Ask any avid golfer what gift they want the most, and you will almost always hear a golf simulator. Fans of golf that are “all in” crave the new high definition golf simulators. Have you ever wondered about the history of these simulators?

How did golf simulators get their start? How long have they been around? What has changed over the years? Learn more about golf simulators through a brief look back through history.

How Long Have They Been Around?

When you think of a home golf simulator, you likely think about today’s golf simulators that have high definition screens and all the bells and whistles. The first simulators were very far removed from the high-tech simulators we use today.

The very first simulators made their debut in the 1980s. They had nets and radar guns to judge the speed. These dinosaurs were not really interactive, but they did help clock your speeds and practice your swing.

Upgraded Simulators

About a decade after the first simulators made their debut, new features started to appear. Screens with grainy 16-bit images would transport golfers to “courses around the globe.” While the technology was improving, we still were not quite there yet.

Computers and Faster Processors Delivered New Possibilities

Luckily, the positive changes came swiftly over the next decade. By the beginning of the 2000s, computer processors were faster, which meant that home simulators could process more information and deliver it on a high definition screen.

Today at home, simulators use radar, light sensors, lasers, high definition screens, and more to give you the “on the course” feel that you get when you are golfing in live time. Over the last 40 years, golf simulators have gone from “arcade games” to helping tools that every pro takes advantage of.

Simulators today are still a great deal of fun. They are also great learning tools. They can provide on-screen feedback that can help you to correct your swing. The feedback can make club suggestions and give the detailed data that you need to improve your game. Golf simulators come with a wealth of benefits.

At-home golf simulators may have had some very humble beginnings but today, they are a vital asset to any golfer that wants to improve their game.