How to Choose the Best Golf Simulator for Putting

Whether it’s playing golf in your house, garage, or even in a trendy bar, golf simulators are bringing the course to unexpected spaces. But while they’ve nailed the full swing experience, it’s not so easy to find a golf simulator with putting that mimics the real thing.

For many golfers, the lack of realistic golf simulator putting is a major limiter that’s not as much of an issue with full swings.

Tee shots, approach shots, even little touch shots around the green can feel close to what it’s like on the actual course. Simulator software has gotten so sophisticated that things like carry distance and spin rates are increasingly spot on and true to a real, outdoor experience.

But putting?

Well, not so much. At least not with a lot of the popular golf launch monitor options. In fact, many launch monitors won’t even read putts. And often, consumers don’t realize those limitations until after they’ve purchased a product.

But any golfer knows that putting is as big of a deal—or bigger—in real golf than any other type of shot. All the “drive for show, putt for dough” sayings are cliche for a reason.

So, if you’re serious about simulating a realistic golf experience, you’d better be serious about choosing the right golf simulator with putting.

How Does Putting Work on a Golf Simulator?

Putting on golf simulator generally works one of three ways:

1. You can putt on a mat the same way you hit all of your golf simulator shots. Just like with your full-swing shots, the golf launch monitor will read the speed and direction the ball is moving. It will take that data to determine where the putt traveled. That data is interpreted by the golf simulator software to show you a visual of your ball rolling on the simulated green.
2. You can set your golf simulator for auto-putt. Because many golfers don’t find golf simulator putting to be realistic, they instead select an auto-putt feature. That means the simulator will automatically add to your score the number of putts it thinks you would have taken to get the ball into the hole based on the distance you had to cover. Or, you can choose something like an automatic two-putt for every green.
3. You can manually input your putts. Kind of like auto putt, but instead you choose how many putts you want to assign yourself once you reach the green on each hole.

With some golf launch monitors and the accompanying golf simulator software, you can choose any of these options. With other products, you’ll be limited to just auto putt or manual input.

Some devices have training options for golf putting practice or options to play a golf putting game. And, as mentioned, other golf simulators aren’t even capable of reading putts and won’t include any such extra features.

The Top 7 Golf Simulator With Putting Options

If you don’t care about golf simulator putting, no worries. A lot of golfers prefer to just focus on the full-swing shots, finding the flat surface of a putting mat to be too unrealistic.

Others don’t want to take the time required for putting on a golf simulator. They’d rather set distance parameters for auto putt—say automatic two-putts for anything inside of 30 feet and automatic one putts for anything inside of 5 feet, something like that. That way they can quickly move on to the more fun full shots.

But, again, if your goal is to create as realistic a full golf course experience as possible, you’re going to want as accurate and realistic a putting on golf simulator experience as you can find.

So, let’s get to our top picks for giving you golf simulator putting that at least comes close to the real thing.

Foresight QuadMAX: If You Want the Best Golf Simulator With Putting Experience

If you’re super serious about golf simulator putting accuracy or want a device that can legitimately help your golf putting practice, the Foresight QuadMAX is as good as it gets.

But it’s not cheap. A fully loaded QuadMAX with all the ball and club data plus the putting data costs $22,499.00.

Yes, that’s pricey. But the tradeoff is that with the QuadMAX, you’re getting a device so accurate that it’s trusted by the top professional touring players. And, specific to putting, Foresight’s Essential Putting Analysis delivers the very best putting insight, measuring:

• Ball velocity
• Vertical launch angle
• Horizontal launch direction
• Total spin
• Spin-tilt axis
• Back spin
• Side spin
• Club speed
• Smash factor
• Club path
• Angle of attack
• Impact face angle
• Impact lie
• Impact location
• Skid rate
• Time to full roll
• RPM’s at full roll

That may look like a list for full swing ball and club data, but that’s all specific to putting. Crazy, right? I mean, this is full-on, pro-level putting analysis that can legitimately help you improve. With this much information, there’s nothing about your putting stroke that you won’t understand.

Foresight Sports GCQuad: Still Incredible but for Less

The GCQuad features the same four-camera photometric tracking system as the QuadMAX. That means the exact same accuracy, including the exact same putting accuracy and analysis!

A GCQuad with ball, club, and putting data costs $18,499.00. That’s still expensive, of course, but it’s less than the more than $22K for a QuadMAX. As for what you’ll be leaving behind, the QuadMAX does include on-device shot storage, an interactive touchscreen, and speed training. No doubt, it’s the better unit. But it’s not like you’ll be wanting for much with a GCQuad, especially when it comes to putting.

Best of all, with either the Quad or QuadMAX, when you combine this level of putting data accuracy with the unmatched realism of the Foresight Sports golf simulator software, you’re talking about as good of a golf simulator experience as you can get, including on the greens!

Foresight Sports GC3: An Affordable Golf Simulator With Putting

The Foresight Sports GC3 isn’t quite as robust as the GCQuad or QuadMAX, but it’s also considerably less expensive. And, yes, it can read putts!

The GC3 is a three-camera photometric golf launch monitor. It doesn’t include the advanced Essential Putting Analysis feature that the GCQuad and QuadMAX have, but you can get all of the ball and club data that the GC3 reads for full shots with your putting stroke.

That means you can see things like club path and angle of attack, meaningful data points for golf putting practice. And, again, combining that information with the amazing Foresight Sports sim software makes for a hell of a golf simulator setup. The GC3, as well as the Quad and MAX, even comes with 25 simulated golf courses included with purchase.

A ball and club data GC3 costs $6,999.99. And, like with all Foresight Sports golf launch monitors, there are no subscription fees. All that awesome data, including for putting, and you only have to pay once.

Bushnell Launch Pro: A Pay-as-You-Go Golf Simulator With Putting Alternative

The Bushnell Launch Pro is the exact same golf launch monitor as the Foresight Sports GC3. The only difference is in how they are priced. As noted, with the GC3, there’s no ongoing subscription fees.

With the Bushnell Launch Pro, you need to pay $499 per year to use it as a golf simulator. But, the Launch Pro retails for only $3,629.99 for the ball and club data model. So, if you don’t plan to own this golf launch monitor for several years, you may be better off with the lower initial price and ongoing subscription model of the Launch Pro.

As for golf simulator putting, it’s every bit as good as with the GC3.

Garmin Approach R50: Putting Now Included On Built-In Home Tee Hero Golf Simulator Software

Surely by now, you’ve heard all about the Garmin Approach R50. It is dominating headlines for all of its amazing innovations, including its built-in Home Tee Hero golf simulator software. It’s the first-ever golf launch monitor that allows you to play virtual golf right on the golf launch monitor itself.

But one detail that’s not getting as much attention is that Garmin updated their Home Tee Hero sim software just for the R50. They vastly improved the graphics and mapping, and—wait for it—they added putting! That’s right, you can play a full round of simulator golf right on the R50 on over 43,000 golf courses around the world and even putt out on every green.

As if you needed another reason to buy the Garmin Approach R50!

Foresight Falcon: What About a Ceiling-Mounted Golf Simulator With Putting?

If you’re looking for an out-of-the-way, commercial grade golf simulator (and one that includes putting!), you’ve got to check out the Foresight Falcon.

This is how you do sim golf big-time style. No golf launch monitor sitting on the floor. No concern about whether righties and lefties want to share the space. The Falcon mounts to the ceiling, allowing you a totally clean, clutter-free hitting area.

While the Falcon will read putts, just the same as the GC3 or Launch Pro, its four-camera system does not include the Essential Putting Analysis. That ultimate advantage is reserved for the Foresight GCQuad and QuadMAX.

The Foresight Falcon retails for $14,999.00. But, as it is a Foresight Sports golf launch monitor, there are no subscriptions. Hallelujah!

SkyTrak+: All-Around Golf Simulator Fun 

While the SkyTrak+ doesn’t include a dedicated golf putting practice mode or golf putting game, it will read putts. And when you combine that with the incredibly fun SkyTrak+ sim software, that means that you can play full-blown rounds of simulator golf.

SkyTrak’s own proprietary in-app experience features 30 simulator golf courses, including Pebble Beach! Playing a big-time course like that from the tee shots all the way through to the putts is pretty awesome.

To access those in-app SkyTrak sim courses, you will need to pay $349.95 per year for the Skytrak Course Play package. But if you just want to use your $2,995.00 SkyTrak+ for practice, including golf putting practice, you won’t have to pay any additional subscription.

FlightScope Mevo+: Nailing the Golf Simulator Putting Setup

Here’s the thing about the FlightScope Mevo Plus: You can get reliable, accurate golf putting data IF you set your launch monitor up correctly.

Specifically, you need to make sure that the Mevo+ is sitting on the same level as the ball. For example, if your hitting mat is a few inches higher than the Mevo+, the putting data captured will be inaccurate. To get reliable results, it’s essential to place the unit on a level surface with the ball.

Also, because the Mevo+ reads shots using Doppler radar, it needs several feet in front of the ball to accurately read its spin, speed, and distance. Ideally, you should plan to set the Mevo Plus up 8 feet behind the ball and then allow for at least an additional 8 feet in front of the ball, though 13 feet would be better. That means a perfect setup would require as much as 21 feet of room depth, which presents a challenge for many indoor users.

But if you can get past that obstacle, the FlightScope Mevo+ can deliver an excellent golf simulator putting experience. And, just like with the Foresight Sports launch monitors, the Mevo+ doesn’t include any subscription fees!

Complete Your Golf Simulator Experience With Realistic Putting

A simulated golf experience is incomplete without something at least close to what it’s like to play on the real greens. It’s such an important part of the game. Yet so many golf simulators fall short of delivering a realistic experience.

No golf launch monitor perfectly replicates an on-course putting experience. But these seven options get you pretty darn close.

For best results, consider incorporating a dedicated putting mat into your golf simulator setup. That’s going to give you your most true roll and allow for meaningful golf simulator putting.

With the right simulator and the right setup, you can make your indoor golf as lifelike as possible.

About PlayBetter Golf Reviewer Marc Sheforgen

Marc "Shef" Sheforgen is a golf writer whose passion for the game far exceeds his ability to play it well. Marc covers all things golf, from product reviews and equipment recommendations to event coverage and tournament analysis. When he's not playing, watching, or writing about golf, he enjoys traveling (often golf-related), youth sports coaching, volunteering, and record collecting.