The golf simulator world has improved drastically over the last 10 years or so and there are many viable options for affordable prices now. You might be surprised at how affordable a home golf simulator truly is. As technology improves, we are fortunate to have some quality options out there.
There are 10 plus options for the everyday consumer and residential golf simulators are very possible and will be built in more and more homes in the coming years.
I was able to build a quality golf simulator using the SkyTrak system, a quality enclosure, projector and gaming computer. I then added a long lasting hitting mat and I have now played over 500 rounds on my golf simulator. I am able to play 18 holes in around 30-40 minutes and truly love every minute.
Here at golfjourney365, we do not let the rain, snow, cold weather or time of day stop us from the game that we enjoy. If you are looking to build a home golf simulator, we want to help you in the process. There are over 20 plus posts on golf simulators as many of the frequently asked questions are answered. At the end of the day, we are all on a golf journey and we want to support you in your efforts to play golf as frequently as possible!
Recently, I was fortunate enough to get my first look at the E6 Connect Software. I was able to play several rounds of golf and compare it with my TGC Software that I have played over 500 rounds with. Below we will get into the features, cost, compabitlity, overall experience, limitations and E6 vs TGC. Both are quality, but make sure you stay around to see which one we would select.
E6 Connect Review
Table of Contents
- Features
- Cost
- Compatibility
- Overall Experience
- Limitations
- E6 Connect Software vs The Golf Club Software (TGC)
There are many excellent features on the E6 Connect Software. All of the factors that we must take into consideration when selecting our software is what features and what price point do these features cost.
Features
Here is a quick list of the features on the E6 software:
- Real Time Peer to Peer (Included in the Basic or Expanded subscription)
- Local Multiplayer.
- Multiple Tee Boxes.
- iOS Compatibility.
- Live Statistic Tracking.
- 4K Compatible Graphics.
- New Ocean Animation.
- LiDAR Mapped Courses.
- Enhance Physics
- Authentic Stimp Rating
- More Than A Game
Let’s talk about some of the features and the ratings I would give them.
Real Time Peer to Peer
This is an industry standard now, but still impressive. It is fun to connect with others online and play some match play against someone else somewhere in the world. The ability to play multiple tee boxes is impressive and not something found on the TGC software.
However, the TGC software has tour where you play your 2-4 rounds that week on the course that the PGA Tour is playing at. If you are someone that enjoys the camaraderie of playing against other, then this is an important feature for you. I would give the Peer to Peer a 5 stars out of 5 rating.
4K Compatible Graphics
As far as the Graphics, they are above average, but not as good as the TGC Software. Compared to some others software systems I have seen, the E6 is very good, but I would only give it 3.5 stars out of 5.
There are different camera angles you are able to set up, but having played over 500 rounds on the TGC software, the TGC Software is a 5 out of 5 and blows the E6 software out of the water. There are some features where E6 is impressive over the TGC software such as multiple tee boxes, but not in the area of graphics.
It all depends what is most important to you when making the final decision. Check out our comparison box of E6 vs TGC Software at the end of the post.
Cost
There are multiple entry points as you make your decision. The software has a major impact on the overall experience. It is not something you want to compromise on during the decision making and research process.
Here is chart to help you understand the current pricing:
| Package | Features | Cost |
| E6 Connect Standard – One Time Purchase (PC) | 27 Golf CoursesPractice AreaPlayer ProfilesModes of Play | $2500 (One Time) |
| E6 Connect Standard – One Time Purchase (IOS) | 15 Golf CoursesPractice AreaPlayer ProfilesModes of Play | $1500 (One Time) |
| E6 Connect Annual – Expanded Subscription | Online EventsPeer To PeerAll 90 Courses | $600 (Annual) |
| E6 Connect Annual – Basic Subscription | Online EventsPeer to Peer Play27 PC Courses15 iOS Courses | $300 (Annual) |
The one time price of $2500 for the PC version is a little up there. This is quite an investment. We would give the price point a 3 stars out of 5 based on our experience with the software.
How does the cost of E6 Compare to other options?
When compared to the TGC software, it is much more expensive as the current price of the TGC software is only $895.
The World Golf Tour (WGT) software is only $199 per year which includes the SkyTrak software game and improve software. This a a reasonable price entry point for those on a smaller budget.
Jack Nicklaus Perfect Golf is always a bit less inexpensive and can be purchased as a combo with the SkyTrak software Game Improvement software.
Creative Golf 3D will run a golfer around $499 one time fee or annual fee of $199.
Compatability
What is the E6 Connect Software compatible with?
The E6 software is compatible on many different devices and systems. These include:
- Trugolf
- SkyTrak
- GSA
- Tittle X
- Ernst Sports
- Trackman
- GTS
- FlightScore
- UNEEDKOR/QED
- Pro Tee United
- Full Swing
If you fall in love with E6, the good news is that you have plenty of options to run your software on. There are different gives and takes depending on what features are most important to you in your simulator experience. This is a great advantage to E6 as it has a great deal of versatility with many different systems. From the most expensive golf simulators to the more affordable simulators.
E6 Computer Requirements:
- Intel i5 Processor
- 8 GB Ram
- Nvidia 1070 Graphics Card or equivalent
- Dedicated GPU with DirectX11 Support
- 25 GB of Hard Drive Space
- Windows 10 (required)
- Internet Connection (Required)
Overall Experience
I was fortunate to play in a friend home golf simulator system which was running the E6 Connect software. We played serval different courses with the highlight being Pebble Beach. The course played somewhat true to other experiences on simulator, but overall I felt that the graphics were below my expectations.
Having played Pebble Beach at least 50 times on my TGC software, I was disappointed with graphics. When compared to other simulators software I have experienced,, the quality was still pretty solid, hit not to the TGC software.
The interface was easy to use and setup and would rate pretty high in my opinion. It was great to be able to select different tee boxes for each golfer and even select a boost per golfer. This provides some excellent versatility that TGC does not offer. That’s one of the hold ups with TGC and a definite advantage with the E6 software.
With my driver I felt that it was fairly realistic and easy to set up where you wanted to aim. There is a nice feature that is easy to use to measure your distance to certain hazards or layup areas. This made it easier in selecting clubs and navigating around the course. When the balm landed the roll out didn’t look as realistic as the TGC software.
With irons the shot landed softly on the greens and the greens were easy to hold. One nice thing about the stats provided after every shot is that it is easy to read and see quickly.
It provides about a five second window to select a mulligan if you would like. Overall, the interactions with the software were all user friendly and easy to navigate and adjust. About kid round, we adjusted the length of the gimmes in putting because the jutting, like with most golf simulators, was taking too much time and not as fun as hitting full shots.
Overall we had a great time, we were fortunate to play some quality courses and had some nice banter back and forth about who is the best golfer. Once we adjusted to the yardages inside of 79 yards we were able to string some Lars together and stick some pretty close shots.
Limitations
There is no perfect golf simulator software. The key is to select what you think are the most important features and create your priority list. If flexible teeing with quality peer to peer features that allow golfers in the same group to play from specific tees that E6 might be perfect for you.
If you are into high end graphics and want the look to very realistic I believe there are better options for you such as The Golf Club Software (TGC).
Items to Consider When Selection Your Software.
Here is a brief rating form that you could print out and use:
| Feature | Level of Importance to You (1-5) 1 = not important to 5 = very important |
| Cost (Annual or One Time) | |
| # of Overall Courses | |
| # of Famous Courses | |
| Ability to Create Courses | |
| Graphics | |
| Versatility in Tee Boxes | |
| Versatility in Formats (Match, Stroke, Scramble) | |
| Putting Visuals | |
| Ease of Use – Aiming, Adjustments, etc. | |
| Peer to Peer Play | |
| Community/Tournament Play |
E6 Connect vs TGC
Overall, I would select the TGC software as I believe the cost, graphics and access to over 100,000 courses with many of the most famous courses in the world available. These three areas are my most important features on my rating sheet.
I can deal without different tee boxes (now available in TGC 2019). The overall graphics are simply amazing in the TGC software and the ability to create courses has led to many of the top 100 in the World along with some wonderful fictitious courses.
Here is a breakdown of where I could compare E6 vs TGC:
| Feature | E6 | TGC | Comments |
| # of Courses | ✅ | 100,000+ Courses | |
| # of Famous Courses | ✅ | Magnolia National aka Augusta | |
| Ability to Create Courses | ✅ | See above | |
| Graphics | ✅ | Not even close | |
| Versatility in Tee Boxes | ✅ | Cool Feature | |
| Formats | ✅ | Easy to adjust | |
| Easy of Use | ✅ | Pretty close here | |
| Peer to Peer Play | ✅ | ✅ | Tie |
| Tournament Play | ✅ | Great community of golfers on the golf simulator forum |
Related Questions
What features are most important to you?
The three most important features to me are: graphics, cost, and # of famous courses. I have played over 100 rounds at Augusta alone and have also enjoyed Pebble and Whistling Straits. Playing the course that the PGA tour is at every week is also an amazing feature in TGC.
Do you putt on your simulator?
I do not. My time is limited and putting is not very realistic on any golf simulator system that i have ever played. If I have 45 minutes of time to get a quick round in, I would rather hit plenty of full shots. My putting in real life has not struggled and remains a strength, but I have improved in my ball striking and with accuracy and distance with my driver. With my training with my SuperSpeed Golf System, I am now swinging 7 miles per hour faster and measure at 109 miles per hour today during a round.
What courses are on E6 connect?
There are 90 courses on E6 connect. Here is a coplete list of their differnet course packs. https://e6golf.com/golf-courses/
What other sources do you have on golf simulators?
Here is a link to over 20 posts on golf simulators. I truly love my simulator and believe the money spent has been well worth it. I use my 3rd car garage bay and have played over 500 rounds in the first 30 months of ownership. The level of play and accuracy has been impressive. Check out my real life golf vs simulator golf comparison.
Take Action…
Golf is a wonderful game, when you live in certain areas where you can’t play year round, a golf simulator is a great option. Gone are the days of not being able to play golf between November and March. You can now enjoy the game and get better every winter.
Could you imagine what you might be scoring when you don’t have the winter decline every year. I was able to reduce my average score from 76 to around 72. Not only has my game improved, but I have also been able to have a great deal of stress relief from the ability to play golf during the coldest and darkest days of the winter. Are you ready for a golf simulator for your house. Check out potential packages here.
Check out some of our advice on getting your golf game to the next level:
Vendor Recommendations
We would recommend Rain or Shine Golf for all of our golf simulator needs. They have great customer service and excellent pricing on Golf Simulator Package.