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Trackman Launch Monitor Review

October 18, 2022

By Robert Hart

Trackman Launch Monitor Review

Trackman Launch Monitor Review   You are really going to want to do a lot of research and take your time with a purchase of a Trackman as this golf simulator is one of the most expensive on the market. The reason it is one of the most expensive is because it gives the most data and is the most accurate reads according to a lot of people. This simulator has all that you can want in a launch monitor. Expect to get a great experience with the Trackman. For one of the most consistent and accurate systems look to the Trackman. It was designed for training and practicing your swing due to the accuracy and data that they provide their players on the system.     Radar Technology   The best and greatest technology is used to track your club and ball with the Trackman. This launch monitor sits behind the player and will track essentially everything that is occurring in front of it. The radar technology that they used is patented and is seen as the top in the golf simulator world. PGA professionals will use this to work on perfecting their swing down to the smallest tweaks because everything is tracked with precise accuracy.   Accuracy   This launch monitor is basically second to none on accuracy. We mentioned before that it is trusted by PGA Tour pros to help them make minor adjustments in their swing. One of the most important things about accuracy though is that it is consistent as well. You want your golf simulator to give you the same results on the hits you are doing over and over again so you can really tune in your swing effectively. The Trackman is great at that. It was designed for training and practicing as it is one of the most accurate systems that we have seen on the market yet.   Features   Essentially any feature that you can find on all other golf simulators is found with the Trackman. This thing can do it all. The best feature though is the accuracy of it. We can not talk enough about how good it compares to any other simulator. The price is extremely hefty, but if price is not an issue, then the Trackman should be your best bet for getting the most out of a simulator and launch monitor.   Data   Compared to the majority of other golf simulators, this one has over double the amount of things tracked in your club and ball. For those looking for a truly in-depth look at the data of how they are swinging and how it is affecting the ball with every swing, this one should be for you. There is so much to break down and look at that it can be overwhelming, but if you know what you are looking at it can be really beneficial to your game as well.
Garmin R10 Launch Monitor Review

October 18, 2022

By Robert Hart

Garmin R10 Launch Monitor Review

When the Skytrak golf simulator came onto the market it really changed how golf simulators were perceived. It was a giant step in golf simulation technology. The Garmin R10 model was launched in just 2021 and it was seen as being similar to when the Skytrak first launched. It is truly that good and comes at an affordable price. The features and system as a whole rival what other launch monitors do for double or more the price. In this review we will look at how the Garmin R10 works, the accuracy of the simulator as a whole, the features, and the data that they provide users as well.     Radar Technology   While there are different ways to track club and ball data with golf simulators, Garmin uses radar technology. It has a small doppler radar compared to some of the other models but still provides accurate readings up there with some of the top of the line models. Cameras are also used to record every one of your swings. It makes it one of the top golf simulators at a fair price based on all that it can do.   Shot Accuracy   This won’t be the most accurate system, but for the price it is really good. Some of the top and more expensive models will do a better job of tracking accurately, but you can get a reasonable experience with the Garmin R10 as well. Some users really think that this provides great accuracy while some others claim that they are mildly disappointed with how it tracks. This leads us to think that it is good but not the greatest. But, yet again, for the price it seems like it is really good.   Features   Impressively, the Garmin R10 has over 42,000 courses that you can play on. Their systems allow for essentially any course to be played on. Don;t be surprised if one or nearly all of your local courses can be played on the system. This can make it a great system to practice on if you are going to go out and play your local courses you can get a practice round in before. Another cool feature is the ability that just a handful of other golf simulators offer, which is the ability to play online against others in tournaments and matches.   Data   Because every single shot is recorded on their cameras there are over 14 different data points that they provide. Additionally, there are 10 hours of battery life so you can play it inside while on the go and take it outside as well for long periods of time. All of the most important data that you could want is provided on the Garmin R10 and there really are no complaints about this aspect of it.
The Best Hitting Mats for Golf Simulators

October 18, 2022

By Robert Hart

The Best Hitting Mats for Golf Simulators

One of the most important aspects of a golf simulator is the hitting mat. For some very obvious reasons the hitting is imperative. It is the surface that you have to hit every shot off of on your simulator and it will need to hold up through tons of shots and rounds. This should not be the part of the golf simulator that you skimp on. It will improve the overall experience and play while using your simulator setup. If you are setting up your first golf simulator or are looking to upgrade your simulator setup, then check out these hitting mats as they can make all the difference in your overall play.     Golfbays Standard Hitting Mat   For those who are looking for a quality mat at a good price, check out this model. It has built in shock absorbers, a rubber bottom that sticks to any surface to provide a stable base, and has holes built in as well for tees. This mat is 1.5 meters by 1.5 meters, so it has good size that gives players ample room to get set and hit comfortably. It is a great option for those who have a good amount of room and need a quality mat that will hold up over time.   Truestrike MK7 Portable   This portable hitting mat can be taken and used anywhere. It is lightweight and small, which makes it more portable than other mats. The main benefit of this mat is that it is said to actually feel like hitting off of a real fairway. That is something that can rarely be found with other mats. It also can greatly improve your play on the course as the practice you get in on the simulator will translate even more to the course.   Simmat   This mat was made specifically for the Protee golf simulator as the Simmat has a cutout fit exactly to be played with that simulator. It is one of the top of the line mats and is pricier than the other two on this list. The quality is exceptional and looks really good. For those who want one of the highest quality mats on the market that makes your simulator feel like hitting on real grass, look to try a Simmat product. This current model is made for the Protee but can be used for other simulators that fit in the cutouts as well.   Take time with your purchase of a hitting mat. It is the thing that you will be directly playing on for every round you play on your simulator. You don't want to be stuck with a mat that doesn’t feel right under your feet or does not allow for a proper hit of the turf.    
Skytrak Launch Monitor Review

October 18, 2022

By Robert Hart

Skytrak Launch Monitor Review

It can be extremely hard to decide what launch monitor to use for your golf simulator setup. The prices can be all over the place and it is hard to actually know which ones provide the best experience. What really matters in the end is that the simulator allows you to easily play and is accurate based on your hits. Skytrak is one of the best and is at a fairly affordable price. For golf simulators in this price range, you likely won’t find one that will out-do the Skytrak. Let’s take a look in this review at what makes the Skytrak so good.     Photometric Technology   Most of the golf simulators on the market now will use camera-based or radar-based tracking systems. The Skytrak uses a camera-based photometric launch monitor that uses high-speed cameras to get the most accurate read on your hits. After that data is collected there are also complicated algorithms that will add that data together with some additional factors to come up with all of the metrics of your shot essentially in real-time.   Shot Accuracy   At the price range that the Skytrak is at, it is one of the most accurate on the market. That is a main reason as to why so many go with this model. You can save thousands by using this model versus a more expensive one and still get extremely close to the accuracy that those provide. If you are buying a golf simulator in this price range, you should feel good about the accuracy you will get with the Skytrak. The Skytrak is marketed as an indoor and outdoor simulator but the outdoor accuracy is not as good as some other models that are for this. For indoor use, it is spectacular though.   Features   The features on the Skytrak are plentiful. It is another reason why this is such a popular launch monitor. The features you get at this price are unmatched. Their users rave about how user friendly the features are and how easy it is to figure out. Some features to note are multicolor shot tracers to track different club hits, different skill tests, competitions, and much more. Players love comparing their clubs with some of these special features they provide to see how different clubs hit.   The Data   A lot of users love golf simulators due to the immense amount of data that they return. This is used to further tweak your swing and ball striking. There is a ton of information that Skytrak gives you on both the club data and ball data. Over a dozen different metrics are tracked and the only thing that is really missing from their data is the advanced club info that tracks things like club path and angles.  
How Much is a Golf Simulator?

October 13, 2022

By Robert Hart

How Much is a Golf Simulator?

Golf simulators come in a variety of price ranges depending on how much you want to spend and how good of a simulator experience you want to have. While you don’t need to break the bank to buy a golf simulator, as the prices get higher you can generally expect better performance, responsiveness, and overall experience. We will go over three of the most popular golf simulators in this article ranked by an affordable price to a moderately priced one to the top of the line and most expensive simulator.   Optishot 2 Golf Simulator £379     Golfers can get a great and full golf simulator experience with the Optishot 2. This is one of the most affordable golf simulators but it also offers essentially everything you could ask for. You can get right in the game with this golf simulator as it is easy to set up and comes loaded with over a dozen courses with the option to add more premium courses as well. This one gives you precise accuracy and feedback on your shot with 32 high-speed infrared sensors.   They also have the full package available that includes a full at-home setup. Optishot gives you all that you need to get started at a reasonable price.   Garmin Approach® R10 Portable Launch Monitor £498     This is one of the few portable golf simulators that you can take to the driving range or use at home. It will track all of your shots and you can play over 42,000 courses on it. They will likely even have the majority of the courses in your area on it.   This one does some pretty cool things as well such as tracking 12 different metrics like swing speed, ball speed, spin, and more. You can also get video of yourself to fix the mechanics in your swing. Like with the Optishot 2, it comes with a full at-home setup as well.   Skytrak Launch Monitor £1895       This is the top of the line golf simulator. It would be hard to beat this setup and experience anywhere. While it is the most expensive on this list, it is still a fraction of the price compared to some of the other products out there, but it holds up and may be even better than some more pricier ones on the market.   The Skytrak is one of the smartest simulators. It tracks the flight of your ball and the distance with extreme precision and analyzes the quality of your shots. Built in Wifi allows for this to be used wherever you want as you just have to connect it to a mobile device. Along with the Launch Monitor, a full at-home setup is alvalbe too.  
What Does Golf Stand For

October 13, 2022

By Robert Hart

What Does Golf Stand For

Many people are familiar with golf but don’t know the backstory and origin of the name and the game. Some people may think that golf is an acronym, but that is not the case. The word comes from the Dutch word “kolf” or “kolve”, which means “club”. Knowing that golf just means club may be a little anticlimactic for some people but most of the popular sports are generally just named after the ball or equipment used in the sport. Think about the name basketball where players put a ball in a basket or football where players are allowed to touch the ball with just their feet.   In the late 14th or 15th century the Dutch word “kolf” took on a different dialect from the Scottish and it started to be pronounced “goff” in the late 14th or early 15th century. It wasn’t until the 16th century that it later became pronounced the way we know it today, “golf”.   Golf History   Golf has an interesting history as well. The game originated in Scotland in the 1400s where people would hit pebbles over sand dunes with a stick that they formed into a club. It grew from there into something close to the game of golf today. In the 15th century Scotland was preparing for an invasion from the Auld Enemy but the people of Scotland were so enthralled with golf at the time that it distracted them from their war training. King James II ended up banning the sport in 1457 so they would focus more on their training rather than golfing. It took until 1502 for the game to be popular and acceptable again in Scotland and it took off from there.   Golf has come a long way since they were playing with sticks and pebbles in the sand dunes. Now some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world are golf courses and people will play throughout the year or even professionally for large sums of money.   Golf Simulators   Golfers can now even enjoy golf courses virtually where you can play a sped up game to get more holes and rounds in with golf simulators. These golf simulators have become so realistic at tracking your shots and giving you an accurate gameplay that it is a true simulation of playing on an actual course.   Golf has a rich history from long ago and the game has continued to grow ever since. The recent technology in golf with golf simulators and GPS trackers are just recent innovations into golf tech. More will continue to come and people will continue to innovate on the game that began with that Dutch word “kolf” that was coined so long ago now.  
Which is the Best Golf Ball on the market?

October 12, 2022

By Robert Hart

Which is the Best Golf Ball on the market?

One of the most interesting things about golf that not many people talk about is that you get to pick which ball you play with. In what other sport can you use a different ball from everyone else playing in the same contest? There aren’t many, and it actually can greatly affect your golf game more than you think depending on what ball you are playing with. Golf is undoubtedly a game of inches. Your ball can miss a fairway by inches or barely roll off the edge of the green after a beautiful 200-yard iron shot hit perfectly feet from the pin. We will look at some of the top balls right now that can give you just that slight edge that you may need to cut your score down by a few shots.   Whether you are playing on a golf simulator where you can get five times as many holes in or on a regular course, your golf balls will matter. While some of these top golf balls can be £40 or £60 per dozen, on a golf simulator it could be worth that price as you can’t lose a ball on a golf simulator, unless you are really bad.   Titleist Pro V1   Titleist Pro V1s have been one of the top balls for years now. Players rave that it is the best all-around golf ball that offers superior longevity so it will hold up for much longer than other balls and probably most importantly it is consistent. Golf is all about being consistent. If you can consistently hit the same shots over and over and know what to expect from each swing and each club, then you can be really good. It is a massive advantage to have a ball that is consistent as well.   Srixion Z-Star   For those who love to rip into the ball with a fast swing, the Srixion Z-Star golf ball may be for you. This ball can give you extreme benefits as it offers maximum distance and control on your shots. To get the most out of this ball you have to be a fast swinger. It is a great value ball though for anyone who wants a premium ball at a fair price.   Bridgestone Tour B RXS   The Bridgestone Tour B RXS is an alternative to the Srixon Z-Star. It is a comparable price but is made for those moderate level swingers. Top control and feel can be had with this ball and players love how it handles in windy conditions as well.   For those in the market for the top golf balls consider these three options. If you are playing on a simulator and want a cool way to display your premium balls, check out a golf pyramid. It looks super cool and is a convenient way to store a bunch of balls
How Accurate are Golf Simulators

October 12, 2022

By Robert Hart

How Accurate are Golf Simulators

Golf simulators have come a long way in just the past few years. While they still are not perfect, they have gotten extremely good and accurate to what you would expect your shot would do on a real course. Over the entirety of an 18-hole round of golf on a golf simulator you can expect a few shots that you thought may have gone differently on a real course but for the most part they are in line with what your shot would do in real life.   Arguably the best thing about golf simulators is that you can play a full round in a fraction of the time. If you spend four or five hours playing 18 holes, you might cut that down to an hour or less on a golf simulator. Additionally, you can play some of the best courses from around the world straight from your house.   Are Golf Simulators Accurate?   The answer to the ultimate question if golf simulators are accurate is yes. For the most part, the majority of golf simulators have been rigorously tested and are backed by some of the best and latest technology that allows them to be not only accurate but extremely accurate. If they were not accurate they wouldn’t be so popular among golfers who take golf very seriously. The first thing that a hardcore golfer would notice is if their shots were off even by yards compared to what they are used to. These golf simulators will be accurate down to the specific club and distance you are accustomed to hitting.   The Technology   Golf simulators all come down to how good the technology is. The majority of golf simulators on the market today all have four things that make them incredibly accurate. The first thing is the cameras that take high speed pictures throughout your swing to give club and ball speed data. Doppler radar then tracks the ball while it is in the air to get even further data on your shot. Hitting surfaces also have optical sensors that track your club and ball as you swing through the mat. Lastly, infrared lights track the ball as they pass through them to get an accurate ball speed, direction, and angle.   The most important thing to make your golf simulator setup as accurate as possible is to actually set it up as it should be. If something is off with how it is initially set up, the whole system can be displaying some inaccurate results. Some golfers say that they hit shorter on golf simulators but that is likely just due to the fact that they take something off their swing when hitting indoors or swing harder when they are in some thick grass playing outside.
How to Hold a Golf Club

October 12, 2022

By Robert Hart

How to Hold a Golf Club

There is no true correct way to hold a golf club. Different people will show you various grips that they think are best. In this article we will show you some of the most popular grips that everyday and the top golfers in the world use. A great way to practice your grip and swing is on a golf simulator. You can get a good feel for how you want to handle the club before going out on a real course and you can play entire holes and courses in a fraction of the time on some of the real top courses in the world. It’s important to find the best grip for you as it is the basis of your entire swing and golf game.     Basic Grip   The first grip is the most common with everyday golfers and even a lot of professionals. It’s the basic grip that can be slightly altered for comfort with some of the techniques below. For right-handed golfers grab the club with your left hand first. Rest the heel of your palm on the top edge of the handle. Now you can position your right hand palm on the thumb of your left hand. Now just close your right hand so your thumb and index finger make a V-shape that points at your center chest.   10-Finger Grip   After placing your hands with the basic grip you can decide your ultimate grip. One of the most common is the 10-finger grip with beginners or smaller players. The 10-finger grip means that all 10 of your fingers will be touching the club handle. It is not a super popular grip with professionals but the majority of golfers use this grip as it offers great feel and consistency. A lot of power can be generated from this grip as well.   Overlapping Grip   This is another one of the most common grips. A lot of people with larger hands use this as well as most of the professional players. Right-handed golfers will want to follow the steps of the basic grip but place your right little finger in between your left index and middle finger. Those fingers will be overlapped and your left thumb will fit in the center palm of your right hand. This grip is also known as the “Vardon Grip”, named after the person who invented the grip.   Interlocking Grip   The third grip is a variation of the 10-finger grip. Start with gripping the club in the 10-finger fashion but then interlock your pinky finger with your index finger which moves your hands closer together. This grip can increase your distance and power as your hands are locked together to gain more velocity behind your swing.
GolfBays

Solid net strong enough for practicing driver and every other club in the bag. Return slope very handy saving you having to collect balls, they roll straight back to your feet.Recommend also buying some heavy duty ground anchors or pegs to secure it if used in garden.

Liam

I already had a large gym in my house, however, I wanted to start practicing my golf at home as well as getting fitter. I didn't want a built in option so the simbox enclosure was the perfect solution. It allowed me to place it wherever I wanted in my room which was a bonus as I couldn't have it against a wall. The quality of the simbox is second to none, I went for the Close Knit Baffle screen as I wanted the most durable screen for the amount of practice I do, it is also super quiet which is a bonus. I can't thanks the team at Golfbays enough, all of the guys are super knowledgeable, you can tell they all have golfing backgrounds. I would definitely recommend.

H.P.

Fantastic quality, easy to install and fast delivery. Could not ask for much more. We also purchased a projector and protective enclosure that are brilliant. Creates a very professional looking set up.

Luke M.

Weather is no longer a problem for me, I can be in my garage and on the 7th at Augusta at the same time!

B Edwards

The box was delivered very quickly including customs clearance, perfect.The SimBox exceeded my expectations, black ball protection very noise-insulating, Impact Screen Pro+ very good for Full HD.Thanks to the video tutorial, it can also be set up alone, but much more relaxed with two people.Simply perfect, highly recommended, thanks to the 6 sizes there is always a place at home, as long as the room height fits.Very convincing qualityIn short: brilliant for the home simulator

Markus K.

Great quality, easy to assemble was hitting balls within hours of delivery which was within 48hrs. Require a few more items to complete the perfect room. Will use again.

Mark W

Nice and easy to get set up. A few minor issues with software but easily sorted with a quick call to the team at golfbays. I recommend TGC2019 for game play. Not tried Skytraks own courses but I believe they are good.

Peter H

Happy with the quality of the turf and would highly recommend to others.

Scott W

This is an exceptional machine with fast delivery and outstanding customer service from Golf Bays. It’s my second purchase from Golf Bays, they deliver top marks all the time and I would highly recommend!

Jonathan

Just Installed this new Pro+ screen at my commercial golf simulator. The difference between the old one and this new one is astounding. Not only is it much quieter but the image projection is so much more clearer. It is installed quite tightly using the Bungee balls but there is no significant bounce back.I unequivocally recommend the Pro + impact screen.

Adam S.

The golf team enjoys practicing with the Puttout training mat. More practice means better putting on the course. The quality of the product is excellent.

Boliver

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