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Boasting more than 100 golf courses and home to the BMW PGA Championship, Surrey is somewhat of a golfing hotspot. The popularity of the sport has continued to rise in recent years, and among several factors are the advancement and embracing of technology and the rise of activity bars. Attractions such as Top Golf in Addlestone are the perfect way to get into the swing of it.
For any golf enthusiast, few things beat the feeling of striking a perfect shot and watching your ball sail right down the fairway. But as we head into autumn and winter with unpredictable weather, shorter days and darker nights, enjoying quality time on the course to practice can be a challenge.
Thanks to advancements in technology and innovation by Dave Pelz in the late 1970s, the concept of refining one’s swing in a controlled environment led to the creation of the first golf simulator. Today, golfers can play in any weather, at any time of day and from virtually any location. Offering instant feedback and allowing players to adjust their game more effectively, golf simulators have become invaluable for improving performance across all golfing skill levels.
Many golfers are taking things a step further, with golf simulator ownership on the rise, constructing their very own private golf haven right at home – a dedicated simulator studio for practice, entertainment and even improving skills through lessons and training. With over 20 years’ experience designing and building the world’s most exclusive simulators, we enlisted the expertise of Golf Swing Systems, founded and based in Surrey, for their advice on installing the par-fect at home luxury amenity to drive your game forward.
A golf simulator is designed to bring golf practice and play indoors. They use a launch monitor, usually a radar device or camera to measure and track a real golf ball. This means you can hit full shots, just like on the course and see the result on an impact resistant projector screen, all from the comfort of your home.
Golf simulators help to improve your game in several ways including providing access to data and videos of your swing. However, there is one way they help your game most… you never need to worry about the weather again. No travel time, no rain delays, no slow pace of play. Perfect practice, every time, whenever you want!
Installing a simulator at home gives a host of benefits. Like we said, you can play whenever you want without the need for perfect weather or playing conditions. A simulator can also be a fantastic entertainment space for family and friends, whether they are keen golfers, or just getting into the game. You can also benefit from customising the room to your preferences. If you want a bespoke sound system, a bar, a socialising space or even a home cinema, you can have it with a custom setup! The room will be unique to you.
Is it biased if I say one that we install? In all seriousness, the best unit on the market depends on the customer. We are a totally independent company so we don’t have to sell you a specific launch monitor, rather, we can find the perfect one for you. There are of course some stand out names at the tip of the mountain like Trackman and Foresight but brands like SkyTrak, FlightScope and Rapsodo all have their perfect customer as well.
Typically, a golf pro will use either a Trackman unit or a Foresight GC Quad. There is an ongoing battle between the two for dominance on the Tour, but both are unbelievably good at what they do.
Typically, golf simulators will range from £10,000 up to £50,000 for an indoor setup. The price is dictated by how much luxury and technology you want to introduce. We can even build buildings to house a simulator which then changes this from a room conversion to full build project.
Our motto is “If you can swing a club safely, then we can find a simulator for you”, however there is a goldilocks size. Anything above 6m in depth, 4.5m in width and 3m in height will have no restrictions on any launch monitor. This means you can have any setup you wish.
You will only need planning if you require an outdoor building to be constructed and you are beyond the permitted development laws for your area. We liaise with architects and planning specialists to advise on this process and will ensure everything obeys the rules. For internal changes however there is rarely a need for permissions unless the building is listed.
Absolutely. Any space you have which is large enough can be converted into a simulator. If the outhouse is not watertight, we can renovate it and adjust to ensure everything is safe and comfortable. For example, we are currently in the process of converting a leaky stable block into a full entertainment complex!
For more information about Golf Swing Systems, visit www.golfswingsystems.co.uk or follow @golfswingsystems on Instagram.
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