Frequently Asked Questions
For troubleshooting information or to see our Maintenance and Repairs page.
Delivery and Delivery Rates
We delivery New Zealand wide and keep our delivery rates low. A flat delivery fee of $40 for North & South Island addresses, including rural delivery.
What court surfaces can I use a Spinshot machine on?
We have many customers that use our Spinshot machines on synthetic grass courts and there is no problem with this surface. Our machines work on all court surfaces. To keep your machine in the best condition when playing on artificial turf it is best to simply shake off as much sand as possible from the balls before tipping them back into the machine’s ball hopper. Do this by collecting the balls into a wire basket or any container without a solid base, and then give them a good shake to remove the sand. If you do find that excess sand is getting into the machine it's can be easily vacuumed out.
Can I use any type of tennis balls in a tennis ball machine?
Most types of balls can be used in a Spinshot ball machine. Pressureless balls are recommended for their consistent bounce and longevity. The average person will get 1 - 2 years out of pressureless balls (depends on court surface, amount of usage). The only reason you have to replace them is when they lose their felt.
Regular tennis balls (the ones that come in a can) are pressurised. They can be used in Spinshot machines but they will not provide consistent shots. After a couple of days of hitting they are considerably flatter and will not travel as far as a new ball. If you put these old balls into the tennis ball machine, you will get varying results. For example, if you set the tennis ball machine to hit the baseline every time, you won't be able to achieve this because each ball will have a different pressure. When a flat ball comes out it will hit the net, and when a new ball comes out it will go over the baseline. To avoid this, pressureless balls are the answer. These balls have been designed without using pressurised air. This means that the balls will have the same bounce & shape for years to come.
You should avoid oversized balls like red dot balls. The balls are designed for kids making them easier to hit. They will not fit into the chamber of a ball machine which will cause the machine to jam.
Do I need Wifi on my tennis court to use the App?
No, the Spinshot machine has it's own built-in Wifi antenna. You connect the Drill Maker app on your phone to your machine by using the machine's Wifi signal, not your home or club's Wifi. The machine's Wifi signal will reach the other end of the tennis court.
Why should I buy a tennis ball machine?
Tennis ball machines are the ideal, reliable partner for beginners and experts alike and they are available whenever you are. Beginners benefit from the repetition, precision, and consistency of ball machines.The repetition develops basic skills and muscle memory - essential building blocks for a developing game. More advanced players can take advantage of a long list of available features. Spins, strokes, high speeds, programs, randomisation, and a host of other specific attributes are designed to challenge the skills of even the game's elite athletes.
How does a ball machine work?
There are mainly two ways for tennis ball machines to work and the more popular is through the use of counter rotating wheels. You can see the two wheels inside the machine. They spin at high speed to propel the ball. The other method which is not as effective is pneumatic. This method uses a similar technology to a vacuum cleaner in reverse mode. The pressure build up inside the chamber forces the ball out and projects it through a long tube. The problem with pneumatic is it's noisy, it can't provide spin (without the use of an adaptor), has low top speeds & is generally outdated. Most pneumatic machines have now been discontinued.How do ball machines create spin on the ball?
Tennis ball machines with counter rotating wheels spin the ball by rotating one wheel faster than the other. So if the top wheel spins at a higher speed than the bottom, the machine will impart topspin on the ball. If the bottom wheel spins faster, you will get a slice.What is random oscillation?
Random oscillation is where the tennis ball machine replicates a match situation by shooting balls randomly around the court. This allows a player to focus on footwork, fitness and practice shots in a more realistic environment.