Available and regionally unique to Charlie Fastrax, is the ultimate in indoor golf simulation allowing players to play and practice on some of their favourite courses without having to brave the elements. Leading Golf journalist Sean Maylon recently discovered the delights of using and writes...

 

"This golf simulator works by hitting a real ball into the screen some 10 feet ahead of you which is projecting a computer image of a hole from one of 16 courses.

Near the screen are two lines of sensors which measure the position of the ball as it passes over the first and compares it with the position as it crosses the second. The deviation between the two measurements is used to estimate the path of the real ball, had the screen not got in the way, and to control the destination of the computerised ball.

That's the physics lesson over with, but did it feel like playing a real game? It took a little while to get into the swing of it - about the fraction of a second it took for the ball to leave the club and strike the screen. I was instantly hooked. The illusion wasn't like playing a real game but it was compelling nonetheless. Immediately the authentic ball struck the screen, off flew its electronic twin from the exact same spot.

If it felt as though you had tweaked one left, off to the left went the computer pill. And if you hit one over-the-hill-and-off-to-grandma's, up came the command to re-load another.

This makes good for practice, and there is a range facility, but the 'real' fun is in playing on some of the wild courses this simulator has to offer.

There I stood trying to boom drives along narrow holes where I would normally fear to hit a 5-iron, boldly - trying to find the green on par threes with vast carries over water and fearlessly attempting impossible recovery shots.

Chipping or putting is weird as again the computer ball carries on with its journey from the exact point at which the real ball strikes the screen. will never take the place of real golf but while there is a prospect of wielding a brollie getting wet socks and freezing all my favourite bits solid, I'll take the computer age every time."

 

 

Costs to be advised