Hey guys, just checking in to see if you folk can share what you use for back drops for your backyard targets…

I vaguely remember an old thread describing a few but I can’t seem to find it again!

Besides, some may have changed since  ;)

I’m only really worrying about T-Balls for now, stones are for a time when I’m more consistent  ;D

For tennis balls just a sheet , shade cloth or netting .
A hard backstop is also nice if you can afford to bounce the balls back towards you.

I've used a 3m x 3 m (10ft by 10ft) golf net. I got it for about 120USD, not super cheap, but its lasted 3 years now with no sign of wear. And I can throw full power into it with heavy rustyballs with no issue. I'm setting it up now (not in town) to see if it can handle stones. 

But for tennis balls, as Mersa mentioned, a hard backstop is the best. You can get a single tennis ball and just sling, catch, sling, catch. It's great for getting in a lot of repetitions.

I've also been wondering about this. :)

So far I've either gone without a backstop and only used the diana in my backyard, or gone to a park and used a baseball backstop. A local school has a nice concrete wall that I've thrown tennis balls at on a weekend once, too.

Portable nets are a decent option too. I got a golf net that was like 8 feet wide by 6 feet tall. It stops most things. The concern with is is the wild misses that hit the frame and can slowly damage it or the net at those locations. I completely destroyed one portable baseball net because I hit the connection points (sewing stitches) so many times it just started to come apart.

I plan on using a heavy duty silver tarp from Harbor Freight attached to a clothes line sort of thing. It's cheap, durable, easy to take down or put up and it's got grommets.  If I put some small weights on the bottom but leave the bottom off of the ground, the tennis ball should move the cloth enough that the shock is absorbed and the ball falls to the ground instead of bouncing.  You can even use spray paint to put a target on it.

Tarps work for a while, but make sure you get one with good UV stabilizers. Otherwise it will be done within a year. I haven't had good luck with tarps as a backstop. For tennisballs they should work, as long as the sun doesn't beat it up too much.

A large golf net is nice and will last a long time. Not terribly expensive either.

Thanks for all the input guys.

I have taken on Mersa’s advice for now; using a top sheet because they are lame and technically free because I literally never use the top sheet that comes in a sheet set  ;D

It works quite well, however where I live it gets rather gusty and it billows about quite a bit even when I put bricks on the bottom!

For now it works well enough, meaning I can get atleast some practice in everyday as I don’t have to make a trip to go slinging. Definitely will look into getting some golf net though, as rusty balls are on the horizon !

Thanks again folks  :)

This would do the  job and not cost you much:

https://www.amazon.com/Seedfactor-Heavy-Duty-Polyester-Climbing-Vegetables/dp/B0B7J6RR7X/ref=sr_1_22_sspa?crid=2DBI7EGPSCM4R&keywords=garden%2Bnetting&qid=1700739174&sprefix=garden%2Bnetting%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-22-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&th=1

blargslap wrote on Nov 22^nd, 2023 at 8:06pm:

It works quite well, however where I live it gets rather gusty and it billows about quite a bit even when I put bricks on the botom.

You could try folding it in half with the crease on the bottom and a piece of PVC or metal pipe in the crease.  It will still move in high winds but it will at least stay roughly square and mostly cover the area you wanted it to cover.

I use a golf net too.
If you are throwing rocks, a truckers tarp might work. They’re designed to survive being pummeled by gravel at  over 70mph on highways.

I just thought I'd update you lot; as you all pitched in some way or the other.

I realized a lot of people have had luck with golf nets, and in sight of wanting to use rustyballs in the future; I have opted to go for one.

I actually procured one locally (awesome!) thats 5mx3m. It works a treat  and has made practice in my yard a thing I can do far more efficiently and safely.

Ill post a pic next time I have it set up.

Thanks to all for your thoughts and comments!

That's great! Yes, please post a picture. Not only do we want to see it, but it makes a great reference for others who have the same question you did.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CXnIEWFs0JlcLhA01JI371_4jB32cOR_Ai4INk0/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

This was my set up at my old house. Golf nets are great, not too expensive and will essentially last forever with tennis balls. I never tried with rusty balls but I imagine if the tension is somewhat loose on the net it will work very well also.

The only thing I would change is the target would be more visible.  Otherwise its quite a nice addition to any slingers backyard set up.

Update:

Here’s my setup !

5x3 golf net, suspended by carabiners. My target is the end of my daughter’s crib; that met its end after I sat on it one morning to tie her hair. I snapped the base and these ends are great targets!

They aren’t regulation, and to be honest I’ve never measured them, but I’d say the “Diana” is about 3-4” in diameter.

It’s going well! I can get up to about 15m with this ( I still find this challenging ) but I’ve noticed that being able to practice more than once a week/fortnight has helped so much. Fetching the missed shots is far easier now as they don’t go into the hedge and garden. Any rouge high shots tend to get caught in the net and not go sailing over the fence

Thanks again to all the folk who shared their thoughts  :)

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As you said having a practice range nearby is very helpful for raising your skill level fast. I would put it at the top of the list with having good, consistent ammo. That looks great man!

Looks great! :)

Just thought I would jump in with the net I have been using for the last few years...
I use a combination of the safety net that goes around a trampoline.  Then I hang the trampoline mat itself over that and of course I add a weighted rope type of thing hanging from the bottom to help the net sort of catch the projectile.

It's sort of crazy to me to see posts like this. Back when I first started on here you didn't really see stuff like this. It was what I would call a very casual almost novelty mindset back then. Now it's rapidly becoming like a sport people take seriously. I love it. Its been really gratifying watching this sport grow.

Interesting you say that Morphy, I felt the same when I first started properly getting into it. For me I started doing it because of a game I had played and the fact that I had at the time recently purchased a bundle of paracord for a survival kit. I was intrigued more by what I could do with the paracord; and so I searched what I could make with it, the sling came up and it started from that.

At first I was just happy I made something, and I used it for the first time when I went on a hike. I sucked at it, like really bad (stones flying out early, didn’t even know a way to cast etc..) but there was something about it that kept bringing me back. I was super causal for a month or two before I actually started looking into it a bit more, found this site and started practicing regularly and constructing better slings. I remember being very surprised that their was a legitimate competition for it too, and the more I scoured this forum I realised how in depth this seemingly simple sport/hobby/skill, whatever you may call it; how in depth it really is. I feel like when most people start out, they feel like the only person within 200km that even knows what a sling is, and it’s a very personal experience that can be hard to explain.

You can get a trick setup for home practice, or you can go practice out in the middle of the wop wops, or just chuck stones when you feel like it, it doesn’t seem to matter. I find that slings and slinging is at its essence very simple, very accessible and very adaptable. Something that you can do wherever whenever. It’s really cool seeing what people do with it, what they make, how good they can get and the overall enjoyment it brings us all!

Well said. I'm excited to see where the sport can go. I would love to see it turn into something like disc golf where you just go out with a bunch of buddies and throw stuff, for free.