Garden setup - noise issues

[EHump]

Hi, long time reader of this forum and have picked up some hugely valuable insights and information here (so thank you everyone for that!)

I am finally in a position where I am buying a house with a garden and can set up a hitting net for practice. The garden and potential for home practice was a bit of a deciding factor in the purchase! My aim is to add a launch monitor to the set up but I got thinking about potential noise issues and neighbours.

My question is do others have experience of practicing in their garden? I am planning to get a net return, range mat and LM. Has anyone ever encountered problems with neighbours due to the noise of hitting real balls? The more I think about it the more I think it may be annoying to hear someone next door hitting a driver and other clubs regularly. I know a lot of this will be down to my new neighbours, which is an unknown at this point (I will be in a semi detached with private garden but neighbours on both sides)but wondered if anyone had ever had issues with garden practice and complaints? I certainly don’t want to be public enemy no1 as soon as I move in!

Does anyone have experience of other alternative balls to use to limit the noise when practicing? I was wondering about softer/quieter/foam balls potentially? If anyone has used these is it a viable way to practice with less noise and any recommendations? If I am going to be hitting full swings but not with real balls is it even worth the expense of buying a net, mat LM etc? There is also the consideration of how non real balls work on a launch monitor. I have done some research and seen some suggestions about almost golf balls and similar options which work with launch monitors but with a trade off around distances - I could live with that as I’d be primarily concerned with shot shape etc. The main consideration is is there a way to limit the noise and potentially upsetting the neighbours.


Thanks in advance for any advice offered.

[Venom]

Hitting into a net shouldn’t make nearly as much noise as hitting into an impact screen. I don’t have the same set up as your planning but I did build an outdoor structure to house my simulator. When wifey is outside she said she can hear it but inside the house she doesn’t hear a thing. My neighbors have never complained once. I’m sure they would rather you hit balls into a net, than listen to a teenager blast music.

[John8888]

i have a set up in summer just like what you are planning. Noise is not an issue.

[sirish19]

I also have a setup outside on my rooftop balcony and have never had any issues with noise or complaints from neighbors. In fact, my wife says she can't even hear it when she is inside right below my setup.

[EHump]

Thanks for your replies. You’ve given me renewed hope of not annoying the neighbours and getting this set up!!

[cmckelvmi]

I hate to dampen the hope bubble but I was in a detached garage hitting into a net return and my wife and neighbors could hear me hitting balls. Luckily they were all cool about it as I didn't practice/play during any unreasonable hour. I have messed around with Almost golf balls and they're definitely much quieter. I saw the same shot type and flight with roughly 30% (guessing) less distance.

Also, as mentioned above an impact screen is possibly a bigger culprit to loud noises. I have since moved and play inside and the noise is audible to anyone in adjacent rooms to the sim room. The GC2 reads the Almost golf balls just fine. I didn't try them when I had a SkyTrak so I can't speak to that LM.

[bubbtubbs]

Unless it's loud enough to warrant police intervention, you can always politely tell them to deal with it.

No one's ever complained about the noise from my garage impact screen but, if they did, I'd probably start idling the lawnmower for an hour every evening until they stopped.

[PG50]

I'd imagine you'll be fine with noise. Only one way to find out though. Get a net, blast some drivers, and wait to see if anyone starts complaining. I hit balls inside (into a net) and haven't annoyed the fam or kept them up at night.

I will admit that I may not be the best barometer for your situation. Yet another upside of semi-rural living. Between all the shop/yard tools running and home gun ranges on people's property, golf noise isn't something I could even fathom being an issue.