Need some input on rooftop simulator

[G0al3d]

Posted this on Reddit but so far no meaningful input.
I'm sick of crowded overpriced driving ranges in LA, and the indoor clubs around here charge around $200 a month for a membership so I'm taking a stab at setting something up myself since I already owned a Mevo plus that i take to the range.
I just ordered a Spornia SPG-8 and a fiberbuilt 5x4 studio mat kit. My wife wont let me set up inside the house, and my garage ceiling is too low to swing any long club effectively...so my idea has been banished to the roof (luckily its sunny so cal and it only rains once in a blue moon). I bought two of the shank nets for the Spornia, but I'm using this with a Mevo+ and I'm slightly worried that moving the hitting area far enough away from the net (10 feet) for the Mevo is going to endanger people/pets/property in the Venice canals (behind the net). Any thoughts suggestions from people who have been brave/foolish enough to attempt something like this? I know a BLP would probably solve this but I have the Mevo fully unlocked and like the idea of no subs and all the data points it provides beyond the BLP. If it's possible to make the Mevo work I want to try.

[jasonreg]

Well if you hit it far enough your immediate neighbors won't mind! Seriously though, what about some sort of net cage. Par2Pro has one ( I am sure there are others - pretty reasonable pricing too: Par2Pro's Online Golf Simulator & Analyzer Superstore Net Cage - 10'x10'x10'

[G0al3d]

yeah that was my first thought but needs to be able to broken down easily. There is a deck up there we use and wife doesn't want an eyesore on the roof looking out to the beach. Which i get. 10 feet out from the Spornia though some are probably going to go over? I thought maybe i was just overly concerned but it is well founded?

[G0al3d]

anyone know if this is a good solution https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...LTGIY67AJ&th=1 ? looks a little more sturdy

[sirish19]

I have a simulator setup for my rooftop balcony as well. I use Skytrak so can't comment on Mevo plus. My balcony is about 4 feet high though so does provide a little more secure enclosure. One thing that I would be concerned about on your balcony is the net blowing over. I am not sure how much wind you get in your area, but I get a bit of wind here in Japan. If it is too windy, I just can't play because the net is like a sail and would easily blow over.

For my net, I use the Net Return Pro 10' x 8'. My recommendation would be to get as big a net as you can accommodate. The bigger the net, though, the more wind can become a factor. I have four sandbags that came with the side barriers and generally use 2 on the back of the net but when it is windy, I will put all 4 to hold it all down. For the side barriers, I try to keep them as high as I can to try to keep balls from going over the balcony. I also put on frame pads to prevent balls from ricocheting off the frame. I have only had three balls go off the balcony in about 4 years, two were from ricochets off the frame and the other went over the net (sky ball on a tee shot). I don't usually hit really high balls, even with my 60-degree wedge, but also don't use balls that have really high trajectories. Also, since I use the SkyTrak, I can get really close to the net.

I also have to set up and break down the net every time I play as the wife doesn't want that consuming our entire balcony. Also, we get so much rain here and the sun can fade the net so I break the net down and store it in a little storage bench. It takes me about 10 minutes to set everything up and the same to break it down. That is a lot less time than it would take me to get to the nearest driving range.

[G0al3d]

thanks man this is a great setup, I was hoping to do something similar but I convinced the wife to let me setup the 10x10x10 cage up there. With that there is NO WAY anything is getting out of there, I'm gonna put 4 or so sandbags on the cage to secure it so it cant move as we do get wind sometimes. I'll share pictures next week once its all setup. I now owe my wife a Sauna so gotta go figure out where that's gonna go .

[jasonreg]

I now owe my wife a Sauna so gotta go figure out where that's gonna go .

Golf is expensive for many reasons!

[sirish19]

thanks man this is a great setup, I was hoping to do something similar but I convinced the wife to let me setup the 10x10x10 cage up there. With that there is NO WAY anything is getting out of there, I'm gonna put 4 or so sandbags on the cage to secure it so it cant move as we do get wind sometimes. I'll share pictures next week once its all setup. I now owe my wife a Sauna so gotta go figure out where that's gonna go .

Good luck and keep us posted once you get things set up. I would also recommend ensuring that the net quality is very strong and reliable. It is possible for balls to punch right through the net. after heavy use or with very high ball speeds.

[G0al3d]

I have all the pieces in place but it rained buckets here for the past few days so will probably set everything up this Friday after the dust settles. I'll post pics but I'm stoked to get going on this!

[G0al3d]

So setting the net up took about an hour, it's pretty sturdy but we get a descent amount of wind here so I got a set of 4 canvas sandbags off Amazon for holding down pop up tents, and so far they are working out great. Went to Home Depot for the grass floor, conned a buddy to come help me haul that up to the roof we both almost threw out our backs. I got the Fiberbuilt hitting mat off of Amazon as well and loving it so far. I'm going to add a railing around the edge for safety, and I might try to set up a putting practice area on the right as well. Mevo plus with RCT balls have been money so far and gets good readings every time since its about 12 feet tee to net, and 8 feet tee to unit. I haven't had a chance to play E6 on it yet, but if that works out I will probably splurge for a gaming laptop and GS Pro.

[Hannaford]

I have a simulator setup for my rooftop balcony as well. I use Skytrak so can't comment on Mevo plus. My balcony is about 4 feet high though so does provide a little more secure enclosure. One thing that I would be concerned about on your balcony is the net blowing over. I am not sure how much wind you get in your area, but I get a bit of wind here in Japan. If it is too windy, I just can't play because the net is like a sail and would easily blow over.

For my net, I use the Net Return Pro 10' x 8'. My recommendation would be to get as big a net as you can accommodate. The bigger the net, though, the more wind can become a factor. I have four sandbags that came with the side barriers and generally use 2 on the back of the net but when it is windy, I will put all 4 to hold it all down. For the side barriers, I try to keep them as high as I can to try to keep balls from going over the balcony. I also put on frame pads to prevent balls from ricocheting off the frame. I have only had three balls go off the balcony in about 4 years, two were from ricochets off the frame and the other went over the net (sky ball on a tee shot). I don't usually hit really high balls, even with my 60-degree wedge, but also don't use balls that have really high trajectories. Also, since I use the SkyTrak, I can get really close to the net.

I also have to set up and break down the net every time I play as the wife doesn't want that consuming our entire balcony. Also, we get so much rain here and the sun can fade the net so I break the net down and store it in a little storage bench. It takes me about 10 minutes to set everything up and the same to break it down. That is a lot less time than it would take me to get to the nearest driving range.

Nice kit! What is your tee to net distance?

[sirish19]

Nice kit! What is your tee to net distance?

Thanks. I have about 10-12 feet from tee to net. My hitting strip is 3 feet long and I can push the net back a little further or pull it a little closer depending on the situation. If it is windy and wind is blowing towards me, i would push it back a bit further. For the most part though, I just give myself enough clearance to swing the driver without hitting the net so don't need to worry about hitting over the net with my 60-degree wedge.