According to the National Golf Foundation, prior to the Covid pandemic, golf was seeing the sixth straight year of growth with more than two million new players. It was estimated 2019 alone saw 2.5 million new golfers showing up on the courses. For comparison, the last time new golfers were showing up in these numbers (2.4 million in 2000) was back when Tiger Woods was at the zenith of his fame. While the pandemic has made quantifying current golfing numbers difficult, it is safe to say the industry and the sport of golf is in a relatively healthy place.
 
While all of these new golfers may mean longer waits on the course, it has also led to a renaissance in golf tech and development. We have seen the golf industry embrace modern technology in many ways; distance-measuring lasers, swing sensors, and many more devices have all been appearing more often on courses. Perhaps the most advanced piece of golf tech, and the one that is arguably the most interesting, is the golf simulator.
 
While golf simulators are not new, the first ones appearing way back in the '70s, they have been revolutionized, in the past few years, by advancements in modern technology. Golf simulators today range from small and simple devices for easy storage to large and highly sophisticated pieces of advanced technology that can rival the flight simulators pilots train on in terms of sophistication.
 
While golf simulators are exciting and fun, they can also represent a significant investment. Serious golfers want to be sure that if they are going to make such an investment, there is a good reason to do so.  Primarily, they want to know if a simulator can genuinely help them golf better out on the course. In this article, we will explore this exact question and break down just how a golf simulator may be able to influence and guide the advancement of your golf game.

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What is a Golf Simulator?

Simply put, a golf simulator is a set-up that allows you to physically hit golf balls in a relatively small area (and are typically used indoors). You hit the ball from or into a special zone and will then get virtual data fed back to you, letting you know how that stroke would have likely performed in the real world. All simulators analyze vast amounts of data around your golf shot, including ball speed, launch angle spin, and more. Many simulators use swing mats to collect this data on your swing, while other designs may utilize other forms of radar, optical sensors, and cameras.

 

The simulators compile this data and then represent your swing in a virtual world on screen. You can watch the ball's flight and see where on the course it will lie. 

 

With a simulator, you can play eighteen holes on world famous courses without leaving the house.

 

The ability to hit balls and see the results in real-time means that you are able to get more golf practice more often, regardless of the weather outside or the status of your local course. Immediately after making the shot, you get to see what you are doing correctly and incorrectly.

 

What is the Difference Between Launch Monitors and Golf Simulators?

It is worth noting here the difference between golf simulators and launch monitors. While both types of technology are often packaged together, they serve very different purposes.

 

A launch monitor analyzes various measurements during a golf shot, like the speed, flight path, club path, and spin. Launch monitors are small electric devices with sophisticated sensors that you can use out on the course or indoors. Many golf simulators utilize the data provided by a launch monitor to simulate your golf shot on screen.

 

Meanwhile, a golf simulator is like a highly sophisticated video game. A golf simulator can simulate a variety of golf courses, weather patterns, and other factors and elements to challenge you and help you have fun. With a golf simulator, you can hit hundreds of balls in the most beautiful courses on the planet without leaving your home. Many simulators will also integrate putting and chipping and allow you to play through an entire hole from beginning to end.

 

Golf simulators will often come paired with proprietary launch monitors that will allow them to function correctly.

 

  

Can a Golf Simulator Help Me Play Better?

So golf simulators are fun and very technologically advanced, but can they help you play better in the real world? The answer is a resounding yes! As long as you use your simulator correctly and you continue to get in practice in the real world, a golf simulator may be exactly what you need to transcend your current plateau and take your game to the next level.

 

Golf simulators have the unique ability to allow you to hit shot after shot at home without needing to pay a daily course fee.  You don’t need to spend the time waiting for other players or walking the course. This means you can focus in on your practice and hit exponentially more shots in the same amount of time. It is very easy to play 18 holes in less than an hour on a simulator.

 

Another added benefit is the ability to analyze your golf swing in real-time. While, in the real world, you can see where the ball travels and the final results of your swing, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly where or why your swing is causing the ball to fly the way that it does. With a launch monitor and a good golf simulator, you will be able to see even the smallest margins of error in your swing. With this type of data, you can find exactly where you are struggling the most and really work out these kinks.

 

A good simulator will help you analyze the speed, path range, spin rates, and launch angle of your shots (as well as other important data). For many, these breakdowns are the next needed step for truly improving their game. It is a lot like having a coach right there with you on the course.

 

You will be able to practice at your own pace and work on the shots you need the most help with. You can sit there and fine-tune your distance control, taking chip shot after chip shot, without worrying about holding up anyone else's game.

 

 

Ready to Try a Golf Simulator for Yourself?

Hopefully, this article has allowed you to see just why golf simulators have become so popular these days and how you too may be able to improve your golf game with the addition of one in your home. Of course, there will never be a true substitute for the unique pleasure that comes from playing out on a well-maintained course, but a golf simulator provides a unique series of features and benefits that can help you better analyze your swing, improve your game, and get in a bit of golf no matter how hectic the day may get.

 

So, are you ready to try a golf simulator for yourself?