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Cost Breakdown
For background, I don't like playing golf on a simulator compared to the real thing. I live in the mid-Atlantic so golf is limited at least 4 months of the year (I will play above 55 degrees and with global warming this seems more doable each winter). I wanted something that could keep me sharp during these months. The second goal was to teach my son (age 9) to be a capable golfer (he is not going pro). Although I probably could afford pretty much anything, I personally thought it was silly in my situation to spend over 10,000 on a simulator. If I didn't have kids to put through college, I would have spent 100K because I'm a golf addict. I would also understand people who thought 5-10K is crazy when you consider how much real golf you could play at muni courses for that much money (several years worth). Also for full disclosure, my wife hates golf.
I wanted something that would balance cost and use. Also, I did not want to irreversibly tear apart my house. I have a carpeted, finished basement area: 104 inch ceilings (8' 8''), 20 feet long, 15 feet wide. I spent a lot of time down there swinging my driver at foam balls to make sure I trusted the ceiling height (I'm 5'9''). I'd recommend at least one month of practice swings in this way before proceeding. It gives you a sense of where to place the ball. I never once grazed the ceiling with a club. Since I got the SkyTrak, I have grazed the ceiling with my driver when really trying to go after a shot. That being said, I knew that it was possible my taller friends could never come over and play comfortably. I came to terms with the fact that it might just be used by myself and my son. Again, I didn't view this as much of a social thing. Although I am reasonably handy, I didn't have the time or effort to try to build my own frame for an enclosure. I just went with the DIY kit from Carl's place. I'd recommend buying the enclosure and mat first. After that, spend another month just hitting real balls into the enclosure. This allows you to get a feel for the space before jumping into the simulator and projector. At worst, you may decide you are perfectly happy with just a screen and a mat.
Biggest decisions:
1. Carl's Place screen enclosure: easy to DIY assemble and take apart, doesn't require messing with your walls, high quality screen, looks reasonably professional. Negative is that the screen gets slightly loose in areas from the impact of balls. Therefore, it's not ideal for watching movies but the kids don't know the difference.
2. SkyTrak: not as good as others but at 2,000, this was easily the best value for my purposes. The metal case is MANDATORY. One wayward golf ball could kill that thing. I got the Game Improvement program which is really all you need. I also extended the warranty six months for $99 (not sure this will be worth it).
3. Placement of the projector behind me (I did the calculation and there would be no shadow). I ultimately felt the projector behind me would be less distracting and limit chance of hitting it. This has worked out very well. The ball is placed about 15-16 feet from the screen. The projector is about 19-20 feet from the screen (4 inches from the ceiling, about 100 inches off the ground).
4. 4:3 aspect ratio. I wanted to have the height of the image be as tall as possible. The Carl's place screens don't sell screens with 16:9 ratio at 8.5 feet tall because they become structurally unstable. Because height of the image was more important to me than width, I went with 4:3. Ultimately, a 12 foot wide screen was plenty for me. The output of the SkyTrak is a little stretched off my laptop but you get used to it.
Here is a full breakdown of cost (everything includes state sales tax and shipping cost). Please note that some of the things I considered "essential" to create the experience. Other items were specific to my space but I wanted to give people a realistic idea of cost.
I didn't include the cost of framed prints, memorablia, etc. for decoration. I do plan on making the walls look nice in that way.
Biggest surprise challenges:
1. Getting the hitting mat to stay still. I put a Country Club Elite mat on existing carpet. I really didn't want to cut the carpet to glue the mat down to the basement foundation. I finally used a carpet pad and tape which is rock solid. The problem is it's not as easy to move the mat around. On the other hand, cutting the carpet could have given me an extra inch of ceiling clearance.
2. Noise: It is loud in basement surrounded by concrete foundation walls on three sides (mostly metal woods are the problem). I use AirPod Pros on noice cancellation mode which help a lot. However, I do worry about my young son. Will have to buy him ear plugs.
3. Partial shots: The simulator really isn't helpful on "feel" shots. Generally, when I'm hitting say 60 yards, I just feel that distance rather than adjust my backswing. Because you have no visual reference, it seems somewhat random. In general, simulators aren't for the short game.
Random thoughts:
-The balls lose their markings when hitting against the Carl's impact screen. I didn't expect this aspect. You shouldn't use super nice balls because they can get "bald" quickly from the repeated impact. On the flip side, the SkyTrak works better with a distinct marking/logo so the balls only have so much life before they need to be changed. I had previously assumed I should get nice balls since I could use them for a really long time. Hence, I got proV1x initially but will probably use stray balls from now on.
-Accuracy of the Skytrak: At first, my distances were way too short. I was upset because I thought it was a fault with Skytrak. In retrospect, I think it's surprisingly accurate. First, you need to wear real golf shoes. If you don't, you are losing distance. Second, the Country Club Elite mat punishes "fat" shots such that you really need to hit the sweet spot to get a good number. This is in contrast to other mats where you can hit two inches behind the ball. Also, if the mat moves at all, it likely will cost you some distance on the launch monitor. In the end, I have to say that the distance numbers were very close to reality. The shot shape is also exactly what I would expect. This confirms to me the overall value of the SkyTrak. I've hit on TrackMan before. I can't say that there is a difference that would justify the price.
-I had reservations about the 2 second delay. It's not a big deal. I barely think about it now.
-If you have anti-virus software (I have Norton), it can interfere with the Skytrak installation. You need to disable it while it's installing, otherwise it won't work.
-I purchased the extension netting for the sides. However, I do have holes just in front of the enclosure where my son manages to pop his driver straight up. The lesson is that if there is exposed drywall, a golf ball will find it at some point.
I'm really happy with the SkyTrak. There are limits to simulator golf. It has helped with my ball striking on irons mostly. It doesn't help your short game. You have to be careful not to overdo it as you could get injured with that much access to golf. The best part of having a simulator is playing with my son. He will be a much better golfer having access to the simulator. Hopefully, this will spare him the ten years it took me to develop a golf swing from scratch starting in my 30's.
I will add pictures soon.
I wanted something that would balance cost and use. Also, I did not want to irreversibly tear apart my house. I have a carpeted, finished basement area: 104 inch ceilings (8' 8''), 20 feet long, 15 feet wide. I spent a lot of time down there swinging my driver at foam balls to make sure I trusted the ceiling height (I'm 5'9''). I'd recommend at least one month of practice swings in this way before proceeding. It gives you a sense of where to place the ball. I never once grazed the ceiling with a club. Since I got the SkyTrak, I have grazed the ceiling with my driver when really trying to go after a shot. That being said, I knew that it was possible my taller friends could never come over and play comfortably. I came to terms with the fact that it might just be used by myself and my son. Again, I didn't view this as much of a social thing. Although I am reasonably handy, I didn't have the time or effort to try to build my own frame for an enclosure. I just went with the DIY kit from Carl's place. I'd recommend buying the enclosure and mat first. After that, spend another month just hitting real balls into the enclosure. This allows you to get a feel for the space before jumping into the simulator and projector. At worst, you may decide you are perfectly happy with just a screen and a mat.
Biggest decisions:
1. Carl's Place screen enclosure: easy to DIY assemble and take apart, doesn't require messing with your walls, high quality screen, looks reasonably professional. Negative is that the screen gets slightly loose in areas from the impact of balls. Therefore, it's not ideal for watching movies but the kids don't know the difference.
2. SkyTrak: not as good as others but at 2,000, this was easily the best value for my purposes. The metal case is MANDATORY. One wayward golf ball could kill that thing. I got the Game Improvement program which is really all you need. I also extended the warranty six months for $99 (not sure this will be worth it).
3. Placement of the projector behind me (I did the calculation and there would be no shadow). I ultimately felt the projector behind me would be less distracting and limit chance of hitting it. This has worked out very well. The ball is placed about 15-16 feet from the screen. The projector is about 19-20 feet from the screen (4 inches from the ceiling, about 100 inches off the ground).
4. 4:3 aspect ratio. I wanted to have the height of the image be as tall as possible. The Carl's place screens don't sell screens with 16:9 ratio at 8.5 feet tall because they become structurally unstable. Because height of the image was more important to me than width, I went with 4:3. Ultimately, a 12 foot wide screen was plenty for me. The output of the SkyTrak is a little stretched off my laptop but you get used to it.
Here is a full breakdown of cost (everything includes state sales tax and shipping cost). Please note that some of the things I considered "essential" to create the experience. Other items were specific to my space but I wanted to give people a realistic idea of cost.
| # | Component | Cost (shipping and tax included) |
| 1 | SkyTrak -Metal Case -1 year Game Improvement -6 month warranty extension |
$2,478.85 |
| 2 | TGC 2019 -Full License (one-time fee) |
$895 |
| 3 | Projector -Ben Q TH685 |
$799 |
| 4 | Projector Mounting Bracket -Kanto |
$53.00 |
| 5 | Gaming Laptop -Lenovo Laptop i7/RTX 2060/12MB memory |
$1,261.89 |
| 6 | Carl’s Place Screen Enclosure -Custom, 8.5 x 11 feet -1 inch EMT Pipes ($85.86) -Rigid Pipe Cutter ($37.73) |
$1,263.04 |
| 7 | Country Club Elite Hitting Mat (4’ x 5’) | $417.01 |
| Total for Essential Equipment | $7,167.79 | |
| 8 | Fire Sprinkler Guard | $14.99 |
| 9 | PlexiGlass Protector for Ceiling Lights | $12.99 |
| 10 | PlexiGlass Rods for Ceiling Lights | $11.82 |
| 11 | Foam Padding (6ft x 2) | $27.76 |
| 12 | Real Feel Ball tray | $34.99 |
| 13 | Bir Tee Pro - tees | $18.99 |
| 14 | New Balance Striker Golf shoes (dedicated indoor shoes) | $74.00 |
| 15 | Wall mount desk/Cords/power strip/cable management | $200 |
| 16 | ProV1x balls (24) | $75 |
| 17 | Shag tube | $15 |
| 18 | Magic Stop Carpet Pad (keeps Hitting Mat from slipping) | $13.84 |
| 19 | Heavy Duty Carpet Tape (keeps Hitting Mat from slipping) | $7.97 |
| Total for Extras | $507.35 | |
| Grand Total | $7,675.14 |
Biggest surprise challenges:
1. Getting the hitting mat to stay still. I put a Country Club Elite mat on existing carpet. I really didn't want to cut the carpet to glue the mat down to the basement foundation. I finally used a carpet pad and tape which is rock solid. The problem is it's not as easy to move the mat around. On the other hand, cutting the carpet could have given me an extra inch of ceiling clearance.
2. Noise: It is loud in basement surrounded by concrete foundation walls on three sides (mostly metal woods are the problem). I use AirPod Pros on noice cancellation mode which help a lot. However, I do worry about my young son. Will have to buy him ear plugs.
3. Partial shots: The simulator really isn't helpful on "feel" shots. Generally, when I'm hitting say 60 yards, I just feel that distance rather than adjust my backswing. Because you have no visual reference, it seems somewhat random. In general, simulators aren't for the short game.
Random thoughts:
-The balls lose their markings when hitting against the Carl's impact screen. I didn't expect this aspect. You shouldn't use super nice balls because they can get "bald" quickly from the repeated impact. On the flip side, the SkyTrak works better with a distinct marking/logo so the balls only have so much life before they need to be changed. I had previously assumed I should get nice balls since I could use them for a really long time. Hence, I got proV1x initially but will probably use stray balls from now on.
-Accuracy of the Skytrak: At first, my distances were way too short. I was upset because I thought it was a fault with Skytrak. In retrospect, I think it's surprisingly accurate. First, you need to wear real golf shoes. If you don't, you are losing distance. Second, the Country Club Elite mat punishes "fat" shots such that you really need to hit the sweet spot to get a good number. This is in contrast to other mats where you can hit two inches behind the ball. Also, if the mat moves at all, it likely will cost you some distance on the launch monitor. In the end, I have to say that the distance numbers were very close to reality. The shot shape is also exactly what I would expect. This confirms to me the overall value of the SkyTrak. I've hit on TrackMan before. I can't say that there is a difference that would justify the price.
-I had reservations about the 2 second delay. It's not a big deal. I barely think about it now.
-If you have anti-virus software (I have Norton), it can interfere with the Skytrak installation. You need to disable it while it's installing, otherwise it won't work.
-I purchased the extension netting for the sides. However, I do have holes just in front of the enclosure where my son manages to pop his driver straight up. The lesson is that if there is exposed drywall, a golf ball will find it at some point.
I'm really happy with the SkyTrak. There are limits to simulator golf. It has helped with my ball striking on irons mostly. It doesn't help your short game. You have to be careful not to overdo it as you could get injured with that much access to golf. The best part of having a simulator is playing with my son. He will be a much better golfer having access to the simulator. Hopefully, this will spare him the ten years it took me to develop a golf swing from scratch starting in my 30's.
I will add pictures soon.
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