Golf Simulators for the House

9,297 Views | 27 Replies | Last: 9 yr ago by LeFraud
Goose06
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AG
So my wife and I may be building a new house soon and I am thinking about including a multipurpose room that would be a media room that could also be used as a golf simulator. Initially, I was looking at the cheaper simulators (~$500) but they are not accurate so they would be just "for fun". Then when I started looking at the next level of simulators I quickly accelerated to ~$1k for the P3Pro and then $6k for the Protee and then the Foresight Sports GC2 which if you get everything you need is probably $15k...beyond that you could get to $60k+ and thats just outrageous and not even in the realm of possibility for me.

Having never tested ANY of these simulators, I was hoping someone here could chime in. I would like to find a simulator that is helpful in understanding/improving my swing and one that is also fun to use for game play. Anyone have experience with any of these? I am open to spending decent money for the right product, but when I read about this stuff online I feel like its all marketing pitch. For instance, I go to this site Ottawa golf where they have a golf simulator forum and a few of the posters there really talk up the Protee. So I go to the protee forums and here are those guys posting all the time over there, one of them as a moderator. So its hard to take what they say as completely genuine... Then I watch some videos on youtube posted by the site owner for par2pro.com. I generally like his website and learned a lot from it, but in one of his demos he was comparing the GC2 to some other simulator and he was commenting on the accuracy of the two yet they had some pretty different readings. Made me wonder how unbiased he really was.

Anyone have any suggestions or feedback?

[This message has been edited by Goose06 (edited 3/25/2014 3:55p).]
Dr T and the Women
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AG
following... I also would love to have a good system for the house
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Aggie_Eric98
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AG
if we end up moving, we are currently looking at a house with a bonus room, perfect size for one little golf room.
watty
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AG
I'm a few years away from doing this, but hopefully in a few years we build a house and I can do something like this as well.

I have looked into these just a little, just for fun, and the general vibe I get is that unless you are willing to drop the serious big bucks, they will be decent but never great. But I would think within the $5k range you could at least get something that's good enough. Might not be Trackman (those start at like $16k and go up very quickly from there) but would at least give semi-accurate readings.

Anyway, I haven't really helped anything I suppose. I too look forward to more responses.
Goose06
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AG
There are ~4 options I am currently kicking around:

1. Get optishot for $400 and deal with bad readings (problem is it doesn't read the driver)
2. Spend a little more and get the P3Pro and deal with less than optimal accuracy (I think this ends up being about double the optishot cost)
3. Spend a lot more and get the Protee system (~$6k) before getting a hitting mat that levels the floor for you. This gets you to a much higher degree of accuracy it seems. Primary flaw is you get calculated data on ball spin.
4. Spend about double #3 and get a GC2 system that has high speed cameras for both the club and the ball. The REALLY cool thing about the GC2 system is you can take it with you to the outdoor driving range and it will give you all your swing stats and you can see how that translates outdoors.
Option 5. Go with #1 or 2 plus get just the GC2 launch monitor which I think is only ~$5k. Then you can add the rest of the GC2 system later.

I am leaning towards #3 right now, but #5 is also a consideration...
Whoop04
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Option 4, invite me over, I will bring the beer.
Whoop04
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Check the golfwrx forums. I bet they have good reviews.
JarAG2007
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AG
I am also interested to see where this discussion goes. I currently have a media room as well as my brother in law and we were talking about these the other day. Will follow this for sure. Good topic.
Goose06
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AG
I reached out to Foresight Sports (maker of the GC2, most expensive simulator under consideration). Here are some quotes I can pass along:

quote:

With the GC2 Smart Camera System and Performance Simulation, you will have access to a technology that allows for the most flexible integration and at a price point that is the most cost effective in the industry. You’ll find our system in use across the country in retail and commercial environments (Dick’s Sporting Goods, Golfsmith, GolfTEC, Golf Galaxy) as well as the R&D labs of top OEM’s (Callaway, Ping, Nike, Cobra, Cleveland) for its unmatched accuracy and shot analysis capability. This same technology has enabled us to become the leading provider for residential and custom simulation as well. I’ve provided some ideas on installs and keep in mind a few key points that separate us from other systems:

No annual software fees or costs for tech support
Unit is self-leveling and no calibration required
No ball marking – high speed cameras identify the dimples of a golf ball and track the club through impact
Indoor/outdoor use – use the system anywhere you can swing a club
Supports simulation – including putting


quote:
Assuming you can dedicate the entire room to the system, here’s how it will work.

Carpet floor and side walls 8’ into the hitting area.
Install overhead netting 8’ into hitting area
Stretch impact screen between two side walls – we build the screen to fit the wall
Hang projector and connect to computer
Place GC2 on hitting mat and run USB to computer
Play Golf

Here’s what you’re looking at on MSRP costs and minimum components

GC2: $6,690.00
Protective Shield: $150.00
Performance Sim Software: $2,190.00
Impact Screen and Install Kit: $1,200.00

Total: $10,230.00 – no tax if out of state

Now if you have roughly $5K to spend on the rest of the system, the most cost effective method is to outsource locally. Ideally you have a computer you can use. Get a $600 mat online or a local golf shop, and budget about $3K or so for a good projector. This will leave about $1500 to spend on carpeting the walls and overhead netting. Either we can assist with vendors or the material is pretty simple to obtain.

So that’s how you’ll get a state of the art simulator and stay around $15K – little bit of DIY


quote:
above $$$ do not include HMT ($6k)
Sterling98
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I would seriously consider a net and a Swingbyte or similar product. You won't get simulated ball flight, but you do get fairly accurate readings and should know if you're hitting straight, draw, fade, etc. And you can take the same product to the range to see what numbers you get on your good and poor shots.

That setup is well under $500. Swingbyte is $150.
Goose06
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AG
Does swingbyte measure your club or the ball (I won't have time to research this today so pardon my laziness)?
JarAG2007
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Has anyone looked into TruGolf and their tracking technology. Seems kind of like the P3 Pro but it seems to give more feed back. I have the media room setup done and just need the sensors and net or mat to hit into,and of course the software. Just another product that seems to have different packages.
Goose06
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Jar, I have looked at it a little. I feel like I would end up spending about as much on it as I would on the GC2 product and the GC2 product seems to be a lot better product. The other thing I struggle with on that product is the look of it. If I am putting it in my garage, no big deal. If I am putting it in my house, I don't want the whole overhead roof, side nets, etc. Might be a way around that, but the pictures of the product don't seem all that appealing to me.
hot dog
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I have an optishot setup in my apartment living room. Me and one of my roommates use it all the time, it's a blast. It's definitely not super realistic, but it's close enough to make it fun. We hit foam golf balls into a blanket pinned to the wall. Tomorrow I'll get some pics of our setup as well as a video of it in action.
Goose06
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Swingbyte appears to be a pretty cool tool. I suspect there are a number of similar options out there. The optishot plus the swingbyte might be a cool "cheap" investment. The only problems I have heard with the optishot is that it doesn't read your driver (well, other than the fact that its not really accurate). I would be ok with the lack of accuracy if I had a 2nd tool that gave me feedback on my swing.

[This message has been edited by Goose06 (edited 3/28/2014 10:11a).]
LeFraud
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update Goose, or anyone else have anything to add?
Mr.Bond
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Hitting off mats completely ****s my golf game. Am I the only one?
Yesterday
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Coincidentally I just bought a hitting mat and impact screen today. I'm going wit the optishot because it's cheap and it can give me good enough club data. This last summer I was playing at a 6 handicap so I know if i hit it thin, fat, off the toe or heel. The Optishot won't give you launch angle, ball speed of spin rate but for $250 used its a no brained.

There's a new launch monitor out now called skytrak which is getting great reviews from consumers and club fitters. It doesn't give you club data but it does give you all of your ball data. This runs about $2k. The downside is it doesn't come with a sim software so you'll basically be hitting in driving range mode the entire time.

When I get my optishot set up I'll post some pics and reviews.
JarAG2007
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AG
Are you using the optishot 1 or optishot 2? I heard the basic hardware is the same but the software is upgraded. My brother-in-law has the optishot 1 and for $99 you can get the software update.

The update has three new course and the dispay is supposed to be better HD quality. One thing I am interested in is the new club calibration in the new software. You can go thru the individual clubs and swing neutral, open, then closed for the system to calibrate to those different swings. Seems interesting.

Look forward to seeing the pics and reveiws.
Yesterday
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AG
I bought a used optishot 1 off of craigslist for $200. When I got home with it I tried to set it up just to make sure everything was in good working order. After downloading the software I tried a few driving range shots to no avail. I couldn't even calibrate my clubs and after several frustrating hours I thought that I had been duped and that I purchased a faulty optishot. Fortunately I got online and started reading some troubleshooting hints and realized that my flood light in my garage wasn't fluorescent and the light was too soft. I went to Home Depot and bought a bright fluorescent flood light and now the optishot works perfect.

My first thoughts of my initial test is that it's exactly what I perceived it to be. I wanted something that would allow me to swing my club, hit some balls and get a little feedback from. I haven't set up the impact screen yet and since my wife would divorce me if I embedded a few Z-Stars into our drywall, I reluctantly hit a few foam balls. I had to recalibrate the distance on a few of my clubs because my driver was registering 130 mph and carrying 330 yards. From what I've read the optishot is consistently inaccurate when it comes to reading a driver due to the inconsistent material on the bottom of the club as apposed to an iron. Once I recalibrated the distance and swing speed I was getting similar numbers to what I'm used to hitting. I felt that the irons read very well compared to my usual distances.

It seems to pick up my swing path, speed and face angle rather well, but I can tell when I hit a low shot and the optishot shows a regular high launch angle. Once I have some time to set up an impact screen and projector i'll post some pics and more reviews with real balls.

Ag pride
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quote:
I bought a used optishot 1 off of craigslist for $200. When I got home with it I tried to set it up just to make sure everything was in good working order. After downloading the software I tried a few driving range shots to no avail. I couldn't even calibrate my clubs and after several frustrating hours I thought that I had been duped and that I purchased a faulty optishot. Fortunately I got online and started reading some troubleshooting hints and realized that my flood light in my garage wasn't fluorescent and the light was too soft. I went to Home Depot and bought a bright fluorescent flood light and now the optishot works perfect.

My first thoughts of my initial test is that it's exactly what I perceived it to be. I wanted something that would allow me to swing my club, hit some balls and get a little feedback from. I haven't set up the impact screen yet and since my wife would divorce me if I embedded a few Z-Stars into our drywall, I reluctantly hit a few foam balls. I had to recalibrate the distance on a few of my clubs because my driver was registering 130 mph and carrying 330 yards. From what I've read the optishot is consistently inaccurate when it comes to reading a driver due to the inconsistent material on the bottom of the club as apposed to an iron. Once I recalibrated the distance and swing speed I was getting similar numbers to what I'm used to hitting. I felt that the irons read very well compared to my usual distances.

It seems to pick up my swing path, speed and face angle rather well, but I can tell when I hit a low shot and the optishot shows a regular high launch angle. Once I have some time to set up an impact screen and projector i'll post some pics and more reviews with real balls.




Please do. Dad just gave me his, looking for the best set up!
jmh3209
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AG
I would love to have a simulator/ man cave set up in my next house...A man can dream right!
bagger05
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AG
quote:
I would love to have a simulator/ man cave set up in my next house...A man can dream right!
This is one of the reasons I'm trying to talk my wife into buying a house on the cheap and renovating before we move in... if there just so happens to be room in the budget for a golf simulator, well wouldn't that be nice.
JarAG2007
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AG
I have a media room but I wasn't thinking when we bought and the ceiling isn't ideal for the golf simulator. I love the projector and media seating but now I am pissed about only a 8-9' ceiling. Wish I could have made it work.

Now I am trying to convince the wife to let me have space in the garage to convert when I want to play. Up hill battle!

Yesterday
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AG
Move the ceiling up assuming you have an attic above.
JarAG2007
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Yeah thats a cheap easy fix. I actually did look above to see but it would be way too much work. Could always get a simulator and only hit the short irons, but thats not even worth it then.
SmackDaddy
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AG
I have the GC2, it's an awesome device. My advice - you don't need a ton of courses. Also, there's now a great online option outside of GC2 or Foresight that you can use to play others over the internet. That includes courses as well.
Yesterday
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AG
Well i'm sad to report that i'm going to sell the optishot after only a few times of use. The readings are about what I was expecting, but I don't understand how anyone who hits down on the ball won't end up destroying the thing. After a few sessions in range mode I was already starting to tear up the turf. I think i'm going to save up some money and buy a new skytrak that's an actual ball reader. Wish I had enough money to buy a GC2, but I don't.
LeFraud
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I just borrowed an optishot from a buddy, I have room, he doesn't. Still trying to get my setup finished. Browsing around, I found the following, anyone have any experience with it, or any comments on the idea?

http://www.customdesigngolf.com/the_first_practice_mat_players_say_that_feels_like_grass__.htm
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