Indoor golf simulators are a great way to work on your golf game if you can’t get up to the golf club and practice. Even if you can, some days (especially in the UK), it’s far nicer to be in a warm indoor golf simulator rather than out in the wind and rain.
When the golf courses are wet and muddy, an indoor golf simulator is the place to be. Nowadays, a lot of golf clubs have their very own indoor sim for members and guests to use. It offers year-round golf and a wonderful opportunity to practice your golf. We recently visited the excellent Pitch London to experience what indoor golf has to offer.
However, you might not be a member of a golf club or have access to an indoor simulator and be wondering “Where’s the best indoor golf simulator near me?”. That’s why we’ve created a list with all the best indoor sims in the UK, which you can use to find indoor golf when the sun isn’t shining or you just fancy a fun evening with your mates.
Perhaps you’re after a Golf Simulator London? There’s a whole host of great options for Golf Simulators London, but our top pick is Pitch London.
It’s one of the best places to go after work to practice your golf game. The bar set-up, with plenty of great simulators all kitted out with the latest technology, is perfect for every level of golfer, whether total beginner or scratch handicap. If you want virtual golf London, Pitch is the place to be.
Indoor Golf Simulators Near Me
What Is A Golf Simulator?
A golf simulator is a great piece of tech that allows you to play golf indoors using a virtual golf course or practice range. The simulator consists of a mat to hit off, a net to hit into, a screen, a projector, and a ball launch monitor.
A golf simulator combines everything to give you an almost life-like playing condition, that can be done in the warmth and with a few drinks in hand.
Golfers play all their shots from the same mat position and hit into a net in front. The ball tracking system will pick up how the shot was hit, using different factors such as launch angle and ball speed, and then it will illustrate that on the screen and in the course setting.
The standard of the launch monitors available these days means that what’s projected onto the screen is very similar to how it would be on the golf course. If you hit a good shot, it will be reflected on the golf simulator and vice versa.
For a lot of golfers, they much prefer to practice in indoor golf simulators rather than out on the practice range. The numbers and data that the simulator can give you are immense. This also means that they’re great for a custom fit of new clubs.
What’s The Average Cost Of A Golf Simulator?
Most golf simulators will cost you between £3000 and £10,000 to set up. This will heavily depend on the type of launch monitor you install, as this is the most expensive piece of equipment in the setup.
A Foresight Sports QCQUAD launch monitor will cost you about £13,000 and a Trackman golf simulator is going to set you back just under £20k just for the launch monitor. So it very much depends on what type of monitor you choose to go with for your golf simulator.
You’ve then also got to think about the room setup costs, the impact screen, projector, and astroturf hitting areas. All of this can come to a pretty hefty price tag, so it’s a question of how premium you want your simulator to be.
Do You Bring Your Own Golf Clubs To A Golf Simulator?
Most indoor golf simulators will have golf clubs available to use if you don’t have clubs to use. Of course, if you’ve got your own clubs and want to use them then you can bring them along to use.
If you’re there to practice your golf swing then it definitely makes sense to take your own clubs to dial in your yardages and feel.
How Long Does It Take To Play 18 Holes Of Golf On A Simulator?
The time it takes for 18 holes to be played on an indoor golf simulator can vary depending on a few different factors. If you’re playing in a group of 4 golfers, it shouldn’t take you any longer than 2 hours to complete.
It can also depend on the speed at which you hit the shots and the time taken between those shots. Unlike when you’re playing actual golf, there’s no walking to your ball between shots so this helps speed up the process.
However, a lot of indoor simulator facilities include a licensed bar serving plenty of drinks. This can obviously slow down the round of golf.
How Realistic Is A Golf Simulator?
Golf simulators nowadays are very good at accurately measuring and projecting golf shots. With all the latest technology on offer, it’s predicted that golf simulators are about 90% accurate to what you would expect to see on an actual driving range or golf course.
It’s for this reason that this type of virtual golf can be used by professionals to give golf instruction and lessons.