Best Golf Simulators: Our Top Picks For 2023 + Complete Buying Guide

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The most accurate golf simulator on the market, and our pick for this year’s best overall simulator.

TruGolf’s Vista sim, is going to set you back anywhere between $10K and $20K depending on the package you choose.

There’s a step up in accuracy from mid rage sims such as SkyTrak. And really here, you’re looking at Trackman levels of precision with regards to launch conditions. Not only are the cameras that little bit faster and sharper for capturing ball flight, TruGolf have invested a ton of time (and we assume money) researching the physics of golf impact, to get as close as you can to simulating how a real golf ball will fly based on that first foot or so of launch.

If you hit it 5 yards offline in real life, you’ll hit it 5 yards offline on a TruGolf simulator. If you hit it 30 yards offline in real life… well you know what I’m going to say.

But as much as the stat tracking is a level up, what really impresses us is the way the courses look. Quite simply they are stunning. And while SkyTrak has nice looking golf courses, there’s no doubt they have that digital look. You know you’re playing a game. TruGolf’s courses look about as real as you can get with modern tech. To put the difference in simple terms, it’s like comparing a PS5 (TruGolf) with a PS2 (SkyTrak).

The speed of feedback is also impressive. As soon as you hit the ball you’ll be able to see your stats and ball flight on the screen. There’s literally no delay.

In summary

Highly accurate launch and impact statistics, instant feedback, and stunning graphics (at up to 4K) make the TruGolf Vista a truly pro level golf simulator.

Check out TruGolf packages here.

best graphics

TruGolf Vista

Highly accurate launch and impact statistics, instant feedback, and stunning graphics (at up to 4K) make the TruGolf Vista a truly pro level golf simulator.

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Best Mid-Range Golf Simulators ($3,000 – $10,000)

$3,000 to $10,000 may seem a wide price range. But that’s mainly because the cost of your sim setup here is going to depend on the rig (mat, hitting net, projector etc) you choose to go along with your launch monitor.

Most setups will probably set you back between $6,000 and $9,000. But if you opt to go for the add-ons (or on the other end, a basic setup) the price can vary quite a bit.

So let’s look at our top two choices in the mid range.

1. SkyTrak

Overall, SkyTrak would be our number one recommendation for most golfers who have a reasonable budget and are looking to accurately measure their stats and play golf at home.

Sure, it’s not got all the bells and whistles of the truly high end golf simulators. But it’s a big step up from the Garmin at the affordable end and is close enough to “pro” as most amateur golfers will need.

Price wise, you’ll be able to pick up a SkyTrak simulator setup for somewhere between $5,000 and $9,000 (depending on the options you pick). But even at the top end, that’s still coming in a lot cheaper than the most “affordable” TruGolf and GCQuad simulators.

The main difference between the SkyTrak and budget simulators like the OptiShot 2 (which we’ll cover below) is that the SkyTrak is an actual golf launch monitor. It uses high speed cameras to track your ball flight immediately after impact. Which means it can accurately measure speed, spin, trajectory etc, and give you stats that are much more precise than the clubface tracking of the OptiShot.

For each shot you’ll get:

• Ball Speed
• Launch Angle
• Back Spin
• Side Spin
• Side Angle
• Carry/Total Distance
• Distance Offline
• Roll Distance
• Flightpath
• Clubhead Speed
• Angle of Descent

Head to head studies have shown that SkyTrak’s stats are 98% as accurate as Trackman, which for many years has been considered to be the gold standard of golf simulator/launch monitor accuracy. And as a Trackman system will set you back somewhere between $25K and $50K, a 2% difference in accuracy seems more than acceptable.

Game play on the SkyTrak is great, and unlike OptiShot you’ll get properly named PGA Tour courses. Playing “closest to the pin” at Pebble Beach is a great way to while away the hours, and teeing it up in front of the R&A headquarters at St. Andrews will give any golfer the chills — even if it’s only in pixel form.

SkyTrak purchase options

As mentioned above, the cost of a SkyTrak sim setup is going to vary depending on which accessories and add-ons you go for.

But whichever option you choose you’re still going to be coming in a lot cheaper than the high end sims (TruGolf and Foresight) in this guide.

We’ve included the 3 most popular options below, but if you want a really basic setup you can grab a SkyTrak with a Net Return Pro net and a hitting mat for just over $3.5K here.

SkyTrak Bronze Golf Simulator Package ($5,399)

This is coming in just over $5K ($5,399 at the time of publishing), but we think it’s worth forking out the extra to get yourself a SkyTrak setup with a projector and screen.

With the training package (the $3.5K option we mentioned above) you can view the results of your shot on your iPad or laptop, but we much prefer the instant feedback of viewing your shot on the screen. It just feels more like real golf.

With that being said, you could of course opt for the training package and purchase a screen and projector separately. But you’re not going to save much (if anything) and possibly giving yourself compatibility headaches.

So here’s what you get with the Bronze SkyTrak package:

• SkyTrak Launch Monitor
• SkyTrak Play & Improve Software
• SkyTrak Metal Protective Case
• Net Return Home or Pro Series V2 Net & Frame
• Side Barriers & Golf Simulator Screen
• 1080p HD Short Throw Golf Simulator Projector
• Projector Shield (projector floor mount enclosure)
• Net Return 6′ x 10′ Pro Turf Mat
• 15′ HDMI Cable & Lightning to HDMI Adapter
• Two Rubber Tee’s – 1.75″ and 2.25″

It’s a decent little setup at an attractive price.

Check it out here.

SkyTrak SIG10 Golf Simulator Package ($7,999)

This is the most popular SkyTrak package, and currently comes in at just under $8K, with financing available from just $369.13 a month.

The SIG10 package includes a full on, immersive golf sim enclosure, with a 10’ wide screen. 

Note that you’ll need a ceiling height of at least 9’ to accommodate it.

And you’ll also be able to choose your hitting mat from a range of options.

Here’s what’s included:

• SkyTrak Golf Launch Monitor
• Metal Protective Case
• Play & Improve Software
• SIG10 Golf Simulator Enclosure
• Side Barrier Netting
• Landing Pad Turf
• Choice of Golf Hitting Mat
• Golf Simulator Projector
• Ceiling Mount
• 15′ HDMI Cable and HDMI to Lightning Cable
• Micro-USB Charging Cable for SkyTrak
• SkyTrak User Manual & Quick Start Guide

Check out the SIG10 SkyTrak package here.

SkyTrak SIG12 Golf Simulator ($8,199)

If you have the space, it’s not much of a step-up in budget to go for the top of the range SIG12 SkyTrak package.

You’re getting a huge 12’ wide screen, with the image covering 100% of the screen for a truly immersive experience.

The package is pretty much the same as the SIG10, just with the larger enclosure and screen. You’ll need a ceiling height of at least 10’ (probably a little more to be safe) to fit it in.

Check out the SIG12 SkyTrak package here.

In summary

Overall, SkyTrak is our top recommendation this year. It hits the right balance between affordability (relatively speaking) and pro level shot tracking.

The competition here is a Flightscope Mevo sim setup, and we feel that overall, SkyTrak has the edge in accuracy, stats, and consistency.

Check out SkyTrak packages here or read our full SkyTrak review.