Is It Worth Buying a Used Full Swing Golf?

[Moose]

I am looking to buy a preowned Full Swing Golf simulator with 2004 software. The asking price is $6,000. Is it worth it? Original purchase price was $45,000. These are the specs:

Custom designed simulator enclosure (Floors, walls, ceiling);
Extra strength hitting/viewing screen;
Specially designed computer with Intel Pentium processor;
High resolution LCD projection system;
LCD touch screen game command system;
Electro-static dissipating floor covering;
Hight quality hitting matt including simulated sand and rough;
Proprietary infrared ball tracking system;
Award winning links LS Golf Course software;
Quiet screen upgrade.

[GungHoGolf]

Can't comment on the quality of that system, but computers, projectors, and software have progressed substantially in the last 16 years. The enclosure and flooring may be worth $6K by itself if it's of high quality (which it should be).

I'm most interested in how they're doing this: "Electro-static dissipating floor covering". Static from turf drives me nuts, would love to know the solution.

[Brettster]

Interesting Ron, is there any way you could dissipate static using a ground wire run through the mat?

[shwag33]

Can't comment on the quality of that system, but computers, projectors, and software have progressed substantially in the last 16 years. The enclosure and flooring may be worth $6K by itself if it's of high quality (which it should be).

I'm most interested in how they're doing this: "Electro-static dissipating floor covering". Static from turf drives me nuts, would love to know the solution.

Not 100% certain, but you could buy rolls of thicker gauge foil. Cover the bottom of the mat, then ground the foil to your electrical system ground. We use the thicker foil for EMI testing grounding during testing. Really you could probably use regular kitchen foil with some spray adhesive. You'd just need to be careful until it's installed since it tears easy.

[GungHoGolf]

Thanks, makes sense.

[Brettster]

Ah, yes, that makes sense too - a bunch of tin foil and glue and ground it to an electrical ground.

[dvbeach]

Here is what works for me to eliminate static electricity: (I saw this on a post in this forum)
Spray bottle with 2 parts water and 1 part Fabric Softener.....I spray my mat before each session and haven't had much issue with static electricity since.

[Camaro91]

If I may chime in, I would say no, it may not be worth it and this is why. I’m not a Full Swing tech but I’ve spent a fair bit of time working on a few of these older systems and while I do believe them to be very good quality at purchase, a 16 yr old system will need updating and/or repair at some point in the future. Unless some updating has been done, this is what you could be looking at. I haven’t worked on one in a couple yrs but the software was very expensive to update, in Canada, upwards of 10 grand, which I don’t remember, may have included the computer? The projector may require a bulb ( $200 CA) but an upgrade would brighten things up (maybe $1500 and up) specifically if the computer is done at the same time. As to the 2 tracking grids, if they’ll let you, grab a Phillips screwdriver and lift one of the covers and if you see green boards, these are no longer available and would have to be swapped out with the black ones. Again not sure of the pricing but a couple hundred each x I think, 36? I was told by one rep they are not interchangeable and if one goes out, you will need to replace them all, not to mention the cables should be changed at the same time. The power supplies should be okay. This system should not have the Ion camera system so you’d be safe there. I would ask the owner to run Nomask for you if they know how and switch between the two grids, they should be clean with only lines around the outside edges. If they are messy, it’s probably bad cables / connections or worse a dead board? I will say though that if it’s running fine, nomask is clean, computer, software, projector and screen were updated at some point, it may be worth it but only you can say for sure. These were very high quality systems and could run for years more trouble free, who knows but at $6000? Just my opinion, good luck with your choice.