By Earl Reidlen  

We play golf for an endless number of reasons. It's competitive, it's fun, and it's the perfect excuse to spend the day outdoors. And sometimes you just want to hit a few golf balls for no other reason than you like it.   But improvement can be slow, especially when you don't have the time to get out to the golf range every weekend.

If you've ever found yourself wishing you could come home at the end of a long day and hit a round of golf balls in the comfort of your own house, then today is your day - here are instructions on how to make that dream a reality.  

Step One: Assessing Your Space  

Not every room is the right place for an indoor golf range. It's important that the room is not just spacious, but also that it has a high enough ceiling. (That may eliminate the basement for some homes.)  

Club in hand, take a few slow motion practice swings in the room to make sure there is enough clearance for your club. (Don't forget to follow through!) If you take a full swing and your club does not connect with the ceiling, the room is big enough for your indoor driving range.  

Step Two: Find The Right Equipment  

You're not the first golfer to want your own indoor range - there are plenty of products out there to help you realize your dream. You might want to try finding a brick and mortar store selling the mats and nets, instead of just a website, so that you can see and touch them.  

Mats can be equipped with rough-length turf, fairway-length turf, a built-in rubber tee, etc. See which one best suits your needs. Nets come in a number of sizes and can include a target or marker. The bigger your room, the bigger your net should be. And don't forget to pick up a bunch of inexpensive balls.  

Step Three: Set The Place Up!  

Set up your mat with the net relatively close by. If the net came with a moveable marker, place it now. (The more space your ball has to fly before it hits the net, the more likely you are to break something expensive in the room.)  

Step Four: Time To Play!   Take out your golf clubs and those cheap balls you bought and start swinging! Play as much as you want - there is no travel time, no fees, and no excuses not to improve that swing.
 

Now that you are all set up, it is entirely up to you whether you want to let your friends know about your new game room. The upside of spreading the word: having fun with your buddies! The downside: never getting rid of them.  

About the author: Earl Reidlen is a golf fanatic with over 400 pieces of memorabilia from the PGA Tour. When he isn’t writing about the best indoor or outdoor golf netting, you’ll probably find him on the links working on his own game.