Bottom of Impact Screen Question

[goldsboro_golf]

I am close to finishing my sim room and have a question about the bottom of the impact screen options.

Our room is in the basement and we installed PT 2x4 sleepers, 3/4" sub floor above the concrete slab and then added putting and hitting turf on the floor to allow for us to drop in a handful of 4" deep putting cups. This works great but I am tweaking my Par2Pro SQ Raw screen before I finalized side panels and have a few final questions related to how to handle the bottom of the screen. Based on my research, I believe that I have the following options:

1- Hem the bottom of the screen and insert a full width bungee attached to the angle iron on the sides

2- Hem the bottom and fill a 1.5" nylong tube with sand and adjust height so it is just touching the floor

3- Leave the bottom loose with 4"+ resting on the bottom of the floor

After thinking through my options, I was wondering if anyone has used tarp clips and bungee cords to anchor the bottom of the screen in the same manner as the sides and top? Since I have 4-3/4" of built up flooring, I could easily cut this away and anchor an angle to the concrete slab and connect the bottom of the screen with tarp clips and bungees below the height of the floor to eliminate the fear of bounce back or balls getting behind the net. I would address hitting screen bounce back through the tension of the bungees.

My only concern would be the hitting screen being too tight and increasing the wear on the screen prematurely as I don't have netting or memory foam behind it now.

Thoughts, comments or other ideas would be appreciated.

[LCG]

Have you thought of using a pocket at the bottom and running a cord with bungees tied to each end and then connected to screw eyes on walls left and right? A small removable foam ramp would help too (buy gutter protection foam and wrap it with black cloth, they come in 4’ pieces)

[Lou3824]

I know I'm super late with an answer to this. However, I just went through this with my set up. I tried numerous ways to attach bungees and even zip ties. Anchoring the bottom with anything just made it far too tight and I got a lot of bounce back. I tried using nothing and the screen stopped the ball great, but the image on the screen really suffered as the screen didn't return to its original shape. I tried a bunch of other things too...

Well, I made a loop in the bottom to hold a piece of 3/4" gas pipe. I originally went with EMT conduit, but it wasn't heavy enough. My screen is 12 feet long, so I bought a couple of couplings and two 10" nipples. I put the couplings at each end of the 10 foot gas pipe and then a nipple at each end. The gas pipe (with the fittings and nipples attached) has just the right amount of weight to pull the screen back to its original shape, but it still allows the screen to absorb the impact of the ball without firing it back at me. I'm very happy with it.

[Shinaut]

Not quite understanding… How did you make the loop and why the nipples ect? Do you have a picture?

[Shinaut]

Sorry can’t add, the nipples get you 12’. Still wondering how you made the loop

[Lou3824]

Sorry, I'm using the term loop while most here are saying a pocket...

Yes, the nipples and the fittings get you to 12'....

[richerod]

I currently have the bottom of the screen unattached and hanging unhemmed and with no sleeve pocket. I also don't have a bottom bar to attach it to. I built the structure this way because I was very concerned about worm-burning one into the bottom bar and it ricocheting back and causing injury. This also has proven effective at mitigating bounceback. I have thought about ways to sew a pocket to weigh down the bottom of my screen to give it a more finished look and improve on tautness. That being said I am now considering going to a Carl's-like DIY enclosure setup with the bottom bar and attaching the screen to it. In my current setup, I frequently find myself having to retrieve my Birtees which end up flying under the screen. Also, I will often have to fish out balls under the screen after putts. I would prefer to not have to do this either. I am not sure weighing down the bottom of my screen solves that for me. I also would like a way to incorporate foam padding around the frame particularly the bottom to mitigate the worm burner risk.

[chengka]

I also would like a way to incorporate foam padding around the frame particularly the bottom to mitigate the worm burner risk.

My setup uses the screen wrapped around EMT and bungies behind. The mats and turf are roughly the same height as the EMT. A worm burner actually hit the pipe and tore the screen. I patched the tear and I now use simple pipe insulation just sitting under the turf, where the turf meets the screen. It’s super cheap, easy to experiment with quarter circle, half circle, full and small to large pipe. Btw, I’m thinking of going to a more traditional setup, because having to do all the adjustments behind the screen is a royal PITA. Is this the sort of thing that is never finished!

[Daniel.Armenio]

Wire shelf might help you hide the bottom pipe. I have the DIY kit from Gungho and that’s what they recommend. Pretty solid solution, cheap and effective.

[tkvaughn999]

Look into building a gentle ramp subfloor. Mine it about 3" tall and goes across the entire width of screen and ends shot or my hitting mat. Ramp is covered by grizzly grass turf.. It gives me a place to loosely attach bottom of screen, protect against worm burners and the ball rolls slowly back to the hitting area.

[SteveMac]

I used sand bags on the bottom of my screen. I picked these up at ACE. I laid out a black canvas tarp with some carpet padding and then the sand bags. With the help of a couple of friends, I rolled it all up like a burrito towards the screen, with the final revolution putting it all right up over the bottom flap and against the impact screen. There have been a few topped shots to hit them and no resulting damage. They haven’t moved an inch.