Golf dome or simulators this winter?

[PEZGolf]

PEZ SEZ-----OK, this nice weather will NOT last forever.  Once Old Man Winter has his way, will you keep your game in shape by going to a golf dome or by playing at simulators?   I prefer the dome since I can see the flight of the ball, and it gives me a realistic idea of how I am doing.  On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I had to take my daughter, granddaughter, and two of her friends to the mall named Destiny New York in Syracuse.  While they went to see a movie, I went to Opti-golf, that does have several simulators.  I told Brian the Manager that I wanted to have the machine set at "driving range".  In this way, I could see the ball flight, the clubhead speed, and distance (carry and total).   I have played on simulators a number of times before, and I do not care to chip, putt, and blast from "sand traps".  These are not realistic practice, and they hurt my feel, rather than help it.

     What do you prefer, and why?

[Grumpter]

I have to pick simulator since the closest Golf Domes seem to be about 5+ hours away. I wasn't even aware they had such a thing. My two options seem to be the simulator or an indoor range with very limited room to see the flight of the ball (30'ish feet?). When I use the simulator I pick the Driving Range as I see no benefit to practicing the other parts of the game on a simulator. It is just not the same IMO and many places want to charge you $10+ dollars to 'play' a real course. I just want to keep my swing going.

[kpaulhus]

Im sort of screwed in Northwest Arkansas. Once the weather is unbearable outside, there is one golf shop with 5 hitting bays...and its really for demo'ing clubs and what not...so not really open to the public for use to practice. 

Also, there is only 1 lighted driving range in the area but its about 30 mins away. If I win the lottery Ill open a poor man's Top Golf and make a killing here!

[dennyjones]

I live about 10 minutes from a simulator.   I'll get there at least once per week.    They have a 9 hole league for about $15.  

[No Mulligans]

Golf dome or simulators this winter?

There is another option/options...

For one, I use my iphone for video, a cheap net, a mat, and foam balls.  I get a ton of practice with that.  About $120

[Ernest Jones]

You'll benefit from either, I like both. I'd mix it up a bit. Sims are fun because you can play "golf" a bit too, but ultimately I feel I get more value from using the driving range setting and working on improving my swing path.  

[SavvySwede]

This thread needs a poll, and hitting balls in the snow needs to be an option.

[JonMA1]

If I had a choice, it would be a dome. All we have up here are a couple simulators and I don't how trustworthy the feedback is. I still prefer the sims over my net at home. And I prefer the net over not hitting anything at all.

1 minute ago, SavvySwede said:

This thread needs a poll, and hitting balls in the snow needs to be an option.

I lose a lot of balls that way, at least until the Spring thaw.

[Rip62]

I have a driving range about 15 minutes away with heated bays so I'll give that a try.

[dak4n6]

I can't believe any TSTrs from the south have'nt made any 'haha' posts, so I'll do it - here at the Jersey shore I generally play year round. Although, last winter really sucked.

[SavvySwede]

20 minutes ago, dak4n6 said:

I can't believe any TSTrs from the south have'nt made any 'haha' posts, so I'll do it - here at the Jersey shore I generally play year round. Although, last winter really sucked.

1. I'm from the Jersey shore and certainly don't consider it "The South".

2.Where do you play?

[dak4n6]

No it's not the south, but like the south I can generally play year round. I'm just surprised that someone from FL didn't reply "who needs domes?"

I play Seaview CC. You?

[colin007]

Heated bays. If there's no wind and it's sunny I'll go down to about 20 degrees.

[dak4n6]

16 minutes ago, colin007 said:

Heated bays. If there's no wind and it's sunny I'll go down to about 20 degrees.

What does it feel like to blade a 5i at 20*? Yikes!

[gregsandiego]

3 hours ago, No Mulligans said:

Golf dome or simulators this winter?

There is another option/options...

For one, I use my iphone for video, a cheap net, a mat, and foam balls.  I get a ton of practice with that.  About $120

How do you use your iPhone? Do you mean as a recording device?

28 minutes ago, dak4n6 said:

No it's not the south, but like the south I can generally play year round. I'm just surprised that someone from FL didn't reply "who needs domes?"

I play Seaview CC. You?

OK who needs domes.

It's raining today in San Diego but that's extremely rare this year. There hasn't been a weekend this year I remember I couldn't play if I wanted to.

That being said, there is something comforting about an indoor dome practice range. We don't have those.

 

[dak4n6]

yeah, we don't have any around here...I have never hit in one, or a simulator either...

[SavvySwede]

34 minutes ago, dak4n6 said:

No it's not the south, but like the south I can generally play year round. I'm just surprised that someone from FL didn't reply "who needs domes?"

I play Seaview CC. You?

That's about 50-60mi south of me. I play mostly Hollywood GC, Eagle Ridge, Lakewood CC, and others. Played Seaview a long time ago in a junior tournament but haven't been there since. I do go down and play Sea Oaks a couple times a year though.

[colin007]

12 hours ago, dak4n6 said:

What does it feel like to blade a 5i at 20*? Yikes!

 

slightly better than blading my 4 lol!!!

actually, its really not bad, seriously as long as theres no wind blowing the heat from the furnaces away, its not bad at all.