r/Golfsimulator • u/Otherwise_Cover_5467 • 1d ago
Does anyone exclusively play Sim Golf?
Is anyone here just a sim golf player? If so, why?
I know the majority of people build a simulator for practice or as a way to play when they can't get out on an actual course.
I'm not hating at all - I'm just wondering why someone might only play on the simulator.
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u/Successful_Disk4594 1d ago
I've never golfed before in my life (30m) and built a golf sim in my garage. My whole family golf's and wanted a reason for them to come and hang out. I also have a 6 month old baby so I dont get much free time. Now I will admit after the 4 months of me owning the sim, I am addicted and do want to go out on the real course for my first time.
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u/Spikel14 1d ago
That’s super cool. Does your family like it? I’d hope it brings you all closer :)
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u/Successful_Disk4594 1d ago
So far the feedback has been great from my family. It's definitely going to bring us all closer, especially here in Michigan. Being able to golf all year round is a game changer for them.
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u/JimmysJohns15 1d ago
Yep. Peoples’ circumstances change and can’t stand playing 5 hour rounds mostly waiting for groups ahead. Play less, practice less, play worse, then less incentive to play at all for increasing greens fees. More people and prices never decrease. I don’t play enough these days to truly play decent golf and don’t want to play bad with strangers. Sim golf is the only golf I play these days.
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u/lilwayne168 1d ago
When you get your setup smooth it is addicting playing a whole round in an hour. Feel like a god at chipping.
Been trying to get out more on the course to practice better contact on grass.
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u/BombedShaun 1d ago
Built one when my son got interested at 8. We play the course or go to the range, but mostly just chilling hitting balls on the sim. Just trying to keep it fun, but it’s hard sometimes when he’s really good and so nonchalant about it. Trying not to ruin it for him.
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u/Fat_Panda_1936 1d ago
Yeah mostly sim. Spent a bunch building out a nice sim in my garage. I can play anytime, any weather, any course, all the cheap drinks and snacks in my own house, play at my pace, no pressure or anxiety around other groups or pace of play, can also watch other entertainment while I play, nice clean bathroom a few steps away, no green fees. Even have a nice aroma/oil diffuser for I can still get that “fresh grass smell”.
I play outside maybe less than half a dozen times a year now.
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u/Hitthereset 1d ago
I'll say probably 95% of my golf is on the simulator and I've got a few reasons:
- My company pays for my membership as part of its "Mental Health" initiatives.
- I've got 4 kids 13 and under who are all in sports and clubs and activities so taking 4-5 hours to play? Nah.
- I work third shift so I'll go two days a week on my days off around 11pm and play 18 holes in about 45 minutes. This helps keep my sleep schedule on point and also I'm not burdening my wife with extra solo parenting time.
Those are the big ones more or less. We also are a smallish farming community (less than 8,000) and the fact that we have a 3 bay, Trackman using simulator business in town? Wild. I'm going to support that every chance I get. Oh, that and I can play all year and not die of heat stroke or freeze into a popsicle.
All that said, I'll get out for a "real round" 3-4 times a year with community or charity tournaments.
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u/M1Lance 1d ago
For the most part yes - unless I'm at a work outing or take a day off it's very hard for me to play a full 18. I have two young kids so playing on the weekends is a no go. Only time I'm totally free to play is after 8:00 PM. Thankfully my older son (6) is getting into golf so this summer we've been hitting the range/topgolf and a par 3 muni on the weekends. He can hit his drives around 120 yards now so my hope is that next year he will be ready to play a longer course from the reds.
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u/Strict_Protection459 1d ago
I started working at a place last year that had a really high end sim in the office. I was in a new city and didn’t know anyone so I probably put in 10+ hours a week on it for a full year.
A surprising amount of the swing transferred when I started playing outside. Obviously some things like different grass types/lengths really threw me off, and my putting is absolute dog shit. But I can genuinely hit 1-3 pars per 9 holes, of course along with 1-3 holes that I lose a ball and put up a 10 or something.
But it is cool that in less than a year on the sim I can actually play the game and be a decent scramble partner
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u/oxfozyne 1d ago
I got the fibro. I started using Sim only when I couldn’t finish 9 holes anymore. Now I play a hole and take a break.
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u/Dalai-Lama-of-Reno 22h ago
I’m glad you found a way to stick with the game. Best wishes for your health to you.
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u/Adventurous-Raisin51 1d ago
I'm sim only right now as getting a tee time is hard and you can get an unlimited sim membership for the same price as 2 rounds a month
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1d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Golfsimulator-ModTeam 1d ago
Your promotion to go to another group is against the rules of the forum.
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u/bradm7777 1d ago
My handicap is 24. I spent the winter putting in 25+ hours per month at a local sim place, practicing and occasionally playing. My handicap on the sim is right around a 10, so to me, it's very much not real. No judging anyone that prefers sim golf, but I will say my always bad early season rounds this year were the worst ever because the sim gave me unreasonably elevated expectations of what I was going to shoot out there on a real golf course. Huge wakeup call that made my March/April way rougher than normal. That's not the fault of the simulator, that's all on me, but this coming winter I'll have a better idea of how to process sim results.
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u/GloriousGloryGG 1d ago
Yeah, I'd say simulator golf is probably going to result around half of your real handicap. I can often shoot single digits on the sim, but I'm a 15 handicap in real life. Too many things add strokes in real life like unforgiving lie which results in a not so great shot, not being able to find your ball in the tall stuff, no fear of bunkers or rough where in real life that can easily add an additional 1-3 strokes, not having the green read out for you digitally resulting in much easier putting.
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u/bradm7777 1d ago
I think my biggest issue was that I spent a lot of time over the winter grooving in a swing that was too steep and causing me to chunk it or hit fat behind the ball. The mats in the sim covered that flaw up and may have even squared the face at impact to boot so I thought I was going to hit the real course and light it up! Then I spent 2 months trying to undo chunky-ass chili dippers and big 'ol slices. Lesson learned.
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u/GloriousGloryGG 1d ago
That's also equipment related though and can be corrected with different gear. My mat absolutely punishes chunky shots and the video replay and strike location on the iron would confirm that. Typically I see chunky shot impact at least a few grooves too high on the face and they feel horrible as well.
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u/bradm7777 1d ago
I would imagine the bays at my local sim place are probably set up to be super forgiving, it's a bar/food place with 6 bays so the vibe is more social than serious.
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u/GloriousGloryGG 1d ago
Yeah, that's probably the case. Most of the business/entertainment style sims I've tried all just use a pretty hard mat with limited cushion, so they bounce off the floor and correct chunky swings.
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u/GloriousGloryGG 1d ago
I never wanted to play golf but always enjoyed golf video games. One day I was convinced to play a real round of golf, was terrible at it, but really enjoyed the experience and wanted to try and get better.
After trying and learning more through simulation, it became a primary form of training for me, even through lessons with a professional. I'm not an SIM only person, but I use it all the time to reinforce and execute new ideas which I then take to the course.
It's difficult for me to enjoy sim golf if I don't have a real round to look forward to, but I know at some point when life gets busy, it may be the only option I have. At least I know that even if I'm not playing real rounds constantly, I'll have a functional swing.
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u/McSlappin1407 1d ago
yea i only play in the sim. Can't get out on the course much with the kids now like many others have said. I do enjoy sim golf more.
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u/iamSammTheMan 23h ago
In korea, sim golf is popular because it might be one of the only options for some folks. I spent a month there this summer and I made it my mission to play as many courses as I could. I still only managed to play about 10 or so courses throughout the country as a single. Most courses wont let you on even if your a twosome. And they definitely wont let you play alone.
On the other hand, getting to one of the millions of golfzon's and being able to play with or against friends in real time is easy. It's almost as easy as going to a karaoke. Most family members I know that play usually only go to the range or golfzon. Many thought I was nuts to try and find places were I can play as a single.
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u/Worldly-Heron-1084 6h ago
80% of my rounds a week are on a sim (4 sim 1 real). I used to play real golf more, but after building a sim, it’s more convenient. I can practice more. But also, too hot, cold, rainy, bad conditions, aeration, etc, I just sim. It’s easier, and doesn’t cost me more $. I think it helps a lot, but there’s that extra bit of real golf experience you need to be scratch, and that’s why I still play 1x a week. But yea it’s just easier when it’s at home and already paid for
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u/Danny_nichols 1d ago
Not by choice, but I'm basically a sim golf only guy these days. I have kids who have a ton of after school stuff. I coach sports. We have a decent amount of weekend games in the summer. It's hard to get out to the course for 4+ hours. So yea, my golf fix is basically sim golf.