Owning a golf simulator raises hope and optimism for one’s golf game in a hurry. It’s a fun grown-up toy to have for sure, but the real excitement comes from knowing how much better you’re going to be now that you have a sim! For years you and your handicap have been stuck in the same relative range, but now you finally have the tools to make significant improvement. After all, it’s all about reps, right?
Wrong. Having the ability to practice at your fingertips can absolutely help you improve; there’s no doubt about that. But there are plenty of ways to still mess it up! There are plenty of ways to practice poorly, some of them unique to golf simulators. Avoid the following common golf simulator training pitfalls if you hope to improve your game.
Golf Simulator Mats Lie Just Like the Range Ones
It’s a confounding feeling to struggle on the course after you’ve come off a really good driving range session just a few moments before. You were striking it like a pro on the range, why are you hitting it fat, thin, and everywhere in between on the course? As we’ve discussed before, the phenomenon usually happens when you had to practice off a mat, where that turf gives your club an assist to produce serviceable shots. Your golf simulator turf is going to do the same thing.
The remedy here is two-fold. One, don’t buy the cheapest mat available and get one that more readily simulates real course conditions, like the Fiberbuilt Golf Player Preferred Series. Two, invest in a launch monitor that will show you the angle-of-attack. If it shows a negative number, it means you’re striking the ball with a descending blow (with your irons) that will translate positively to the course. If you hit a decent shot in your golf simulator but the launch monitor shows a positive number, it means the mat saved you and deflected your club into the ball. That’s no bueno.
Golf Simulator Rats
Do you have a range rat at your home course? Most clubs have more than one guy or gal who is always on the range, pounding 7 irons and drivers believing that swing nirvana is just one ball away. Of course, it doesn’t work like that. Sure, reps count, but there are far more efficient ways to practice. Hitting endless 7 irons off a flat lie will really only do one thing: temporarily groove your 7-iron-off-a-flat-lie swing. That’s not going to bring your scores down.
The same phenomenon will happen in your golf simulator if you let it. You’re not paying for range balls in the sim either, so the potential to get into full “rake and hit” mode is maybe even greater. Simulators will let you hit a lot of shots in short amount of time, all the while accomplishing nothing. Avoid the trap and learn to practice efficiently, even in the comfort of your in-home golf simulator.
Fortunately, there are tools out there to help you do that. Consider the new Practice Coach, an app-based training program that leverages AI and proven golf instruction to help you maximize the quality and effectiveness of your practice sessions. You’ll also find many launch monitors are supported by software with built-in combines and challenges with the same purpose. Stop endlessly banging out the same shot over and over trying to ingrain “muscle memory.” Use the available tools and programs to practice efficiently, in your golf simulator or at the range.
Number Chasing
You’re not a golf coach, but if you own a sim and a proper launch monitor, you’re suddenly going to feel like one. Suddenly you’ve got all sorts of numbers helping you diagnose exactly why the ball flew the way it did. That makes you dangerous, and if you don’t proceed with caution you risk falling down a rabbit hole that does NOT lead to lower scores.
PGA Tour averages are out there if you want to go find them. For example, the average angle of attack for 7 iron in 2023 was -3.9 degrees. But, so what? Yes, you need to hit your 7-iron with a descending strike, but that average number by definition means there were extremes on both ends of the spectrum who were professional-tour-quality golfers!
There are few fundamentals in golf. The array of vastly different looking swings on the professional tours ought to tell you that there is more than one way to get the ball in the hole. Similarly, there is more than one way to deliver the club. Don’t go chasing numbers. Instead, concentrate on your ball flight, and if you’re convinced the data is showing you a fatal flaw in your swing, hire a professional instructor to help you fix it.xt
Overuse Injuries
The need to purchase a high-quality hitting mat isn’t just about simulating real course conditions, it’s about protecting you as well. An in-home golf simulator will inevitably lead to a surge in your total number of swings. If you already play and practice a lot it’s no big deal, but for many the sudden spike in volume can take a toll on the body. Bang too many balls too soon and your wrists and elbows in particular are likely to let you know about it. This is all the more reason why saving a buck or two on your hitting mat is a bad idea. Look for those savings elsewhere; you don’t want to be out of commission and unable to use the entire golf simulator because you went cheap on the mat.
It’s also a good idea to look into some preventative golfer’s elbow work. Golfer’s elbow refers to pain in the inner elbow, typically resulting from overuse. It’s best treated with ice, rest, and some physical therapy with a heavy emphasis on eccentric exercises. Those same exercises can be performed preventatively to help avoid golfer’s elbow altogether however, which might be a good idea if you’re looking to drastically increase your practice regimen.
A golf simulator is a tremendous tool that can help you make significant strides in your game, but use it wisely. Invest in a high quality hitting mat, avoid repetitive block practice that doesn’t help your swing, and avoid chasing numbers rather than than better scores.