Final Reviews: 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.

First Impressions (4 out of 5)

My full first impressions can be found in the comments section.

The shipping weight of the product is 30lbs. For reference, below is the package up against my sedan and all 5'10" of my wiry self with the unboxed net in the carrying bag.

My first point of inspection was the quality of stitching on the bag. Unfortunately I spotted areas with less-than-stellar stitching and several spots with loose or frayed threads:

I also inspected the quality of the roof pole channel which was a weak point for the SPG-7. It was the thinnest material on the SPG-8 by far - even thinner than the material for the bag. Despite the thinness of the material, the roof pole channel did not tear though I did find threading the roof pole challenging.

Taped to the outside of the box in a "packing slip" container was not a packing slip but instead a supplemental instruction and warning that "the spring steel opens forcefully" and that set up should occur "far away from people vehicles, and structures." Typos galore aside, this warning should be heeded.



Minus one star for the stitching issues and the thin roof pole channel material, despite its previously documented weakness.

Aesthetics (5 out of 5)

With everything set up, it became clear that the "XL" is no misnomer. It is difficult to adequately describe how imposing this thing is.

There are a few temporary hitting nets in my neighbors’ yards. To me, other nets seem like toys and the SPG-8 seems more like a tool. I love the look of the net and didn’t mind leaving it out for prolonged periods of time. Even as a "portable" net, I wanted to minimize my setup time. I shared some details on how I’ve left the net mostly assembled while retaining my garage parking space in the comments.

The Numbers (3 out of 5)

At the beginning of the test, I expected the SPG-8 to catch every single ball. Unfortunately, it did not meet this expectation. I kept count of every single ball that I hit, balls which were caught but bounced out of the net, and balls that missed the net entirely. Out of 600 balls hit, 27 (4.5%) were caught but bounced out of the net, and 2 missed the net entirely. Further, 3 balls were caught by the net but still managed to contact the wall behind it, more than a foot away. While the wall was not damaged, there are small indentations and marks on the drywall.

Spornia lists “Ball rolls gently down not touching the floors” as a “main feature” of the product. They make smaller nets (presumably for better players) and, as their largest and most expensive option, I expected it to contain all my shots. Minus 1 star each for the ~5% of balls that bounced out of the net, and for the balls that missed the net entirely.

On the Course (5 out of 5)

Did use of the net translate to improvements on the course? I’ve gained confidence in my irons, improved my dispersion, and am carrying the ball 15 yards further than a month ago. Here is Rapsodo's analysis of a session using my 9i compared from a month ago (left) to this week (right).

In terms of results, I played my personal best round at the local municipal 9-hole and (using the WHS adjusted gross score) broke 50 there for the first time and had my first true par on a par-4.

While the performance gains are a product of several things (see the next section), the net was the catalyst for bringing all the pieces together. Without question, I would not have seen these same improvements without the net.

The Good, the bad, the inbetween (3 out of 5)

By itself, I don’t believe any net alone is enough to improve your game. To achieve its full value, I needed to also purchase a launch monitor, quality hitting mat, and follow at home lessons/drills. Before purchasing the launch monitor specifically, I was developing bad habits hitting into the net that I only recognized once I was on the range. Once the launch monitor was in hand, I was able to recognize my mistakes and work towards correcting them.

Minus one star against Spornia’s main feature claim of “get instant feedback on your shots” – it just wasn’t true for me.

A quick note on the chipping net – I ended up using it only once. I already owned a small chipping net and if I’m working on my wedges, I’m just not going to spend the time attaching the Spornia net to the SPG-8. No fault of Spornia there, it just isn’t an important feature of the net to me.

The testers also fielded a few questions to customer support via MGS to clarify the purpose of white strap on the net, the Velcro straps, how to use the support ropes, and whether we were missing tie down stakes. Minus one star for unclear instructions and lack of customer service response. I’ll update with any future communications though.

Lastly, after getting used to the setup and takedown process I was able to reduce my setup time to 1:04 without the roof net and 3:17 with the roof net. Threading the roof channel really is the weakest aspect of the net.

Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 5)

Without question, I will be playing with the SPG-8 for the remainder of the season and am looking forward to its use indoors over the long Chicago winters. I will continue to improve my hitting area and hope to add heaters and possibly a projector to create a true indoor hitting simulator. Where breaking 100 seemed like a lofty goal 6 months ago, now breaking 90 seems like a potential goal for next year. Without this net, I don't believe that goal would be possible.

Conclusion (25 out of 30 stars)

Overall, the Spornia SPG-8 XL edition lives up to its name as an extra large hitting net. While the extra foot of coverage may benefit high handicappers like me who struggle with the occasional extremely off-center shot, even the XL edition missed a few of my shots that would have ended up in neighbors yards had I been outside at the time.

If you’re in the market for a hitting net, I would recommend the SPG-8 only if 1) cost isn’t your highest priority or 2) if you’re looking to use it as part of a golf simulator with their projector-friendly target sheet. Otherwise, I would recommend the SPG-7 instead, and use any cost savings towards a high quality hitting mat and/or indoor launch monitor for a complete at-home hitting experience.

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. 

 

First Impressions  4/5 Stars

Full First Impression Can Be Found in Comment Section

Overall, The packaging in the box was pretty straight forward. The net came basically fully assembled in the box and was ready to go immediately after you took it out of the box. The carrying bag is nice to keep everything compact, but it is a little tight to get on and off the net repeatedly. Since I need to take down and put up the net every time I put up the net, I have ditched putting it in the carrying bag as it is too cumbersome.  

 

 

 
 

Aesthetics (4 out of 5 Stars)  

I’m not exactly sure what an ideal net should look like but this net fits the bill. I like the all black coloring of the net, tarp and the surrounding netting. It helps the net be less noticeable or distracting out of the corner of the eye when taking a swing. The white target on the tarp cloth and the white Velcro lines are also nice as they can be utilized to get lined up. The are really helpful in lining up my mat and the Garmin R10 behind the mat to ensure accurate readings. As I said in the first impressions- this net is BIG. At almost 35 lbs it is not the easiest to carry or fold down and times and will give you a workout to get it set up. The positive of it being big, is that you can feel no pressure swinging the golf club and worrying about missing the net. That allows for more realistic numbers on the Garmin R10 and allows for a full swing with swing speed without worrying about breaking something. I have shanked a couple of shots throughout my hundreds of shots of testing and had no issue with it missing the net, which was reassuring. If you were planning on utilizing a projector, I’m sure a screen could be added where the target is to allow for the video to be casted.  

 

 

The Numbers (4 out of 5 stars) 

• I have put a little over 750 balls into this net and the net seems to be holding up well. I noticed no damage to he tarp, or the netting. I have not had an instance where a ball might go thru the netting, and the return feature is nice. The ball seems to come right back to where it started. The initial set up and take down time was about 5 min. Set up was pretty straight forward, but the takedown took a little getting used to the process and following the steps correctly. I can now set up the net in a little over 1.5 min, and to take it down, a couple of minutes. It stores nicely in the garage. I just wish the directions were easier to follow as it seemed straight forward but needed to be done in a certain way. 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

On The Course 5 out of 5 stars) 

• As I said before, I absolutely love the net. It seems solidly made and have had no issue with the tarp, or the netting missing balls. The noise from hitting a ball into the net is muted, which I like as I don’t want to disrupt my neighbors. I don’t hit the ball super high, so I don’t utilize the roof net- which makes set up and take down a breeze. I purchased a Garmin R10 to go along with the net which makes my practice sessions a whole lot more meaningful. It seems to be translating to improvements in my game. The last 3 rounds I have played were scores of 75, 77, and a nine hole score of 37. It seems to have translated to my Ball striking as I have been striping them. The 8 foot net size is a little big, but I like the extra confidence it provides me in that you would really have to hit a poor shot to miss the net. The net fits perfectly in both my outside location on my patio, as well as in my garage and will allow me to hit balls during the colder months which I miss in Wisconsin.  
   

•  
   

The Good, the bad, the inbetween (4 out of 5 stars) 

• Is the $210 dollars worth it for the extra foot you gain between the SPG7 vs the SPG8? In my opinion no. You would need to really shank a ball in order to miss the net. I think the funds would be better spent on a quality golf mat to hit balls, or put towards a simulator to see feedback on your swing compared to just hitting balls aimlessly.  

 
 

Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 5 stars) 

• PLAY IT. I think this net is very versatile in both an indoor and outdoor set up. The ability to easily set up and take down the net makes the price point worth it. I also think that the tarp and netting is of high quality and should last a long time. I am really excited to now be able to hit golf balls during the cooler months and work on my game at the comfort of my own home. I highly recommend this net or the smaller SPG7 net by Spornia to anyone looking to work on their game at home.  

 

 
Conclusion 

This net is of high quality in terms of build, design, and set up/take down. It allows for easy use in both an indoor and outdoor setting, and is nice and compact when storing it in my garage. I hit 500 balls into the net over the course of my testing and had no issues with the net giving way or missing the net. Take down and set up takes a little getting used to and the directions could have been a little more descriptive. Is it worth the extra $200 bucks for the bigger net? In my opinion, No, but Spornia does make one dang good net!  
 
 Final Score 26 out of 30 stars 

 

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.)

 

First Impressions (4 of 5 Stars)

When the SPG-8 XL first arrived, the first thing that shocked me was the size and weight of it.  I’m used to my 5 lbs. hitting net that rolls up into a little tent case.  When went to grab it off my porch, I did a double take!  When they said an XL net is coming, they meant XL.  The stated product weight of the SPG-8 XL is 30 lbs.  The height is actually one of the reasons I LOVED the net from the start.  The added height of it looked as if I could actually hit wedges into a practice net without them going over it!  The weight to me just meant there are solid materials holding this net together.

The only downside I’ve had from the first impressions was that the width has always been a concern.  We all hit bad golf shots, and I worried from the start if this net could keep in one of those.  (Spoiler alert: the answer is no it cannot.)

Aesthetics (4 out of 5 Stars)

If you look across the Spornia line of nets, you’ll notice all of them are basically identically in style. Mostly all black with a white target line on the bottom and a white target and logo on the target sheet.  This is a great look and the branding is really well done so that everyone will know what brand you’re using without being a distraction to the hitter. 

If you are wanting to use a projector with this hitting net, you can switch out that target sheet for an all-white one on their website ranging anywhere from $40 - $60 depending on which model you have at home. 

 

The reason I’m only giving this category a 4-star review is because of the chipping net that comes with the net.  The chipping net just appears to be an after thought in the design and production. You have this very well constructed net and then “here throw this circle on there with these four Velcro straps anywhere you want.”  I would like to see it integrated more in the design like have a designed hook in for it.  That why the placement will be exactly where it can be shown off the best and adding to the overall effect rather than taking away.

The Numbers (5 out of 5 stars)

 As I mentioned earlier on, I have been trying to get back into my groove where I was throwing darts at the end of the season.  To the point where a course forced me to alter my handicap even though every round that I’ve played had been accurately entered through the USGA.  I wanted to get that feeling back, which meant spending the time with my swing to find those feels again.  This net was easily able to do that for me!  A few weeks ago, I shot my lowest handicap index round in 2 years at an index of 15.7 and the week before that an index of 16.  In that round I started off -2 through 2!!

 

 

The lowest index I have on record is a 10 for context. 

 

 

As I’m now heading into the time of year that is very outing heavy for me, I feel confident that I’m trending in the right direction!  There are some things (putting) that this net can’t help me with that is still keeping my index above where it should be, but that is getting address and is separate from this review.

On The Course (4 out of 5 stars)

Obviously, this isn’t a product that we will take on the course and use.  This section is going to be dedicated to the over use of the product.  The two major tests for me with this product were:

• Can I hit a full LW into it and not go over the net?
• Will it handle “bad shots?”

The test with the LW went extremely well!  Typically, these types of nets are limited to 9 irons and up depending on your ball flight and other factors.  I started with my 9i and slowly worked my way down.  Hitting ½ and ¾ shots with each new club before I went for a full shot.  Once I was finally able to hit that LW, the target sheet was able to catch it with the overall height of the SPG-8 XL!  This is a HUGE plus for the usage of this product!  This meant I can fully practice any club in my bag without having to flight the ball down to ensure I didn’t send it over the net into the neighbor’s house.

 

With the “bad shots” test, I hit a few foam balls that I had laying around the house and just hit slight shanks.  I knew that they were going to exaggerate any strikes that I made due to their weight and overall product characteristics.  I didn’t feel like hitting a full swing with them would be representative of what an actual golf ball would do in that situation.  The SPG-8 did NOT keep in those foam balls.  Looking on Spornia’s website, you can purchase “extenders” that might be a good option for someone who extremely worries about this situation. 

https://spornia.com/collections/golf-hitting-net/products/side-protector-panel?variant=39853368049769

For $30, I believe this might help, but we all know it can never be a 100% fix.  There will always be that ONE shot that escapes the net that has us saying, “Don’t let me here glass!!”

The Good, the bad, the in-between (3 out of 5 stars)

The few main things that stick out to me in this miscellaneous category are:

• Not having to worry about hitting a support pole during my swing
• Instructions needing updated
• 2 stakes missing

In most dome style hitting nets, like the one I currently had, the support poles run right on the outside.  This means if you’re standing too close to the hitting net in fear of hitting a ball out of it, there is a good chance on your follow through, you could hit, and damage, one of those support poles.  With the SPG-8 XL, those areas of your follow through are just netting.  If you did happen to hit them, the likelihood of causing permanent damage is a LOT lower.

With the instructions I felt that there were a few items that weren’t really updated from the prior models, chipping net, white Velcro strips, and the stability strings.  As I mentioned earlier, the chipping net almost seemed like an after thought and the lack of instructions didn’t help the situation.  There were absolutely zero instructions mentioning anything about the chipping net.  It felt like it was a “here’s the net, you figure out where it goes.” 

The instructions also left out the purpose of the white Velcro strips towards the bottom front of the ball returner.  This question was asked in our group chat, and no one could determine what they were actually indeed to do.  I would recommend that the instructions have a labelling section calling different items out in them to help determine their use.

Lastly, the stability strings.  Upon setting up the SPG-8 for the first time, I noticed string tied in the eyelet of each side of the net.  Typically, with tents, those strings are used to help stabilize the structure and should be stretched out and staked into the ground.  When I went back into the bag, there were only 4 stakes in the bag and not 6.  I looked in the instructions and nothing in there mentioned those strings or even how many stakes you should have in the packaging.  I ended up ordering 2 additional stakes from Amazing to use for those strings.  I tried having them not staked in, but the net just didn’t feel as solid without them.

Play it or Trade it? (4 out of 5 stars)

I am 100% “playing” the SPG-8 XL!  I have actually already sold my old hitting net to a friend, so this is my one and only!  I will say that I do question the value of the product being $210 over that of the SPG-7 net.  The difference between the SPG-7 and SPG-8 XL is 1 cubic foot.  The SPG-7 is 7’x7’x7’ whereas the SPG-8 XL is 8’x8’x8’.  I know the extra height has allowed me to ensure I can hit my wedges, but is that really worth $210?  That is a question you will have to determine for yourself.

Conclusion

Overall, I think the SPG-8 XL is a great addition to the Spornia line-up!  While I do feel they need to update the instructions and packing materials, i.e. number of stakes, this net is amazing to hit into it.  I was able to hit everything from my LW up to my driver.  This is a net I could see pairing really well with a Skytrak system to create an in-home studio on a budget.  While the SPG-8 XL is a bit on the large and heavy side for portability, it still can be taken down and setup in mostly any place you have room to make a swing.

Final Score (24 out of 30 stars)
 

Spornia SPG8 XL Htting Net Intro by Golfspy_CG2

A bit late to the party here with my intro, but I’m guessing many of you already know as much about me as you care to.   But for the newcomer, I’ll try not to bore you too much.

My name is Rob, the screen name is a shortened version of CarolinaGolfer2, which was my screen name before becoming a staff member.   By day, I’m the Tournament Sales Director at a 36-hole course in Maryland.  I run over 150 outing a year and it keeps me very busy.   But somehow, I have managed to play a fair amount of golf, and demo a few clubs here and there

My experience in the industry has allowed me to take some fantastic trips to most of the major OEM’s and attend the PGA Show just about every year (pre covid) and meet some incredibly smart and wonderful industry people. 

I found the site in  a bit different way than others who found it searching reviews of clubs.  in 2016,  I came across a rather “spirited” twitter exchange between Adam and someone.   I found Adam’s points very strong but very well made and seemed to make sense to me.   Prior to that I had only heard of MyGolfSpy as being a rogue site that specialized in putting out leaked or unauthorized photos of new equipment.    Just goes to show, you certainly can’t believe everything you read on the internet, especially when it’s a competing website/forum.

So, I took a look at the article in question, can’t recall what it was now, but it was typical MGS style, making you not take for granted what the industry has always said.   I noticed the forum tab and jumped over there.  I found it to be very friendly, but also very lacking in participation.  I mean I read pretty much 4 months’ worth of posts within the first couple hours, and a couple days in, I had read pretty much everything back for several years.   You could go an entire day on the forum and see maybe 40 or 50 posts in the entire forum.    My how things have grown and changed.

I was lucky enough to be picked for a test after about two weeks of being a member, I was shocked.  It was for the Precision Pro Golf Band.  An early version of a GPS watch, although it was more of a Fit Bit style than watch.  About 6 months later I was one of the original Evnroll Testers along with @jlukes@revkev and @fozcyclewhich was a great experience, and really confirmed to me what a great community this was.

I first became a staff member in 2017, I believe and a year later became Co Director of the Forum with @studque.   Last year, I stepped back from the role as a full-time volunteer staff member, due to the workload at my day job.   But I have stayed on to help with things like the Major Contests or any other special contests/projects that may come up. 
 

I have said many times over and over, the members here are the best asset we have.  They require very little moderation and allow the staff time to focus on things they want to do to try and make it the best forum in the industry.  I have met many members and made several friends here, I travelled to Ohio to join s small group there for a round of golf and some incredible pizza!  I played with member @newballcoach  in Canada @azstu324 on a trip to PHX and @fozcycle joined me for a round in Florida.  I’m currently organizing a stay/play regional outing in Maryland in August where I’m looking forward to meeting at least 20 or more MGS’ers!  

I have tested many clubs for MGS over the years, but I’m really looking forward to this Spornia net, as it will provide me the opportunity to test our various sets of clubs on my Mevo.  So it really weill serve many purposes from practice to club testing.  

Let the Fun Begin!

So not havng any cute kids or pets to share pictures of, I'll show the unassembled net along side my pride and joy bags    All of these plus a couple not shown sets will be put the net to the test!

 

 

 

 

An update from this weekend - I’ve been keeping track of how many balls I’ve hit on one of those clicker counters:

The good: every ball I’ve hit has hit some part of the net, and not damage to walls, ceiling, or garage objects has been seen (yet).

The bad-ish: ~6% of my hits have bounced out from the net and sent me chasing them down in the garage. I suspect this is due in no small part to the concrete floor and won’t be an issue when I migrate the net to the lawn outside. However, the product claims of “Automatic Ball Return to your feet for constant practice” and “Ball rolls gently down not touching the floor” have not been true in all cases for me this far.

The ugly: I spent a session outside at my usual range to see how things were progressing. Unfortunately, I realized that I’ve fallen into a few bad swing habits using the net resulting in a slice in my more trustworthy clubs that I didn’t have before. This was noticeable and corrected for at the range, but I haven’t had the “instant feedback on your shots” claimed by the product.

Overall, I’m still happy with the net but it’s going to require significantly more mindful use than I’ve been exercising thus far.

Lastly, I clunked a club against the garage door tracks last week. Not wanting to do that again, I picked up a foam HVAC insulation tube for $3 at Home Depot and cut to fit. So far, problem solved!

Hey everyone!  Just wanted to let you know what's in the works.  I'm currently trying to work with some local golf courses to allow me to setup the net on their driving range.  Why you ask?  I want to test if you truly hit a BAD shot, how well will the SPG8 XL handle it.  Try to push the limits of how bad does it have to be before the net doesn't catch it.  I want to do this in a safe location so when I hit one where the net doesn't catch, I'm not at risk at paying for damages.    If this plan fails, I do have a back-up option.

In the meantime, is there anything specific that you guys want us to try, test, show that we haven't already?

After two failed attempts at seting up the net, Trial one was on a 30 mph wind day onthe range and it was blowign it all over before even getting it completely set up.   2nd attempt was shelved due to a terrential downpour that had our range under water. 

So today, I set it up under cover in one of our pavilions, the range was open but jam packed gettng ready for league play, and didn't want to ge tin anyone's way. I'll put a lot of the setup details in the final review.  But overall it was pretty simple--even for this guy--.  Take down was much easier this time as well vs the 1st time the range when I was missing a key step in the process..ha

I talked our Lead Instructor into coming down and being my film subject by hitting some shots.   Here is his silky smooth 7 iron swing.  He also hit several drivers, and his swing speed is a very respectable 108 to 110 with driver, it held up well.   I had the Mevo out as an aside to see how well it picked up shots into a net and how accurate the numbers seemed.   The answer to both...very very well. 

It is leaning a bit in this video, but after we straightened it out, it stood straight throughout the rest of the session.    

Also  two things we ntoiced with the chipping net and I don't know if anyone else has experienced this:

• If it is attached where we have it about as low as you can, about half the time it keeps the ball from returning to you automatically.   
• It coudl be the way we have it attached, but it pulls the side netting in a bit taking away maybe a foot or so of protection on either side

Both these factors kind of lead me to believe you shouldn't have the chipping net attached when doing full shots, but only attach it for chipping practice. 

 

On 6/15/2022 at 3:48 PM, Golfspy_CG2 said:

  

Also  two things we ntoiced with the chipping net and I don't know if anyone else has experienced this:

• If it is attached where we have it about as low as you can, about half the time it keeps the ball from returning to you automatically.   
• It coudl be the way we have it attached, but it pulls the side netting in a bit taking away maybe a foot or so of protection on either side

Both these factors kind of lead me to believe you shouldn't have the chipping net attached when doing full shots, but only attach it for chipping

Are you sure you have it attached correctly?  No disrespect, I did not have it attached correctly at first either.  There are two short straps and two longer ones…. You don’t want both shorties on one side…   I really like using the chipping net, but for me it’s more of a pitch from ten to fifteen yards away.   I set it high enough to catch the balls on the decent and the near misses slide through. Sometime one might get hung up but they mostly slide through.

 

Another topic, UV resistance.  I’ve said this here, or elsewhere before, I leave my net out in the backyard all season.  It’s either standing up if I’m u sing it every day and the weather isNt crazy, or I just fold it flat.  Only gets taco folded into the bag at the end of the season.  Some of you may want to try this and see and how your net handles the UV rays day after day.  Mine has become discolored - more grey than black - which is purely cosmetic and I don’t care about.  But it has also taken a toll on the target sheet - a ball strike today finally ripped it. And one the tear started continued use really did a number.  Not sure I trust hitting into on the netting without the target sheet.  There maybe nothing to be done about the UV rays, but you’d think something made for outdoor use would stand up to it better.  I’m my putting green had faded like this I’d really be upset.

 

On 6/15/2022 at 4:48 PM, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Also  two things we ntoiced with the chipping net and I don't know if anyone else has experienced this:

• If it is attached where we have it about as low as you can, about half the time it keeps the ball from returning to you automatically.   
• It coudl be the way we have it attached, but it pulls the side netting in a bit taking away maybe a foot or so of protection on either side

Today I focused specifically at the chipping net, and I actually put my chipping net in line with the target on the backdrop.  I have a normal folding one and with those, you are looking a foot or two off the ground.  With there being nothing in the instructions of where it should actually go, I think it's up to the consumer, but definitely think that's a weakness to not have a designated spot for it to strap into the net.  I did, however, notice what you're talking about with the decreasing in width.  I'm not hugely concerned with that as I'm assuming most of the people using the chipping net feature wouldn't be more than 10-20 yards (max) away from the net.

1 hour ago, goaliewales14 said:

Today I focused specifically at the chipping net, and I actually put my chipping net in line with the target on the backdrop.  I have a normal folding one and with those, you are looking a foot or two off the ground.  With there being nothing in the instructions of where it should actually go, I think it's up to the consumer, but definitely think that's a weakness to not have a designated spot for it to strap into the net.  I did, however, notice what you're talking about with the decreasing in width.  I'm not hugely concerned with that as I'm assuming most of the people using the chipping net feature wouldn't be more than 10-20 yards (max) away from the net.

Yeah.  When I was setting it up, I didn’t really know where to put it.  Had it about halfway up at first. Kinda like your talking about. But then it obscured the bulle eye target on iron and driver shots.  
 

As for pinching the sides  I don’t think it’s a huge concern for me or or Instructor, as I certainly hope we don’t miss that much    But it could possibly be an issue with beginners or kids   If they are hitting full shots with the net attachéd    I can’t imagine you are supposed to take it up and down each time you switch from driver to wedges   
 

That would be inconvenient if you are playing on a simulator   
 

But it was just something I noticed  

 

Today was not a great day for the net.

I had originally planned to do an update after I hit "500" on the ball counter. I'm just shy at 453 currently, but today's performance requires at least a brief check in. I purchased a Rapsodo MLM during their father's day sale this weekend and tested it briefly yesterday with a 9-iron. Today, I ran through my entire bag, minus my 3 iron, 4 iron, and sand wedge to finally establish some kind of baseline of my existing clubs. I purchased a new set of clubs (D, 3W, 5i-PW, 56, 60) in Late May through Fairway Jockey that I'm hopeful will be shipped out sometime in July. I plan to write some unofficial reviews for the Rapsodo MLM, Fairway Jockey, and the clubs (Cobra LTDx's and Milled Grind 3 wedges) using the new beta member review format in the coming weeks.

I've previously mentioned that I've been tracking how many of my hits have bounced out from the net and sent me chasing them down in the garage. That number continues to hover around 5-6% of all balls hit. Unfortunately, I am now tracking two other numbers: balls which are caught by the net but still hit the wall behind it, and balls which miss the net completely.

I had one ball each with my 6i and 3W that missed the target sheet, hit the mesh netting, but still had enough force to make contact with the wall behind it. I'm not breaking any swing speed records on my best day, but I've been dialing back my swing indoors intentionally until I get more confidence that I wont be making contact with anything hanging from the ceiling. There is at least a foot of clearance between the net and the wall, and at these speeds I'm surprised it wasn't enough. While the wall was not damaged, there are a small indentations and a marks on the drywall.

 

I had another ball with my 6i miss the net completely and bounce off the car sitting in the garage behind me. It was so bad that it didn't register as a shot by Rapsodo. It was easily my worst shank of the year, and bad enough that it calls into confidence whether I would use this net outside near windows or with neighbors down range. I'm not throwing in the towel on the product, but I did explicitly call out during my introduction that I expected the SPG8 to be perfect to warrant the $230 premium over the SPG7.

I'm starting to get the sense that those of a higher skill level than I would be have their needs met by the SPG7 (or even SPG5), and the true shankopotomuses like me would need a full enclosure to be completely confident in avoiding huge miss hits. In any event, more testing to come! Once Chicago has these heat advisories behind us, I'll be migrating the net outdoors more for some testing with the chipping net and see if its worth the hassle to use over something like this Maxfli chipping net which has been hanging out in my basement since this test began.

5 hours ago, mynerds said:

Today was not a great day for the net.

I had originally planned to do an update after I hit "500" on the ball counter. I'm just shy at 453 currently, but today's performance requires at least a brief check in. I purchased a Rapsodo MLM during their father's day sale this weekend and tested it briefly yesterday with a 9-iron. Today, I ran through my entire bag, minus my 3 iron, 4 iron, and sand wedge to finally establish some kind of baseline of my existing clubs. I purchased a new set of clubs (D, 3W, 5i-PW, 56, 60) in Late May through Fairway Jockey that I'm hopeful will be shipped out sometime in July. I plan to write some unofficial reviews for the Rapsodo MLM, Fairway Jockey, and the clubs (Cobra LTDx's and Milled Grind 3 wedges) using the new beta member review format in the coming weeks.

I've previously mentioned that I've been tracking how many of my hits have bounced out from the net and sent me chasing them down in the garage. That number continues to hover around 5-6% of all balls hit. Unfortunately, I am now tracking two other numbers: balls which are caught by the net but still hit the wall behind it, and balls which miss the net completely.

I had one ball each with my 6i and 3W that missed the target sheet, hit the mesh netting, but still had enough force to make contact with the wall behind it. I'm not breaking any swing speed records on my best day, but I've been dialing back my swing indoors intentionally until I get more confidence that I wont be making contact with anything hanging from the ceiling. There is at least a foot of clearance between the net and the wall, and at these speeds I'm surprised it wasn't enough. While the wall was not damaged, there are a small indentations and a marks on the drywall.

 

I had another ball with my 6i miss the net completely and bounce off the car sitting in the garage behind me. It was so bad that it didn't register as a shot by Rapsodo. It was easily my worst shank of the year, and bad enough that it calls into confidence whether I would use this net outside near windows or with neighbors down range. I'm not throwing in the towel on the product, but I did explicitly call out during my introduction that I expected the SPG8 to be perfect to warrant the $230 premium over the SPG7.

I'm starting to get the sense that those of a higher skill level than I would be have their needs met by the SPG7 (or even SPG5), and the true shankopotomuses like me would need a full enclosure to be completely confident in avoiding huge miss hits. In any event, more testing to come! Once Chicago has these heat advisories behind us, I'll be migrating the net outdoors more for some testing with the chipping net and see if its worth the hassle to use over something like this Maxfli chipping net which has been hanging out in my basement since this test began.

Always my worry as well missing the net lol. So far I have not but definitely feel more comfortable swinging outside compared to in my garage with a car on the other side!

8 hours ago, mynerds said:

I had another ball with my 6i miss the net completely and bounce off the car sitting in the garage behind me. It was so bad that it didn't register as a shot by Rapsodo. It was easily my worst shank of the year, and bad enough that it calls into confidence whether I would use this net outside near windows or with neighbors down range. I'm not throwing in the towel on the product, but I did explicitly call out during my introduction that I expected the SPG8 to be perfect to warrant the $230 premium over the SPG7.

Did your net come w those triangular “shank” panels that can be attached along the sides to extend the web of protection out farther? I finally attached mine along the right hand side this year.  No reason why…

Picked up a Garmin R10 to go along with the net for my outside set up. Love it! It does exactly what I want it to do and makes hitting balls into the net more fun and more meaningful!

Hey everyone!!  

Today I put the SPG8 XL through the top and bottom end of my bag.  That's right, full wedges and full send drivers!  Up until this point, I've only hit irons into just to make sure it would hold up before I subject the neighbors to broken window chances.   My biggest question about this net, was can it handle wedge shots.  With the height that you get on full wedge shots, I've never felt comfortable hitting them into a net unless it was more like a cage.  After a few test shots, I went full send with my 58 and the net was able to catch it!  You can see below it was very close to the top, and did leave a slight mark that I wasn't able to capture on camera.

Once I got the wedges out of the way, it was time to let the big dog eat!  I have a ball speed around 165 MPH.  I expected the net to hold up pretty well as I'm not Kyle Berkshire.  I know wedges are what typically tear up nets from the spin generated on those shots.  To my surprise, I mishit a driver low and it felt a really good "dent" in the net that never came out throughout the rest of the hitting session.  Not sure if anyone else is seeing that as well.

For the long time users….  The white strap that runs underneath the ball return disintegrated on me yesterday…. Not snapped or broke, but disintegrated….   So far I haven’t seen any adverse effect just hitting into the net.  But does anyone actually know what it’s function is?  Help with the taco folding?

 

 
 

Again, I attribute this to sitting outside all the time and UV damage. 
 

FWIW, my new target sheet came last week to replace the one that ripped. Seems to be heavier stuff. But then again the old one was two years old.  Anyone else have any long term experience/exposure?

3 hours ago, WaffleHouseTour said:

 But does anyone actually know what it’s function is?  Help with the taco folding?

My belief had always been the white line is there for a target line. Hopefully it won't have any adverse effects on the functionality of the net. 

On 6/23/2022 at 10:04 PM, goaliewales14 said:

After a few test shots, I went full send with my 58 and the net was able to catch it!  You can see below it was very close to the top, and did leave a slight mark that I wasn't able to capture on camera.

What I'm liking from the photo is how the ball is still below the roof net. I've hit more than a few into it with my 56, especially with surlyn balls since they tend to launch higher than urethane. 

Picture of my outdoor setup. It is doing a great job and love using it with the R10 out there. Feel more free hitting balls into it outside than in the garage.

On 6/28/2022 at 10:16 PM, cciciora13 said:

Picture of my outdoor setup. It is doing a great job and love using it with the R10 out there. Feel more free hitting balls into it outside than in the garage.

Hi,  I just got the XL, and am considering the R10 and using both outside. I take it you don’t use a projector either? 

On 7/3/2022 at 11:27 AM, SteveD said:

Hi,  I just got the XL, and am considering the R10 and using both outside. I take it you don’t use a projector either? 

Hope you enjoy the SPG-8 XL!!  I can't speak to @cciciora13's setup, but if you are wanting to use a project with it, you can get the project target accessory from Spornia!  Keep us posted with your thoughts and if you have any questions as you're using it for the first time!

https://spornia.com/collections/golf-hitting-net/products/white-simulator-golf-net-target-64-x-64?variant=39853370146921

 

On 7/3/2022 at 10:27 AM, SteveD said:

Hi,  I just got the XL, and am considering the R10 and using both outside. I take it you don’t use a projector either? 

I do not. I just utilize an Ipad with a stand and it works great. 

A quick update while we're getting final reviews together - this past Friday I played at the municipal 9-hole that doesn't have a range for warming up. I was able to warm up at home instead and ended up having my best round yet. It's also the first time I didn't top the ball for the entirety of the first two holes, both I believe are directly attributable to warming up with the net before the round.

Anyone who plays at locations with limited/no practice areas should seriously consider an at-home net if they don't already have one!

Final review is posted!!!

Nice job on the reviews guys, thanks. 

Good job on the reviews everyone. I am surprised to see some UV damage to the net for @WaffleHouseTour. My SPG-7 sits outside in the California central valley sun all the time and no issues so far. Seems like what I'm mostly reading is that the testers were happy with the product (as I believe all of us SPG-7 testers were) but the price increase for the extra foot of size appears to be a concern. 

5 hours ago, RichL85 said:

My SPG-7 sits outside in the California central valley sun all the time and no issues so far.

Can I ask how long you’ve had it? I may be, hopefully, the outlier.  Mine is coming up on its second anniversary.  Still love the net, use it all the time. I might actually be someone who’d spend the extra bucks to get the larger version as I have sailed a few over the top…

1 hour ago, WaffleHouseTour said:

Can I ask how long you’ve had it? I may be, hopefully, the outlier.  Mine is coming up on its second anniversary.  Still love the net, use it all the time. I might actually be someone who’d spend the extra bucks to get the larger version as I have sailed a few over the top…

Coming up on close to a year now. Admittedly I have sailed one over the top as well, but it was such a mishit, the larger net would not have caught it either. I keep the net basically sitting flat and then propped against the side of the house for convenience in terms of setup and put away, but it does sit in the sun for a large part of the day. The UV may be something I have to be concerned with in the future. 

On 8/1/2022 at 9:28 AM, RichL85 said:

Coming up on close to a year now. Admittedly I have sailed one over the top as well, but it was such a mishit, the larger net would not have caught it either. I keep the net basically sitting flat and then propped against the side of the house for convenience in terms of setup and put away, but it does sit in the sun for a large part of the day. The UV may be something I have to be concerned with in the future. 

I do the same thing. It sits by my utility shed. I set it up yesterday and used it. It’s still in great shape after a year but fading a bit from the sun. I don’t see that the fading has impacted its functionality.

I am really wondering about the weight of the larger size though. I was surprised at the weight of mine when packed away. 

just the practice tool i could use to improve my game

I have a good mat, but my net shot craps on me in November. I have been looking to replace it, but just haven't found one to replace it yet. 

I would love to be a Tester for this net it looks like a great one!

The Spornia SPG8 looks like it would make hitting lofted clubs a lot less stressful than on the current set up I have. It's hard to imagine that a $500 net is worth the money over the $75 that I spent.

Recently installed a chipping and putting area in the back yard, this net would complete my practice facility.

would love to get a net for the backyard to start teaching the boys how to swing! 

I would love to test this in my garage and I have a location outside for this! I have been wanting a net for some time now

Wish I had a garage tall enough to test it… I have a launch monitor tahat this would compliment very well.   

I already hit into the canyon behind my house using my SC200 monitor. It would be nice to add long irons and woods to my practice.  I've been considering a net for a long time.  I still have over 10,000 balls to hit into the canyon (about 1000 lbs.)  a net would slow consumption...  I also would be able to hit in the garage when we get one of our rare rainstorms here in SoCal.  I hit balls just about every day.

Setting up my home bay now.  Ordering a simulator, getting a practice bay kit, and ready for the net.

I am desperate to improve.  I think would be a huge aid in moving me in the right direction

My wife and I are new to golf but love your site. We will give the net a fair shakedown. Thanks Shay

Just spent a day tidying up and jet washing my back yard. Was planning to set up a practice putting area, but now thinking about adding a net as well !

I had a net a few years ago. It only lasted one season before starting to break down. A newer and better built net would be a welcome addition to the back yard.

Would love to have a practice Net in my yard to improve my short game and long irons.  Thanks.

I am going to put in a putting green in my backyard. Hopefully I can add a hitting net as well.

Need a net to use with my new mat.

Just recently moved with a bigger garage and have been looking at different setups for practice/simulator. Would be awesome to give it a test!

I've use a Garmin R10 with a Quickplay net but I'm not convinced the net is going to last much longer, would love to test this one. 

Happy to test out net. I have a Rukket pop-up net which I can easily compare it with. thx gene

This would be perfect in the garage.. I have been looking for a way to increase my practice at home. 

Nice looking net. I would test.

Looking forward to giving this a swing, both indoors and out.  Should be fun if chosen. 

I have nice tall ceilings in the garage and this would fit nicely.

i need this for my garage setup!!

I feel like this would solidify my game from 150 and in with having more time to hit at home instead of trying to go to the range. Good luck all and I’ll be following