The best home golf simulator is the one that fits your dedicated space, your budget, and includes the golf launch monitor with the data points and compatible simulation software that you want for your experience.

As far as space goes, your room, basement, or garage will need to accommodate your swing height, along with the height and space requirements of your golf launch monitor and other simulator equipment.

Home golf setups can range from the simple to complex, and you can go affordable or spend tens of thousands of dollars. All you really need is a mat, a net, and a compatible device like a laptop or a tablet—and of course, the golf launch monitor that meets your needs. Or, you can purchase a complete studio simulator package for a variety of spaces on PlayBetter.com that include enclosures/impact screens, projectors, mats and more! We even have packages for each of our launch monitors with simulation.

There are lots of reasons to have a garage golf setup—especially now that so many golf launch monitors are priced for average golfers to take advantage of.

A garage is often a golfer's choice for a simulator space because it's out of the way, or there may simply not be any space in the house.

Whatever your reasons, if you're like us (and the majority of golfers) you probably can’t afford to drop tens thousands of dollars on a home golf simulator or setup.

Now that golf simulator technology has advanced, there are more affordable options that can accommodate a wide range of budgets and spaces—like your garage.

For a garage golf simulator, there are a few things you’ll need to make it a great experience: a launch monitor that records your shot data, a golf hitting net or impact screen, and optionally, a projector that displays your shot on a life-size screen. For more details, jump over to this garage golf simulator article.

If you want a home golf simulator setup, but don't have the budget for a full studio, complete with impact screen and projector ... good news! You can still enjoy an indoor simulator setting with an affordable golf launch monitor and simulator, like the Garmin Approach R10 (only $600), a hitting net, and your mobile device. You can even get your phone to mirror your simulator software onto a flatscreen TV!

The Garmin Approach R10 is an excellent choice for your garage golf setup because it is the most affordable launch monitor with simulation ($600!), offers a rich set of data points, is super easy to set up and use, and has proven accuracy.

The FlightScope Mevo Plus is the most portable of all these simulators, making it adaptable for any garage golf setup. Plus you get 16 top-of-the-line, proven data parameters on the launch monitor side, while also accessing simulation and gamification features to give you a robust home golf simulator experience.

The SkyTrak golf launch monitor and home simulator is the first affordable practice, play, and entertainment simulator that provides realistic results that compare accurately to your actual shot-making ability. This ultimate at-home golf system connects easily and quickly to compatible devices.

Bushnell Golf and Foresight Sports are bringing their top technology to a broader audience—who can now have a mind-blowing garage golf simulator experience with the Bushnell Launch Pro. This 3-camera-based launch monitor will buy you the GCQuad-type accuracy for the price tag—$3,999.00.

Photometric or camera-based golf launch monitors, like the SkyTrak and the Bushnell Launch Pro, are the most accurate for indoor golf simulators. And that technology is reflected in the higher-end price.

Because more affordable radar-based launch monitors—like the Garmin Approach R10 and FlightScope Mevo Plus—estimate some metrics, accuracy can be more easily affected indoors due to error from things like how the launch monitor is set up. This is why it's very important to always follow the manufacturer's instructions for how to place your launch monitor.

All things equal, the Approach R10 and Mevo Plus golf launch monitors and simulators have had very favorable reviews for accuracy, and remain excellent options for those who don't have the budget for the highest-end devices.

Golf simulators are user-freindly and most operate simularly. A simulator works by analyzing the data from your golf shot collected by your launch monitor. This can include ball speed, spin, launch angle, and so on. The most common technologies to measure this data in home golf simulators are radars and photometric (camera-based).

Once the simulator receives the data, it will then determine where your ball will go and simulate your shot on an inpact screen, flatscreen TV, PC, iPad, or smartphone. An indoor golf simulator allows you to see the entire flight of the ball from beginning to end in real time.

Along with seeing where your shot went (virtually), a golf simulator will give you various data points to help you get a more robust picture of your swing. The simulator will continue to progress you to the hole and onto the next. Some simulators will have putting.

A home golf simulator can be created for starting at under $1,500 all the way up to tens of thousand of dollars.

To get started, all you really need is a mat, a net, and a compatible device like a laptop or a tablet—and of course, a golf launch monitor. You'll also have to pay for a subscription to simulation software.

So, if you get the most affordable launch monitor with simulation on the market right now—the Garmin Approach R10 ($600)—use the 5 free course package from E6 that comes with it (iPhone only), buy a small Fiberbuilt Performance Turf Series Tee Box (starting at $459), and a Callaway Tetrad Hitting Golf Swing Net 6' x 6' ($149.00) ... you have a golf simulator set up for $1,208.  

And it just gets better from there. Shop our variety of golf launch monitors, golf simulator enclosures, Fiberbuilt hitting mats, and more on the PlayBetter Golf Store—and DIY a golf simulator experience in your home.

Or go for a complete home golf studio package (with or without launch monitor) priced from $5,300 to $9,000.

Gone are the days when serious golfers had to shell out tens of thousands of dollars for a virtual golf setup in their home. Thanks to top brands and their devices loaded with advanced golf features like the SkyTrak and Garmin Approach R10 golf launch monitors and simulators, you can dig down into the elements of your swing, spot your weaknesses, and determine where you can improve.

The SkyTrak was the first affordable golf launch monitor and simulator for everyday golfers. At $2,000, it provides realistic results that compare accurately to your actual shot-making ability and robust simulation options.

But more recently, Garmin released the Approach R10 with a mind-blowing $600 price tag. For that you get robust data points (including Club Path metrics), simulation, and surprising accuracy wherever you take it.