Swing Screens at golf stores

[JYB]

Okay, this has really been ticking me off as of late so let me just get to it and see what you think.

I live in Manhattan and I shop at four golf stores in the city, one of which being Golfsmith on E. 54th street. Yesterday, I went in to try out some wedges by hitting into their swing screen. They have a relatively nice setup with four tees and computer analysis on two of them but check this out. I finish up my trial after about 10-15 shots and as I'm finishing up, I couldn't help but notice the guy next to me. He was hitting on one of the "swing analysis" tees but he wasn't alone. Two of his buddies were sitting behind him and one of the Golfsmith employees was handing him different drivers to use. The guy was about 6'2", pretty athletic but WOW was his swing weird. He was making solid contact, yes, but he had one of the loopiest, most overly knee bent swings ever and the result? no less than 299 yards, perfectly straight, on the analysis screen.

At first, I was like okay, maybe this guy really hits it that far but then after watching a few more swings, each shot got longer and longer with the last equaling 315 yards! His buddies, the whole time were saying, "Mark, you should really try to get MORE SPIN on the ball!" while the Golfsmith employee kept kissing his butt and Mark kept talking about the different shafts he was using and how they really effected his swing.

GIVE ME A F******* BREAK.

I don't know what the hell that is but let me just say this : Golfsmith has come up with a GENIUS concept with their screen analysis - have everyone's results be 50-100 yards longer than what they normally hit and show every shot going as perfectly straight.

Now, you might say that I'm just being prejudice and crazy and this guy might actually hit the ball 315 yards right? Wrong. I came back the next day and pretended like I was in the market for a new driver. I asked to use the EXACT same machine that "Mark" did and guess what? I drove it 320! I went back with my GRANDFATHER who has never hit a ball more than 150 yards and he was hitting 240. Stupid.

Last thing : I asked the store manager if the screen was perfectly calibrated and functioning correctly and he said, "absolutely".

Does anyone else share this problem? It's actually not so much of a problem as a scam. Anyone?

[Leek]

I'm shocked. Golf stores with simulators that exaggerate distances? What has the world come to?

[dave39]

The simulators are crap. I never trust that stuff and others shouldn't either.

"Oh hey look, I just hit 300 yards and all I needed was this $400 driver with this $200 shaft"

Some people totally believe in these things but NO, they aren't giving accurate readings. I have yet to find one that actually does.

[Avid Golfer]

Okay, this has really been ticking me off as of late so let me just get to it and see what you think.

Many of the simulators have a feature called power boost where you can increase the person's distance by 10%,20%,etc. The feature is pretty nondiscript when it is enabled, so the normal person has no idea. I know many golf stores that set it to the 10% boost setting by default when customers are hitting drivers. Its not a very ethical practice, and unfortunately it is used by quite a lot of golf stores to try to sell their products.

[Eore]

when ever i go to a store, i just hit my clubs into a net..... can tell if they go straight based on how they bounce back to me......NEVER listen to the readings

[Craig Mac]

I have often wondered that myself, when I was hitting some 3 hybrids at GG into the screen it showed that I was hitting them constantly 250 to 260 dead straight and I know that was WAY off because when I hit the same club on the course it slightly hooks almost everytime and at the most goes 210-220.

[JYB]

"I'm shocked. Golf stores with simulators that exaggerate distances? What has the world come to?"

Leek, my argument isn't with you, it's with Golfsmith. Please don't make me not like you with this kind of petty BS sarcasm. I posted this because i was NOT aware of what was going on. You could've just answered politely without trying to be a d***.

As for everyone else, thanks for the responses. Shouldn't we do something about the golf stores doing this? It's a total sham!

[Everardo]

The simulators are crap. I never trust that stuff and others shouldn't either.

Not all of the simulators on the market are crap... it more in the setup and the operator. Or like others have mentioned with the power boost or other settings miscalculated (such as altitude)

Thinking back to an old tech support saying, it's probably suffering from PEBCAK "Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard"

[lamebums]

At the Golf Galaxy in Eastgate there's the opposite problem - the machine lands well short of what I really hit. I'll hit a driver in there, have 160mph ball speed at a 13 or 14 degree angle and then it only says the ball went 215 yards. Riiight ....

Then I go in there just yesterday with a just-extended 3 wood - 145 mph, 10 degrees, 240-something yards.

Six iron? 125 mph, 194 yards. If I hit a six iron that far, where's my tour card? Or at least I should be able to enter long drive contests.

[MasterOfTheBogey]

"I'm shocked. Golf stores with simulators that exaggerate distances? What has the world come to?"

I dont think he was trying to be a d***. I dont really think you should be suprised that these places try to pull these things over the customers head.

There not there to make sure that you get what you really need, they are there to make the most out of you they can. Sad to say its a business and if you dont know that you could be getting taken. Its just like any other business you go to. First Goal, make money. Anything after that, your guess is as good as mine.

[Leek]

"I'm shocked. Golf stores with simulators that exaggerate distances? What has the world come to?"

Come on. These big box stores are a total sham all around. They have guys with no training doing "clubfitting". They push you at whatever clubs they are getting spiffed on, or whatever the chain wants to push. I saw a guy getting "fit" into a TM driver with an X TP Rombax shaft who couldn't carry a driver 200 yards. You need about 110 mph (or a 265 yard carry) to handle that shaft

The whole deal is a giant con. Of course they scam you with their simulators. They try to make you believe there's magic in whatever new club you're trying. About the only thing I would buy at Golfsmith or Golf Galaxy is golf gloves or grips. I don't even do that anymore since I found out I can buy the same gloves for less at smaller shops. Grips I now order from a great small clubmaker supplier called myostrichgolf. They even give extra discounts to forum members.

[Dent]

I found the simulator i went on very accurate. I wasn't hitting it far at all. Usually around a 260-270 Avg. Drives went straight, and some were a draw/slice. It really represented what I'd do on the golf course.

[JYB]

i guess the simulators in canada are much better.

Leek, apology accepted.

[Dent]

i guess the simulators in canada are much better.

Well obviouslly it really matters on where you go. Different models of simulators, different employees with different view. Not every golf store tweaks it so that you hit longer.

[Shindig]

Does anyone else share this problem? It's actually not so much of a problem as a scam. Anyone?

I figured it was a scam when I got 170 yards on an L-Wedge my first few shots into such a screen. I went back to the nets.

[golf_junkie27]

This must be a Golfsmith, thing. I've gone to the one in Scarsdale and I've hit a 3W 275 Yards, a 6I 220 Yards and a 3I 245 Yards. Not accurate at all.

A great place to test out equipment but not a place that I trust. (simulator)

Next time you're in there, you can even "hit" without a ball and the simulator will give you feedback.

[JYB]

ahaha the Golfsmith in Scarsdale is an absolute joke! My pops went there today and bought himself the new NIKE Sumo driver and said he was hitting 285 on the simulator! HAH!

I love it when people go into those stores and try to outdrive one another! It's absolutely fantastic.

Anyways, I'm glad we're all agreeing on this topic. Glad i brought it up.

[Mark19]

more jealousy with driver distance, im not surprised.