Create your own golf simulator league

Golf simulators have tremendous benefits for individual golfers, but they also offer an exciting opportunity to foster community, competition and camaraderie through an organized indoor golf league.

In this post, we explore how to run a golf simulator league, from setting up the league in different golf simulator programs and customizing settings, to scheduling events, managing competitions, and fostering engagement among participants.

Whether you're an experienced golfer looking to add a new dimension to your game or a social organizer looking to gather like-minded people, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and tools to create an unforgettable league on your golf simulator.

HOW TO RUN A GOLF SIMULATOR LEAGUE

Customize League Settings

Tailor your league to your preferences using the customization options available.

• Choose formats such as stroke play or match play, adjust scheduling to suit participants and set fair handicap settings.
• Consider specific rules to enhance the experience, taking into account factors such as course difficulty and tee placements to ensure fairness for all skill levels.

We checked with an experienced simulator golfer who previously set up his own league, read what he has to say about his experiences.

“Trackman has very user-friendly software, so it probably took me an hour to set up the league the way I wanted,” “I set it up as 'order of merit', which is similar to FedEx Cup points; each league week is set to award each individual a certain number of points based on their performance.”

He says that with a group of 20 golfers, there is a clear difference between the best and worst player. He says one thing he has learned is that he will have to tweak some courses a bit to make them easier for those new to golf.

Be sure to establish clear rules and guidelines for league play, including scoring, handicaps, tee locations, and any special rules specific to your league.

Schedule and Manage Events

Plan and schedule league events using available scheduling tools. Whether it's weekly tournaments or special contests, prioritize convenient times for participants. If your league has an international audience, adjust to different time zones to maximize participation.

Many times league participants have their own simulators and can play anytime from home. In the above example, all the participants used his simulator, which made the scheduling a bit more complicated. League members use a separate document to reserve their time for the weekly competition.

One of the best things about indoor golf is that anyone can play 24/7/365. So if someone has already taken the time slot you wanted after work, you can even book to play at 11 p.m., 1 a.m. or 7 a.m. - something you might not be able to do outdoors.

Promote Engagement and Interaction

Invite players to join your league through various channels such as word of mouth, social media or local golf clubs. Make sure participants understand the league's format, schedule and any fees.

Promote community among participants by promoting interaction and discussion. Use in-game messaging and external platforms to facilitate camaraderie, share tips and keep members engaged. Update the ranks regularly to maintain excitement and engagement.

"The simulator has definitely increased the number of friends I have," he says somewhat sarcastically. “One of the coolest things about having the simulator studio is that I have 20 of my good friends there, but not all of them knew each other - they come from different life situations. Seeing everyone come together and make more golf buddies because if you want to go on a trip or something like that has been really cool.”

Notable Achievements and Rewards

Motivate participants by recognizing outstanding performance. Highlight low scores, hole-in-ones or champions of the season to increase league prestige. Consider offering virtual prizes or badges to further encourage participation and inspire players to perform at their best.

“I mainly focused on good friends who I knew would take care of the studio,” he says. "We charged a certain amount per week for the league and part of it goes into our pot for the winnings, and part goes to pay for infrastructure that we need, such as internet, lighting, heating, air conditioning - things like that."

WHAT SOFTWARE IS BEST FOR RUNNING A GOLF SIMULATOR LEAGUE?

Many golf simulator software not only have options for running a league, but also offer many similar services.

Below we will help you learn how to start a golf league using several different software.

HOW TO START AN INDOOR GOLF LEAGUE USING TRACKMAN SOFTWARE

To run a league or tournament with a Trackman launch monitor, you need to set up your simulator as a "facility" with Trackman. This allows you to create and set up tournaments for you and your golf buddies to play in.

Once you have set up as a facility, visit www.trackmanindoor.com and locate the tournament area. There should then be a button to "create tournament" with many different customizable settings.

Note that you want to create a tournament with multiple rounds to make it more like a league.

HOW TO START AN INDOOR GOLF LEAGUE WITH GSPRO

To run your own league on GSPro, you actually have to register and pay to host a club on the Simulator Golf Tour.

By starting an SGT Club, you can offer private, custom tournaments for your golf simulator facility or home league. You can choose which courses you want your league to play, what the green stimp should be, course length, wind speed, gimme circle size and all that.

Otherwise, you can just register for SGT and choose from the standard leagues available to play in.

HOW TO START AN INDOOR GOLF LEAGUE WITH TGC 2019

From the main menu, select the "Societies" tab on the top menu bar. This is where you can create and manage your societies.

Within the Societies section there is an option to create a new society. Look for a button or menu option labeled "Create New Society" or similar.

Follow the prompts to enter the details for your new society. This usually includes entering a name for the society, a description, and possibly some other settings or options depending on the platform.

Once the society is created, you can customize its settings. This can include setting rules, adjusting handicap settings and defining the format of events.

After setting up the society, you can invite other players to join. Depending on the platform, it should