You see all of the cool, sophisticated golf simulators at bars, country clubs and even hotel lobbies. And you start wondering how great one would be at your home. Your next thought: Just how expensive are they? Truth is, they’re probably more affordable than you think. Of course, that also depends on the features and size you’re looking for. There is unprecedented accessibility at various price points with today’s array of technology at every level. With units costing just a few hundreds to luxury options offering the latest Trackman advancements, there’s an entryway for many consumers.
“There is a wide range of price points from a bare bones minimum of around $1,000 up to $60,000+ for a high-end custom simulator,” says Justin Carlson, Vice President of Sales at The Indoor Golf Shop. “With a bare-bones version, you’ll get a hitting net and a lower price point launch monitor. From there, you can add a hitting mat, impact screen, landing pad, projector and gaming PC.”
The Indoor Golf Shop caters to all different budget levels. The beauty of owning a simulator is that you can upgrade components at any time. Thus, starting out with lower price point components gets you the ability to swing a golf club indoors, in your home. And then as time and budget allows, you can swap out and upgrade components, such as the enclosure, hitting mat, impact screen, launch monitor, gaming PC and projector.
But try not to skimp, even initially, and instead get the best parts you can afford. “A few areas that I wouldn’t go cheap on include the hitting mat and insert, impact screen, gaming PC and projector,” says Carlson. “Our SIGPRO line of hitting mats and inserts are designed for better performance, durability and feel, resulting in the most realistic hitting surface that eliminates all possibilities of pain and soreness in your joints. Our SIGPRO Premium and Premier impact screens provide a quality projected image, longevity, low bounce back and reduced noise. When considering a gaming PC and projector, you want to make sure that you are meeting or even exceeding the minimum requirements of the launch monitor you’re going to use. This will allow for no delay or lag after you take a golf shot, while providing a clean and crisp image.”
Planning ahead of time and ensuring there’s enough space to safely swing a golf club is imperative, when you’re considering installing a simulator in your home. You want to take into account having the impact screen at least a foot off the back wall to allow for the impact screen to flex and give in upon impact. The ideal dimensions of a room are 15’ wide, 10’ high, by 20’+ deep, at the least. “That said, we understand that not everyone has that ideal space so we offer many solutions to accommodate your needs,” adds Carlson.
