This is I tried it, a new GOLF.com series where we write about golf items — apparel, gear, accessories, etc. — that we’ve recently taken out for a spin. We’re here to give our honest, no-frills takes on the latest and greatest golf or golf-adjacent items. So, scroll down to read about what we love (or don’t) about golf’s newest (or new to us) products.
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Now is not the winter of our discontent. Not yet. But in large swaths of the country, the cold and sleet and snow will be here soon, shutting down our seasons, leaving us to dream of golf till spring.
Unless we find a way to practice in the warmth and comfort of our homes.
I never thought I’d want to own an indoor hitting setup. Too cumbersome I figured. Where would I put it? How often would I really take advantage of it? Like a cappuccino maker, it would get used once or twice and then left to molder.
A waste space and money, I figured. I figured wrong.
Carl’s Place sounds like a location. In fact, it’s a company that caters to golf junkies with an array of practice-makes-perfect products, including immersive swing enclosures that can transform almost any corner of your home into a safe, convenient driving range.
The most compact model is the DIY kit, a sturdy 8-by-8-foot getup that’s as easy to assemble as its name suggests (the kits can be customized to various configurations). It took me about an hour to piece it all together, a modest time investment that pays off in ready access to year-round fun.
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When I say enclosure, I mean enclosure. The kit has a tarp-wrapped ceiling and side walls, so your home doesn’t become an indoor shooting gallery, will golf balls caroming here and there. Most impressive is the impact screen, a tightly woven backdrop that’s designed to withstand thousands of shots at speeds of up to 250 miles per hour. To put that in perspective, when Bryson DeChambeau really gets cranking, his ball speeds top out in the low 220s. So, you should be good.
The impact screens can do more than absorb golf shots. You can also project golf simulators onto them. But that technology is sold separately. If you’re not ready for that level of investment, the analog enclosure is all you’ll need to make it through the wintry months ahead.
