In one sentence: a golf simulator lets you hit a real ball with your own swing into a large screen indoors, and a sensor works out where that shot would have gone on a real course.
What’s in a simulator bay
A bay is a small room, or a screened-off area of a bigger room. In it you will usually find:
- A hitting mat, which plays the part of the fairway or tee. You hit off it, often from a rubber tee.
- An impact screen, a tough fabric screen that catches the ball. The course is projected onto it.
- A projector, which puts the picture of the hole on the screen.
- A launch monitor, the clever part. It measures the ball, and often the club, the moment you strike.
- Software, which takes those measurements, draws the flight of the ball and keeps score.
How it measures your shot
As the ball leaves the club, the launch monitor reads things like how fast the ball is going, the angle it takes off at and how much it is spinning. From those few numbers, the software works out how far the ball would carry and where it would land. That’s why you can see a slice or a draw on screen even though the ball only travelled a few metres into the screen.
Launch monitors work in different ways. Some use radar, tracking the ball with radio waves. Others use high-speed cameras that photograph the ball and club at the moment of impact. Some sit on the floor beside you; others are fixed in the ceiling, out of the way of right- and left-handed players alike.
The venues in our guide use systems from TrackMan, Foresight Sports, ProTee and FlightScope. Each venue guide says which one it has.
What you can play
- Real courses. Simulator software includes famous courses from around the world. The libraries are large: Chesterfield Golf Studio lists more than 230 courses, Nineteen Golf Club more than 500 and Virtually Golf more than 2,000.
- Practice. A driving-range mode shows your numbers after every shot, which is handy for learning how far each club really goes.
- Games. Many systems have games such as closest to the pin and longest drive, which are good fun for mixed groups and beginners.
What a session at a venue looks like
- Book a bay. Most venues take bookings online by the hour, or in half-hour steps. Some charge for the bay, some per player, and some a mix. Our cost guide compares real prices.
- Arrive and settle in. Some venues are staffed, with a bar. Others are self-serve: you get a door code by email when you book, and the room is yours.
- Pick what to play. Choose a course, a practice range or a game on the screen.
- Take turns. In a group, you take it in turns to hit, just as on a course. The software keeps everyone’s score.
How long does a round take? It depends on the group. As one example, Chesterfield Golf Club estimates that 18 holes take around an hour for one player and up to three and a half hours for a four-ball.
What to wear and bring
- Shoes: trainers or flat shoes are the safe choice. Some venues don’t allow spiked golf shoes on their mats.
- Clubs: bring your own if you have them. Many venues lend clubs, but not all, so check the venue guide first.
- Balls: some venues provide balls; some ask you to bring clean, new ones. Again, the venue guide says.
- Clothes: whatever you would wear for a round or the range. You’re indoors, so leave the waterproofs at home.
Is it like real golf?
It’s your real swing, with a real club and a real ball, so full shots give you honest feedback. It isn’t the same as standing on grass, and short shots around the green feel different off a mat. Most people treat it as its own kind of golf: brilliant for practice, for winter, and for an evening with friends.
Good for beginners and for older golfers?
Very much so. It’s warm and dry, there’s no walking between holes, and nobody is waiting behind you on the tee. You can go at your own pace, take a seat between shots, and many venues offer lessons with a professional. In our East Midlands guide, 12 of the 15 venues list coaching.
A few words you might hear
- Bay
- One simulator: the mat, screen and launch monitor, for you and your group.
- Launch monitor
- The sensor that measures your shot.
- Carry
- How far the ball flies in the air before it lands.
- Spin
- How fast the ball is rotating. Backspin makes it climb and stop; sidespin makes it curve.
- Off-peak
- Quieter times, usually weekday daytimes, when many venues charge less.
- Scramble
- A team format: everyone hits, you pick the best shot, and all play from there.
- Stableford
- A scoring system that gives points on each hole, so one bad hole doesn’t spoil your card.