What They Have in Common
Both are golf practice nets with automatic ball return, and both are built to work indoors or outdoors. Neither includes side barriers in the base price. The SPG-7 folds down for storage and travel, and both are aimed at the kind of practice setup you'd build in a garage or backyard.
Where They Differ
Room and Setup
The Net Return publishes a room requirement for the Mini: 7 ft wide, 7 ft ceiling, 14 ft deep. Those figures are marked approximate on their site, but they're real numbers you can hold a tape measure to. Spornia publishes no room requirement for the SPG-7 at all — the 7 ft × 7 ft × 7 ft figure is the frame's footprint, not the space a swing needs. Those aren't the same thing. A 9 ft ceiling sounds like plenty until you measure to the garage-door track, and Spornia doesn't help you make that call.
Setup time is the same story: The Net Return says about 5 minutes, no tools. Spornia doesn't publish a setup time.
Size and Weight
The SPG-7's frame is wider, taller, and deeper than the Mini's — 7 ft on all three axes versus 5 ft wide, 6 ft tall, and 3.5 ft deep. A wider, taller net catches more mishits, which matters if you're working through a swing change and spraying it a bit. The Mini's smaller footprint is genuinely useful in a cramped space, but it's also less forgiving of anything that misses the middle.
The SPG-7 weighs 20 lbs; the Mini weighs 24 lbs. A 4 lb gap in this weight class isn't a deciding factor.
Ball Speed Rating
The Mini is rated for 225 mph ball speed. The SPG-7 has no published rating. That's not a knock on the Spornia's netting — the rating is a limit the maker stands behind, and Spornia simply doesn't publish one.
What's in the Box and What It'll Cost You
The SPG-7 base package includes the net, a Noise Reduction Target Sheet, a roof attachment for short irons and wedges, a chipping basket, and a carry bag — $349.99 at list. The Mini base includes net and frame only, at $549. Side barriers are $149 extra. So the gap at list is $199.01, and the SPG-7 comes with meaningfully more included.
One flag worth raising: Spornia lists three different dimensions for the SPG-7 across its own pages — 7 ft square in the spec block, 2.1 m on the what's-included page, and 6.5 ft in its simulator guide. I'd contact them before ordering to confirm which is right.
On warranty: The Net Return covers the Mini for 3 years. Spornia's warranty page lists 1 year overall but 60 days on the netting specifically.
Who Should Buy Which
Get The Net Return Mini if:
- You need to verify your room dimensions before ordering — the published 7 ft wide / 7 ft ceiling / 14 ft deep requirement is there for exactly that
- You want a rated speed limit (225 mph) on the netting
- You're in a genuinely tight space and the smaller 5 ft × 6 ft footprint is the only thing that fits
- A 3-year warranty matters more than saving $199 at list
Get the Spornia SPG-7 if:
- $349.99 is the right number and $549 isn't
- You want a roof attachment and chipping basket included without buying extras
- The larger 7 ft × 7 ft frame suits your space and you've already measured your swing clearance independently
- You're primarily hitting irons and wedges, where the size question matters less
The Bottom Line
The SPG-7 is a decent deal for what it includes, and that 60-day netting warranty is a red flag worth knowing about before you commit. The Mini costs more, fits less, and includes less in the base price — but The Net Return publishes what the SPG-7 won't: a room requirement you can actually check, and a ball-speed rating on the netting. For most buyers building a permanent hitting bay, that transparency is worth the premium.
Get The Net Return Mini.