Table of Content
- What is a Commercial Golf Simulator?
- How Much Does a Commercial-Grade Golf Simulator Cost?
- What About Lease Options?
- What Else Should I Consider Before Purchasing?
- Commercial vs. Home Golf Simulator?
- What are the Industry-Leading Commercial-Grade Brands?
- What Space (dimensions) Do I Need?
- Commercial Golf Simulator for Sale? (Best Places for Cheaper Options)
- Conclusion
Given technological advances, commercial golf simulators have become increasingly popular in recent times.
You can find them at driving ranges and other sporting and hospitality venues, and they’re a super fun way for customers to play golf at some of the best virtual courses in the world.
If you’re in the market for this type of golf sim., you’ve come to the right place, as we answer seven crucial business questions relating to golf simulators for commercial settings.
What is a Commercial Golf Simulator?
Buying a commercial golf simulator enables your clients to play golf at your venue, come rain or shine. There are several types available, meaning you have a fair amount of choice when it comes to brand and features.
You can buy commercial golf simulators that provide access to championship courses, as well as fun and interactive games for your clients to enjoy. The best simulators also include detailed metrics and data, enabling your customers to see things like ball and clubhead speed.
While they’re expensive to buy, you can recoup the cost of your golf simulator by hiring it out by the hour, which is a model on which many commercial venues base their business practices.
So, if you’re keen to find out more about how golf simulators could be an asset to your business, continue reading this review and learn everything you need to know about them.
How Much Does a Commercial-Grade Golf Simulator Cost?
There are lots of different commercial-grade golf simulators to choose from, but they typically start at around $30,000 and can exceed $70,000, depending on the features that you would like to see in your simulator.*
To give you an idea of the price, you can use the table below as a rough guide:
| Brand | Cost Range |
| aboutGolf | $42,000 – $92,000 |
| Golfzon | $40,000 – $70,000 |
| HD Golf | $35,000 – $70,000 |
| Trackman | $49,995 – $100,000 |
| TruGolf | $30,000 – $70,000 |
| XGolf | $40,000 – $70,000 |
As you can see, buying one for your business certainly isn’t cheap, but if you market it well and utilize it as a core part of your business strategy, it can certainly be profitable for you.
But what about leasing options if you don’t want to buy a commercial golf simulator outright? Let’s take a look.
What About Lease Options?
Most golf simulator retailers offer some form of leasing option to commercial clients, given the high price point associated with the technology and equipment.
The key to identifying leasing opportunities for your golf business is to contact the manufacturer directly, be it Trackman, TruGolf, or XGolf, as their leasing options are not as widely publicized as direct purchase options.
If you’re thinking about leasing a golf simulator, you need to think carefully about the costs associated.
While leasing saves you from upfront costs, it often costs more in the long run and ultimately means that you don’t own the simulator at the end of the leasing agreement.
The bottom line is that you certainly can lease a commercial golf simulator, but you need to do your sums accordingly to ensure that you can make it work for your business from a commercial standpoint.
What Else Should I Consider Before Purchasing?
Before buying, you need to think about the following:
- Budget: Arguably, the most important thing to consider is how much money you have to spend on a simulator. Most cost between $30,000 – $70,000, which is a significant financial undertaking for any small business.
- Size: Most simulators require sufficient floor space – typically 14x9ft. You should also bear in mind the height of the building in question to ensure you have enough space to accommodate a simulator.
- Data points: Not all golf simulators are created equally and offer different metrics and data points. Be sure to fully understand what your chosen simulator is capable of measuring and tracking.
- Accuracy: Most golf simulators are 85-95% accurate, but if you’re investing in a commercial simulator, you need to make sure that it’s toward the upper end of this scale.
So, there’s a lot more to think about than cost when it comes to buying a commercial golf simulator, and it’s vital that you do your research before committing to a purchase.
Commercial vs. Home Golf Simulator?
Of course, there are some differences between commercial and home golf simulators that it’s important to be aware of.
First and foremost, one of the most significant differences is the way that you can buy each of the simulators.
If you’re a business that is seeking to purchase a simulator for a commercial operation, then you can usually lease a simulator.
Equally, you can typically sign up for a long-term financing plan as opposed to paying for a simulator outright.
Another thing to consider is the level of detail in terms of a simulator’s metrics and data sets.
Commercial simulators need to be extremely accurate and have the ability to offer a huge range of data points to clients, specifically those used for teaching purposes.
Therefore, it’s important to consider the contrast between home and commercial simulators to ensure that you select a model that is best suited to your business needs.
What are the Industry-Leading Commercial-Grade Brands?
There are several brands that provide industry-leading commercial golf simulators, but one of the very best is Trackman. Trackman simulators are used by PGA professionals and are widely considered to be the gold standard.
Therefore, if you install a Trackman simulator at your golf business, you should have no trouble marketing it to your potential customers.
That being said, Trackman doesn’t stand alone when it comes to the provision of golf simulators for business.
Other brands, including Golfzon and xGolf provide outstanding simulators and are certainly worth considering.
The bottom line is that several brands offer industry-leading golf simulators, and you need to think about what you’re looking for in a simulator, using the tips above, before settling on the ideal brand for your business.
What Space (dimensions) Do I Need?
While golf simulators differ, you typically need approximately 14 feet in each direction to adequately set up a commercial golf simulator.** In terms of depth, 20 feet is ideal, as it provides sufficient space for setup.
It’s also really important to think about height, and we recommend allowing 12-15 feet to ensure that your clients can fully swing a golf club in the space provided.
While you can use these measurements as a general guide, we recommend reading the sizing requirements stipulated by the manufacturer carefully, as you don’t want to miscalculate the size required for a golf simulator!
A good way to find out if you have enough space is to conduct a swing test in the area in which you plan to install a commercial simulator.
If you can swing fully without issue, then you can start planning the space accordingly before settling on your chosen brand.
Commercial Golf Simulator for Sale? (Best Places for Cheaper Options)
If you’re looking for a commercial golf simulator for sale, it’s best to go directly to the manufacturer to discuss your business needs and the size and spec of the simulator that you’re looking for.
As mentioned, retailers like Full Swing offer various payment options, ensuring that you can purchase a commercial golf simulator in a way that makes sense to you and your business.***
Another option is to go directly to companies like Trackman and Foresight Golf, and you can discuss your requirements with a member of the sales team.
Conversely, if you’re in the market for a used golf simulator, you can look on the likes of eBay and Craigslist to see what’s currently available.
eBay is a good place to find used commercial golf simulators for sale, and you can typically buy a simulator for a fraction of the current retail price, making it a good option for many business owners.
Conclusion
Setting up a golf simulator business can certainly be lucrative, but it’s important to be aware of the significant startup costs associated with the business model before getting started.
No matter the brand that you opt for, you will need to plan for the cost of the launch monitor, as well as the associated simulator equipment, in order to set up your simulator in a commercial setting.
We hope this guide helps you as you begin your search for an affordable golf simulator, as it can be an excellent addition to your business.
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