subject: Have You Screen-golfed Lately? [print this page] There's nothing quite like getting on to the green first thing in the morning and taking that first swing. But what do you do when you don't have easy access to a golf course or even a driving range? Golf enthusiasts in metropolitan areas have been wrestling with this issue for some time. While there is of course nothing quite like the real thing, utilizing a great screen golf facility can get you pretty close to it.
Screen golf has gotten a bad rap over the years due to its simulation qualities. It is easy to read a little bit about it and automatically classify it as more of a video game than a traditional golfing experience. Screen golf technology has evolved in such a way over the years that it is often quite hard to tell that the screen in front of you is actually not the real thing.
The screen golf simulation offers golfers a chance to practice their swing through a video simulated adaption. Players can hit balls and the technology will simulate how the ball will move down the green in relation to the velocity and the trajectory of the golfer's swing.
This is achieved one of two ways and depending on the facility you are using, you may have access to one or the other and occasionally both. The first way a ball can be simulated on the screen is through the use of a net. The golfer will actually hit a ball as if they were outside. In this situation, placed in front of the golfer will be a net that is calibrated in such a way that is can track where the ball makes impact and translate that to a point on the screen. The golfer can then simply go get the ball after the swing and use it again for the next round.
The other format that a screen golf facility can be set up is through a peg-to-swing format. Instead of using an actual ball and a calibrated net. The golfer will instead hit an exposed rubber peg that is installed into the small green in front of the projector. The golfer then swings like normally, only instead of the head of the club making impact on the ball, it will touch this exposed peg. The ball will then travel down the green in relation to how the peg was hit by the club.
So now that you know the basics of how it works you're wondering what do you need to bring? Traditionally, a screen golf facility will supply you with all the clubs that you need if you were to be out doing the real thing. However, if you have your set at home feel free to bring those along too. The same rule applies to gloves. Speaking from experience though, these loaner pairs can get a lot of wear and tear so if you have these at home too, bringing them along is recommended.
Using a screen golf facility can be a great way for a first timer to the sport to try out their hand on the green. Getting out onto a course with others who might be better than you can be an intimidating thing for the golf dilettante. The privacy that a screen golf facility offers can be a great first step to make while trying to break into the sport.
