Test In-Progress: Spornia SPG8 XL Net

Sporina SPG-8 XL Net – Official MGS Forum Review by mynerds

Introduction - May 31, 2022

A full introduction can be found in the comments section.

Thank you to Sporina and MyGolfSpy for this amazing testing opportunity!

Hello! My name is Mark, I am a high-handicap player near Chicago and have played golf mostly in social contexts like Top Golf and par 3 courses for a few decades. I am a natural righty, but golf lefty. By day, I work as a cybersecurity consultant. By night, I am husband, dad, and fur-dad to these three:

My daily schedule is chaotic with both my wife and I juggling full-time jobs and chasing around our sassy toddler, so I am not always in control of when I get to practice.  When I can find time to get to the range, I find myself trying to “get my money’s worth” and hit as many balls as possible even when slower, shorter, deliberate practice would be more beneficial. I will be testing the net both indoors and outdoors, and tracking any discernible improvement to my golf game that regular, frequent practice may bring.

I’m extremely excited to test the Sporina SPG-8 XL Net and have high expectations given the SPG-7’s status as MGS’ Best Golf Hitting Net 2021.

Sporina SPG-8 XL Net – Official MGS Forum Review by cciciora13 

A full introduction can be found in the comments section.

Hello fellow MGS enthusiasts. First I want to thank MGS and Spornia for this wonderful opportunity. My name is Chris and I live with my wife in Franklin, WI. We also have a one year old golden retriever named Henry. I work as a physical therapist by day and play as about an 8-9 handicap whenever I can get out on the golf course.

  

Golf is a passion of mine but practicing was never one of my strong suits. I usually opt to play a round on the course instead of hitting the range so this will be interesting to see how hitting balls affects my game. Time is of the essence with our busy schedule so portability and easy assembly/disassembly is a must with this net. I have high expectations as it has big shoes to fill after the SPG-7’s was labeled MGS’ Best Golf Hitting Net 2021. I expect it to live up to the test. 

Introduction

Full Intro Found Here

Hello fellow spies!  Before I get into this introduction, I want to thank MGS and Spornia for this amazing testing opportunity!  For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Mike, or Goalie. 

 

I do currently have a hitting net that I got as a gift a few years back so I will be doing a compare and contrast throughout this review while just focusing specifically on reviewing the SPG8.  Some of the main areas I want to focus on during my testing are:

• Speed of setup
• Portability
• Durability (Driver ball speeds around 165 mph)
• Ability to handle “bad shots”
• Ability to handle wedge shots (height)
• Weather testing (wind, rain, etc.)

 

Please everyone welcome our testers for the Spornia XL Net!
@Golfspy_CG2
@cciciora13
@goaliewales14
@mynerds

Looking forward to how these work out for you guys and to see how it differs from the standard model previous members have tested. 

We've got a good group here! Congratulations testers! I have a feeling you all will enjoy this and I'm looking forward to your reviews. 

Congrats testers! We’re all expecting big things from you!

see what I did there? XL net… big things… 

ok, I’ll go crawl back under my desk again. 

2 minutes ago, GolfSpy_BOS said:

Congrats testers! We’re all expecting big things from you!

see what I did there? XL net… big things… 

ok, I’ll go crawl back under my desk again. 

I’m here for the XL responsibilities and the XL puns. Incredibly grateful and excited to put this product to the test! Thanks MGS!

Thank you MGS for this opportunity!!  Always excited to make my neighbors less nervous when they see me bring golf balls into the backyard 

Congrats to mey fellow testers.   I'm thrilled to be part of such a great group of members.  This shoud be fun.

Best thing about this testing, we won't have to go far to chase our shots 

Congrats Gentlemen!  

Congrats fellas! Looking forward to reading about your experiences with the net, and if the work you put in on them translates to the course.

5 minutes ago, goaliewales14 said:

Thank you MGS for this opportunity!!  Always excited to make my neighbors less nervous when they see me bring golf balls into the backyard 

 

Congratulations Testers!  

Congrats!

Congrats testers!  Looking forward to the reviews. 

 

MDGolfHacker

38 minutes ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

 

Best thing about this testing, we won't have to go far to chase our shots 

That is the hope.

I'd like the testers to shank a few shots, sky a few shots, throw a few worm burners in to see how well the Spornia reigns those types of shots in, you know for scientific purposes....not that I hit those types of shots often

 

MDGolfHacker

Congratulations all.

Bonus points for the tester who takes their net to the course and sets it up as a backstop behind the hole for those tight lie greenside chips...

Congrats guys, can't wait to read reviews especially for us northeasters who might want to get an indoor setup for the winter

1 hour ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Please everyone welcome our testers for the Spornia XL Net!
@Golfspy_CG2
@cciciora13
@goaliewales14
@mynerds

Looking forward to how these work out for you guys and to see how it differs from the standard model previous members have tested. 

congrats everyone ! 

2 minutes ago, MDGolfHacker said:

I'd like the testers to shank a few shots, sky a few shots, throw a few worm burners in to see how well the Spornia reigns those types of shots in, you know for scientific purposes....not that I hit those types of shots often

 

MDGolfHacker

This uh... this will definitely be a part of the review, intentional or otherwise .

Additionally, I'm the type of person who reads the instruction manual of every purchase (much to my wife's frustration). Professionally, I deal with identifying and assessing product use and misuse cases (albeit in an entirely different industry). I have a few scenarios in my mind that I want to test assuming that they're not already explicitly advised against by the product itself. As a benign example, I have indoor and outdoor space available to test the net in. Is it permissible to leave the net up outside for prolonged periods of time? If so, how is it going to hold up against the notoriously volatile Chicago weather? We had days last year with rain, sleet, hail, and sun in the same afternoon. If the product is delicate in it's exposure requirements then the ability to set up and take down quickly and easily will be a make-or-break for outdoor use.

To be clear, I'm not talking about intentional product abuse. I don't think anyone benefits from evaluating this thing in artificially ideal conditions though. Can I wash the target sheet with a garden hose if/when I hit a fat shot out of my grass? Can I be confident setting this thing up in the 3rd car garage bay without fear that a shank will hit an adjacent vehicle in the garage? If skying shots with my sand wedge to test the roof net risks putting holes in my garage ceiling, so be it! I'm plenty comfortable with patching and drywall compound

I have high expectations for the SPG-8 based on the previous, glowing reviews. It's tempting to think it's a forgone conclusion that this will live up to the performance of the SPG-7. I assure ya'll it's going to be put through its paces, and I'm not resting on our laurels!

1 hour ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Please everyone welcome our testers for the Spornia XL Net!
@Golfspy_CG2
@cciciora13
@goaliewales14
@mynerds

Looking forward to how these work out for you guys and to see how it differs from the standard model previous members have tested. 

Congrats Guys!  Really looking forward to the reviews on this!

Congrats everyone - great group, you'll enjoy, I know that I love my Spornia.

Congrats everyone and look forward to hearing about these nets.

Congratulations Testers @Golfspy_CG2
@cciciora13
@goaliewales14
@mynerds

Not looking for any gross reviews here, just the net ones are fine!  

Congrats testers

@Golfspy_CG2 

@cciciora13

@goaliewales14

@mynerds

Congrats guys this will be one I watch closely... 

We just signed to put a putting green in our backyard, Would be awesome to have a net to hit into as well.  

This should be a great test! I love my Spornia net and I'm excited to see the testers chosen put it to the test. Good luck to all applying!

Good luck applicants!

The one thing I am hoping to see out of this review is the changes in materials from a quality standpoint. Spornia is primo, but the one complaint I had was with the roof channel net. I'm hoping either the material is more sturdy or the poles have a less sharp edge to keep from fraying the channel. Other than that, there's a reason this net won Most Wanted. 

On a side note, why is there only five signups so far? This thing is awesome! I'm sure it'll go up once it hits the socials. 

I’m lucky enough to live on some land but have just added some animals into the paddocks so there goes my driving range. Have just started looking into nets to use outside and in my new shed. This test is perfectly timed for me to give an in depth review of the product after doing a heap of research into hitting nets 

I have an old Callaway net that you take your life in your hands opening it up. You pretty much have to toss it and let it spring open or get your teeth knocked out. It would be nice to have something safer around for those backyard sessions.

I have the 7 foot version and it is great, but I am looking for something more simulator-friendly.  This may be a great, yet simple, solution.

I have a Spornia net, it is awesome. Whoever is chosen will have a great practice area on their hands!

On 4/30/2022 at 5:28 PM, sirchunksalot said:

The one thing I am hoping to see out of this review is the changes in materials from a quality standpoint.

I too would be curious about changes in quality.  I leave mine laying flat (weighted down w a few strategically placed rocks), rather than folding it up after each use.  I've noticed the materials really faded over the summer. I don't really care about the color change, but it does make me nervous that the material may be weakened or compromised. 

I'll be curious to see how this holds up in the wind especially with it being the larger size net. 

In my opinion, build quality has always been the biggest differentiator with golf netting & bays. I haven't tried Spornia to-date; signing up as it could prove to be exactly what I'm looking for from a high-qual build.

Surprised the sign ups are still so low. The Spornia nets are high quality with a few minor quirks that could be improved (based on the 7 foot model I tested last year). Looking forward to the reviews from the testers to see if any improvements were made or they just went bigger.

Believe it or not. I’ve never had a hitting net.  This should be fun! 

Another great test .. love MGS forum testing season !

Just set up a driving range in my basement, have tried a 7x7 Callaway and hated it. Returned it and am currently using a 10x7x5 net off Amazon, which is surprisingly decent for the price paid. Good nets with durability are really tough to find. Looking forward to the results on this because I’ve read about the Spornia, but haven’t tried it yet. Would love to test it. 

Pushing the date back a little bit due to some miscommunication with HQ on this test as it launched along side the LAB. 

I REALLY want one of these.  First off, our range is closed for months undergoing renovation.  I'd love to be able to warm up before my 3 rounds per week.  Second, I have plans to build a large TV based simulator with a net as a first step (those big screens and 4K projectors are EXPENSIVE!).  This would be the perfect way to start the project.  

I recently purchased a mat and a different net for my backyard practice setup. Would love to compare the Spornia to (and likely replace) my current net.

My daughter just hit a ball into a so-called practice net... it hit the frame, got deflected and put a dent on the garage door. Wife not happy... so I don't think we are allowed to try these kind of devices in the near future

But to the rest of you, good luck!

Probably one of the more underrated testing opportunities that are going to happen this year. Best of luck to all that apply!

Good luck everyone!  I was in last year's test group.  I love my net, easy set up and take down.  Its a huge hit with everyone who comes to my house, grandkids, adults, golfers, non golfers alike.  Pair it with my personal LM and it's a great way to keep tabs on swing speed during busy times of the year when I can't even sneak off to the driving range.

 

I will be anxious to see if they've addressed the roof portion of the net.  If I remember properly each tester from last year's group had an issue with that.  I know that I did and wasn't the only one.

Looking forward too seeing the testing results... Always looking to enhance my home practice area... Spornia... good.  XL.... GOOD!

I guess I'll close my open Sporina tab until the testers are announced . I've been clearing out the garage for a full swing practice area (probably need to post photos to the Home "improvement" forum) and the XL edition fits the space like a glove. Would love to be able to quickly and regularly get some practice time in regardless of this insane midwest weather, and without the commute time to/from the range.

For those in the audience like me who struggle with the forum search function, here are the two previous reviews that I could dig up:

2020 SPG7 Official Review Thread
2021 SPG7 Official Review Thread

Good luck to all!

Been thinking about picking up a mat and net to hit balls in my garage / back yard so this would be perfect.  

Edit:  Hitting mat secured....I'm ready to begin the test 

Wish i had somewhere to put it. the condo life has its disadvantages...