Best Golf Nets for All Budgets in Australia - A 2024 Golf Net Buying Guide

Although it is not the same thing as hitting balls down a golf range or your favourite links, there's no doubt that practicing golf at home with a golf hitting net will lead to improvements, especially if you are practicing with purpose.

Following on from my guide on how to build your own DIY Golf Net, here is a detailed guide on how you can get the right Golf Practice Net for your budget and needs. We are going to cover all the popular offerings that are available to purchase in Australia and New Zealand in 2024 across a number of price segments. 

I will also provide tips on how to get the most out of your practice with a Golf Practice Net as well as accessories you should consider for your set up.

Understanding your needs

Before you launch into buying the most expensive golf net on the market, have a think about how and where you intend on using your golf practice net. You will then be able to narrow down on the type of net that will suit you and potentially save hundreds of $s on features which you may not need.

Key things to think about when buying a golf practice net include

• Size - obviously the larger the better/safer, but how big is your space? Don't buy one that is too much of a tight squeeze or even worse - won't fit at all. Popular sizes for golf nets are 2m x 2m (7 ft x 7 ft), 3m x 2m (10 ft x 7 ft), or 3m x 3m (10 ft x 10 ft). So measure out your space before you hit the 'buy' button. If you are trying to figure out what the right size golf net is for you, be sure to also check out our article that explains this in detail - How Big Should A Golf Net Be? What's the Right Size Golf Net for Your Needs
• Portability - is this going to be a permanent feature in your backyard/garage/spare room?  In this case, an enclosure or a cage might be ideal. Or will you need to take it down from time to time? You wouldn't want the set up procedure to eat into your valuable practice time. 
• Durability / strength - how fast do you swing? Do you intend on using real balls or foam balls? If you have a fast swing speed and plan to hit all your clubs with real balls then you will need something with high quality netting or something that offers a baffle net.
• How long will you be using it for? Is this something you are looking to use for a few years or are you just looking to hit occasionally?
• Noise factor - will you be using the net inside when the kids are asleep? If so, you want a net that is quiet. In general golf nets with a polyester target sheet will tend to be louder. Golf balls impacting an actual net is generally much quieter. 
• Stability - for an outdoor set up, you don't want your net to turn into a sailing boat or worst even, a kite. In general a sturdy frame will help especially if the net comes with a target sheet or a baffle net. 
• Your future plans - if you plan on 'evolving' your set up into a full simulation experience, then something which offers the ability to hang a golf impact screen might be the one for you.

Best Nets for Your Budget

Now you have a better idea of your specific needs let's go through what nets are available at different price points as well as pros and cons for these dependent on your needs. 

Super Budget (under $100)

At this price point, you would be looking at a tent style net (see below). These are effectively repurposed beach tents with thin fibreglass poles. But if you have a low budget and this is the difference between hitting balls vs. watching golf video clips on YouTube then I say go for it. Also if you just want to give the idea of home practice a try, this provides a low cost entry point for you. You can always upgrade to something in a higher price range once you are a bit more committed to practicing at home. 

Pros

• Low cost - you can pick one up for ~$50 on ebay.
• Cage-like design offers some side protection.
• Usually comes with target cloth which provides added durability. 

Cons

• Hard to put together - the fibreglass poles can get fiddly just like their beach tent cousins.
• The target cloth can get very loud when it's been hit with a real ball. 
• Won't last - it might be ok for a few weeks, but it will not last as long as products at a higher price point. 
• Just like a beach tent, it needs to be pegged down, weighed down when practicing outside, otherwise it will take off. 
• Most are 'no brand' nets so quality control can be varied. The one I bought during COVID lockdown 1.0 sent fibreglass splinters into my fingers and the target cloth snapped off after the initial full shot. I recommend buying from a more reputable vendor, expect to pay a little bit more in this instance.

Mid Level ($100 - $500)

This is where most of the products are, and products are this price point offer a good balance between value and quality. Here are some really good products for consideration, as well as pros and cons.

Spornia SPG-7 

Priced at just under the $500 mark, the Spornia net is an excellent choice featuring high quality material and a unique design which makes set up super easy. 

Pros

• High quality material construction and is built to last. 
• Easy set up
• Side protection for errand shots - especially useful as the net itself is on the small side (~2m wide)
• Unique ball return design 
• Although it has a target cloth - it is not as noisy
• Comes with a 'roof attachment' so you can hit your higher lofted clubs

Cons

• It's at the top end of the price range
• May not be ideal for outside/windy conditions
• May be a bit small if you want something bigger to hit into 
• Packing requires a little bit of practice - think pop up tents and you'll know what I mean

Rukket Golf Nets

Priced at around the $300-$400 mark, Rukket Golf offers 3 types of practice nets - the Golf Net, the Pro and the Pop-Up net. Again these are high quality products which will last. Compare to the Spornia net, this net offers more surface area as well as more protection against windy conditions - so these would be better for outdoor set ups. 

A key selling point and in my view the reason behind the high'ish price point is that Rukket offers a lifetime warranty for the frame as well as a 6 month guarantee for the netting itself. 

On the flip side, for a relatively simple net, the price may not be within everyone's budget.

Kaizen 3m Golf Practice Net

At Kaizen Golf, we offer a 3m golf practice net for $159 that is very similar to the Rukket Net. It has also been extensively tested for durability and strength. But I don't want this post to turn into an infomercial so you you can read our detailed review of the product here. Similar to Rukket, we also offer a 6 month guarantee for the netting.

Premium ($500+)

Products at the $500+ range tend to be more semi-permanent to permanent set ups. Some really good choices within this price range are the net return nets as well as a golf cage set up. We also have our flagship golf net product which is the Kaizen Golf Full Swing Net.

The Net Return Nets

The Net Return nets are good nets - full stop. They are very well built and can withstand very high ball speeds. As the name suggests, the net is designed in such a way that the ball will gently return back to your feet after every shot. The downside is that even the entry level 7 ft x 7 ft product is over $1000, ouch. 

Pros

• Very durable product - good for very high swing speeds
• Unique ball return design
• Frame is very stable and can be used outside
• Designed to have an impact screen hung on the frame - good for those who want to upgrade to a full simulator experience
• Good range of accessories available
• Good range of sizes available 

Cons

• Not very portable - so consider for permanent/semi permanent set ups
• Pretty expensive
• Accessories for additional protection have to be purchased separately and can get quite expensive

Kaizen Golf Full Swing Net

Golf Cages

For a more permanent set up - you can look at a golf cage for either your backyard or a large enough indoor space. These are typically 3m cube designs that offer great stability and protection. These are similar to warm up nets that you would see at golf clubs. A good golf cage will cost you just short of $1000. We also offer our Kaizen Golf Cage which is $699.

Pros

• Can be easily converted to a simulator set up with a impact screen or archery baffle (see our archery baffle here)
• Will catch EVERYTHING
• The impact netting/baffle can be replaced relatively cheaply

Cons

• Does take up a lot of space and may not be the best looker in your backyard.
• Will take effort and more than 1 person to put up and you probably won't want to take it down frequently (or at all)

Tips on practicing with a golf net

I covered this in a previous post here but essentially key things to consider when practicing into a net are:

• Practice with purpose - have a plan of what are you are working on and execute that during your practice session, be it ball striking or a particular movement.
• Get feedback - yes you are not going to see the ball flight, but there's nothing stopping you from recording your swing or setting up a target behind the net and working on your alignment and start direction. But obviously the best way to get feedback on the resulting ball flight is to get a good launch monitor, especially considering that they are becoming more and more affordable. Before you ask....yes of course we have a launch monitor buying guide too. 
• Allow for plenty of space to swing the golf club - make sure there's enough space to swing the club freely and safely. You can't really practice properly if you are constantly worried about hitting something with your club or the ball, and over time your swing will actually deteriorate.
• Distance to the net -  you can stand pretty close to the net as long as you won't collect the net with your club on the follow through. In general, the bigger the net, the further back you can stand. 
• Accessorise - depending on your tendencies and what you are looking to practice, you may also want to consider getting some accessories/attachments:
• Side nets/barriers - if you only have a 2m net, and can hit the occasional one out of the hosel, you may want to consider getting side nets, even if just for one side. With a larger net (say 3m), this might not be as big a problem if you are hitting into the middle of the net, obviously depends on how bad your sh*%#ks are.
• Top nets - if you are a high launch player especially with higher lofted wedges, attachments at the top of the net can provide additional protection for those lob shots.
• Target cloth - they are great for providing longevity to your netting, but some of the lower quality ones can be very LOUD and can act as a sail when placed outside. We have a large 1.5m x 1.5m canvas target sheet that offers great durability and is not that loud, feel free to check it out.

Wrapping up

Practicing into a net in your backyard or your garage can most definitely improve your golf game, especially if you practice with purpose and get feedback. 

There are a number of products available to suit your needs and budgets, I hope this article has helped in your purchasing decision for a golf net. 

If you are interested in more Blog posts relating to Golf Nets, here's a list of our curated articles on this topic, feel free to check these out.

• Top 5 Advantages of using Golf Practice Nets
• How much do golf practice nets cost in Australia? (2022)
• Answered - how high do I need my Golf Net to be?
• How to Build a Golf Net - Best Designs for DIY Golf Nets
• Kaizen Golf 3M Portable Golf Net - detailed product review
• Product Review : In depth look at the Kaizen Golf Large Target Sheet

Finally, we do have golf nets available for purchase - please feel free to check them out!