I have skytrack with just net and mat. iPad sits on tripod and presents the data very well. I will probably progress to projector and screen but it really is not necessary.
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I’m really hoping my club gets its act together and puts in simulators… it was a part of our proposed remodel and is the only thing left unfinished…
My wife’s boss is on the board and pushing to make it happen… but you never know with these things… the membership doesn’t want to pay to use it and thus doesn’t want to spend the money installing it… i suggested selling access for $100 a year and up to five years, which would have covered both getting installed…
We really split the baby on our remodel, it will be interesting to see what happens… I’m not sure what I do if they go under.
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Three sources: eBay, golfsimulatorforum.com, and directly from Foresight. First two obviously are not as “safe” as Foresight, but especially on the forum, you could look at a seller’s posts on the forum to get a sense of whether they seem legit. You could also try paying via PayPal using the other option that’s not paying to friends (can’t remember what that’s called but gives some buyer protection with a % kicker).
Also, if you’re going to buy, look at the serial number. As the unit ages, you eventually need to replace the flash, which will run ~$500. One of the posters on the Discord had this as good price ranges:
- Non A units: $3300-3700
- Serial #3000-7000: $3700-3900
- Serial #7001-10000: $3900-4100
- Serial #10001+: $4100-4900
The advice is not to go over $4,900 as you can just buy a certified pre-owned GC from Foresight for $5,400. Seems that sometimes when you buy CPO, they just give you a new one.
Key thing here as well is that GC2s hold their value really well. At this point, they’re pretty old, and there continues to be a thriving second-hand market for these units.
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GolfWRX has them listed a ton… I’ve never bought something that expensive but have always had good experiences on the bst.
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Good call. I’m sure there are other spots too…
@LouStagner has a great drill for anyone with a simulator… similar to what Adam posted.
I’m really looking forward to developing skills on the simulator. I’m hoping next winter I can come out of winter a better golfer than I started, and I’m collecting the resources to do just that. I probably should have just bought a divot board when I had the chance!
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I’ve been contemplating various simulator practice ideas, the Lou one above is great…
I realize this is way late in the winter season, but here are the other ideas I’m contemplating:
- Adam’s practice drill of hitting irons a repeatable distance
- Figuring out my dispersion through the bag. I’m not sure how to accurately track this, but 20+ shots over a few different sessions with every full swing club in my bag and figure out my “circles” so I can pick better targets (and possibly figure out if I need to work on / change anything)
- Build out stock 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 swings, especially with wedges.
- Look at my driver numbers, and try to get more optimized. Check and make sure my driver is on the right setting, and work on a better AOA and make sure the whole setup is working for me.
Those are my big ones… our simulators are still not operational, but my back appreciates the downtime!
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Has anyone gone the DIY route as opposed to buying a simulator package ? I have an unused standalone single car garage that I’m thinking of converting so would need to build a frame , install projector screen etc and obviously source a PC , launch monitor on the second hand market. More work I know but probably saving yourself a good 20% off the package prices…
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Check out …
… mentioned above; a good resource.
There are also a few sites that sell parts, vs compete systems, and sorry have forgotten the name of a good discount but a Google search will give you some places to look for ideas.
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I’ve looked into it, briefly… it’s definitely a way to save some money if you do it right!
I think from a cost perspective, if you just build a cage, get a mat and then get a computer, screen and launch monitor you can have everything you need… the projector and screen weren’t on my build list simply to keep the budget down. If you want to fully simulate a round, they are probably a must, though.
My club just dropped 50k on 2 new simulators (GC Hawks with some course upgrades), and we got pushed back because the netting was wrong. Not sure if it added to the build cost, but I’m hoping they are finally done this week.
I think it all comes down to what you want to do, and I think you’ll see pricing drop this season… I’m hoping to get some good use out of a simulator and will try to track what I’m doing (and more importantly, what’s working). My hope is next season I start the season a better golfer than I ended this years season.
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You definitely don’t need to spend $50K for a great setup! Here’s a potential budget:
- Launch monitor: GC2 if you can swing it (~$5K), Skytrak also great ($2.5K), Uneekor is a great step up option ($6K)
- Mat: Worth the investment, $400-800 (Fiberbuilt or True Strike)
- Net: Can be a Rukket ($200) or can step up to a Net Return ($800)
- PC: Going to want at least a GTX 1080 graphics card ($1K)
- Software: TGC2019 is great ($1K) or GSPro is really going to be the next big thing (currently $30/6 months while it’s in beta, can’t use with Skytrak unfortunately)
Projector and impact screen definitely optional; you’re looking at another ~$1-3K for those depending on how you do it.
We just ran a big Ryder Cup online on TGC2019, and it’s probably the most fun I’ve had playing golf in a long time.
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Just to be clear, it was 25k a simulator, and I think both have multiple add on courses (still very expensive)…
I might have to start a thread on my club remodel, because I’m very annoyed by the whole thing… we spent $1.5 million (ish) and didn’t repaint the sign over the entrance (which also wasn’t redone, and is built in 70s chic)… I might get bored and go take some pictures later…
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The GC Hawk is a fabulous launch monitor. That was probably $15K of the build for each, depending on what options the club went with. $25K is definitely in the right range for a killer setup like you can/should have at a club - I bet it looks great!
No comment on the rest of the remodel 
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yeah, the simulator is one of the few things done right… granted, apparently they are only going to charge $25 a quarter for unlimited access… (hahahaha… I’m going to get my money’s worth!).
The 50k renovation of a room that isn’t ever used for anything and the $100k renovation for a secondary bar (after building a very nice 21+ area about 50 feet away) are the type of things I’m upset about… they did some very good things, but should have just torn the whole building down and started over.
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