⛳ Garage sim goals (on a budget!)

👀 The Three-Putt: 3 Golf Picks You Can't Miss

📰 Must-Read: MyGolfSpy just unveiled their picks for the best personal launch monitors of 2024. From Garmin to Bushnell to Rapsodo, the competition is fierce—who came out on top? Find out here.

⛳ Must-Try: Free golf + cold drinks? Yes, please. Head to any Five Iron Golf location Thurs.–Sat., 9 PM–Close, and get 30 minutes FREE for every bucket of beers, seltzers, or canned wines purchased during your sim booking.

📽️ Must-See: Golf just got more fun—Full Swing dropped Pirate Wars, a mashup of battleship and golf. Ready to golf your way to the win? Check it out. 

😎 Sim Steals and Deals

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are over, but these brands are still running deals for the rest of the week! Snag ‘em while supplies last! ⛳🎁

⛳ Garage Sim Goals (on a budget!)

We caught up with @coleteesoff to chat about his garage simulator setup and how he built it on a budget. From clever DIY hacks to lessons learned the hard way, he shares all the tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your own setup without breaking the bank. Let’s dive in!

Where did you spend the most money in your setup, and why?

I spent the most on my launch monitor—kind of unavoidable. I went with the MLM2Pro, an entry-level option, and I’ve been very happy with it. At first, I was frustrated with how it picked up chips, but a recent update fixed that issue. They’ve also announced plans to add club metrics like club path and face angle in Q1 of 2025. If that happens, it’s a no-brainer for anyone on a budget.

If someone is working with a tight budget, what area do you think is most worth investing in?

Outside of the launch monitor, don’t go cheap on the hitting strip. I’m currently nursing a wrist injury from months of hitting on a mid-range hitting strip. My iron striking also suffered because I subconsciously scooped my irons to avoid wrist pain. I recently upgraded to the SIGPRO Softy hitting strip, which seems like the best option for preventing injury. I’ll fully test it out once my wrist heals.

What part of the build did you save the most on? Any specific tips for cutting costs?

I went with a net instead of an impact screen to cut costs. I already had a pull-down projector screen, so I project onto the wall opposite my stance and hit into the net. I also saved money by getting a cheap stance mat off Amazon. While I highly recommend a nice, and expensive, hitting strip, the stance mat doesn’t really matter, so you can go cheap there.

Did you use any DIY solutions, and if so, what were they?

I have a lot of DIY solutions in my setup. My hitting platform is mobile, so I can store it away and still park a car in the garage. It’s just a couple of sheets of thin plywood with gym mats and my mats glued on top.

I also created a storage system for my balls and tees, plus a club organizer with labeled slots for each club for easy access.

I added some extra lighting to help my launch monitor read the ball spin—I just had a recessed light from a previous project that I rigged up to plug into an outlet. 

Lastly, instead of putting my nice gaming PC in the garage, I used a basic PC there and connected it to my gaming PC via Parsec. I ran a USB extender with a Bluetooth adapter through the wall, garage attic, and ceiling so my gaming PC connects directly to the launch monitor via Bluetooth. (My wife wasn’t thrilled about this one!)

What features or equipment would you upgrade if you had more budget?

Eventually I’d like to upgrade to an impact screen—I think it’d help the immersion to be hitting directly at the screen instead of into a net. My current setup works well, though, and my golf budget is needed elsewhere at the minute (5 hybrid, club membership, lessons, etc.)

What’s your favorite part of your simulator setup, and why?

The ability to go hit balls whenever I want. If I have 20 minutes between meetings and want to go hit some balls, I can. If I wake up at 5am and no courses or ranges are open, I can go play 18 at Augusta. 

My other favorite part is the instant feedback—I’ve added roughly 10 mph to my driver swing by just improving the mechanics of my swing. That wouldn’t be possible without the ability to hit a thousand balls with all the associated metrics after each one.

Were there any unexpected costs or challenges you encountered during the build?

Needing to upgrade my hitting strip was unexpected—I thought a midrange hitting strip would be fine. I also went into the build with what I thought was a working projector, then after hitting literally one ball it went pop and stopped working—had to spend a few hundred on a replacement there. I also didn’t think I needed shank nets on the side (not that those were a huge cost), but I definitely needed shank nets, haha.

What advice would you give someone just starting to plan their low-budget sim build?

After identifying your space, start by picking out your launch monitor based on your space requirements and use cases (just use in sim, also take to range, need lefty and righty, etc.). That will help you get started on your build. Then, focus your budget on a nice hitting strip. Finally, use whatever leftover budget for a net, impact screen, projector/tv, knowing that these parts can easily be upgraded down the road.

Thanks to @coleteesoff for letting us feature his setup!

Got a killer setup or a sim-centered biz? Email [email protected] for a feature!!

🎁 Gifts for Golfers Who Have Everything

It’s starting to feel a lot like Sim-mas! 🎄 We’ve rounded up the best golf gifts of the year—forward this to someone who’s filling your stocking with golf goodies! ⛳🎁

Our Top Golf Gift Picks of the Week:

Virtual Golf Course Design 
For the golfer who’s played them all: Carl’s Place lets you design a custom virtual course. Talk about a gift they’ll never see coming!

Custom Golf Metal Name Sign
Personalize their sim space with a custom metal sign featuring crossed clubs, their name, and the year their setup was “established.”

Automatic Driver Golf Ball Dispenser
Not essential, but definitely cool—this dispenser holds up to 100 balls, making practice smoother and more fun.

Check out the whole article. 

This is your sign to get a golf sim for the winter 👀

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