Home Golf Simulators
Imagine hosting your foursome at a get-together in your garage or man cave on a winter’s night and teeing up for a round of golf at Pebble Beach or St Andrews while sipping whisky and enjoying cigars.
Improved technology and affordable packages have put golf simulators, once the purview of sports bars, golf schools and touring pros, within the reach of homeowners. Tiger Woods has one in his mansion. Why shouldn’t you have one in your basement?
Simulators are made up of a system of components that work together to bring you a virtual golf experience. You can buy them a la carte or, more conveniently now, as a turnkey package. The system’s heart is a launch monitor that instantly analyzes the speed, spin and direction of the ball you hit into the ersatz fairway (actually a nonbreakable video screen). The better the monitor, the more accurate the results. The popular entry-level SkyTrak runs just two grand. There are many in the $8,000 to $12,000 range. The very high-end TrackMan 4 is $21,500. Prices rise when you add the needed components: a computer (ideally dedicated and gaming optimized), an impact screen, video projector and a synthetic grass teeing mat. A serious man cave warrants a custom built-in installation, with features like a giant wraparound screen. Tiger has the Full Swing Pro with 700 sensors and a combo of cameras and infrared sensors (starting around $55,000).
But turnkey simulator packages allow you to play realistically for much less by gathering the required components in one. Gimme Simulators, which offers many affordable brands and complete setups from $10,000, is the leading DIY retailer. The Vista 10 Package uses a three-camera TruTrack 2 monitor and comes with everything you need, even the computer, for under $16,000. If you want help setting up your system without going into the mid-to-high five figures, look at Ace Indoor Golf, a leading consulting installer of affordable home solutions with many top hardware brands. Its $26,000 man-cave-worthy Sim-In-A-Box Eagle Plus package with a Foresight Sports monitor was the Golf Digest Editor’s Choice for home simulator.
Now your only problem is choosing whether to play Pinehurst or Sawgrass tonight.
