With fall golf season in full swing, now’s the perfect time to start thinking ahead to your winter practice routine. This week, we’re diving into the pros and cons of practicing into a net—an off-season option many golfers rely on when the weather turns.

This will be especially relatable for those who took their golf game to the backyard during the COVID-19 lockdown. The golfing world went crazy for at-home practice—but how well did it actually translate once you got back on the course?

The Positives

Using a net at home is a brilliant way to build consistent practice habits—whether it’s just 10 minutes, three times a week. The convenience and low-friction nature of this setup make it much easier to stick to a routine, and anything that helps you get the clubs out more often is a win for your game.

Of course, the quality of your practice matters just as much as the quantity. That’s where you and your coach come in. Ask yourself: What am I working on in this session? What kind of feedback do I need? Whether you’re making a swing change using video analysis or fine-tuning your strike with some face tape, having a purpose behind each session is key.

When your swing needs a bit of “surgery,” a net can be a great place to start. Early on, swing changes can feel awkward, and the results might not look pretty. In these stages, it can actually be helpful not to see the ball flight—removing that result-based feedback allows you to focus purely on movement and mechanics.

Getting reps in without the distraction of ball flight helps prevent you from reverting to old habits too quickly. It’s about training the motion first—results can come later.

The Negatives

While nets are great for convenience and repetition, they do come with limitations—particularly when it comes to replicating real playing conditions. Elements like target orientation, wind direction, lie, and slope all play a huge role in how we move during a swing. When those external factors are missing, it’s easy to fall back into old habits, especially over long periods of isolated practice.

Ball flight and strike feedback are critical components of meaningful practice—especially once you’re past the early stages of a major swing change. Without seeing where the ball goes or feeling the full impact of your strike, you might struggle to connect the movement you’re working on with real-world results.

That connection between feel and feedback is essential. Seeing the flight and feeling a clean strike help you determine whether a new move is working, whether it needs more refinement, or whether it’s ready for the course. Without that feedback loop, it’s harder to build trust in the change—and confidence is everything when you step onto the first tee.

Ways to Make It Better

If you’re fortunate enough to have access to a simulator or screen that displays golf courses, you’re already ahead of the game. Adding a visual course environment to your practice can significantly enhance focus and decision-making—making the session feel more like “real golf” rather than just hitting balls into a net.

Even without a high-end setup, there are simple and effective ways to elevate your net practice. Use face tape or foot spray for strike feedback, add visual markers or lines on the net to track your start direction, and set clear objectives for each session. These small tweaks can dramatically increase the quality of your practice and ensure you’re not just going through the motions.

With technology advancing rapidly, it’s exciting to think about how accessible and effective home golf training could become. From affordable launch monitors to AI-driven swing analysis and online coaching, we’re already seeing big changes in how players practice. But the big question remains—can we ever truly replicate the feel and challenge of playing a round of golf… from the comfort of our own back yard!

Until next week, – Coach Tim