Golf Simulator Guide

 
 

HOME GOLF SIMULATOR GUIDE FOR 2022

 golf simulator projector

Spectrum Golf has been helping golfers setup golf simulators and golf impact screens for over 11 years. We have tested and played pretty much every home golf simulator.

 

Below is our Home Golf Simulator guide for 2022.

 

If you are thinking about purchasing a home golf simulator in 2022, you need to make a checklist of all the different factors in choosing a home golf simulator. We are going to review these factors first, then you can select the home golf simulator that best suits your needs .

 

1) BUDGET. Like buying a car, you are not going to look at porsches, if you have a budget for a mustang. Golf simulators vary widely in price from 399 for a basic optishot to 50-60K for some of the commercial golf simulators. Complete golf simulator setups with golf cage, golf screen, hitting mat, computer and projector range from 2500 to 12k . Plan on spending 2-4k on all of the golf simulator components to complete your home golf simulator.

 

2) SPACE DIMENSIONS. Here is where Spectrum Golf can really help. Just email us your space dimensions where you want to install your home golf simulator plus pictures and let us provide you with a free layout. We can give you golf cage, golf screen and golf mat options. We can even tell you what golf simulator will work in your space. We can even do custom golf simulator cages to fit basically any space. We specialize in golf simulators in garages, rec rooms and basements.

 

3) HOME GOLF SIMULATOR SYSTEMS. Golf simulators fall into 3 basic catagories.

 a golf hitting mat, projector and lights

FLOOR MOUNTED GOLF SIMULATORS. These include optishot golf and protee golf. They feature sensors built into the hitting mat. These home golf simulators work by picking up the movement of the golf club back and thru the ball. Optishot Golf features 16 sensors in their optishot mat and Protee golf features 101 sensors. Protee golf actually picks up the ball as well. These indoor golf simulators are entry level. The advantages are cost, and ease of setup. The disadvantages are 1) the golf mat can wear out and may need to be replaced. 2) its a permanent installation and 3) you need 14-15 ft for LH/RH setup.

 an assortment of different launch monitors

PORTABLE GOLF LAUNCH MONITORS. These portable golf simulators have recently been improved to include ball and club data. Skytrak golf, Mevo Plus and Optishot Ball flight are 3 golf launch monitors. Mevo Plus is the newest player in the portable golf launch monitor game. The Mevo+ 3D Doppler radar-based launch monitor, adds 8 additional data parameters, 5 E6 Connect courses on iOS, 17 practice ranges, and mini-golf games. It features an internal boresight camera for accurate alignment, and can be used indoors and outdoors to practice to improve your overall game. Keep in mind you need 15-16 ft of total depth to set up the Mevo plus since it sit 8 ft behind the ball. Skytrak is a photometric launch monitor that tracks the golf ball after it is hit.. After every swing, get instant data on your skytrak with instant 3D visualization, powered by SkyTrak golf monitor’s advanced flight model and ball spin and ball launch measurement capability. Compare to other golf launch monitors, costing 10-15k, Skytrak golf is an outstanding value among golf launch monitors. Keep in mind skytrak requires a subscription to run most of their golf course software.

 

 

These golf launch monitors typically pick up the ball only. The optishot ballflight picks up the ball and club. You also get a real time video of your ball impacting the club with optishot ball flight golf launch monitor. Higher end golf launch monitors like Foresight GC2 and Trackman can run into the 15-20K range.

Skytrak Golf runs 1995 , Mevo Plus runs 1995 and the new Optishot Ball Flight runs 5995. Advantages of the golf launch monitor include portability, easy to switch between RH/LH, and ability to take to range or course. Golf launch monitor disadvantages are 1) limited club data, 2) some need subscriptions, and 3) shot delay.

 

OVERHEAD GOLF SIMULATORS . These are the new breed of indoor golf simulators. Technology has come along way on these advanced indoor golf simulators. They allow you the freedom to just drop the ball on the mat and hit. All without having to put the ball on a golf sensor mat or in front of a golf launch monitor. The golf simulators work with high speed cameras to track ball and club data. These are the ultimate home golf simulators. 10 years ago you would need to spend 40-50 k to get this level of technology. Today these overhead golf simulators start at under 8000 dollars. Optishot Vision is the latest golf simulator from Optishot. Optishot Vision features 3 high speed cameras to give you complete ball and club data. The optshot vision mounts 9-10 ft above the ball. Optishot Vsion retails for 9100. Another exciting overhead golf simulator is Bravo Golf. The Bravo golf simulator features 2 high speed camera and IR tracking to capture complete ball and club data. Bravo Golf also come with TGC2019 golf simulatorsoftware with over 150k courses. The bravo golf unit mounts 9-10 ft above and 5 ft back from the golf. It tracks the data from behind the golf. The bravo golf simulator retails for 6995. ADVANTAGES of the overhead golf simulator is 1) ease of use-just drop the ball and hit 2) complete ball and club data 3) same technology as the commercial golf simulators at a fraction of the price. DISADVANTAGES 1) might be pricey for some 2) need 10 ft ceilings 3) not portable.

 

GOLF CAGES, GOLF ENCLOSURES and GOLF IMPACT SCREENS. Choosing the right golf simulator cage is the most tricky part of setting up a golf simulator. Most golf simulator companies try and sell you a "One size fits All " golf cage and golf screen and hope it works. Most of these "One size fits All " golf cages are typically too small, do not have enough side and top protection and are drop shipped from the manufacturer. At Spectrum Golf, We take a different approach on golf cages and golf enclosures. We customize the golf cage to fit your specs and needs. Here is a list of questions you need to ask yourself when choosing a golf cage

 

1) Where do I want to install the golf cage and golf screen? Remember, BIGGER IS BETTER. Most of these golf cages and golf screen are way too small. Some are 7 x 8 and 8 x 8. Ideally you need a 10 wide x 9 high space for a golf cage. We can even make the golf screen same size as golf enclosure. Nobody complains about having a too big golf screen .

 

2) What is the best Golf screen material? Am I hitting a ton of golf balls? Do I want it to double as a home theater? Is sound a factor? We have several golf simulator screen materials to choose from. We can even put additional padding around your golf screen.

 

3) Do I need sides and top for my Golf cage ? If you are a good golfer, you may only need 2-3 ft sides and top on your golf enclosure. If you have beginners or children playing, you may want to go with a full golf cage with 10 ft sides/top. If you want to be able to open up the room when the golf simulator is not in use, you may want retractable curtains or angled nets that can easily be stored. We can do anything from 2 to 10 ft on the sides and top of your golf cage. Our popular golf screen frame is only 14" deep and can be retro fitted with a wide variety of tops and sides.

 

Golf Cage Construction. Most of our basic golf cages are built from 3/4 metal conduit. The piping just slides into our connectors and tighten with pliers. This is a extremely economical way to build a golf cage. In addition, we have a 1 1/2 aluminum frame and our new 1 1/2 square slotted aluminum frame. The material are designed for commercial golf simulator applications.

MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN CHOOSING A GOLF SIMULATOR

Always spend your money on the hitting golf mat and the golf impact screen. These are the only real components that will eventually wear out. Think about it, Every shot you hit involves the golf mat and golf screen. You Want the Best! Real Feel Mat and our layered poly spacer golf screens are the best!

 

No matter what your budget is or how much space you have, we can design a home golf simulator to meet all your needs. We can provide only the golf simulator components you need or can put together a complete golf simulator package . Be sure to visit us at golfsimulatorsite.com , email us at optishotgolfsimulator@gmail.com or call us at 336-342-5592