Now that Winter has arrived here in Maryland and throughout just about everywhere except Florida on the mainland, I thought I would look into what’s on the market for golf simulators.
A number of years ago when I was still teaching nearly full time, I purchased a golf simulator for indoor teaching. I personally gained substantial benefit from it. I know you will too!
It you’ve got enough space in your house or garage, perhaps it is time to invest in a golf simulator.
First of all, you will need a space with high ceilings. I personally recommend at least 10 feet, and if you are much over six feet tall, you’ll want that clearance to be a bit higher.
If your budget allows you to go for a golf simulator that includes an overhead projector and impact screen, then you’ll need a pretty sizable space… probably about 20 feet of depth and 15 feet of width.
A common do-it-yourself cage is typically 10x10x10. But, you’ll be standing outside of the cage to hit your shots, and you’ll need room to mount the camera.
In any event, let’s have a look at what’s currently on the market for each budget level.
Under $2,000
For under $2,000, and if you have limited space, you have a couple different options. The first is the Opti Shot 2, which you have probably seen advertised on TV with NBC analyst and former tour pro, Roger Maltbie.
The Opti Shot 2 golf simulator OptiShot2 has sixteen precisely-tuned, high-speed 48MHz infrared sensors. Each is calibrated to track your favorite clubs, before, during and after contact, giving you precise and instantaneous feedback on every shot.
The software comes with 15 golf courses and can run on a Windows PC with Windows 7 or greater, or on a Mac OS X 10.8.
The Opti Shot 2 simulator itself is under $300, but you’ll need a net, and a stance mat to go with the simulator. You can then just hook it up to your computer or TV.
The Opti Shot 2 Golf In A Box will run you just $799.
A technology that came out in the last few years is the R Motion technology by Rhapsody, which utilizes a tracker and clip attachments that fit onto your golf club.
I recommend that package that comes with 14 clip attachments, one for each club, so you don’t have to bother switching them between clubs.
This technology and software is also priced at $299, similar to the Opti Shot 2. With this technology, you don’t even need any balls, so you could actually use this without a net or stance mat. It runs on your computer, or even on your smartphone! You can learn more about R Motion by clicking below.
If you want to take another step up from these two products, you will find the P3ProSwing. With this simulator, you will receive greater feedback and analysis regarding you swing and ball flight.
The P3ProSwing simulator is effectively a more advanced simulator compared to the Opti Shot 2, due to the number of sensors at work to give you the analysis.
The P3ProSwing Golf Swing Analyzer features 65 infrared optics that reflect light off of your clubs (or club tape) and back into the sensor – providing detailed information about your swing.
As the club comes across the surface, 65 infrared optics reflect light off of the bottom of the club/club tape and back to the pad. Detailed information is sent to the computer via a supplied 15′ USB cable.
Data from the golf swing analyzer gets processed by the P3ProSwing software and provides real-time golf simulation & golf analytics feedback.
Video from the software is delivered to the monitor or projector using the computer’s video card. If you use a projector, you can project the image on to an impact screen or wall.
The P3ProSwing swing analyzer provides measurements for club path, swing speed, clubface angle, and angle of attack.
In order to obtain these accurate measurements, the P3ProSwing golf simulator comes with special tape to be applied to the bottom of your clubs.
This particular version of the P3ProSwing comes with 20 golf courses.
Ultimately, the P3ProSwing is a more advanced version of the Opti Shot 2, and comes in a more durable case.
With this golf simulator, you will at a minimum want a set up similar to the Opti Shot golf in a box, with a stance mat in which the simulator will fit, along with a net. You can then just plug this in to your TV or computer.
The P3ProSwing simulator itself is $999, so if you want a set up similar to the Opti Shot golf in a box, you will spending upwards of $1,500.
Click on the P3ProSwing image to learn more.
$2,000 to $6,000
When you start getting involved with launch monitor technology, you will push over $2,000. Add to that, a cage with impact screen and projector, and you’ll be over $3,000.
Skytrak is the launch monitor that many golf simulator systems are being built around. The Skytrak doesn’t require a special mat, or extra lighting that some other systems require.
This launch monitor uses photometric technology and sophisticated image processing to measure and display the golf ball’s flight path and distance. The monitor captures high speed images of the ball just after impact. These images are then used to measure parameters necessary to display shot shape and carry distance.
You just sit the monitor next to where you will hit the shot from, and Skytrak does the rest. The beauty of the Skytrak is that it is portable, so you can use it indoors or outdoors. It comes with a rechargeable battery, has its own wifi hotspot, so it can operate without a power cord.
Your Skytrak launch monitor typically sells for about $1,995, so you can build a basic golf simulator set up for less than $3,000 by hooking it up to your computer or TV. You can save $300 on the Skytrak here… Skygolf Skytrak Launch Monitor Black
The Pro Tee United Base Pack is the simulator system that was most similar to what I used back in 2010. This system involves simulator that is simular to the P3ProSwing except you don’t have the need for special tape for your clubs.
Instead, you do need to mount a halogen light to focus directly on the simulator. This then creates the shadow in which the simulator will monitor your clubface angle, swing path and swing speed.
This base pack also comes with a high speed camera to measure the launch angle and ball speed. The combination of the two technologies then provides for more accurate data.
The Pro Tee Base Pack software is highly advanced with awesome 3D graphics, so you’ll definitely want to build a simulator with cage, screen and projector around this system.
The Pro Tee Base Pack currently runs for a bit under $3,000. The Pro Tee Base Pack 2 offers an additional high speed camera, plus The Golf Club simulator software in addition to the Pro Tee 2.0 softward.
This base pack is priced at a little under $6,000. Click on the image below to learn more.
is very appealing.
