SPG8 last year, which was an upgrade from a cheap 10x7 net I got off of Amazon. The Spornia was worth the price in 2 ways - 1. I don’t worry about full wedge shots any longer, even from 8’+ away, which is what my MLM2 requires; and 2. balls are returned right to my hitting mat instead of bouncing into my pool. It’s a great net and easy to set up. Tear down takes a little practice, but once you get it, it takes all of 4-5 minutes.

I’d like to get a better mat, but have a hard time justifying a $300-$500 expense. I just put one of those interlocking pads underneath a cheap mat and added non-slip tape to it to keep my mat from sliding around. I don’t take much of a divot, so this works for me.

Investing in a net and mat was the best thing I’ve done for my golf game. I get lots of practice.

1713970592707.jpeg
 
Triple Lindy said:
My setup is portable. I only leave it out when there’s an extended outlook of good weather. I bought the Spornia SPG8 last year, which was an upgrade from a cheap 10x7 net I got off of Amazon. The Spornia was worth the price in 2 ways - 1. I don’t worry about full wedge shots any longer, even from 8’+ away, which is what my MLM2 requires; and 2. balls are returned right to my hitting mat instead of bouncing into my pool. It’s a great net and easy to set up. Tear down takes a little practice, but once you get it, it takes all of 4-5 minutes.

I’d like to get a better mat, but have a hard time justifying a $300-$500 expense. I just put one of those interlocking pads underneath a cheap mat and added non-slip tape to it to keep my mat from sliding around. I don’t take much of a divot, so this works for me.

Investing in a net and mat was the best thing I’ve done for my golf game. I get lots of practice.

View attachment 9260461
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Looking at these nets. Did that come with the side nets? Or are they add on’s?
 
I think I have the perfect spot for this setup IMG_7515.jpeg
 
rogt said:
Looking at these nets. Did that come with the side nets? Or are they add on’s?
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There are 2 side nets built in that extend out to the end of the floor return, which I think is 8’. The longer shank net cost about $30, I believe. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything hit it, but the peace of mind was worth that minor expense. I leave it connected and just fold it up with the rest of the net when storing it.
 
I am not sure which direction to go with my outdoor hitting area. I have a great net and level place to hit from. I just have to run the weed eater over it once or twice a week. I was thinking of a DIY hitting mat. Then, I read a lot.of you here like hitting off the ground. No mat is better and more realistic. What you all think? Mat or ground?
 
collegefbfan said:
I am not sure which direction to go with my outdoor hitting area. I have a great net and level place to hit from. I just have to run the weed eater over it once or twice a week. I was thinking of a DIY hitting mat. Then, I read a lot.of you here like hitting off the ground. No mat is better and more realistic. What you all think? Mat or ground?
Click to expand...
I’d hit off the ground if I had an area to do so. My wife would have issues if I killed a chunk of our yard, though. You can always try the ground and get a mat if it doesn’t work out.
 
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