Discrepancy between simulated and outdoor ranges

[Covert]

I recently bought a new driver. I took it to a driving range thrice and consistently reached a certain yardage. Then I tried it in an indoor golf center with simulated greens on a screen. My drives averaged about 70 yards shorter than on the outdoor range, while my irons displayed the same distances. I hit my wedges almost as far as some of my drives, which were hit flush. Has anybody experienced this? And if so, what might be the explanation for the huge discrepancy?

[saevel25]

13 minutes ago, Covert said:

Has anybody experienced this? And if so, what might be the explanation for the huge discrepancy?

yep. It could be the launch monitor has a setting for irons versus drivers. 

Are you accurately seeing where the ball lands on the range? It's probably easier to tell where irons land versus a driver. You might be over-estimating your driver distance on the range. 

To check the accuracy of the launch monitor. Take the launch data - Spin Rate, Launch Angle, Ball Velocity and plug it into this website. http://flightscope.com/products/trajectory-optimizer/

 

[OrangeHog]

When I lived up in Minnesota I had a similar experience.  Went to the practice range that I frequented (which used real golf balls BTW) then a few nights later went with some buddies to a golf sim sports bar.  Now, I'm not a 300+ yard driver of the ball but I know my yardages off the tee pretty well.  The sim was saying consistently 200-210 yards when I'd tee off.  Really frustrating but it was clear the LM wasn't set up properly or was just junk.  That's why I hate going to those places.

[Covert]

Thanks Saeve and Orange.

I've checked the outdoor range distances with my Bushnell and can see where my drives are landing.

I'm just not going to bother with my driver indoors anymore, but it did concern me that maybe I had some psychological issue with hitting the ball in the sports bar. The facility is great for wedge practice, though, as it's nice and warm and seems to be accurately representing those shots.

Incidentally, the first time I set foot in the bar, it had the exact same picture as my avatar up with a $100 bill prize for whomever came closest to the pin that evening. I had earlier in the year wedged onto the iconic green, but I overshot the bar simulator. :(

Edited December 7, 2016 by Covert

[Vinny Cap]

A group of us tried one a while back and found it to be totally off.  The worst part was the putting!

It was telling us our drivers were going 150 - 170 and our 5i were hitting 200 - 220 ish.

We were like Say What?!?!?!! So we got some beers and just had fun smashing balls for the rest of the hour.

I have not tried another since.

[Covert]

Yes, that's what it told me my drives were traveling: 150 to 170 yards. A little disconcerting. It's funny when something's quantified officially, you have trouble not believing it.

[pganapathy]

Play a couple of rounds on a friends simulator in his apartment complex.  Always get a feeling the set-up is off for the driver.  For my irons it seems pretty accurate.  Enjoy playing on it because you can play a couple of rounds on courses you haven't visited in the time you play one round in real life.  No walking and it is indoors so no issue of getting as tired.

My biggest problem with the simulator is not the yardage but more the fact that your lie is always the same any shot.  That is the challenge when you get to playing on a course.  Kinda like being on the range.

[Patch]

Yeah I have seen this issue before. Just recently too. At the last PGA/Shriners tour stop there was a simulator. Using their driver, my drives were only going 180-190 including the roll out. With my driver, on real turf, I am always in the 230+/- range. 

I knew a guy who use to work at the local Callaway outlet. They had a simulator for fitting purposes. He told me that they had to calibrate their simulator several times a day to get some what accurate info. That if the sensors were only 1/8" off, it would cause discrepancies. Now this was several years ago, so perhaps today's technology is much better these days. 

[paininthenuts]

On 12/7/2016 at 4:24 PM, Covert said:

I recently bought a new driver. I took it to a driving range thrice and consistently reached a certain yardage. Then I tried it in an indoor golf center with simulated greens on a screen. My drives averaged about 70 yards shorter than on the outdoor range, while my irons displayed the same distances. I hit my wedges almost as far as some of my drives, which were hit flush. Has anybody experienced this? And if so, what might be the explanation for the huge discrepancy?

I find indoor simulators quite fun, but in my experience totally unlike real golf. My golf pro says otherwise, but she is selling a product. I once topped a drive on the simulator, which in reality would have traveled about 20 yards, but the simulator estimated it went 255 yards. 

[Shark9]

I rent the simulator at my course as it is cheaper for an hour on it than it is for 100 range balls.

GC2 and always seems very accurate to my course.

[Divotmaker77]

Keep in mind you can adjust the settings with all these sims.  A still believe most of these big box golf stores inflate their sims software to give folks bigger numbers than reality to sell equipment.  I have a Skytrak at home and can tune that bad boy to hitting ridiculous drives and barely swing at the ball.  Vice versa, can lower the settings to get less yards.

Main reason why I am against ever getting fitted in an indoor sim.  Always go to the range with one (Flightscope, Trackman, etc) to get your numbers but also be able to see the true ball flight and yardages yourself and compare.