Golf simulators are changing the game, bringing the outdoors to the indoors with a virtual experience. Professional players are among the golf enthusiasts to make full use of the benefits that golfing sims deliver to the game. As well as letting you get your swing off from the comfort of your home, golf simulators use cutting edge technology to provide you with live stats about your play performance. Golf simulators aren’t purely entertainment. It’s a whole new way to train and improve your game. At present, the market has different choices of golf simulator that are available to purchase for the home and for commercial use in a sports facility. At VGolf, our venue makes use of the Golfzon simulator and before we outfitted our space, we did our homework. We believe that it’s the best simulator available.
For the purposes of this blog, we’re going to compare Golfzon to four other simulators on the market – Trackman, Full Swing Pro, aboutGolf and Foresight Sports.
How much do golf simulators cost?
The unavoidable fact about golf simulators is their price. The equipment doesn’t come cheap. Across Golfzon’s range of four simulators, you’re looking at costs of between $20,000 to $72,500. If you want to look for the most affordable option, you’re still going to be looking at around the same figures when looking at Golfzon’s competitors. Foresight Sports ‘Sim-in-a-box’ can be fetched at around the $30,000 mark when measured up to the same requirements as Golfzon. Trackman golf simulators can end up approaching the $100,000 mark with their industry-leading technology making their products the top standard – and you pay the cost for having the very best.
If you’re looking to buy a golf simulator for your home, we suggest that you get quotes from each. The cost of the products themselves isn’t the best indicator of how much you’d end up realistically spending as many simulators will need a dedicated space in your home to be designed and prepared for the tech. You’ll also need to factor in the cost of installation. So in summary, there isn’t really a stand-out affordable option when it comes to golf simulators so the best approach is to get individual quotes and see what you get for your money.
How many golf courses are included?
Out of the golf simulators on the market, Golfzon by far has the best selection of courses. With their top model, TwoVision, there are 200 golf courses from around the world including the world famous golf courses Pebble Beach and St Andrews. Golfzon has virtually mapped real golf courses in high-quality graphics. By far, Golfzon delivers the closest virtual golf experience as a result. Their other still offer 175 virtual golf courses which is more than the competitors.
Full Swing Pro has 84 golf courses to choose from. AboutGolf has 70, high res courses to try. Foresight Sports simulators only have 15-21 courses but they do have a wider range of sports as part of their selection, not limited to golf.
Auto-tee functionality
Golfzon’s tech delivers a top experience and it’s not just the simulator itself that sets it above the competition. It’s the extra features that just make it all that more inspired – such as the automated functionality with the tee. You might think it’s a little gimmicky, but there is something very satisfying as setting loose your ball down the fairway, and then for it to be delivered right back to the hitting mat. You don’t even have to walk that short distance to the screen to pick up your ball. It comes back to you. Golfzon is alone in having this function.
Hitting matt and hydraulics
Most golf simulators will come with a purpose-built hitting mat to emulate the different turf conditions. The surface is pretty essential to the game experience after all. With Golfzon, the hitting mat has a variety of surfaces including fairway, rough and bunker. With the TwoVision, you can hit your shots off first cut and second cuttings of rough as well as fairway, bunkers and the putting green.
Full Swing Pro has a hitting matt that resembles the fairway with both their golf simulators. AboutGolf has a fairway and rough, but not a bunker surface.
What really sets Golfzon apart is the hydraulics in the moving platform. The surface texture alone isn’t enough. The moving platform can rotate to simulator 24 positions, giving you the gradient for hitting uphill, downhill and to the side. Full Swing has one simulator, the Virtual Green, but there aren’t many others with this additional extra.
Game modes
We know that Golfzon and its competitors have virtual golf courses for you to experience and try out all their 18 holes, but what else do they have to offer? Many golf simulators come with additional game modes to make the experience all the more diverse including arcade games and driving range functions. Golfzon comes with golf darts and building block games that are great for short term entertainment between friends.
The Pro Series and the Sport Series simulators have a much larger range and offer a multi-sport mode. For players looking for a big range of games, Full Swing has a great choice. The same is the case with Foresight Sports. AboutGolf and Trackman are golf only.
Software
Working in tandem with high-speed cameras and scanners, golf simulators use cutting edge software to deliver your swing data to the screen. Which golf simulator has the smartest software? Trackman has the most technical system but other golf simulators also offer training capabilities. Golfzon delivers an immersive, accurate experience for golfers whether using the virtual driving range or playing 18 holes on one of the 200 carefully-mapped courses. Delivered in high definition, Golfzon offers the most realistic gameplay. Other golf simulators also come with their own purpose-built software including Full Swing which offers realistic graphics, great challenges and practice courses.
How does Golfzon compare?
When taking in all the other golf simulators, Golfzon comes up on top for how much you get for your money. In both the physical experience with the hitting mat and moving platform with the virtual golf software, it offers the best experience in general for professionals and amateurs alike. Overall, Golfzon stands out for its combination of advanced technology, realistic simulation experience, and social features, making it a popular choice among golfers and entertainment venues worldwide. However, the best choice for an individual or business depends on specific needs, such as accuracy, budget, and desired features. For professionals, you may be more inclined to go for the high end of the market with Trackman, yet if your golf simulator plans are more for entertainment and recreational purposes, Golfzon, Full Swing and Foresports all have simulators that will deliver exactly what you’re after.
Experience Golfzon at VGolf Brighton
Interested to try out virtual golf for yourself? You don’t need to fork out thousands of dollars to enjoy the experience. We have four Golfzon simulators at our venue at VGolf, all available for hire for solo play or for parties. If you’re into your golf, you’re missing out on a different way to enjoy the game – and you don’t have to worry about the rain postponing your play!
Want to try it out? You can book a slot online easily enough with our online booking system here. We also do corporate events so if you’re interested in arranging for a large group, our VIP room might be just what you’re after. You can find out more by giving us a call on 01273 057521.