Best Material for Reducing Bounce Back

[JakeGeezy]

I just purchased a Spectrum Poly Foam screen. So far, the build and quality of the screen seem great. I have a 3 foot x 8 foot piece of black carpet behind the screen to reduce stress on the screen and reduce bounce back as well. Where the ball hits the screen there are black marks and my guess is the ball is hitting the screen, then hitting the black carpet, and causing the black marks.

Couple of questions:

1) Does that sound feasible? The above is just my guess.
2) If so, what are people using behind their screen that does not leave a mark? I've seen moving blankets, mattresses, etc. but those would leave marks if they are colored.

As an aside, the screen is also showing wear from spin of the ball ripping into the screen. The balls I've been using have been brand new, white, and if any discoloration or scuffs they are being discarded.

[GoldenSim]

I'm not sure if it's possible to completely stop marks. Just by the nature of what is happening (ball hitting screen), I think there is likely to be some kind of residue. I am finding that after playing a ball for a while, the logo is wearing off - clearly a lot of that is due to being hit by the club, but I am guessing there is a residue that may be left on the screen. As well as grease from your hands that is on the ball.

For the mattress that I have behind the screen to reduce bounceback, it came with a white mattress cover (fitted sheet), which I left on. It was used when I got it so it is not crisp white, but that could be an option to try.

I also have a second screen purchased for when the first screen dies. And when that becomes my primary screen, I will use my old one behind it, which I'm hoping will also help the bounceback, as well as reduction in marks.

My experience is that the marks are only visible when the projection is off, and when I am looking at the golf course / range etc, it's barely visible, so it's a minor issue.

[JakeGeezy]

GoldenSim Thanks for the feedback. Curious to hear others' take. Are you all getting marks (microabrasions, discolorations, etc) on your screens? Is it only visible when the projector is off? Are there any best practices to reduce marks? Any definite no-no's (ie maybe hanging a big black carpet behind ha!).

[Ports]

I sewed together moving blankets and sandwiched 2" memory foam between them. It works amazing. 16 x 9 screen, bounces maybe 1.5 feet. I only hung it at the top so there is some movement but it deadens the blow. Quiet too. I just put the foam in the main impact area.

[JakeGeezy]

Ports do you see any discoloration or marks from the ball? May steal your idea here. Like it.

[JakeGeezy]

Ports what color were the moving blankets?

[Ports]

They are grey one side, orange the other. I put grommets along the top and sides. I never used the side ones

[abirdie4me]

My first time around I hung blue moving blankets directly behind the screen but in front of my net. It deadened the bounce back, but within a month the blanket was completely shredded and I had to take it down. Put up a replacement I got from U-haul that I thought would be better quality, it shredded within 2 weeks.

So then I hung a black sheet of Lycra directly behind the screen, and it really made the image much better, but destroyed my screen by putting massive black marks all over it. It finally go so bad that it was distracting while playing.

I’m currently rebuilding my entire room, and this time I painted the wall behind the screen black so that I don’t have to worry about the image quality and black marks on the screen. I have a SQ screen on the way from Par2Pro, it supposedly doesn’t need a backing and has very little bounce back. I still have my net from my previous setup if I need it, but hoping just the screen will work this time around.

[JakeGeezy]

Thanks this very helpful in confirming that the black material behind the screen was the culprit. I'm still thoroughly confused what people are using for material behind the screens. It would seem that anything behind the screen that is not white would mark the screen. I put some white memory foam behind my screen yesterday and you could see its outline clearly so I had to take it down. Just looked like a big square behind the screen. What other alternatives are there?