Sim golf vs IRL

[Bastiaan]

Hi,

I have never tried 'sim golf' before and I was wondering if people can shed some light on what their experiences have been. Lots of questions on my side and clearly I should find a place to test sim golf, but that will probably not happen any time soon. So here it goes: Does a practice session on the sim range give the same ability to practice in a focused matter? Is a sim/indoor swing different? How easy or difficult is it to adjust your swing based on the ball flights projected on the screen? How much fun is a round of golf on the sim vs IRL purely from a ball striking perspective? Thanks! Eager to read what people think!

[penrose]

Does a practice session on the sim range give the same ability to practice in a focused matter? - I hate the range so not sure, but I know the challenges with the skytrak makes practice more fun - so if I am having fun I am guessing more focused. My shots from 20-100 yards and hitting the green has improved in real golf as a result of sim golf.

Is a sim/indoor swing different - not different - it will just take a while to swing the same indoors as it does outdoors. At least it did for me.

How much fun is a round of golf on the sim vs IRL purely from a ball striking perspective - For me, real golf is still more fun. You are outside, driving a cart, etc. However, sim golf is fun and best when you are find a ghost player with a close score to yours when playing a match or you have 6 holes to go and you can win the tourmenment for the week.

[keither5150]

I like practicing as much on a course as the range. IRL you don't have the option of dropping 15 balls from a troubling distance. Love Autorewind for that.... many times I will be 70 yards out and I turn autorewind on. 15 shots later and feeling much better about my game, I turn it off.... only to pull it to the right anyway. I once got a hole in one during autorewind (they don't count in stats)...... I turn autorewind off and hit 20 yards to the right. I hear that in TGC2, you will be able to drop the ball anywhere during practice mode.

[keither5150]

Focus while practicing...... I think that I am more focused at home. The sim provides data that you don't have on the range. Adjusting your swing compared to what is on the screen.... depends on your ability. Plenty of golf pros on YouTube to help you with that at home...... not so many out IRL on the range. TGC is a fantastic representation of real golf. I feel like I am out there IRL watching my ball fly. Putting is awesome also as long as you pick a sim that handles putting well. The sims of yesteryear were terrible for putting. My sim measures within 1/10 of a degree for direction and 1/10 of a mph for speed. I know the second it leaves the putter that I pulled it.... or hit it well. Ball striking is great but putting is what impressed me the most. I remember putting on sims about 15 years ago.... it was not good.

[Sledge0001]

What one has to realize is that there is a difference between real life and sim. You always have a perfect lie in the sim world, putting is a bit odd to be honest but distances and speeds can be matched up fairly closely, the depth of the rough can not be simulated (although the penalties in TGC are pretty darn good at clipping distance) and there is no substitution for bunker practice.

I played a real round today and shot a 96. In the 36 sim holes I played yesterday I shot a 95 both rounds. If you get the right setup you can benefit.

My game seems to be getting much better in real life since I moved to TGC and Skytrak.

All in all the sim makes it fun, convenient and accessible to practice on your schedule. I'd say prepare to be addicted if you like golf.

[Bastiaan]

Thank you, very helpful