Golf is a sport that requires nice weather to play in. It is not very enjoyable to play golf in the cold or rain. This limits people to the amount of time they can play. In warmer states like Florida or California, they can pretty much play year-round, but in the midwest, golfers only have between six and eight months they can actually play golf. Some people have indoor practice nets they can hit into, but that does not translate into where the ball would go on an actual course. In the past few years, companies have been developing systems to allow golfers to practice inside without the limiting factor of weather. Golf simulators have started to become extremely popular for the fact they allow a golfer to practice their hitting skills while actually being able to see where the ball goes.
One type of golf simulator is a projector and screen simulator. With this type of simulator, the golfer hits their ball toward a projected screen and the simulator will read where the ball is going. The simulator is also able to read stats such as swing speed, ball speed, and spin rate. This type of simulator is beneficial because the golfer is able to view an actual course while they are hitting or even playing different games. Jon Morris, a member of the golf team, said, “I feel like the simulator translates to the course. The simulator shows your club head and tells you where your face was when you swing through.”The downside is this simulator is going to come with a large price tag. Most simulators are going to cost between one thousand and twenty-five thousand dollars. This is a big turnaway for a lot of people. Trackman is a brand of simulator that is very accurate, but it is going to be on the higher end of the price range. As with all things, you get what you pay for. Some of the cheaper ones are just not going to be as accurate.
Another type of simulator is a VR headset simulator. This type of simulator offers the ability to play courses and games just like the projector version. The downside of this simulator is that it is not very accurate. You do not get the feel of a real club while only using the VR controllers. They make attachments for the controllers, but they still do not provide a real experience. Like the other simulator, the VR is able to give you factors like swing speed, but it is hard to be accurate. The upside of the VR simulator is the price. Most VR headsets can be acquired for about two hundred dollars. This price is very inviting for people who do not want to pay for the other type of simulator. With regards to the Lewis Cass Golf Team, Coach Miley said, “I would find it hard to believe that the VR simulator would be as accurate as a normal golf simulator since you wouldn’t be hitting a golf ball. If it has the technology to measure club head speed and predict the ball speed/flight path then it could definitely benefit the team.”
Overall, simulators will never replace the feel of an actual course. Projector simulators are good for people who are starting golf and want to learn their ball and club speed, and VR simulators are really only good right now for playing games. In the future, they may be used more as methods of practice, but as of now, they are not quite accurate enough to be a sure method of practice.
