Bobby Heckeroth is an expert on indoor golf – simulators, launch monitors, screens, hitting mats, enclosures, and anything DIY or tech-related. The popular “Friendly Golfer” YouTuber has made a living reviewing and demystifying many products and aspects of the indoor golf space, so he's a frequent collaborator with The Indoor Golf Shop team.
Thus, he has a lot of insight for average golfers who are considering installing a home golf simulator. And he says there’s good news on the horizon. “Prices are definitely coming down, and there are more options in the lower tier market,” says the Houston-based Heckeroth. “Basically, it's getting a lot easier for someone to do a home simulator. And we're seeing second and third generations of these launch monitors, which are improving usability. We're also seeing more options come on where you don't necessarily have to have a $2,000 gaming PC to run a simulator anymore. You can work on a tablet or a Mac now. A few years ago, you couldn't do any of that. You're just getting a lot more options in price and usability.”
The market has an overwhelming variety of brands and products, so consumers are seeking ways to narrow down the search for simulator packages that fall within their grasp. Because of that, Heckeroth always advises people to start with the launch monitor and the software that they want to use, and then work backwards from there with their budget.
“If they really want a camera-based launch monitor because they're going to be using it primarily indoors, then they should go with that and determine what fits their budget from there,” he says. “If they really want to play simulation courses, go from there and work backwards. Don't blow your budget on a projector and all that. If you're working with a smaller budget, just start with the ideal launch monitor that you want and then add to the simulator experience down the road. You can just hit into a net to start out with. But you really want to prioritize your launch monitor and software.”
Products from the likes of Garmin, Flightscope and Uneekor bring more affordable systems to the table these days, with great options. Thus golfers can piece together products from those companies into a pretty good simulator even on a small budget. Some of the Garmin and Flightscope launch monitors are Doppler radar-based, so they're better for outdoor hitting – but also can be brought inside to be used in an indoor simulator. ”And for whatever reason, the radar launch monitors are a lot better in the budget range,” says Heckeroth. “But then Uneekor is all camera-based – and they've brought in options that are relatively inexpensive and can be a really great indoor launch monitor. So depending on your use case, if you want something to use indoors and outdoors, it’s great for portability. The Garmin R10 and Flightscope Mevo+, which is currently $1,200 off through Cyber Monday, can fit in your golf bag, so you can take them with you. But if you just want something to use inside and the best possible simulator experience, Uneekor has nonportable solutions that have to stay plugged in. You’ll get a really good indoor experience with great putting and small chip shots and all those things that a camera-based launch monitor will just do better.”
Heckeroth adds that most people installing home simulators are choosing more affordable options and there are increasingly more options becoming available at more budget friendly price point. He also stresses that golfers should buy a good hitting mat. Cheap ones are often too firm and can commonly cause elbow and wrist injuries – like he himself suffered – especially after repeated use. When Heckeforth first started, he used a hitting mat that came with a launch monitor package. He ended up replacing that with a mat from The Indoor Golf Shop, after trying out a bunch for his YouTube channel. The one he chose was the best balance between real feel and preventing injuries. And if you’re on a shoestring budget, you can hit it into a net and have a monitor or TV nearby – then add a projector and a screen down the road. Still, the launch monitor is the brain of the whole system, which has a massive effect on your experience. So make sure you buy something that’s accurate, reliable and fast. “It's a lot more enjoyable when you can just walk into your simulator and start hitting balls – like if you've got 20 minutes between meetings and can just power it on and start hitting,” he says. “Better hardware allows you to do that. Something like an overhead launch monitor is just always in place and ready to go.”
Heckeroth also insists that The Indoor Golf Shop’s enclosures are really well thought out because they're fast to set up and take down, if that matters to you. Most people will probably put them up once and leave them in place. “They're very well built and compared to some other ones I've tried, they really contain shanks better,” he says. “They don't grab balls behind the screen or anything like that. They’re really high quality.
The turf and flooring can also make a huge difference in how the whole hitting bay looks. He’s seen a lot of different configurations but thinks the coolest ones are where the hitting mats are bordered by higher “rough” turf. He’s also seen his share of black turf mats with green hitting stripes.
As for screens, when projecting an image on the lower quality ones – even if it's 4K — the picture's not going to look as clear. ”With a premium screen, you're going to get a better look with a projected image,” he says. “The other thing would be wear-and-tear. A lower quality screen will wear out. People don't realize if they're new to it that hitting shots into it actually leaves little burn marks on the screen because the ball is spinning so fast. It looks like dirt, but it's actually burn marks. You'll get more life out of high-quality screens.”
Bottom line though: If you’re on a really tight budget but can’t resist getting in on the action, “look for sales at shopindoorgolf.com and items on clearance, and prioritize a good quality launch monitor,” he says. “Try to use devices that you already have, like operating it with an iPad, so you don't have to buy a computer. Start with a hitting net from The Indoor Golf Shop, and you can add to it over time. Maybe next year you'll look at a screen and a projector just to spread things out.”