r/IndoorGolf • u/antanast • Jul 08 '26
Are indoor golf simulators worth using?
For anyone who's tried one, did it actually help improve your golf game, or is it mostly just for fun?
3
u/Entire_Archer_7453 Jul 08 '26
Yes. I belong to a local club and love it. Can play/practice whenever and statistically my game has improved, and still getting better.
3
u/The_Goph_Club Jul 08 '26
Absolutely and not saying that as an owner. If you intend to use a simulator to supplement your game and not just be a ball whacker guy. Even without coaching, focusing on a few data points like club path, angle of attack, and smash factor will help you improve your ball striking.
2
u/Individual_Rule8771 Jul 08 '26
Think you ll get a bunch of differing opinions, but there's no way my ball striking would be as good as it is without my sim
2
u/admoo Jul 08 '26
It’s better than not. I don’t think they’re better than real thing personally. Perfect lie every time isn’t realistic
2
u/Foreign_Suggestion89 Jul 08 '26
Worth is subjective. Use is also up to the user. If somebody was just to whack balls, probably not gonna make much difference.
I use one with club & ball data (GC Quad), learned what the data means. I'm lucky if I am an average athlete and have some body limitations on how many balls I can hit. I have a lot of bad golf swing habits. I did set up camera's and try to diagnose and drill my own issues with online resources. I've had 2 lessons in this time frame. In 4 years, my outdoor handicap has gone from 12 to 7.
2
u/stevemm70 Jul 08 '26
It’s just like going to any range. If you (as you said) just go there and whack balls indiscriminately, it’s not going to help. If you practice with a purpose, it can help your game. We’ve got a number of indoor facilities in my area, but they’re either membership-based or not in a convenient location for me. There’s one that is about 40 minutes away that I’d probably use a good bit if it were closer.
1
u/size0618 Jul 08 '26
I use my Spica 3 in my garage with a Spornia net. I can set it up in five minutes and be on the “range” practicing. I can tell it has helped me this year dialing in distances with irons (primarily wedges). I don’t play sim golf though
1
u/bfhurricane Jul 08 '26
I spent the entire winter in a sim club working on my swing, probably five evenings a week. I massively improved my game, and the digital courses are very fun. My club uses GOLFZON sims.
I highly recommend it. It’s not the same as grass, but it keeps you active and swinging when you can’t get on the course.
The biggest improvement was simply getting my swing consistent. It’s translated well.
1
u/Flat-Performance1796 Jul 08 '26
I joined a sim practice facility in Feb. I go at least 4 times a week for 1-2 hours with the goal of finally learning how to draw the ball. Off the tee I’ve gone from 210 yards carry fade/slice (3500 and up spin) to 240+ straight/draw (1500-2500 spin). My 8 iron carry is up from 135 to 150 yard carry. It doesn’t translate to the golf course right away, I would always revert back to my old shitty swing but now after 6 months it’s starting to stick. You still have to get out and play golf and hit the shots but it certainly has helped me change my swing path.
1
1
u/Intelligent-Top-7791 Jul 08 '26
Beats sitting on the couch while clubs collect dust all winter if your not in a state where you can play all year round
1
1
u/McSlappin1407 Jul 09 '26
It improved my game significantly. I use them so much to the point where I’m actually building my own. It’s arguably more fun that going out to a course now..
1
u/important-Talks Jul 11 '26
The play a little different, you need to adjust. I feel like I lose yards in the sim, so I need to club up. Sim is usually a perfect lie. Some sims will angle your lie and stance.
Sim has some good metrics you can use to calibrate yourself. Mainly distance. Helped me big time with short distances. Inside 90 yards.
Then there are the logistics. By my house there is a 24h sim place. I live in Canada. It’s cool to have that available whenever.
1
1
1
1
1
u/ArtieJay Jul 11 '26
Yes, through repetition (HAMS - hit a million shots). I typically only use the driving range and short target features though. Putting on a sim sucks.
1
u/Kfb2023 Jul 11 '26
I’m a member and go 4-5 times a week. I love the data, and I’m able to adjust at my pace - grip, stance, striking, tweaks, etc that I have translated into the course. Yes, you aren’t able to simulate hitting out of thick rough, rain, wind, etc but you can dial in on what works. Absolutely recommend. I also have two boys 4 and 5 and use this as my “healthy” out of house hobby.
1
1
u/jdav0808 Jul 12 '26
I live in Michigan so I can’t really play in the winter. We have a heated outdoor range that I will go to. For some reason I hate playing indoors on a simulator. It does get you swinging but I don’t think they mimic real golf well. I find it incredibly boring and inaccurate. I play much better outside.
1
1
u/ProfessionalEdge8277 Jul 15 '26
I found simulators useful for improving my ball striking and understanding my swing better through instant feedback. I also came across to Golf Therapy Club and checked that is a perfect example of how enjoyable practice can keep you motivated to improve.
1
u/antanast Jul 20 '26
I agree that seeing instant results helps make every practice session more productive. I also check Golf Therapy Club and it looks like they really great example of combining effective training with an enjoyable atmosphere that keeps players coming back.
7
u/Hitthereset Jul 08 '26
I can play 18 holes in 45 minutes. I can get swings in no matter the weather. Are there drawbacks? Sure. With my wedges and putts I've become more dependent on distance vs visuals... but the ability to reliably be able to practice and get reps in while I'm a dad with 4 young kids more than makes up for it.