BayFiller
Sim Golf 101

How indoor golf simulators actually work

If you run a venue you already know this cold. If you're new to it, here's the plain version — no jargon — plus why simulators make such good league nights.

The basic idea

You hit a real ball with a real club into a big screen. Cameras and sensors clock the ball and club at impact, a computer does the math, and the screen shows the shot flying down a virtual hole. You walk up and hit the next one. That's it — real swing, real ball, virtual course.

The three pieces that matter

1. The launch monitor

This is the brain. It's the sensor — usually overhead cameras, a radar unit, or a floor-mounted camera — that reads the moment of impact. It measures things like ball speed, launch angle, spin, club path, and face angle, then turns that into a shot.

The good ones are accurate enough that the numbers actually mean something, which is exactly why they work for competitive league play — the scores are real, not guesses.

2. The screen and enclosure

A tensioned impact screen takes the hit and shows the picture at the same time, with padding and netting around it so the bay stays safe. A short throw projector (or a big display) puts the course up on the screen.

3. The software

This is the part players see — the courses, the driving range, the games, and the scoring. It's where the round gets tracked and where your league standings come from. Common systems you'll hear about include Trackman, Golfzon, Full Swing, Uneekor, and E6 Connect.

BayFiller doesn't plug into any of those systems. You give us the final numbers — standings, winners, sponsors — and we build the media. Keeps it simple and works with whatever setup you already run.

Why simulators make good leagues

Where BayFiller fits

Your simulators already produce the one thing we need: structured scores every week. We take that data and turn it into leaderboards, winner cards, matchup graphics, sponsor bumpers, and a scoreboard loop for your TVs — so the league looks like a real broadcast instead of a spreadsheet.

Talk to me about your league

When you email, send this:

  • Venue name
  • League night
  • Number of teams or players
  • Simulator software, if you know it
  • Sponsor yes/no
  • Best contact