Stay Sharp Off The Links With These Expert-Recommended Golf Nets

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Depending where you reside, golf is seasonal. For about 18 states, where warmer weather rules, the sport is year-round. Some areas of the country enjoy golf from April/May through October/November. During the winter, golfers in those colder-weather regions typically seek sunny locales and higher temperatures to work on their game.

A golf hitting net, whether housed in an indoor golf entertainment venue, a green grass course or club, or even in your basement, garage, or backyard, can help you improve your chipping, pitching, and full swing shots any time of year, meaning you’ll be in mid-season form when it’s time to get back outdoors in the spring.

Available in a variety of sizes, materials, and designs, golf nets come in range of price points to suit any budget. The bigger the net, the more appreciative your neighbors are likely to be—especially if you’ve got it set up in your backyard and their kitchen window is one shank away from an unfortunate conversation.

Fortunately, the more you practice with a hitting net, the better your game may become and the more accuracy you will develop with your golf shots. You will see those results on the course when it’s time to tee it up.

While price may be one of the more important considerations when shopping for a hitting net, it is imperative to find one that is durable, stable, and easy to assemble. Golf nets can be time-consuming and cumbersome to put together, so find a pop-up version or one-piece variety that’s simple to build and break down if you don't plan to leave it up all year.

Best Golf Nets

• Best Overall: The Net Return Home Series V2 Multi-Sport Golf Net

• Best Budget: PowerNet Portable Lightweight Golf Practice Net

• Most Portable: Rukket Sports Professional Indoor/Outdoor Golf Hitting Practice Net

• Best Backyard: Spornia SPG-7 Golf Practice Net

• Best Value: SKLZ Home Golf Driving Range Kit

• Largest Target Surface: Net Playz Golf Practice Net

• Premium Option: Cimarron Masters Golf Net with Complete Frame

The Expert

As a PGA of America Golf Professional, I’ve been a head professional at public and private courses and coached high school and college golf for 15 years. Golf nets have had an integral part in training my students and players, not to mention with my own development as a teen golfer and during the years leading up to turning professional.

My favorite hitting net story involves my adult son in our backyard. We’re hitting balls into a massive 10- by 10-foot square golf net, and he overshoots it with a wedge. The ball leaves our backyard, crosses an adjacent public walking path, and ends up in a cemetery about 150 yards away. Since it was a new Titleist Pro V1 ball, we looked in that cemetery for half an hour—probably not the best use of our time. We didn’t find the ball, but we did reconfigure the hitting net against some trees that would intercept any errant shots.

My community college golf team has a minimal budget, but we were able to find a quality hitting net at a reasonable price. It came with a double surface hitting mat and some practice balls. This roundup is sure to provide you with some options that meet your needs as well.

What to Consider in a Golf Net

When shopping for a golf hitting net, evaluate the “why” of your purchase, which will dictate the durability, design, cost, and set-up requirements.

Durability

Why you want a golf hitting net and how you’ll use it will determine the durability that is best. If your practice sessions are going to include real golf balls, then look for a net that’s made of aluminum or steel with an all-weather finish since most likely it will be used outdoors. Opt for a net that comes with stakes included to secure it in place. If you plan to use practice balls—whiffle balls or ones made of soft foam—check out a practice net made of plastic, which will lighten your load, as well as reduce your cost.

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Design

If your practice sessions will be held once or twice per week, you can get away with a basic design that simply receives the balls you hit. Ultimately, this option saves you money that you might normally spend at the driving range.

For frequent and extensive practice sessions, you should seek a more elaborate design that returns the balls to you. This saves you the time it takes to retrieve balls with each stroke taken. In addition, if your practice will take place in a rather open space, a smaller model is sufficient. However, if your practice will take place adjacent to neighbors’ houses or in a more populated area, go for a more expansive hitting net, which should be erected to protect your surroundings from errant golf shots.

Cost

Basic hitting nets, which offer a simple and pleasant practice experience, can be had for under $100. More intricate golf cages are considerably pricier at several hundreds of dollars or more. Smaller models made of plastic will be more affordable than more complex versions made of aluminum or steel.

Setup

Golf nets that will be erected and broken down with each use should be easy to assemble. After all, you can waste much of your practice time with logistics—putting the net up rather than hitting golf balls and getting better at the game. If you intend to leave the net up for an extensive period of time or even permanently, then you can get away with a more complicated building process since it will only be performed once.

How We Selected Golf Nets

I chose the following golf hitting nets through extensive online research and product reviews as well as personal experience— using golf nets as a golf pro, long-time golf coach, and avid golfer. I’ve had my share of these over the years so I know what to look for in a decent quality golf net. I have a golf net from SKLZ Golf at the moment, and it works great for my purposes.

Home Series V2 Multi-Sport Golf Net

The Net Return Home Series V2 Multi-Sport Golf Net is a high-quality option for the die-hard golfer who uses his or her net many days per week and on a year-round basis, either indoors or out. The durable aluminum frame makes it suitable for either location, and it has a portable design so it can easily be moved as needed.

The stylish net with push-button assembly draws the ball back to the golfer after the shot, meaning you’ll maximize your practice time by actually working on your game rather than chasing down or retrieving balls after each swing. Additionally, it offers a three-year/250,000-shot warranty.

Portable Lightweight Golf Practice Net

The PowerNet Golf Practice Net will help you hone your skills in the convenience of your home or backyard. With roughly 2 mins of setup time, you’ll have your net ready before you’re even warmed up. It’s small enough that it won't consume too much space and simple to assemble and break down to transport if need be.

The capture configuration of the netting ensures balls gather and group after each shot rather than scatter throughout your hitting area.

Professional Indoor/Outdoor Golf Hitting Practice Net

The Rukket Sports Professional Indoor/Outdoor Golf Hitting Practice Net is ideal for the avid golfer who wants to practice at home and also take his or her equipment on the road. This net is suitable for large indoor gyms or it can easily be set up in a backyard field. This net conveniently returns balls to the golfer, so practice time is used to maximum effect.

This net features a 4-ply knotless netting tailored for real golf balls and is bolstered by a solid frame that can withstand heavy winds. Although it’s sturdy, the limited lifetime warranty provides some reassurance at time of purchase. Protective side nets catch errant shots that might miss some other nets entirely, allowing you to swing with confidence and practice with a purpose with each and every swing.

The design is endorsed by University of Georgia head golf coach Chris Haack, an award-winning Hall-of-Fame golf coach who’s been at the helm at UGA since 1996.

SPG-7 Golf Practice Net

The Spornia SPG-7 Golf Practice Net offers quality and durability with protection courtesy of its roof attachment. This golf net goes up with minimal effort when following step-by-step instructions. It does, however, take more time to deconstruct and store away, so plan accordingly if you don't plan to leave your net up most of the time.

With the elevated target area, balls roll back to the golfer, creating a pleasurable practice experience. The patented target area cushions the blow and absorbs sound so your neighbors won’t be disturbed by each practice session you have.

Home Golf Driving Range Kit

The SKLZ Home Golf Driving Range Kit is the choice of the SUNY Ulster Senators Golf Team. It’s a cost-effective choice for golfers on a budget, but a logical conclusion to “where to practice with limited indoor space.” It’s simply a stellar value for the money as it comes with 12 practice balls and a double-surface practice hitting mat.

The net fits conveniently in a corner and captures golf balls for limited effort between shots.

Golf Practice Net

The Net Playz Golf Practice Net offers plenty of perks, including hassle-free assembly, a massive hitting surface, and portability.

At 10- by 10- feet square, this net will catch virtually every golf shot you hit, though the open top will not grasp those occasional balls that you get under where the ball goes higher than desired.

You can easily adjust the angle at which the net faces you, depending upon the trajectory at which you intend on hitting the ball. The unique impact stopper design will help you corral your shots without having to hunt them all down after each strike.

Masters Golf Net with Complete Frame

The Cimarron Masters Golf Net with Complete Frame is ideal for a large backyard or when space or budget is not a consideration.

Made of highly durable galvanized steel, this net is stable and features reinforced corners and netting to capture as many golf shots as you can throw at it.

This set-up comes with everything you need to be hitting golf balls in no time. Assemble this in your backyard and your neighbors won’t have to worry about your golf balls hitting their home. This is a serious golf cage for the serious golfer.

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How much room is typically needed for a golf net?

You’ll typically need a 20 ft. x 20 ft. space to house the hitting net and mat. Most of the nets I've highlighted provide focused ball return, so your golf balls will be conveniently confined to one area.

What about hitting cages as a more permanent option?

The Cimarron 20’ x 10’ x 10’ Masters Golf Net with Complete Frame, the premium option above, is definitely a build-it-and-leave-it option. If you don't require portability at all, the cage option is an excellent choice for the serious golfer.

How long should a golf net last?

It depends upon how frequently you use it and how you treat it between sessions. The life of the item will be more limited if left to the elements 365 days per year.

Throw a cover over your net and you’ll increase its longevity. Something used predominantly indoors could last many years, though you may have to replace the netting every so often depending on how aggressively and regularly you practice.

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