Padding for Worm Burners - What are my options?

[Cypres0099]

The "Inlaw Build" is getting closer to completion. We've been playing on it for a couple months now and just putting on some finishing touches.

The biggest issue right now is that sometimes (especially with high handicappers) a low shot will go under the screen and bang into the plywood wall behind it. Aside from putting marks on the poor ProV1s we're using, it also bounces back very fast. I'm looking for padding/netting options to absorb the impact.

One custom padding manufacturer I emailed said that the padding they make would cause the ball to rebound faster.

I'm also going to need something to cover up the metal rails on the sides.

Any ideas?

[Stetson]

https://foamonline.com/wedge/

10’ x 4” x 4” = $16

This would shoot the ball up into the screen.

[Cypres0099]

This is a great idea! Ordered some samples of HD foam and memory foam to see what's best. Thinking of gluing a long flat piece to the wall and then doing the long wedge as you suggested for for a ball return ramp.

[devildog1205]

Cypress. Did you end up gluing long wedge pieces to the side walls to protect the rails/clips? Has it worked well?

[Douglasrusso31]

What foam type and softness did you order?

[lawrencejp42]

I might suggest rolled up black moving blankets at the bottom. Also watch out for shanks rocketing off the metal rails. I would think you could hang or wrap blankets around the rails.
I bought 8 80x72 blankets on eBay for just over $60 free shipping and are hung behind my screen with tarp clips and bungees.

[lawrencejp42]

Correction - 4, not 8 blankets.
Also I learned that the blankets will transfer black dye to the screen in the ball impact zone. So if you decide to do this it is a good idea to hang a bed sheet or other barrier between the blankets and the screen.

[3on3putt]

I don't have a photo handy but I bought a couple of the really thick swimming pool noodles from Walmart and wrapped them over the bottom bar of my enclosure under the screen. I then wrapped the artificial turf that's on the ground over the top of the pool noodles to create a little green "speed bump." It's great for putting as the balls just roll up the bump and into the screen and then back down. I can't say I've hit any worm burners (I prefer the shanks thank you) but I imagine the padding of the pool noodle would probably deaden it quite a bit. And because the pol noodles are completely hidden by the turf, it allows for a nice clean look. And because they are attached to the metal bar, they don't jostle out of place at all.

Another thing you could do is just lower you screen until it's flush with the floor. That way you won't have that space under there.

Could also hang a net behind the screen with a lot of slack at the bottom to catch any worm burners or use that other mat you have there to build a little wall behind the screen.

How are you putting with that other mat up there in front of the actual hitting mat?

[Cypres0099]

That was the original hitting mat we ordered (CCE). It was a little to hard on the joints, so we grabbed a fiber built. We've been moving the CCE up to the front edge of the fiberbuilt, but it keeps getting scooted back somehow. My only real complaint about the fiberbuilt is that the putting form that surface is not great.

[3on3putt]

So don't all your putts just roll right under the screen then with nothing there to stop them?

[Cypres0099]

They just kind hit the pillows we have in front and stop right at the screen.

[Dax]

Use your turf that you have and just creat a small ramp before the screen under the turf so that when the ball hits the turf it reflects to the screen.

[Guiembernat]

I used 2 inch think memory foam mattress topper (from ebay) cut into 3 inch/15cm strips and wrap them in black plastic (or black fabric) and velcro them to the bottom of the screen.

I used the same foam cut in strips to wrap around any poles or hard surfaces using cable ties. They are covered by a black curtain so you don't see them.


I decided to go OTT with coverings after one of my friends that had a similar set up hit a driver into a pole only covered with a thin foam covering (he used the grey copper pipe insulation) and the ball ricocheted off and hit the bottles in the bar he had at the other end of the room!.

[jdieter]

How is the 2” memory foam working out. Do you get much of a rebound from something like a driver hit?

[Guiembernat]

Working very well indeed. No rebound (I am a a 20+ handicap, so can't hit that hard anyway ;-). about 90 mph club head with a driver. Also note that the foam is covered by a piece of curtain on a sliding track (so It can be retracted) that sits in front of the poles, so there is some extra stuff to dampen the ball.

I did not try any other type of foam, but this "memory foam" really absorb the impact. I can send some pictures if you want to see the set-up (I have been meaning to write a long post describing the post to help other people, as a way to say thank you for all the help I got when I was researching to build mine).



For me the biggest issue was the rebound from the screen. To maximise space I put the screen quite close to the wall, it is about 25 cm (10 inches) from the wall behind, attached to a piece of wood that is screwed to the ceiling joist. the next joist would have taken another 40cm of space (80 inches). The screen is attached to the frame with cable ties through grommets in the screen edge to hooks screwed into the wood. I also hanged a leftover piece of carpet behind the screen with a bit of a gap and as it was heavy and "floating" it absorbed the ball well at the beginning, but with time, the carpet ended up pushed closer to the wall and the ball was hitting the plasterboard behind... needless to say that it made quite a mess (read, "big hole on the wall"). I have just redone it and put a 1 inch thick piece of foam 1.5 meters by 1.5 meters (5 feet by 5 feet) glued to a piece of wood and fixed to the back wall and also tensed the carpet to make sure there is always a bit of a gap. This now works great. with a full swing of the driver the ball bounces back 1 meter and drops.

Hope that helps!

[Christensen88]

I took a 1x8x6, put 3” foam on it, wrapped in black cloth. Sits from the floor 8” to the bottom of my picture on the screen. Covers the tarp clips, gives a finished looked and eliminates bounce back

[devildog1205]

Where did you get the 3” foam?

[chicub15]

devildog1205 Here is a good source: https://foamonline.com/wedge/

[richerod]

patio bench cushions work well

[Christensen88]

Devil dog, sorry for the late response, I got it at Home Depot

[frodaddy00]

I bought that gutter foam from home depot and then wrapped it in a big blanket which sits along the base of my screen. it kills any of my worm burners without issue.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/GUTTERSTUFF-5-in-x-48-in-K-Style-Foam-Gutter-Filter-GS-K5-SPAN/203318223

[devildog1205]

I bought that gutter foam from home depot and then wrapped it in a big blanket which sits along the base of my screen. it kills any of my worm burners without issue.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/GUTTERSTUFF-5-in-x-48-in-K-Style-Foam-Gutter-Filter-GS-K5-SPAN/203318223

Is the foam attached to the bottom of the screen, or maybe the floor?

[frodaddy00]

Nope I just wrapped it in a blanket and that lays on the floor unattached. If I top one and hit a burner then the blanket/foam absorb it and crinkles up the blanket. I just straighten it back out by pulling on the ends...

[frodaddy00]

I'm sure you could come up with something prettier but I hardly notice it myself and it works without issue for me. You definitely don't want a ball hitting your EMT at 150+ mph and coming back at you.

[frodaddy00]

I actually have 2 of those foam wedges wrapped in this blanket. I think the wedges are only 48" long.

[mjmtengu]

I put a golf netting I bought off ebay behind the entire screen wrapped around the EMT poles. I then put foam piecs around the EMT itself. Works great.