Indoor virtual golf

[fustercluck]

I want to play golf but it's 110 degrees outside. F that S.

Many many years ago I heard indoor virtual golf was on the up and up. Basically you use your own equipment, smack a ball into a big screen and it accurately projects where the ball would go, on a virtual course. Sounds like fun. I've never seen one in person though. Apparently there are 0 here in Tucson. Maybe I'll have to open up a place

Anyone ever played on something similar?:

Reference 1

Ref 2

Ref 3

Something like those things.

 

[vi edit]

I've played on a simulator and the driving and fairway hits are pretty decent. It's putting that sucks something horrible. Trying to chip out a bunker can be brutal too. The place I go to lets you BYOB and you rent it out by the hour for $25. Bring 4 guys and it's not a horrible way to spend $15 for two hours of messing around.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Yep, they suck. As vi said, hitting the ball with the full swing is fairly good and it's sort of almost like the real thing. The short game is not even close, putting and chipping and touch shots are all a joke. Honestly, it's a hell of a lot cheaper to just go to a driving range because the simulator is just a driving range with pretty pictures on a screen. If you're looking at a sim as a way to kill time, go for it. If you're looking for it to be a substitute for real golf you'll be sorely disappointed.

 

[fustercluck]

Well I don't even have a choice of trying them because there are none in Tucson, but sorry to hear they're not all they're cracked up to be. Maybe some are better than others though.

Still playing in an air conditioned room is a big advantage as opposed to playing in 100+ degree weather

Where do you guys live where they have such machines?

 

[jlarsson]

Just make sure they are calibrated too. I have one close by that I've been to a couple times when some friends and I are bored during the middle of winter. The last time I was there, I was able to pull off some amazing shots (like massively hooking my short iron shots). It's quite annoying to see your 40 sand wedge shot go 20 yards straight and take a 90 degree turn to the left and end up OB or in some hazard.

In general, I agree with what's already been mentioned. For driving and long iron shots, its just like being at a range. But any chip shot is very hard to gauge, and putting is just awkward on these simulators.

 

[Gibsons]

Sounds like they need to add a nearby putting green. hit your approach, you're x feet away from the hole, drop and putt.

Chipping is a different problem and I guess you pretend sand traps don't exist.