Indoor Golf Simulator Tournaments

Tournament games are a great way to generate additional income for an indoor golf facility.

Setting up a a tournament using Sports Coach Golf Simulators is extremely easy. Simply select any course for the competition, choose a competition type from Medal Stroke Play or Stableford, choose the number of holes and select a start and end date for the competition. Once configured, the simulator can be used to run a competition over hours, days, weeks or months.
To join a tournament, players only need to enter their name and join any one of the tournaments that have been set up. At the end of each hole, the live leader board appears showing the position of each player. This is the perfect solution for corporate golf, as the facility can schedule a future event and guage simulator usage days, weeks or months into the future.

Sports Coach simulators allow players to enter a tournament at any time provided the tournament is still 'live'. If the tournament covers 18 holes and players cannot complete their round in one session, they can book future slots to finish all holes.

Tournament play is not restricted to one player per session. Up to 4 players can play on the same simulator in one session. There is no limit to the number of tournament entrants. Where facilities use a number of simulators, the tournament feature is controlled by a central server linking all the simulators together on a local area network.

To discover more about tournament gaming and how you can profit from indoor golf simulation, visit www.cowlens.co.uk 

Operating a Golf Simulator Remotely

We are often asked whether a full size commercial golf simulator can be controlled remotely. The requirement could be to set up a game at a nearby reception desk, configuring a game from an entirely different room, triggering a game from a remote site or even running the system with a coin meter.

The answer is yes. This particular equipment is highly configurable.

Using Sports Coach golf simulators, Cowlens Golf has devised a unique low cost system link so that the golf simulator can be operated from almost anywhere.

We can control the simulator from a booking desk that isn't even in the same room. Booking staff can add the players, select the course or competition and set the game timer based on the chosen tariff paid. The solution doesn't even require an additional computer as control is given directly to the simulator itself.

Golf simulators can also be configured in such a way that the booking desk can be located in a different building or even a different geographical location all together. We simply connect you to the system via the internet or by using a local network.

Simulators installed by Cowlens Golf can even control themselves, thus reducing staff overheads. Cowlens Golf believe in making the best better, and that's why we look to improve the way your simulator is delivered to ensure it meets your requirements.

To find out more about how you can define how to control your simulator, talk to us at cowlens golf

Other Ways To Generate Income From Golf Simulators

It is easy to think that the only way a golf simulator can generate income is through customers paying to play a round of virtual golf.

In fact, with so many features available on golf simulators, there are other ways in which a simulator can generate income.

Examples of this are the driving range, practice and quick contest facilities.

Take the driving range for example. On a standard driving range people pay say £5 for 100 balls. There is no reason why a simulator cannot generate the same income based on 100 strokes (or say 15 minutes play). At £5 per 15 minutes this could generate £20 per hour.

Then there are quick-play contests such as longest drive, nearest to pin or putting. These are likely to be played by 4 or more players at a time, but it wouldn’t be unusual for 6-8 players to compete. Lets say a group of 5 players wanted to play 3 attempts at nearest to pin and 3 attempts at longest drive. In this scenario the game would be complete in an hour and a charge of £25 would equate to only £5 per player. This would be very cheap when compared to some inner city virtual golf complexes where some charge £75 per hour for group bookings.

Then there’s the practice and training. Simulators can be used for professional golf trainers to give their clients golf lessons and analyse their swing. All the time that they use your equipment, you are making money. With tuition fees of up to £35/half hour it wouldn’t be unreasonable to charge £15 per half hour for use of the simulator. Several slots could be booked in advance with a single or weekly upfront payment which could provide a steady income alongside income from passing trade.

The simulator can even be used to help with club fitting and ball selection. Lets say the professional trainer wants to make use of this facility. If the trainer was to charge £35 for half an hour of his time, there’s no reason why use of the simulator cannot be charged out at £20 or more for that half hour making the total cost to the customer £55. In fact, some specialist centres charge up to £75 for these services.

And then there is the game of golf itself. Charges are £20/hour or more are typical. One benefit of the hourly rate is that the use simulator doesn’t need to be limited to two players. Stableford golf for example really speeds up a game for 4 or more players. What’s good about this is that each player only needs to find £5 to play, which is a fraction of the price that they would pay to play on a golf course so they are likely to come back for more or book longer slots.

So all in all, there are several ways that a golf simulator can generate income. To find out more about what golf simulators can offer visit cowlens.co.uk

There’s More To Golf Simulators Than Golf Simulation

Everyone knows that golf simulators re-create the game of golf in a virtual environment, but there is a wide range of other features with golf simulators that are not quite so widely known. Not only can you play your favourite courses from around the world, you can compete with others with quick play contests or develop you skills through practice programmes and analyse your strokes to correct errors and bad habits.

Cowlens install Sports Coach simulators. With these particular systems, forty golf courses are included as standard, so there is a huge amount of choice for the avid golfer. Surprisingly, a further 110 famous courses are also available as a bolt on package, should the 40 not be enough.

If you want to generate your own tournament, you can. Any course can be selected and any number of holes. The tournament can be created to last for as many hours, days or weeks as you like. The golf play mode is extremely flexible and even includes popular competition modes such as Stableford, Greensomes, Medal Stroke Play.

Quick play contests are a great alternative to playing a full round of golf. Quick play contests include longest drive, nearest to the pin or even putting. Not only are these features great for speedy group challenges, they are also useful in practice.

Speaking of practice, there are also special features designed specifically for this. The golf driving range feature can be adopted which displays performance data after each swing, including club speed, club face angle, distance and carry etc. You can even practice your chipping and putting skills and bunker shots or try the short game academy, which is a 143 yard course designed to help you improve your approach shots, pitch shots, chip and run and bunker shots (to name a few). With the short game academy players can even practice shots from the fairway, rough and long grass.

Simulators provide accurate feedback on your stroke so that you can fix those nasty habits. With high speed cameras observing your down-swing, impact position and follow through, your performance can be reported with astounding accuracy, which is why the simulator can even be used to help you find the right club and ball to suit your game with the custom fitting facility.

All in all there is more to a golf simulator than golf simulation. To find out more about what our simulators can offer, visit Cowlens.co.uk.

Cowlens Golf: Golf Simulators For The Commercial Market

We at Cowlens Golf are often asked if we install golf simulators in peoples homes. The simple answer is no. Cowlens only offer high quality golf simulator equipment to the commercial market.

Why? Because Cowlens packages are not designed for personal use. They are geared for our customers to generate high returns from the golf simulator market with a low capital investment.

At Cowlens, we take an interest in the profitability of your business and seek to identify whether a simulator would be beneficial. We arrange to meet our customers at their commercial premises to talk through the options. We look at the space available and whether we feel that a golf simulator would be right for our customers and their premises.

In some cases, the premises would not be suitable. We have no interest in encouraging customers to buy equipment if their premises are unsuitable or unlikely to generate an income.

At Cowlens, we also recognise that in many cases, one of our highly specified golf simulators would not be the most suitable solution as many of the high tech features would not be used to their fullest potential. In these cases, simulators with a slightly lower specification may be the more appropriate solution.

Our packages start from as little as £8,495 with enrolment into our 3-year agreement. Support and repairs are covered by the 3-year package.

So, if you want to profit from the golf simulator industry, avoid a high start-up capital outlay and would like to know whether your facility would benefit from a golf simulator,  talk to us first. Visit Cowlens.co.uk to find out more.

Replacement Parts for a Golf Simulator

So how much are replacement parts for a Golf Simulator?

Before running a golf simulator business, it is sensible to investigate not only the capital costs but also the likely cost of on-going maintenance. New simulator equipment can be expensive – prices of £20,000 upwards are not unusual, but the cost of replacement parts can be expensive too. Stranegely, unlike assessing maintenance costs for an expensive car, the cost of replacement parts for golf simulator equipment is often overlooked at the outset.

Take for example a golf simulator with high-speed camera technology. The projector alone could cost close to £2,000 to replace and the lighting and camera equipment a further £1,000. A faulty computer could have a replacement cost in excess of £1,000 and simple things such as a strike mat, multi surface mat and non reflective carpet could set you back approximately £750.

Cowlens low cost simulator package takes both the capital cost and maintenance cost into account. Cowlens offer to install golf simulators at a fraction of the price of other golf simulator suppliers (Our packages start from as little as £8,495 with enrolment into our simple three year agreement). However, what is even better is that our package includes full technical support and the replacement of failed components (subject to our fair wear and tear policy) not just foe one year, but for three years. We also offer on-going support packages to keep your simulator running like new even after the three year agreement ends.

We believe that our packages offer excellent value in this competitive market. To find out more about our low cost simulator package, visit www.cowlens.co.uk

Wanting More Access to Golf?

Golf in the winter months doesn’t have the same allure as golf in the summer does it? Trudging around a golf course in winter lacks appeal to all but the most enthusiastic golfer. Even those keen to play may find that their my fair weather golfing partners have already accepted defeat and packed up for the year. Other, things seem to take priority.

But what if there was a full 18 hole virtual golf club near you that was open all year round? What if that golf course was easily accessible, and playing on it meshed neatly with your daily routine?

Leisure centres, amusement arcades and bowling alleys located in or near our high streets sound unlikely places to have golf simulator facilities. But maybe, if these premises offered access to golf simulators, people would actually use them. After all, people visit these places to get fit, play competitive sports or to have some recreation time. Is that not the same reason why people play golf?

A suitable premises doesn’t have to be a golf course or virtual golf facility. In fact, these places could even be discouraging to an amateur golfer. Some people are just looking for an excuse to be able to play or practice at a time that fits into their daily routine.

Consider these scenarios for a moment:

If you were to go to the gym, you may think you have no time to practice your golf that same evening. But if there was a golf simulator at the gym, would you not be tempted to sneak in some practice?

Children love to play in amusement arcades. If you were to take your youngsters on a day out and found yourself dragged into an amusement arcade, and noticed that a golf simulator had been installed, would you be able to resist a few swings to rid yourself of that disastrous hook?

What if you go bowling one evening to compete with your friends and notice a golf simulator has been installed. How long would it take before the rivalry moves onto a nearest to pin competition, or another planned visit is tabled to play greensomes?

At Cowlens Golf, we are particularly interested in the more unusual premises such as these. We believe that these venues would capture the passing trade that is not experienced by specialist golf centres.

If you have a premises such as this and have previously overlooked golf simulators due to high costs - or because you are worried about the footfall, then our low price, low risk package may just be the answer.

To find out more about our simulator package, take a look at our website, Cowlens.co.uk.

Maximising Profits From Golf Simulation

With good quality golf simulators costing the best part of £20,000 or more, it can be a daunting prospect to enter into the golf simulator market.  With typical hourly play prices of between £20per hour inclusive of VAT, it is easy to see that with an average of 5 hours play per day, the business will struggle break even after a full twelve months.
In fact, with a pre-tax play price of £16.66, 5 hours play per day, 365 days a year, revenue would be approximately £30,000.  In basic terms, forgetting overheads for a moment, profit would be approximately  £10,000 on a £20,000 investment, in other words about 50% return on investment.

This might appear a good return to you, but at Cowlens, we don’t think it is!

So what do we think is a good return on investment?
60%?  70%
No.

Ideally, a business would want to generate a return of 100% or more on their initial capital investment, starting in year 1.
To overcome this, some simulator companies may promote their systems with an illustration of much higher game play.  Some will have illustrations of up to 14 hours play per day.  This amount of play would show income levels in excess of £85,000 per year.  Whilst this is not impossible, it is clearly impractical and unrealistic for a start up company.  With many new businesses folding in the first year of trading, it is clear that businesses need the best possible start in order to survive, not unrealistic targets.
So is a 100% return on investment actually possible?  At Cowlens we believe that with the right set up, it is.
Cowlens have devised a new approach.  We call it our low cost simulator package.  With a low start up cost of just £8,495 (and enrolment onto our 3 year pricing plan) businesses already have a head start.

Taking the earlier example of 5 hours game play per day and income of £30,000 it is easy to see how the low entry price of £8,495 can generate an attractive return on investment.  There are other monthly charges to consider with the 3 year plan, however with these included, returns of over 100% can be achieved in the first year with just 5 hours play per day at £16.66 per hour.
Of course, not all businesses will be the same, thats why Cowlens also assist with developing pricing structures to increase returns. Examples are shown on our previous blog: Golf Simulator Profits - Buying Time. With a definitive pricing structure and our low entry cost combined, we believe that with the risks of failure are significantly reduced and the opportunities of success are enhanced.
If you would like to know more about our low cost simulator package visit Cowlens.co.uk.

Where Next For Golf Simulation?

Cowlens Golf was launched to service a particular sector in the golf simulator market. After several years experience in the golf simulator industry, Adrian Cowle, a Director of Cowlens Ltd wanted to bring something new to the sector.
Cowlens Golf follows Adrian’s vision that golf play doesn’t need to be restricted to Golf Clubs or specialist virtual golf venues. Adrian says: “With the technology available today at such a low cost there is no reason why golf cannot be an activity that is accessible to everyone. More and more people are becoming interested in the game and I believe that there is a market for amateur golfers that is currently not being serviced to its fullest potential”
It is fair to say that the technology of golf simulators has improved significantly in recent years and accurate simulators no longer have to cost the earth. But how does this connect with Adrian’s vision that golf play doesn’t need to be restricted to golf clubs or specialist virtual golf venues?
“At Cowlens Golf we want to promote the game of golf to a wider market” says Adrian “For those new to the game, playing in golf clubs or specialist indoor golf venues can be intimidating. It doesn’t have to be that way. Although golf simulators can be practical tools to help golfers practice and develop their swing, they also attract interest from non golfers from within the leisure and entertainment market.”
Adrian’s view is that with the low cost technology available today, other businesses in the leisure industry can very easily add a golf simulator to their range of activities. These less intimidating environments are likely to encourage more people to play the game.
“There is no reason why other businesses in the leisure sector cannot have a share in this market place” Adrian says “ Golf simulators are a great way to learn the game and I see no reason why these facilities cannot be available in other venues such as leisure centres, amusement arcades and even bowling alleys”.
Adrian may well have a point. Afterall, these premises are frequented by people wanting to get fit, learn a new sport, play a challenging game or just get out for a couple of hours with the kids. Why wouldn’t people want to hone in their golf skills in these places, compete with others or even play for fun?
“This can only be good for the golfing sector as a whole” says Adrian. “To help realise this vision, we have designed a low cost package that we hope will encourage new businesses into the golfing market and reduce the risks of high capital investment projects.”
Adrian’s vision may soon become a reality. Adrian is keen to promote golf simulation to businesses that would not usually consider adding a golf simulator to the activities that they offer. To help realise this, Cowlens Golf has devised a low cost entry package to help forward thinking businesses get a foot into the golf market.
Cowlens packages start from as little as £8,495 so businesses new to the idea of golf simulation can afford to experiment without breaking the bank. In return for a low entry price, customers sign up to a 3 year agreement that includes maintenance and service.
To find out more, visit Cowlens.co.uk.

Looking For a Golf Simulator But Find Them Too Expensive?

Golf simulators can be very expensive pieces of equipment to buy. If you are in the leisure industry and have previously thought about adding a golf simulator to the range of activities you provide, you may well be used to hearing typical costs of £20,000 or more to have a simulator installed.
In fact, some simulators would set you back considerably more than this, and figures of £40,000 or even £50,000 are not unheard of. This makes the decision to install a simulator that much harder, particularly if golf is not your main business.
The question that would be nagging you would be “If there are simulators on the market for £50,000, does that mean that a simulator for £20,000 is not as good? Without knowledge of each simulator on the market and without knowing exactly what you are trying to achieve with a simulator, you would struggle to find an answer.
With such high entry costs and little knowledge of the simulators on the market, it is difficult to determine whether adding a golf simulator to your range of activities would be a good or bad investment. If the decision isn’t hard enough already, you then have to think about how long it would take to break even – let alone generate a profit.
You may then arrive at the decision that the installation of a simulator is too high a risk and go back to what you have always done.

But wouldn’t it be great if there was another way?

Cowlens Golf has several years experience in the golf simulator industry. We know the pros and cons of various systems in the market place and we are more than happy to meet with you and discuss the options available to you. At Cowlens, our current system of choice is the Sports Coach system with high-speed camera technology. We believe that it is the best value simulator on the market and outstrips more expensive models in performance and accuracy.
But finding the right system is only half of the equation. What about the cost and the return on my investment? Cowlens Golf have covered that too. We have spent several months exploring how we can provide golf simulators at a very low entry cost. We have also generated cash flow forecasts to help visualise how much income can be generated on a month-by-month basis and we would be pleased to talk this through with you to help you make the right decision.
That just leaves the burning question. How much will it cost? Well, with start up costs as low as £8,495 we think that we may just have the answer to your problem.
Want to know how we do it? Visit Cowlens.co.uk to find out more.

Golf Simulator Profits - Buying Time

When investing in a golf simulator, it is important to consider the market it is aimed at. Obviously, you would consider golfers to be the primary customer, but that is not necessarily the case.
If your simulator has been installed in a golf club, and you are offering players the opportunity to book hourly sessions to play 9 holes for example, you may find that the simulator does not attract a great deal of use in the summer months as golfers would rather be on the course. Similarly, if your golf simulator has been installed in fitness facility, you may find that users prefer shorter bookings to coincide with other health and fitness equipment on offer, and that your customers are not primarily golfers.
Pricing structures should be carefully considered against the demographic of customers. The pricing structure should also be regularly monitored to achieve the highest throughput possible. As an example, Cowlens Golf have put together a sample of charging packages to demonstrate this.

Example 1: Golf Club
30 minutes play from 7am-10am £15-£18
30 minutes play from 6pm - 9pm £15-£18
1 hour pre booked slots 10am-6pm £20-£25
30 mins Professional Coaching Monday to Friday £30-£50

Example 2: Fitness Centre
30 minutes play from 7am-10pm £15-£18
1 hour pre booked play from 7am-10pm £20-£25
3 half hour Professional Coaching sessions £150

Example 3: Sports Bar / Indoor Golf Facility
10 minutes play (Nearest the Pin/Longest Drive) from 11am-11pm £6

20 minutes play (Nearest the Pin/Longest Drive) from 11am-11pm £9

30 minutes play (Nearest the Pin/Longest Drive) from 11am-11pm £12

1 hour pre booked slots off peak £20

1 hour pre booked slots peak £25

2 hours pre booked groups of 4-6 players £20 per player

Example 4: Bowling Alley / Arcade

10 minutes turn up and play (Nearest the Pin/Longest Drive) from 10am-10pm £6

30 minutes pre-booked from 9am-11am £15

30 minutes pre-booked from 6pm-10pm £15

These pricing structures are simply examples that show various pricing structures that can be designed to match the type of custom expected at various points of the day and maximise the use and profits that can be gained from the simulator. Actual pricing structures can only be properly tuned once demand for the simulator has been monitored over time.

Can you Profit from a Golf Simulator?

Let's be honest. Companies all over the world demonstrate the great opportunities and profit gains that can be made from golf simulators. Are the figures realistic? Some say yes, some say no. But the hard facts are purely in defining the difference between the two opposing ends of the scale.
Let's start with the failed ventures and discuss how they possibly could have failed.
To begin with, the golf simulator projects that have failed will be mainly down to three factors. First of all, the investment has been to high to achieve the anticipated return on investment. Secondly, the investment has most probably been incorporated into a loan that attracts interest, and thirdly, the investor has not researched market potential.
It all sounds so simple, but in fact it is all so true. Golf simulators are a niche market. Success is not a free ticket. Investors need to understand that the simulators do not guarantee a constant throughput of trade.
Cowlens Golf has undertaken several months of study to examine these pitfalls to try to establish the difference between a winning market and a failing one. The differences are stark, but obvious. Let's start with investment...

Investing in a golf simulator is not cheap. Nearly all golf simulators require a significant outlay, and at the same time, they also require maintenance to ensure that they perform correctly. A large investment requires an equally fast return. Therefore, approaching the simulator market this way requires a huge investment on advertising and cost benefit campaigns to encourage further business. An alternative approach is to minimalise investment and lower your risk through profit share. Examine a full investment risk and potential return against low risk investment and decide what is right for you.

Secondly, lets look at loans. Consider your loan. It nearly is impossible to offset loan interest against hire time and gain profit. Your profit margins will be minimal if not insignificant. You will therefore need to spend serious time establishing a realistic price point per hour and identifying guaranteed usage to cover costs. Loan investments will generally be successful if you can establish a facility operating three or more machines with 3-5 hours on each system per day. It really is entirely your choice. If anyone would like to understand potential ROI, please email Rachel at info@cowlens.co.uk

Finally, what about research? A profitable business model does not rely solely on the simulator. Create an environment that suits and pleases the customer to encourages a stable throughput of custom. A typical example of throughput failure can be seen in British public houses. Licencing laws in public houses has changed to 24 hours after Landlords and Pub-Co companies pushed for it. The result? Landlords and area managers failed to utilise the opportunity. Now, customers are more staggered, pubs are more empty, and trade is going down. The point here is that a fluid flow of custom is important, not the hours of operation. A successful facility manager will understand how to anticipate when demand is high and when it is low. There is little point in being open 24-7 unless facility use is guaranteed. Buy free knowledge from local golf clubs, leisure centres and health clubs. Understand how the local demographic works, take time to consider where your advantages lie and apply them to your business model.

I will talk about all three of these aspects in greater detail in future blogs. Please feel free to comment on this post. If you have any questions, please raise them on this blog, or send us a message on our contact form at www.cowlens.co.uk

Is Change on the Horizon for Golf Simulation?

In  the last few years, we have seen golf simulator technology changing in leaps and bounds. Camera technology is now becoming the norm and less accurate infra red technology is soon to be redundant. Computer power has also improved over recent years, but for some reason, whilst many mainstream gaming companies are wasting no time in unleashing the latest impressive graphics on new releases, it doesn't seem to be the case for golf simulators. When playing on a golf simulator, you cannot help but think that graphical improvements have been left in the dark, maybe for a little too long. Cowlens Golf is keeping a very close eye on this, and we are looking at some incredible graphical developments that will bring amazing realism to the golf simulator market. Much that it is guaranteed that such developments will feed into the market place, we still believe that measurement accuracy remains paramount. The marriage between accuracy and realism is just around the corner. Keep an eye on our blog for updates!

What is the Ideal Number of Golf Simulators for a Facility

This is a tricky question as it really depends on the facility. In China for example, 100 simulators in one facility is not unheard of. Similarly, in a driving range facility, there is plenty of space to install as many as 10 separate bays. It really boils down to your customer base and finance. Cowlens Golf recommend that it is best to start small – that could be just one simulator. You will soon see if the demand requires further investment. In general two or three simulators works very well. If users on one simulator over run, you can start of your next booking on another simulator that is available for use. Essentially though, it all boils down to cash. Golf simulators can be purchased from around £15,000. It can be a very expensive startup to plunge for three simulators straight away - unless you are certain that you will attract an immediate market. Alternatively consider a profit share scheme to 'test the water'. This reduces your capital outlay which in turn reduces your risk.

What Locations Suit a Golf Simulator

First of all, the space needs to be 3m high to allow for a club swing. That immediately narrows down a number of possible locations before you even consider the demographic. However, there will still be plenty of hot spots that will suit. Find a location that is easy to access. It should be located where it is visible from the road, has parking space for a couple of cars and in a place that does not attract extortiionate High Street rents. The best places are just on the edge of town. Players would probably drive for 20-25 minutes to access your facility. Golf simulators work well in bowling alleys, leisure centres, golf clubs, and even airports as they attract passing custom. If however, you are focusing on the local demographic and intend to set up your facility in its own premises, then you should consider locations that are quite near to golf clubs.

Whilst you are considering your location, look at other amenities in the area. Spend some time looking at people traffic and see which areas seem to have a relatively steady flow of people - such as near supermarkets, a post office, health club etc.

What to Look For in a Golf Simulator

Golfers and Simulators do make a nice match - but customers are not always golfers! You need to offer entertainment and value in addition to offering an accurate golf simulator. A quality indoor golf center can offer this. When considering a golf simulator, the first and foremost requirement is simplicity. Players should be able to understand the system easily so they can get started and play straight away.

Secondly, look for a simulator that is rich in features. You should draw up a list of requirements and compare several systems together. Look first of all for the quality of data - such as spin, distance, carry, roll, launch angle, club face angle etc. The more data that is offered, will suggest a more accurate simulator. Look for the variety of play modes - for example, how many courses can be played, can a team of four players play a game? What types of game can be played - e.g Medal stroke play, Greensomes, four ball etc. Look for quick game modes for small groups that don't really want to play a whole round - for example longest drive competitions, nearest the pin, putting competitions and so on. Finally, consider the simulator as a training aid for serious players - does the simulator have a driving range, analysis feature, or short game training modes?

The best golf simulators mix both high quality feedback for serious golfers with entertainment for customers that are playing for fun.

Space Needed for a Golf Simulator

Golf simulators can be fitted in most spaces, but anyone considering one should be aware of the space needed to swing a club as this really defines the size of the simulator space. Scratch players may swing tight and therefore require less space behind and above the player. However, in commercial applications, all playing abilities need to be considered. For example - if a golf simulator is to be installed for home use, then you could reduce the width if you only intend to use the system right handed. Moreover, you could reduce the height and depth if you do not intend to use a driver. However, in commercial installations, players will be using drivers, space is needed behind the player for safety reasons and height and width needs to be sufficient to allow for left handed and right handed players, who may also be tall and have a high angled swing.

So, what are the correct dimensions? Well, considering that a driver at full extension on the back swing can take up about 1.80m, and a similar distance for follow through, the shortest depth would be 3.60m. But, although possible, would that really allow for a comfortable game if players are nearly touching the projection screen during their swing? Cowlens Golf recommends that the simulator space is 6.00m deep to allow for 2.00m back swing, 2.00m follow through and a reasonable distance for ball flight. The height of the simulator can range between 2.85m and 3.00m, which will be sufficient for all types of swing. The simulator would need to be 4.50m wide to cater for left handed and right handed players so that the club does not come into contact with the framework.

Okay, some spaces do not allow for these dimensions. In which case, lets have a look at the smallest spaces possible. A right handed only system for example, can be as narrow as 3.0m and the player would stand to the right of the bay. Height wise, the absolute minimum would be 2.65m - however, this will compromise driver shots and clubs would need to be shortened by about 10cm. As stated earlier in this post, the shortest depth would be 3.60m.

How to Perfect Your Swing

Every golfer, not only Professionals know that balance is key to the swing. Anyone that wishes to maintain a consistent strike will need to know how the body should be balanced. PGA professional trainers can help, but there's two drawbacks. Firstly, the player never actually sees their swing (unless it is recorded for them) and secondly, time with a professional trainer can get expensive even for short lessons.
Fortunately, there are several alternatives out there to assist with your golf swing. Here's some of them.


Balance Plate

Swingia produces a balance plate system that measures weight transference throughout the swing. The system uses a USB connection to a laptop or PC running the Swingia software. Weight transfer and force on the ground at impact is shown during the swing and recorded for later analysis. The system is relatively inexpensive and can be bolted on to most modern golf simulator systems. Read more about Swingia

Depth Motion Cameras

Swinguru is an easy-to-use interactive golf swing analysis software program that uses cameras with infra red depth motion technology. Image capture is in 3D which is then represented on screen providing a self learning & training golf experience. Instantaneous feedback is a must for practicing golfers and this software offers just that to allow for rapid game improvement. The software represents the player on screen in a raster format not dissimilar to heat recognition images. The swing is captured and replayed with graphical overlays displaying the swing path. The software also incorporates a virtual balance plate whereby data is also captured using the depth motion technology. Read more about Swing Guru.

High Speed Cameras

Modern golf simulators use high speed cameras that can observe swing very accurately. Provided enough statistical data is displayed, golfers can visualise exactly where their swing is causing problems. Sports Coach systems, who offer extensive feedback following every swing incorporates this technology in their simulators. You can read more about extensive feedback at Cowlens Golf.

Digital Video

Digital video is also a very useful tool for displaying swing technique to help golfers improve. Using one face on camera or two cameras (one face on and one from behind), golfers can review their last shot with video footage feedback after each shot. This technology is normally found in high end golf simulator systems. Sports Coach Systems offer this functionality with any golf simulator at additional cost. Read more about Digital Video.

Assessing Different Types of Golf Simulator

The typical dimensions of a golf simulator are about 4 × 6 meters in the area and just over 3 meters in height, allowing freedom of movement whilst swinging.
A computer calculates the expected trajectory of the golf ball from data gathered on the swing, which can be obtained by infrared, ultrasonic, high speed camera or radar measurements. The image of the golf ball is then simulated on the screen via a projector. Different systems obtain different data measurements using any of these techniques, or by combining them.

Simulator Mats

Earlier golf simulator systems used a sensor mat, which is essentially a rectangular mat containing several infrared sensors and microchips that can monitor the speed of the club as it passes the back sensor, the angle of the club and club speed as the ball and club pass the second sensor following impact and the direction of the ball as the club passes the third sensor. This technology is pretty outdated now, as new technologies have improved accuracy. With that in consideration, these simulators should be the most affordable. In fact, they are not. A second hand simulator will still cost you £8000 or more, and a new one around £15,000. Yes, they are at the lower end of the simulator price list but consider this: 1. If a club comes into contact with the hitting mat and breaks it, how much will that cost to replace? Well, it will be between £2000 and £3000, if you can still even get one. 2. The simulator mat will always come into some contact wit the club, so, you will need to service it regularly. Even without heavy use, the grass surface will need replacing from time to time and this can set you back between £500 - £800 a time, so keep that in mind. 4. If you want to putt on this system, you will need a separate putting mat. Its very similar, a row of infra red sensors. Add this to your running costs, because these get damaged too and cost around £800 to replace. 5. Last of all, consider how much usage time and return on investment you will gain by using technology that has now been surpassed by most modern simulators.

Radar Systems

Radar systems are complex beasts. They sit aside the player and are typically about 60cm high by 30cm wide. The way they work is by emmitting a microwave that reflects off any moving object which returns to the sensor. The system can then record trajectory, launch angle, speed and direction. Additional physics is applied to these figures to calculate spin, axis and tilt. These types of system can be used indoors or outdoors and are traditionally expensive pieces of kit. They are very useful as launch monitors, and they work very effectively. Several professionals make use of them to analyse their game in real environments. Although these systems are great as launch monitors, they are not so good at picking up short game shots such as short pitches and putts. In addition, they are not really golf simulators. They are training aids. You would need additional software, a simulator cage, projector and screen to incorporate these into a simulator solution. So, if you are looking for an indoor golf simulator, this is probably not the sort of kit for you as the total cost would be considerable.

Optical Sensor Systems

This method uses two banks of IR sensors that scan accross the bay in both X and Y directions.The ball passes through the first set of sensors and its XY coordinate is captured. The ball then passes another set of sensors and the second X and Y coordinates are captured.  The two co-ordinates are then compared to determine the vertical launch angle, ball path and speed. The system is very accurate but ridiculously expensive to construct as you need hundreds of optical sensors and emitters to catch the coordinates of the ball in both sensor positions. The main disadvantage is that the ball must always pass through both sensors with a fast shot so that there is no downward curve in the ball's trajectory before hitting the screen.That means that chipping and putting will not work too well. Expect to pay around £40,000 for one of these.

Camera Systems


Cameras are becoming the the norm in golf simulation. In general, one, two, three or four cameras are used that continously monitor the play area. The downward swing path, impact, club face angle, launch angle and ball speed are all captured by the high speed cameras, normally running at around 100 to 150 frames per second. Camera data is processed using complex physics algorithms to produce a multitude of data such as back spin, side spin, trajectory, club face angle, swing path, loft, distance, carry and roll. One of the most accurate systems in the world that use this method is Sports Coach Systems who manufacture and sell golf simulators worldwide. They also happen to be our manufacturer of choice - see Cowlens Golf

We have done a little research for this blog entry as its pretty hard to find solid details about any golf simulator. Two really good sites will show you more detail. Special thanks to Martin gardiner of GSA Golf who has an excellent piece that explains how they work in more detail, and GolfWRX who take you through lots of golf simulator variants.

Cowlens Golf Offer Profit Share Scheme

Cowlens Golf operates a profit share scheme to allow potential customers an opportunity to enter into the golf simulator arena with affordable packages to help their business get started.

Cowlens Golf was launched to offer businesses an opportunity to see the return on investment that can be achieved through indoor golf simulators without investing a lot of risk capital or having to approach a lender before setting up an indoor golf facility. Our aim is to demonstrate the return of investment that is possible over a maximum of three years. If you are considering running an indoor golf facility this is a safe place to start. Once you have seen the potential, we hand over the simulator at a discounted rate. Any further purchases for expansion would then be made directly though Sports Coach Golf Simulator distributors as our role is simply to help new businesses to enter the market.

Customers receive on going technical support throughout the profit share scheme at no cost, with the option to continue with a support contract at the end of the lease term. More details about this exiting venture can be found on the Cowlens Golf Simulator website. 

Please feel free to comment on any of our blog entries and we will try to answer as many questions as we can. This blog will cover several aspects in golf simulation including pricing, comparing features, how golf simulators work and much more.