How balls wear impact screens and nets

Screen makers agree on one thing. Treat the screen as something that wears. What they say about balls is short and consistent: keep them clean, keep them new if you can.

The maker's view of wear

Elite Screens says it considers its impact screens a wearable item.¹ The life of one varies with how it's used.

The same page wants scuffed or marked balls kept away from the screen, so it lasts longer.¹ Hit it with a damaged ball and that isn't normal use, so the warranty no longer covers it.¹

Read that last one twice. A chipped ball isn't just a bad idea. It can change what the maker will do for you.

Soft covers and spin

GolfBays gives similar advice. It recommends clean, brand-new balls, because worn or marked balls can cause more damage.² Its guide also names premium balls, which it links to extra screen wear through high spin and softer construction.²

Both are one seller's recommendations, not lab results. Still, they line up with Elite's.

Tension counts too

The ball isn't the only factor. GolfBays says that if the screen is too loose, the ball stays in contact for too long, causing increased wear.² For the right balance, it says to make sure the screen can be pushed back by about 30 cm in the centre.²

Elite adds a distance note. It says positioning yourself away from the screen helps prolong the life of the ImpactWhite screen while minimizing wear and tear.¹ Your own screen's guide has the distance that applies. Test it with a real club swing first.

What about a net?

Carl's Place reports having heard, and seen on social media, that golf nets are not trustworthy catchers of golf balls over time. It also says they tend to wear down much quicker than an impact screen that is designed to withstand thousands of shots.³ The page doesn't back that with test figures, so treat it as a cautious view and check what a net's own maker says about ball types and care.

What to look for as it wears

You'll rarely spot a failure in one shot. Look at the screen between sessions, in good light. Run your eye along the area where most balls land. Watch for thin patches, small pulls in the weave or stitching at the edges starting to lift.

If something looks open, stop using it. A ball that gets through a screen can hit what's behind it. Contact the maker, because the screen's maker is the one who can say what's acceptable.

Mounting and repairs

Don't improvise structural fixings. Follow the maker's instructions for any screen or frame, and use a qualified tradesperson for anything fixed to a ceiling or wall.

For judging a single ball, there's a separate replacement checklist. For what happens after the hit, read why balls bounce back.