Is a simulator worth it?

[jabwind51]

Love these rebuttals. I am a 7HCP and took a few lessons over the winter so I know what I have to work on. Understandable that more lessons is probably ultimately better but still the sim has its benefits.

^^And I was one who also paid for 3 sessions on a trackman at a place like yours this winter on top of the lessons and loved every second of it.

[wmblake2000]

Wow. That's like 16 session/bay/day. Nice business. The indoor training here in SoCal are not nearly as busy. No snow!

[bvanlieu]

Based on the OP's questions "Will a simulator help with my score or would I be better off getting an instructor?", I think the majority of folks that have said instructor are more on point.

 

That does not mean it a SIM can't help with this journey. I find the SIM to be a great tool to practice and work on something, but in order to work on something most folks need that guidance.

 

For example, this past winter I was almost ready to build my SIM in a garage, but instead my teaching pro happened to work at a local place with indoor sim so I held off and invested in weekly sessions with him.

 

I could see me launching the ball and hitting numbers that were OK but they were not 'right', meaning I was adapting my swing flaw to get a result and didn't have enough time with the SIM and instruction to see numbers change based on better paths, better launch, ball speed etc...when my swing was getting better. Once I had that feedback from my coach, I think I can do a better job solo working on the swing with the SIM feedback and ipad video to supplement the lessons.

 

No one could have predicted this situation, so a lot of us are kicking ourselves a bit for not having the SIM done :)

[Jlonzanida]

As with anything, opinions are all subjective. I built a simulator in my garage last year and don't regret it one bit. Is a simulator worth it over lessons? Probably not, but you can take what you learn from lessons and work on them, on the simulator. The Skytrac for me would be the starting or beginner level of a simulator you can benefit from, no verdict yet for me on the Mevo+. I wouldn't invest in anything lower, if I were trying to get something beneficial out of a simulator. Just pay attention to what data is actually measured and what is simulated or calculated. The more data a simulator measures, the more you can actually benefit from the simulator. Of course you have to know how to interpret that data and your swing properly and that's where the lessons can come into play. So... can a simulator be beneficial or "worth it"? I say absolutely, but it can be far more beneficial when combined with lessons. Just my three cents.

[A.Princey]

I think you honestly need to figure out what your priorities are in life, and assess where golf stands amongst them. Another item, very important in the grand scheme of things, is how you normally spend disposable income, and if you've got other financially limiting hobbies that require just as much attention as golf(hunting & fishing, vacation/travelling, concert/music festivals, vintage cars, guns, camping, etc.). If golf is your main interest in life outside of family, religion, and work, and you rarely ever spend an appreciable amount of money on much of anything else, do yourself a favor and get a simulator. Some people spend money on fancy vehicles that depreciate the cost of a simulator immediately upon leaving the lot, rarely does one waffle at the idea of buying a shiny new car when determined to get one, so the choice should be easy for something so beneficial that has the potential to bring a lot more enjoyment to your life. If golf is your most expensive hobby by a wide margin, and you don't spread yourself thin playing and spending with it already, just go for it. Get one that is accurate with ball speeds and spin, that's what I did and absolutely do not regret the $3000-ish I spent on it to get Skytrak, a projector, and the TGC software up and running. It definitely works well for testing equipment and knowing your avg's, and the actual course gameplay is totally worth it IMO, especially since 6+ months of the year are un-golfable for me in Wisconsin. YMMV

 

Last thing, I've finally got reliable club data on each piece of equipment that I own, not just a few good shots with each during a round to base my bag on at times. The hoarding and ho'ing has subsided a bit, as more clubs are now leaving my house in USPS boxes than are arriving!

[ninjab]

Feels like winter again here in the Midwest. Played 18 on simulator yesterday, was great.

Love the post above on financial ramifications. I purchased a more expensive car than I needed and the simulator at similar time. And if I only had disposable income for one of them I would definitely pick the simulator and get a cheaper car. I would not go into debt for simulator purchase or neglect retirement savings for it. Also if it would cut into your ability to pay green fees and reduce your real golf amount I would pass on it too. For purely disposable income hobby money it is an excellent purchase, I would pick it over a vacation expense.

[madeintheshade]

It might not teach you, but it’s a good supplement. Like anything else, you need to practice what you learn.

if the options are lessons or simulator, for most the right option is probably lessons. If you can also have a simulator probably do that.

 

if the option is simulator or nothing (as it is for many folks right now and probably for next couple of months) then a simulator can help.

Just my two cents.

 

My wife has some thoughts on using money on a simulator versus a vacation expense.

[KGilma]

Sure it is. I've got a net and Mevo in my backyard to practice what I learned from my lesson, when I can' t get to the range.

[Petethreeput]

I have a GC2.

Love it. My ball speed increased over the winter from 138-148. The immediate feedback helps figure out the positions at impact.

We play weekly over the winter, and a couple of the regulars who play with me are hitting the ball further and straighter.
There is a little instruction, but hitting into a screen when you don’t have to chase it is pretty freeing.

[Three_Jack]

Gone from a 14HC to a 6.5 in 3 years because of my sim.

 

Being able to hit 30k+ balls a year and work on my swing in my basement any time I want is worth it to me. Plus being in Michigan I come out of winter with little to no rust and often a bit better than the end of last year.

 

Started with skytrak, then went to GC2.

 

 

[A.Princey]

Absolute best money I've ever spent, really got me dialed into specific clubs, ho'ing has subsided. Victory!

[Blackman911]

GC2 is also on my shopping list!

[Bubbtubbs]

On 4/2/2020 at 5:34 PM, calfan36 said:

You can do it cheaper. I got a used Skytrak for 1000. Got a mat for free by asking a driving range. Got a net for $55 from Amazon. Use my phone or laptop I already have, don't need a projector. Only use it for driving range function so no ongoing fees

Ain't nobody getting a Skytrak for under 2000 right now. Might be a year before the price comes down again - who knows?

[Lemonde]

I think it’s worth it. Set aside this whole lesson thing, a simulator won’t make you better, only real golf will do that. You are getting one to keep a half decent swing in shape and to have some fun.  And let’s face it, you are probably not going to restaurants or on vacation Any time soon so you can spend your money on a sim. 

[Badshaft]

Depends on what your purpose is, but I'm putting one together on a shoestring budget to accommodate my needs- I don't have room to leave it set up - I use my carport and leave my net set up and practiced there for years. Now with my new stuff I store the electronics each time- Takes about 5 mins to set up and 5 to take down and store.

So if you want it for a practice area - Golf lessons won't get you there.

Golf simulator software makes the practice or hobby more interesting-but you don't need it just for practice- Usually the launch monitor has practice apps which you can also run off a mobile device- The Launch monitor was the major driver in my cost at about 2/3rds.

I wanted more of a graphic interface so I can see a larger image and if I want to subscribe to Sim software that is an option. I have looked and TGC 2019 has something like 1k courses with practice facilities? Not there yet but it looks pretty awesome-

 

My set-up-

Launch monitor $2640
43” Monitor/TV $229 (Light weight)
TV Stand $83
New - Net/Target - $100  
Mat - I have had for over 5yrs
Used tower computer - $175
Network Card - $20
Graphics Card - $175 (Mainly for the SIM software option)

 

[RagnarD]

I played more sim golf than real golf my first 3 years trying to learn golf. Skytrak, net, mat, pc in garage. I had some fun, got down to a virtual 8 HC playing virtual tournaments, but in real life couldn't break 100. Over the last two years I actually upgraded to a GC2/HMT, but playing real golf and getting lessons from a better pro helped get my real HC down from 26 to 14. Hitting off mats was ruining my ball contact habits. 

I still am glad to have a simulator. It can be fun and useful over long winters. Can help me get ready for spring. If I lived somewhere with year round golf weather, I'd use a launch monitor that works outdoors and wouldn't bother with my own indoor simulator 

[xetremex]

Skytrak garage setup for me and I couldn't be happier.  I started with an Optishot for $100 and free mat to cut it into.  Found a net with impact screen on FB Marketplace for reasonable price.  If you have the ability to piece it together over time, you can save some money.

[jds101086]

I have a buddy going through this right now, and this is how I advised him(hint: he didn't listen). I also think a lot of people are missing the point. This is for entertainment first and game improvement second.

 

If you are going to purchase Optishot or the like, then the cost for the projector, mat, net, screen is not worth it at all. To keep it short it would provide zero improvement for your game. A cheap solution is actually more likely to hurt since you will be swinging to please the monitor/game, not real world results. In this case it should be used sparingly and simply for entertainment. Treat is as a glorified Wii golf.

 

If you are willing to spend the money and get a true simulator that will give you meaningful and reliable data then it's absolutely worth it. If you are living up north you can stay sharp over the winter. If you pay the license fee to play courses and not just use the range feature, then you have loads of entertainment. Also, you will have easier access to fitting data. That being said it's not an end all be all solution and you'd absolutely want to still get lessons and utilize the sim to work on the things you were being taught in said lessons.

 

I actually feel the most detrimental option would be just a mat and net. A majority of players have no clue what they're working on, should work on, and how to build a better swing. Similar to the cheap simulator option you might be making subconscious changes based on chasing a certain feel/look and will have no view of the ball in air to know if what you are chasing is even right. This would easily lead to grooving a move or swing that is proving different from the real world results you intend. Sure you'll stay loose and hit balls more often but there is zero entertainment value and likely a negative outcome in real world performance. 

 

All in all, I can't wait to have a quality simulator to make practice more efficient, get results to fit myself, and most importantly enjoy having friends over and playing 36 holes on a world class course without leaving the house.