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Simulator Golf...

Petroguy

Petroguy

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So I am intrigued by this. I was in a self imposed "Golf Coma" for about six or seven years. During this time I missed some pretty cool tech and golf developments that have moved into the mainstream. One of these is the Golf Simulator.

I was just wondering if any of you would care to share your experience(s). What are the costs? Pros? Cons? Gripes? Praise? How does it work? Does a business open with just one "bay"? Seems that it would be tough to turn a profit if you had only one foursome on a sim till they were done. Was there anything that one place did that you thought was above your expectations? What could be done better?

I'll be honest here. I don't know of any of these in my area. I see some possible potential for a business opportunity for my wife and I if it makes fiscal sense. Any help that you guys provide in what you like/don't like could help a great deal.
 
There are a couple in my area, including the local parks and rec building. They have 2 bays and have standing tee times in 7 week blocks. It cost about $11 per 9 holes if you have 4 people playing- and it has mostly famous courses (Pebble, Pinehurst, etc). It plays 'ok' but it isn't as nice as real course, obviously.

It sure beats not playing and the price is right.
 
I like the technology and have found it to be pretty closely replicate my real shot results which to me makes it viable for bad-weather play. Some day I hope to have one in my home so I can practice whenever I want. Unlike at the range, I'll be able to control conditions, yardage of the target, etc. and hit quality balls instead of range bricks.

Anyway, as a business, many I'm familiar with seem to fail. I can't explain this as I agree with you, there should be a viable business here. The ones who seem to do the best are not dependent on the sims. for their entire revenue, ie. golf courses with a couple sims. for winter leagues, bowling alley with indoor mini-golf and sims. pub with a couple sims. in the back, etc. Those that open and just do golf (along with pub food and maybe alcohol) seem to struggle. There was a monster in Texas with 20 sims. and a full restaurant that went belly up.

The best model I've seen is a training center with 4 sims. They have a full range, professional practice facility (multiple greens, bunkers, etc.), indoor retail set up, indoor hitting bays (into nets), multiple instructors on staff and the sims. This way the sims compliment their instructional business and when not being used for instruction players can rent them by the hour to either practice or play.

Hope that all helps some. I've always wanted to get into this business, but they keep failing and I just don't get it...
 
Check out our article on the home page on aboutGolf. THey have one of the best simulators in my opinion on the market.
 
the putting is annoying on those things.

however......otherwise, its awesome. especially when you cant play outside.
 
The place near us is hot, dirty, and smells like feet. We did it once and did not care for it. We had gift certificates that worked for the sim or the real golf course, which is also crappy. I went into the pro shop a couple weeks ago and used them to buy golf balls. Pickings were slim, but I bought a dozen Bridgestone and seven 15 packs of Noodles. Enough Noodles for Mrs. Esox to play golf for a couple weeks.

Kevin
 
I've used a few different models of these over the years. Some very good and some, just down right awful.
The one near my home that I am signed up to play in a weekly 9 hole league starting tonight, is not bad at all.
I have noticed that my driver distance on this one is about 20-30 yds shorter than real life and the irons are maybe 6-8 yds short.
I can live with that. I just have to remember to allow for that while playing. I do hate the putting on this one though.
You are putting at a virtual hole on the screen with a grid that is supposed to show you the break on the green.
There was a sim here in town that told you where to put your ball on the floor in front of the screen and you actually putted to a hole in the floor.
The floor had contours built in so it had undulations and breaks. I liked that much better.
This sim charges $10 to sign up for the league and $15 per week for the 9 holes.
For open play, they charge $30 per hour with a 30 minute minimum and has 3 bays.
They serve some snacks and and have a liquor license to serve beer....so they've got that going for them.
 
Crap I just looked at the only one near me and they just closed.
 
The Aboutgolf system seems to be head and shoulders above the rest. If you look around you will find that the only time a facility markets their sims is if they are Aboutgolf sims. That says something by itself.

I am commited to practice this winter in New Hampshire regardless of what it takes. I can practice putting and chipping in my basement but will have to rely on heated bay ranges and sims for everything else so I am going by hook or by crook.

As a business opportunity I think it is a tough deal. We had one right in town that was a training facility, a golf school with sims calle Johny Nine Irons. They died in about one year.

As has been stated earlier those that have stayed alive do not depend on their sims entirely for revenue. Atkinson's Resort is the place I will likely go this winter although I cannot get anybody to comment on them or the other place in NH (World Golf). I am sure nobody is commenting because nobody has gone. AR has Aboutgolf sims and a heated bay range so that one is hard for me to ignore.
 
not sure what software the simulators at Atkinson use (I have not played them but looked at them after a round of golf) but you don't play 'real' courses such as Pebble, Firestone, etc. that you see on some simulators...they are made up courses...but that may not matter to some people...also, not sure where you are in NH but Pease Golf course just put in 2 brand new sims last year with software that has the real courses from around the world
 
Thanks Coyna1!!

I live just northwest of Manchester. So I figure Atkinson's or the place in Hudson would both be reasonable drives for me. I am OK with the made up courses as long as I get my swings in.

What did you think of the facilities at Atkinson's? Did you happen to take a look at or hit off the range?
 
Going to bring up an older thread here. I've been looking into simulator for practice lately and have found a couple in the Edmonton area. Pickings are slim. In the three that I've found, 2 offer aboutGolf simulators, but all charge $40 per hour. This seems rather steep. Thoughts?
 
The place we have charges $20 an hour for simulator play. It isn't the same as real golf mind you, but at least you're swinging the club and using the same muscles so it should help by the time the season eventually rolls around.

I have been playing simulator golf once a week for a little over a month now and when I went to Florida last week and played real golf the adjustment wasn't anything that it would have been had I just been sitting my butt in a snowbank instead. In that case, go for it.
 
Puttin4Bird said:
The place we have charges $20 an hour for simulator play. It isn't the same as real golf mind you, but at least you're swinging the club and using the same muscles so it should help by the time the season eventually rolls around.

I have been playing simulator golf once a week for a little over a month now and when I went to Florida last week and played real golf the adjustment wasn't anything that it would have been had I just been sitting my butt in a snowbank instead. In that case, go for it.
Click to expand...

How many hole do you get in in an hour?
 
Puttin4Bird said:
The place we have charges $20 an hour for simulator play. It isn't the same as real golf mind you, but at least you're swinging the club and using the same muscles so it should help by the time the season eventually rolls around.

I have been playing simulator golf once a week for a little over a month now and when I went to Florida last week and played real golf the adjustment wasn't anything that it would have been had I just been sitting my butt in a snowbank instead. In that case, go for it.
Click to expand...

if I had that pricing I would be going more. The 2 places near me are 32 and 40/hour. Nerfny and I went 2 weekends ago and had a good time with it. I'm planning on going this weekend. I will be going more once our test irons arrive. It felt great to swing.
 
Puttin4Bird said:
If you're playing alone you can get 18 holes in an hour. Playing with 2 people 18 will take you about 90 minutes.
Click to expand...

Cool. $20 sure is a steal compared to what I've got. But I need to start practicing. $40 an hour may be worth it.
 
2 people can get 18 holes in an hour, my buddies and I do it before class all the time.
 
I am in the process of putting one in my house. Can't wait
 
So I've book a tee time for a simulator for Sunday morning. Now I need to decide which course to play. Of the available courses I've narrowed it down to four:

TPC Scottsdale
TPC Sawgrass
Old Course at St. Andrews
Pebble Beach

Any thoughts to help me out? Personally I'm leaning a bit towards Pebble seeing as the AT&T is this weekend....
 
9-Iron Man said:
So I've book a tee time for a simulator for Sunday morning. Now I need to decide which course to play. Of the available courses I've narrowed it down to four:

TPC Scottsdale
TPC Sawgrass
Old Course at St. Andrews
Pebble Beach

Any thoughts to help me out? Personally I'm leaning a bit towards Pebble seeing as the AT&T is this weekend....
Click to expand...

My choice is in bold. Be awesome to play 17.
 
Bridges said:
My choice is in bold. Be awesome to play 17.
Click to expand...

It would, but a the same time 17 scares me! If the pros can put it in the water, then I surely will!
 
Always fun to play the course they're playing on PGA or ET the same weekend. I'd choose Pebble Beach. It's a good course on simulator.

My local indoor center has 14 simulators, 6 AboutGolf and 8 High Definition Sims. I think the HD sims are better than AG. Graphics are better and they seem to register shots more accurately.
 
I find the ones I play at the yardages are severely off. It can be accurate one time then so off another. I've had 210 yard 7 irons on the sim before.
 
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