Golf simulators aren’t cheap, and there’s a ton of nuance involved in getting the perfect setup in your garage, basement, or spare bedroom. Knowing where to buy a golf simulator can save you money and headaches, so we’ve put together this list of the top retailers.
The best place to buy a golf simulator checks a few boxes:
- They carry all the latest-and-greatest equipment from the top brands.
- They offer price matching and financing to help make the purchase more accessible.
- They provide golf simulator design and installation support every step of the way.
There are 5 excellent retailers worth looking into if you’re ready to take the next step towards a golf simulator, including Indoor Golf Outlet (#1 choice overall), Carl’s Place, PlayBetter, Rain or Shine Golf, and Shop Indoor Golf. Learn more below!
Key Takeaways
- A golf simulator consists of a launch monitor, impact screen, projector, and a few other components.
- Getting all the pieces to work together is tricky, which is why good support is invaluable.
- Buying directly from a manufacturer means being boxed into one brand. Shopping with retailers gives you more options.
- Indoor Golf Outlet stocks 17+ brands for every budget, backed by exceptional customer service.
- Carl’s Place, The Indoor Golf Shop, PlayBetter, and Rain or Shine Golf are the other top choices.
- It’s worth investing in design and potentially even installation services to take all the stress out of buying a golf simulator.
Ranking the Top 5 Best Places to Buy a Golf Simulator
A golf simulator can be anything from a simple hitting bay with a launch monitor and a laptop to a fully enclosed room with artificial turf, an impact screen with a projector, and specialized lighting.
That’s why it’s so important to get more specific about what you’re looking for out of your golf simulator setup. This will make it a lot easier to narrow it down to the best place to buy a golf simulator online. In the meantime, here are the top 5 retailers you can choose from.
1. Indoor Golf Outlet
Indoor Golf Outlet is the #1 choice because you gain access to all the top brands and their most sought-after equipment, backed by unbiased, experienced customer service.
From Trackman to Uneekor, Foresight, SkyTrak, FlightScope, Garmin, Bushnell, and more, every golf launch monitor at every price point is in one place for seamless comparison. You’ll also gain access to the full range of golf simulator impact screens and golf simulator enclosures from SIGPRO, Carl’s Place, SportScreen, and more, with golf simulator projectors from BenQ, LG, and Epson.
Having all these brands under one roof means you’re getting brand-agnostic advice as you build your simulator, and that’s what really makes Indoor Golf Outlet the #1 choice. There’s no “private label” line being pushed. The design team doesn’t steer you towards one manufacturer because of industry relationships. You’re genuinely given the best recommendations based on your goals and budget.
The design services are totally comprehensive, so you don’t have to play the guessing game about whether your projector is right for your room or if your impact screen and enclosure fit together. You’re given photorealistic 3D renderings, 2D technical drawings, and an itemized equipment list tailored to your exact room dimensions.
Don’t want to piece everything together when it shows up at your door? Leave the heavy lifting to the golf simulator installation team at Indoor Golf Outlet. This way, you can rest assured everything is being done right the first time around.
It’s a fun, seamless experience every step of the way. Price matching, free shipping across almost the whole catalog, and unparalleled customer service are the cherries on top that make Indoor Golf Outlet the best place to buy a golf simulator.
2. Carl’s Place
You’ll see Carl’s Place commonly recommended when you look for advice on where to buy a golf simulator, and it’s easy to see why. This company manufactures some of the best impact screens and enclosures on the market, and then sells them directly to you on its own website.
A lot of premium golf simulators other retailers will help you make, including Indoor Golf Outlet, center around the C-Series DIY Enclosure Kit. It comes in six sizes with four screen materials to choose from:
- Standard
- Preferred
- Premium
- High-contrast gray
This is a really solid starting point if you already know what launch monitor you want and just need the surrounding hardware. It’s a great place to buy a golf simulator if you’re looking to take the DIY approach.
The limitation is you have access to fewer launch monitor and projector brands. You also don’t get to consider other impact screens and enclosures - just Carl’s Place. That’s not a total dealbreaker because these are some of the best in the game, but just something to keep in mind. Expect to be sold a Carl’s Place kit.
3. The Indoor Golf Shop
The Indoor Golf Shop is actually really similar to Carl’s Place in that they’re a hybrid retailer - they stock their own equipment and all the other components you need to build a golf simulator.
What this brand is best known for is its SIGPRO series of products. These are some of the best the industry has to offer, including:
- Hitting mats and full flooring
- Impact screens in multiple materials and sizes
- Enclosures in a variety of sizes and styles
In addition to the SIGPRO products, you can find projectors and launch monitors from top brands, such as Uneekor, Bushnell, FlightScope, Garmin, BenQ, Optoma, LG, and more. This is a really good one-stop shop for all your golf simulator needs. The brand has its own “build your room” tool that walks you through the design experience, too!
But a lot of people looking for the best place to buy a golf simulator want to compare the Indoor Golf Shop SIGPRO products to the Carl’s Place products, alongside other enclosures, screens, and mats. That’s hard to do when the brand is obviously biased towards its own equipment.
4. Rain or Shine
Rain or Shine is one of the more unique places you can buy a golf simulator online. The company made a name for itself by creating golf simulators around Uneekor launch monitors.
The flagship SwingBay packages pair the Uneekor EYE XO (currently just under $6,500) with a proprietary enclosure, Optoma projector, SwingTurf hitting mat, and two Swing Optix cameras. In total, you can expect to pay between $9,999 and $11,799 depending on the size of your enclosure and screen configuration. That’s honestly not bad for the equipment quality you get.
There are other SwingBay configurations with other launch monitors, too. SkyTrak, ProTee, FlightScope, Garmin - you can start with a launch monitor you like and then narrow it down to the right package from there.
Other reasons we think Rain or Shine is one of the best places to buy a golf simulator online are free shipping, 30-day returns, and one-year complimentary access to SimSquad Care. You have access to a free design call if you need help planning your space, too.
5. PlayBetter
PlayBetter is actually not a dedicated golf simulator retailer, as the other four options on this list are. They do that, but they also sell stuff like fitness trackers and cycling computers. They’re a bit broader of a retailer.
At any rate, there’s a reason we included PlayBetter as one of the best places to buy a golf simulator. They stock a ton of high-quality gear from big brands like Garmin, SkyTrak, Bushnell, Full Swing, Uneekor, Trackman - the list goes on and on. It’s easy to narrow down a golf simulator package based on the launch monitor brand right from the main navigation.
From there, you can choose the type of setup you want. There are budget-friendly simulators with hitting mats and nets, or you can build a real simulator room with a projector and enclosure/impact screen. You’re in control the whole way.
PlayBetter offers a golf simulator advisor, too, if you’re looking for one-on-one support along the way. You tell the company about your space, the type of setup you’re looking for, and your budget, and they’ll help you narrow it down.
Why Shop With a Retailer Rather Than Going Direct?
Every option on this list carries the full range of equipment you need to bring your golf simulator to life. But some are true retailers in the sense that they only carry other brands. Some carry their own products and the other components come from other brands. We think the best place to buy a golf simulator is an independent retailer, such as Indoor Golf Outlet, PlayBetter, or Rain or Shine.
The rationale is that you know you’re getting totally unbiased recommendations. You’re actually being sold a system that is exactly what you need, rather than being boxed into the brand’s own products.
Budgeting For a Golf Simulator: Pricing Tiers
We’d venture to guess you’ve already done some research into the cost of golf simulators, but if not, it’s important to set your expectations. While you can technically set up a simulator for pretty cheap, a legit space is going to cost you a few thousand dollars. Minimum.
- Entry ($500 to $3,000): A portable launch monitor like the Garmin Approach R10 ($500) or Rapsodo MLM2PRO ($600), a hitting mat, and a net. No projector or enclosure. Good for swing data, but not a full sim experience. You can set these up outdoors.
- Mid ($5,000 to $15,000): An overhead launch monitor (SkyTrak ST MAX at $1,995 or Uneekor EYE XR at $6,000), a basic enclosure, impact screen, and short-throw projector. Every component needs to work seamlessly together. A little more complicated, so it’s really important to find a good retailer at this tier.
- Premium ($15,000 to $30,000+): Foresight GCQuad ($15,999) or Trackman 4 ($25,495), a custom room with padded walls and tensioned screen, a 4K laser projector, and professional installation. It’s worth hiring an expert if you’re spending this kind of money.
Whether you’re building a basement golf simulator or trying to come up with some viable garage golf simulator ideas, the key takeaway is you can make a simulator work in your space - you just need to be realistic about what you can accommodate and afford!
Frequently asked questions
Is buying a golf simulator worth it?
For sure! You can extend your playing season through winter and play courses you otherwise may not ever experience. It’s a great way to be smarter in how you train, too.
How much does a really good golf simulator cost?
Anywhere from $5k to five figures. It depends on the equipment quality you want and the size of your space. Indoor Golf Outlet is really good about helping you create a golf simulator that fits your budget and goals.
What is the best golf simulator for the money?
The launch monitor is where most of your budget should go since it’s the brains of your simulator. The SkyTrak ST MAX ($1,995) is an excellent “budget” launch monitor. The Uneekor EYE MINI Launch Monitor ($2,999) is a great choice if you want to take a small step up. We also really like the Bushnell Launch Pro ($1,999-$2,999). All of these are less than $3k, which gives you plenty of room with the rest of your budget, without feeling like you’re compromising.
