Practice Golf Balls Vs. Golf Practice Nets – Which Is The Better Alternative For Your Game?
Many golfers want to improve their swings at home, and getting either a golf practice net or practice golf balls is a great way to accomplish this. Let’s take a look at practice golf balls vs golf practice nets and see which is best for your needs.
Practice balls can be a great way to hit golf shots of a lesser distance around the back yard or local park. It doesn’t make sense to hit real balls anywhere but at a local driving range. Firstly, you don’t want to hurt anyone or anyone’s nearby property, secondly, who wants to walk hundreds of yards to pick up a bunch of balls you just smacked?
Five Popular Practice Balls For The Back Yard Or Park
Solid hollow plastic balls are a design that have been around for years and are still a popular choice among many. These will curve just like a regular ball, but obviously travel a lesser distance. The big drawback to these balls are if they are hit too hard, they often crack or collapse in on themselves. The older they get, the more prone to cracking and denting they will become.
Wiffle golf balls another great type of practice ball to use in the back yard. These will be less prone to cracking and bending, but of course over time they will get weaker. However, in the meantime, these balls are great for seeing shot shape and how the shot reacts in different wind scenarios.
Using a plastic practice ball, whether wiffle or solid plastic, is a great way to learn how to hit solid shots of a certain shape. You may also notice that the harder you hit one of these balls, the worse off the ball flies in the air, so you’ll find yourself honing a smooth and silky swing.
The Birdie Ball is practice ball that is rapidly gaining popularity among golfers. These are shaped much like a skateboard wheel. Strange design, yes, but the flight of these practice balls emulates a real golf ball very closely. So you’ll be able to emulate a hook, slice, low trajectory, high trajectory, and other shots with the Birdie Ball. These are definitely a hot item to check out if you are in the market for some practice balls for the back yard.
Foam golf practice balls are also a hot alternative for a practice ball as well. These are particularly popular with people because you can step on the ball and it’s not ruined! It simply bounces back to it’s original shape. If you are planning on hitting these balls indoors, then a foam ball is probably a good choice. They are quiet when they hit walls, and won’t hurt anyone if they are hit by it.
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Using A Golf Practice Net
Hitting nets come in a variety of styles and designs. You’ve got to be careful when choosing a golf net for the back yard or indoor practice area for a few reasons.
Firstly, is the net strong enough for your swing speed?
Many people with faster swing speeds complain of nets ripping immediately upon just a handful of shots! People who can rip a driver over 200 yards need to realize that you indeed get what you pay for with most of these nets. The $20 versions of nets will tear according to many user reviews found on shopping sites like Amazon.
So if you are a beginner golfer, a cheaper net may be a good alternative. For a more experienced golfer, net strength is absolutely critical.
Can A Golf Net Provide Shot Feedback?
Most nets can’t provide any shot feedback. So while they are great for strengthening your golf muscles and keeping loose during the off-months of golf season, it is difficult to ensure that you are honing the correct swing!
The Net Return golf net is one of the few nets out there that can give shot feedback, however. It returns the ball back to the hitter by sliding down the net. That means if it has hook spin it will return to the right. If it has slice spin, it will return to the left.
Click to check out golf nets at Amazon.com
Practice Balls Vs Practice Nets – The Showdown
Practice Balls Pros:
You can see the shot shape.
They are much cheaper compared to a high quality golf net.
They react to wind, so you can practice wind shots.
Can be fun.
Practice Balls Cons:
Plastic balls prone to cracking, denting, and being stepped on.
Must chase after each shot.
Hitting a plastic ball hard will often result in breaking, or a poor shot.
Often using them is dependent on good weather.
Practice Net Pros:
No need to chase after each shot.
Hitting real golf balls so you can feel solid shots.
Can use indoors during colder months.
Some nets give shot feedback (the Net Return).
A good investment compared to the cost of hitting buckets of balls.
Very convenient.
Practice Net Cons:
Most golf nets don’t give shot feedback (can’t tell how good the shot was).
Many cheaper nets will tear quickly.
Quality nets can be expensive.
You’ll need to get a golf mat as well, which is another investment.
The Winner?
I’m going to say golf practice nets win out vs. practice balls! But I seriously believe that hitting a real ball gives your muscles feedback that a practice ball cannot. Often times a plastic ball or foam ball won’t react the way it should due to miniscule cracks or deformations.
Birdie balls travel nicely in the air and give the hitter some good visual feedback, but the player must also go chasing them after hitting 12 balls. Or you’ll have to invest in more balls if you want to hit more.
Golf nets allow the simplest way to hit solid real golf shots at home, whether inside or in the back yard. You may not get shot feedback, but you can definitely feel if you hit the shot solid. A great way to maximize the use of a golf net is to use a golf training aid with a net. This way you are working on hitting better shots independently of needing to see the shot in the air.
So there’s an analysis of practice golf balls vs golf practice nets for you to consider. Obviously, either choice is going to be a good choice for your golf game! Practice makes perfect, so remember that. Many golfers could benefit greatly from either products.
Article by www.bestgolfpracticenet.com
