How To Build a Garage or Basement Golf Setup With The Net Return (2026 Guide)

Net Return Setup Guide 2026: Space, Ceiling Height & Indoor Safety Explained Reading How To Build a Garage or Basement Golf Setup With The Net Return (2026 Guide) 24 minutes Next How to Design a Data-Driven Practice Session Using a Golf Launch Monitor?

Garage Vs Basement Vs Indoor Room - Which Is Right For You?

Before you think about layouts, it helps to ask: where is your best spot?

You might technically be able to squeeze a Net Return into three or four different places, but each option has a different personality.

Garage Golf Setup

Pros

Concrete or solid floor is perfect for turf and mats
Nice open space to create a private area for your practice
Usually enough length to hit all clubs, including driver
Feels like its own zone that’s separate from the main house

Cons

Cars come and go, so you can’t always leave everything out
Temperature swings: hot in summer, freezing in winter
Door rails, motors, and lights can interfere with your swing or projector

A garage is ideal if you want a multi-use bay: car + golf + maybe a gym.

Basement Golf Setup

Pros

Sim cave vibes: quiet, private, and protected from weather
Easy to darken the room for a projector or screen
Less neighborhood visibility (no one sees you hitting at 10 pm)

Cons

Ceilings are often low, especially under beams
You may have columns, pipes, stairs, or odd shapes to work around
Some basements are damp or echo-y if untreated

A basement is great if you want a permanent, all-year indoor golf room, even if it’s mostly irons or wedges because of ceiling height. The challenge is most basements lack the ceiling height required to swing a club, let alone your longer driver. Ideally you want a ceiling height of 9’ or higher.

Indoor Room Setup (Spare Room, Office, Etc.)

Pros

Convenient – in the middle of the house
Perfect for wedges, chipping, drills, putting, and mid-irons
You can make it look really clean and minimal

Cons

Limited ceiling height and width for driver
You must be extra careful about walls, windows, and furniture
It’s usually a shared room, so storage discipline is key

This guide is going to focus mainly on garage and basement layouts, but everything we’ll talk about applies to any indoor golf net setup you create.

Key Design Principles For Garage And Basement Net Return Setups

Before we dive into specific layouts, it helps to have a few rules in your head.
These keep your setup from turning into a mess.

1. Design Around Your Hitting Line, Not Just The Net

Most people do this backwards.

They find a wall, push the net against it, then stand wherever there’s space left.

Do it the other way:

First, decide where you will stand and swing
Draw your hitting line in your head (from ball through the centre of the net)
Then position the Net Return so the frame catches that line

This matters more in garages and basements than you’d think.
You’d be surprised how often a 4 inch shift left or right completely changes how comfortable the swing feels.

2. Accept That The Space Has Another Job

Your practice area is never going to be a pure driving range.

In a garage, cars still need to park.
In a basement, people still walk through, store things, or maybe watch TV.

So your design mindset should be:

“How do I make this bay appear and disappear quickly and cleanly?”

That means:

Clear home positions for your net, mat, and turf when not in use
A repeatable pull out, set up, hit, put away flow

We’ll hit storage and folding later, but bake this mindset in from the start.

3. Respect The Ceiling And The Ugly Stuff On It

In a garage or basement, the ceiling isn’t just flat and friendly:

Garage door rails sit low in some spots
Openers and lights hang down
Beams and pipes cross the room at odd angles

Rather than thinking this ceiling is bad, think: where is the highest safe swing arc?

You might find:

Moving your mat 1 foot forward or backward puts your driver swing under the highest part of the ceiling
You can use one area for irons/wedges and another for driver if height varies

4. Plan For Future Upgrades (Without Committing Yet)

Even if right now it’s just you, a mat, and a Net Return Home net in your garage, you might later want:

A launch monitor
A projector and screen
Better turf or lighting

If you roughly know:

Where a monitor could go
Where a screen could hang
Where cables could run

…you avoid having to completely redesign the whole space later.

Single Car Garage Golf Setup Layouts

A single-car garage is the most common indoor golf space people start with.

You’ve usually got:

Enough length for a full swing
Width that’s tight but workable
Ceiling height that’s okay-ish if you plan it well

Let’s look at some layout options you can actually copy.

Layout 1 - Net Against The Garage Door, Car Reverses Out

This is the classic garage golf setup.

When It Works Best

You have a standard single-car garage
You’re happy to roll the car out when practising
You want a simple ‘door open, hit balls, door closed’ routine

How You Arrange It

Park the car as normal
When you want to practice:

Reverse the car onto the driveway
Pull your Net Return into place just inside the garage door
Drop your mat 7-10 feet back from the net

You hit facing the garage door / driveway side

Good Net Return Choices

Home - perfect all-rounder for this layout
Pro or Pro 8 - if your garage width and ceiling allow

Little Design Details That Help

Put a small strip of tape on the floor where the front legs of your net should sit, so you set it up in the same place every time
Store in the included Duffle Bag when not in use
If you ever add a launch monitor:

Keep its power cable in a wall-mounted basket
Use a marked ‘Tech Spot’ on the floor where the tripod always stands

This layout is simple, repeatable, and keeps your car’s normal parking routine almost unchanged.

Layout 2 - Net Along The Side Wall, Car Pulled Forward

Sometimes your garage is long enough that you don’t have to hit towards the door at all.

When It Works Best

You have a deeper-than-average single car garage
You can park the car slightly forward or backward to clear a side wall
You’d rather not move the car out every time

How You Arrange It

Net Return lives along the side wall, not the garage door wall
Your hitting line runs parallel to the length of the garage door
The car can either:

Park ahead of your hitting mat, or
Park behind it, depending on door placement

Good Net Return Choices

Mini or Home if width is limited
Pro or Pro 8 if you’ve got a decent width and want more room

Things To Watch

You’ll almost always want side barriers if shelves, bikes, or stored items are on that same wall
You need a very clear rule: car is either fully behind or fully in front of the hitting area - never “half in the middle”

This layout is amazing if your garage is long but not super wide. It keeps everything more permanent and “studio-like”.

Layout 3 - Pack-Away Park And Play Garage Bay

Here, you design the whole space so your bay can appear and disappear in minutes.

When It Works Best

You must park the car inside most of the time
You can’t leave the net out permanently
You value fast setup / teardown

How You Arrange It

Net Return:

Either fully disassembled and stored in its bag
Or Pushed up against a side wall

Turf or mats:

Rolled up and stood in a corner
Or slid under shelves/workbench

When you want to practice:

Reverse the car out
Pull the net to its taped home position
Roll the turf out and place the mat on its marks
Start hitting

Smart Quality-Of-Life Moves

Use colored floor tape to show:

Net position
Mat position
Ball position

Keep a small ‘golf crate’ with:

Balls, tees, alignment sticks, towel, impact tape
You bring out the crate, and everything you need is right there

It takes effort to set up this system once… but then each session feels effortless.

Two Car Garage Golf Setup Layouts

If you have a two-car garage, you have a lot more freedom.
You can actually carve out a dedicated bay on one side.

Layout 1 - Dedicated Bay On One Side

One side is for driving and parking.
The other side evolves into your golf studio.

When It Works Best

You have two cars but one side is more consistently free
Or you’re okay with one car living outside
You want a semi-permanent area that always feels like “the bay”

How You Arrange It

Net Return along the side or back wall of one half
Turf running out from the net toward the centre
Hitting mat always in place, or just rolled back a little when not in use
Storage rack, bag stand, or small cabinet on that same side for your gear

Ideal Net Return Models

Home if you want compact but serious
Pro, Pro 8, Pro 9 if you want a proper indoor golf net setup that feels like a commercial bay

This layout is the closest you get to having a ‘mini golf studio’ at home.

Layout 2 - Shared Bay With Net

Here, both sides still need to be flexible for cars.

When It Works Best

Both cars regularly use the garage
You can only leave the net out during practice, not 24/7
You still want one favored side for golf

How You Arrange It

Net Return:

Stays assembled, but placed against the wall when not in use

Cars:

Park normally on both sides, but with marked lines on the floor so they don’t intrude on the hitting area

Practice time:

One car moves out
You pull the net away from the wall onto its marks
Place turf in hitting position

Helpful Tricks

Place turf vertically when it’s rolled up to save floor space
Use a slim vertical cabinet to store balls and accessories

This gives you a serious golf bay on demand, without giving up the functionality of a two-car garage.

Layout 3 - Golf And Gym Combo Garage

This is where your garage becomes your sports hub.

When It Works Best

You already have a small gym area: rack, dumbbells, treadmill, bike, etc.
You want golf to integrate with that, not fight it

How You Arrange It

Net Return bay on one side or one end
Gym equipment on the other
Turf in the hitting zone that:

Doubles as a stretching or mobility area
Can be partly used for bodyweight exercises

Very Practical Details

Make sure your gym equipment (especially racks) is not where your follow-through could hit it
If you use bars or plates near the bay, keep them racked and not lying on the ground in your swing path
Treat the entire hitting line as a no-storage zone: nothing heavy, sharp, or tall belongs there

This setup works brilliantly with Pro Series nets because the bigger frame feels right in a more fully “kitted out” space.

Basement Golf Studio Layouts

Now let’s head downstairs.

Basements can be awkward… but also insanely good for indoor golf once you understand the quirks.

Layout 1 - Straight Wall Studio

This is the “obvious” basement layout, but we can still do it smartly.

When It Works Best

You have a wall that’s wide enough to host the net
The ceiling is at least decent in height along that wall
The length from wall to opposite wall gives you space for a stance

How You Arrange It

Net Return centred on the back wall
Turf strip or mat running straight toward the opposite wall
Hitting mat around the middle
TV or monitor on the side wall if you use video or a sim

What Makes It Feel Good

Paint or panel the back wall darker so it feels like a ‘bay’
Use a slightly thicker turf to soften the sound and feel
Keep the walking path behind you clear so nobody has to squeeze past your backswing

This works nicely with Mini, Home, Pro, Pro 8, depending on your width.

Layout 2 - Corner Setup For Narrow Rooms

Sometimes your basement is long and skinny. A straight setup can feel too tight.

When It Works Best

One corner of the room is wider or taller than the rest
You need to use the diagonals of the room to gain space

How You Arrange It

Net Return placed diagonally into a corner
Hitting mat also slightly diagonal, so your hitting line runs from one corner towards the opposite side of the room
Side barriers help protect exposed walls on the open side

Why This Helps

Diagonals often give you:

The longest ball-to-net distance
The most swing width away from beams or low points

The ‘corner studio’ feel can actually look stylish if you design it intentionally

A Home or Pro 8/9 net tends to shine in this type of layout.

Layout 3 - Full Golf Cave With Simulator

This is the dream: basement as proper indoor golf simulator.

When It Works Best

You have one room that can be fully dedicated to golf
Ceiling height is high enough for a driver
You’re okay with adding a screen, projector, and tech

How You Arrange It

Net Return behind or integrated with an impact screen
Projector mounted on ceiling or on the flooe, out of your swing path
Hitting mat centred with a comfortable stance area
Seating or a sofa behind for friends/family
Darker walls, minimal light leaks for a clean sim picture

Net Return Models That Fit This Vibe

Pro 8, Pro 9, Pro 10, Pro XL - the larger the room, the bigger a frame looks “right”

Even if you don’t install full sim tech now, designing the room to support it later is smart.
Think of cable routes, outlet placement, and screen position upfront.

Ceiling, Beams, And Garage Door Openers - Solving Real World Problems

In almost every real project, the ceiling is the part that surprises people.

Not just height, but what’s attached to it.

Let’s break down the most common issues and how you can work around them.

Garage Door Rails And Openers

Rails usually sit lower than the highest part of the ceiling
The opener unit often hangs down right where you want to swing

Fixes

Move your hitting mat forward or backward until:

The club’s high point in your swing arc is under the highest piece of ceiling, not under the rail

If needed, you can:

Hit irons only when the door is closed
Hit driver when the door is open and the panels move away, creating a higher pocket

You don’t need the mat to be dead centre in the garage. You need it where your swing is happiest.

Basement Beams And Low Spots

Basements love dropping beams right through the space you want to use.

Fixes

Walk around the room with a driver and make practice swings in different spots; find where it feels safest and highest
Place your mat under that safe spot, even if it’s not in the exact centre of the space
Use your net’s position and the room’s shape to angle your hitting line as needed

Sometimes rotating everything by just 15-20 degrees solves the “this beam is in the way” problem completely.

Lights And Fans

Bright lights directly above your head can be blinding when you look up
Low hanging fixtures and fans are obvious no-gos

Fixes

Move or change light fixtures so they’re:

Above and slightly in front of the net
Or behind you, diffusing forward

Avoid ceiling fans in your hitting arc altogether
If you need air, think floor fans or a wall-mounted one out of club range

A garage or basement golf setup feels 10× better with thoughtful lighting.

Flooring, Turf, And Mat Placement For Garage And Basement Setups

The floor decides how your practice feels, sounds, and looks.

Turf Vs Single Mat

You basically have three options:

Single Hitting Mat Only

Cheapest and simplest
Works in tight spaces
But it can look a bit “temporary”

Turf Strip + Hitting Mat

A 6'-10' strip of turf under and in front of the net
Your hitting mat sits somewhere on this strip
Looks organised and clean

Full Area Turf

The whole hitting zone is turfed
Very sim-studio feel
Also helps with noise and foot comfort

For a garage golf setup, option 2 is usually the perfect balance.
For a basement golf studio, option 2 or 3 look amazing.

Underlay And Noise Control

Bare concrete + mat can be noisy and hard on joints.

Thin foam tiles under your turf:

Cut impact noise
Soften the feel under your feet

Rubber pads under the net’s feet:

Help with noise
Stop the frame from shifting on smooth floors

If you’re in a basement, especially above someone’s bedroom or living space, these small changes can make a huge difference.

Mat Alignment

This part is underrated.

Align your mat so the centre of your stance matches the centre of your net
Use tape or subtle paint lines on the floor to mark:

Mat front edge
Net leg positions
Ball position

Once this is dialled in, every session you step into essentially the same geometry.
That consistency is gold for your swing.

Storage, And Keeping Your Space Liveable

If your garage or basement constantly looks like a training camp exploded, your setup won’t last.

You need a way to reset the room quickly.

Storing The Net

Depending on your Net Return model and your space:

Fully Assembled, Always Out

Works in a dedicated bay or basement golf room
Feels like a permanent studio

Disassembled Into A Bag

Best when space is tight or the garage is fully multi-use
Takes slightly longer to set up, but room looks totally normal when you’re done

Pick the level that fits your life, not your fantasy.
If constant assembly annoys you, lean towards keeping the net assembled and tucked away

Storing Turf And Mats

Roll the turf, strap it, and stand it vertically in a corner
Or slide it under a workbench or shelving unit
Smaller mats can sometimes slide behind cabinets, fridges, or storage racks

The goal is that when someone else looks at the room, it still resembles a garage or basement, not a demo bay from a golf shop.

Storing Clubs And Accessories

Small touches make a big difference:

A simple wall rack for clubs
Hooks for:

Alignment sticks
Side barriers
Towel

A tub or crate for balls and tees

If everything has a clear home, you’ll never feel like golf gear is taking over the house.

Noise, Neighbours, And Family Friendly Garage Golf

You’re not practising in a vacuum.
There are people above, beside, or near you.

Managing Sound

Turf + foam underlay = quieter impact
Rubber or foam under net feet = less vibration into floor
Closing the garage door changes how sound travels:

Door open -> more sound outside
Door closed -> more sound inside but less for neighbours

In a basement, clutter and soft furnishings actually help:

Rugs, curtains, sofas, and even stacked boxes break up echo

Time Of Day

If you live close to neighbours:

Maybe don’t run full-speed driver sessions at midnight
Use foam balls or softer practice balls for late-night or early-morning work
Save the ‘loud’ sessions for reasonable hours

Clear Safety Rules At Home

Especially if you have kids or curious guests:

Nobody walks in front of the hitting line, ever
Kids are only in the bay when you’re in full control
No toys or random objects are allowed in the swing area

A garage or basement golf setup should feel safe to everyone in the house, not just you.

Example Garage And Basement Setup Blueprints

Let’s pull all this together into a few ready-made blueprints you can copy or tweak.

Blueprint 1 - Budget Single Car Garage Setup

Net: Net Return Home
Layout: Net against the garage door, car reverses out to practice
Flooring: Single hitting mat + a small turf strip in front of the net
Storage: Net pushed against side wall, turf rolled and stood in corner
Use Case:

After work, you reverse the car out
Drop the mat and turf on the marked floor positions
Hit 50-80 balls, pack away in under 10 minutes

Blueprint 2 - Premium Two Car Garage Bay

Net: Net Return Pro, Pro 8, or Pro 9
Layout: Dedicated bay on the left side; right side remains full-time car parking
Flooring: Net Return Pro Turf (6'x10') embedded or placed on top
Extras:

Side barriers
Small launch monitor
Wall rack for clubs and a small bench for shoes/bags

Use Case:

Golf bay always visually “there”
You can walk in and hit any time without moving the car on the other side

Blueprint 3 - Compact Basement Iron And Wedge Studio

Net: Net Return Mini or Home
Layout: Straight wall studio in a slightly narrow basement room
Flooring: Medium-size turf area with a simple hitting mat
Focus:

Irons and wedges only (no driver if ceiling is low)
Chipping and pitching target drills
Clock drill wedge work with or without a launch monitor

Use Case:

All-year practice, especially in bad weather
Quiet ‘golf cave’ where you can grind mechanics

Blueprint 4 - Full Simulator Basement Cave

Net: Net Return Pro 10 or Pro XL with sim kit / screen
Layout: Net/screen at far wall, hitting mat centred, projector ceiling-mounted
Flooring: Full hitting area turfed, maybe a raised platform for realism
Extras:

Side barriers integrated with enclosure
Launch monitor permanently installed
Sofa or chairs behind the mat
Shelves for balls, tees, and controllers

Use Case:

Friends come over for sim rounds
You can play 18 holes on a winter night without leaving the house

You can mix and match ideas from all of these to design something that suits your home and budget.

Final Take - Turn Your Garage Or Basement Into A Golf Space You Actually Love

A Net Return can either be:

A thing that lives in a box and comes out once a month, or
The centrepiece of a garage or basement golf setup that you love being in

The difference isn’t the net.
It’s the design of the space around it.

If you:

Choose the right spot (garage vs basement vs room)
Design around your hitting line, not just the frame
Respect ceiling quirks, beams, and door rails
Use turf, mats, and storage in a clean, intentional way
Keep the space multi-use so the rest of your life still works

…then you’ll end up with a golf bay that feels natural in your home, not like an intrusion.

From a simple single-car garage golf setup with a Home net and a roll-up mat…
To a full basement golf studio with a Pro Series net and simulator…

You can build this step by step, at your own pace, and always with real life in mind.

Your Net Return doesn’t have to ‘take over’ your house.

If you design it right, it becomes the best part of your garage or basement –
a space where daily life and daily practice actually work together.