I like to keep my finger on the pulse when it comes to all things golf simulators.
So this caught my eye in the paper the other day:
Former Premier League footballer Kevin Davies recently spent £30,000 putting a TrackMan simulator in his basement.
Naturally, he added a gym...
A fully stocked bar...
And padding on the side walls for if -- when? -- one of his mates has one too many beers and shanks it.
Because apparently just having a thirty-grand golf simulator isn't quite enough when you've played in the Premier League.
Can you tell I'm green with jealousy?! 😅
I've been working in golf for more than 10 years now, and one of the biggest changes I've seen is just how accessible this stuff has become.
Not that long ago, a proper home simulator really was the sort of thing you needed Premier League money for.
These days?
Not even close.
Unless you have £30k burning a hole in your golf trousers...
You don't have to spend that much.
In fact, there are roughly 3 levels you can go for:
Think an EasySim or compact SimBox setup, paired with something like a Garmin R10, Square or SkyTrak launch monitor and a proper hitting mat.
Nothing too fancy.
But more than enough to hit balls, get useful data on your game and play virtual rounds at home.
This is the sweet spot for most serious home golfers.
Full enclosure and impact screen. A better launch monitor such as a SkyTrak+, Mevo+ or Uneekor. Proper hitting mat. Projector. The works.
It starts feeling less like you've put some golf gear in the garage...
...and more like you've built your own private golf room.
Now we're talking Foresight, ProTee, TrackMan and the like.
Tour-level accuracy. Premium turf. High-end projection. Custom-built enclosures.
The sort of setup that makes your mates suddenly become VERY interested in coming round your house on a Friday night.
And yes... if you want the gym and fully stocked bar too?
You'll have to sort those yourself.
The point is:
And you don't have to spend hours figuring out which launch monitor works with which enclosure...
Whether it'll fit your room...
Or whether you're about to spend thousands on something completely overkill for what you actually need.
That's what we're here for.
Not sure what's right for your room and budget?
Tell us what space you've got, what you want from your simulator, and roughly what you're comfortable spending...
...and we'll help you put together the right setup for you.
No Premier League salary required :)
Robert Hart
Founder, GolfBays
