When building a home golf simulator, the selection of the software that is compatible with your golf simulator is a major decision. We are here to hopefully help make your decision easier by giving you a complete overview of the The Golf Club (TGC) software that is most frequently used on the SkyTrak and ProTee golf simulators.
While the typical budget does vary from person to person, it would be difficult to pass on the TGC software due to many of the features that it provides. Below will provide an overview on the TGC Software.
- Features
- Cost
- Compatibility
- Overall Experience
- Limitations
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We will then follow that up with My Top 10 Courses that you should play on the The Golf Club (TGC) software.
1) Features
When selecting your golf simulator software, one must consider the budget they have to spend and what features best match their budget level for their software selection. The features of the TGC software are quite impressive and and include the following:
- Visually Stunning HD Graphics up to 4K
- Unlimited Golf Courses
- Widescreen Ultra HD
- Zero Load Times Between Holes
- Free Real Time Online Play
- Live Tour and Tournaments
- Easy Installation
- Free Product Lifetime Updates
Graphics – The graphics truly are stunning. I have paired my SkyTrak Golf Simulator with the TGC software and it has brought about some amazing enjoyment from the graphics standpoint. The widescreen ultra HD displays beautifully on a HD projector and if you can get a 16 foot enclosure and impact screen you will have one impressive looking setup.
Golf Course Access – The feature I appreciate the most is the unlimited golf courses and the access to many of the world’s top 100. One can play Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Le Golf National, Whistling Straits, and the old course at St. Andrews – just to name a few (my top 10 courses with descriptions can be found below). The variety of the courses is simply astonishing. I enjoy playing the top courses in the world, but also enjoy playing some of the homemade style courses with my kids, as I can play from a shorter distance with my kids. Also, one of my favorite courses to work on precision with my irons is an island par 3 course. Talk about a challenge! You will never get bored with the variety. So you have stunning graphics with amazing course options – does it get any better? I don’t think so!
Zero Load Time/Support – The other features that may go unnoticed are the zero load time between holes and the easy to read data screen after every shot. Also, you get free upgrades for life and some excellent support. The data is interesting to see during the rounds of golf. I enjoy monitoring the ball speed and the path of my swing.
Live Tour and Tournaments – The free real time play and tour or tournament play gives the software gaming life features. The tour/tournament play is quite intriguing. There is a tour that is setup to play the majority of the pga tour courses the same week the pros are playing the course. A golfer can experience the difficult holes the pros are playing week in and week out. Typically the tournaments are based on two rounds you play on that course during the week – you can play these at any point throughout the week. They track both a winner based on handicap and the other based on total gross. For those that like to compete, the TGC software is an excellent choice.
Check out our Recommend Products Page to learn more about what Golf Simulator and Enclosure I selected. I have now played over 450 rounds of simulator golf!
2) Cost
You have two different options for the cost of the The Golf Club Software. The first is to pay a one time cost of $995 (can be found on sale from time to time) and the other is to pay an annual cost of $449. I went with the one time purchase and do not regret it at all. The overall combination of graphics, courses, and tournament play as exceeded my expectations.
How does it this compare with other software options? For comparison to other options such as the E6 software, with E6 you can expect to pay anywhere from $2500 for a one time purchase or $600 per year. With this you get a the high end level of E6 and 27 courses with 17 different practice areas.
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 bit less inexpensive and can be purchase 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.
To Learn More About All of your Options including TGC visit Rain or Shine Golf
As you can see there are a variety of options, especially if you have the SkyTrak golf simulator, which is compatible with many of the software products on the market.
3) Compatibility
You current have three options to run The Golf Club software, these include; The SkyTrak, The ProTee or The R-Motion golf simulator options. With the tournament and online feature above, a neat feature to TGC software working on multiple simulator options is there are more people available for tournaments. One thing that must be taken into consideration is the computer needed to run TGC. Due to the high end graphics and stunning display a somewhat powerful computer with certain graphics cards are required or recommended. From the TGC website:
The Golf Club Simulator Computer Requirements
Minimum:
OS: Windows 7 (32bit or 64bit)
Processor: Intel Core i5 or equivalent
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: NVidia GTX 670 or AMD 7850 w/ 2GB (or better!)
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Hard Drive: 20 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible
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Recommended:
OS: Windows 10 (64Bit)
Processor: Intel Core i7
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVidia GTX 970 (or better GTX1060, GTX1070 or GTX1080)
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Hard Drive: 20 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible
4) The Overall Experience
I have a SkyTrak golf launch monitor and The Golf Club software. I am able to set everything up in 3 minutes and begin playing the game that I love. The access to golf courses with the stunning graphics sets TGC apart from the other options in my opinion. I have now played over 300 rounds of golf on the TGC software and my SkyTrak and have had a ton of fun and opportunities to improve my game. The seamless and realistic nature of the combination that I use has impressed me and has validated the amount of money spent to build a golf simulator. When I have family and friends over to play they are always impressed by the courses and how good the courses look on the projected screen.
5) Limitations
As with software there are limitations. One of the limitations that I would most like fixed is the ability to play from different tees within the same game. Yes, there are courses where you can select the distance you want to play from, but within the same multiplayer game, one cannot play different tees than the others in the group.
This can be a problem when I am playing with my kids. I want them to be able to play from the shortest tees possible and still give myself a challenge, but unfortunately this can’t happen right now. One other cool feature to add would be a scramble mode, which would work great with my kids to keep them moving on a longer more popular course. Keep in mind these are just two minor limitations and overall doesn’t ruin the quality experience.
My Top 10 The Golf Club (TGC) Courses
I have played over 300 rounds of simulator golf on the TGC courses and have selected my top 10 based on the overall experience including the view of the course, the realistic nature, and other neat features that might be personalized for that course.
1) Magnolia National
Having been to a practice round for the Masters at Augusta National, I have loved the opportunity to play this course on a regular basis through my golf simulator. It is my go to course to play on my simulator. Having walked the course for 12 hours on a practice round in spring of 2018, I quickly fell in love with the course and the perfect nature of it. Throughout the years, many of us have watched the tournament every April and can recall certain shots on each hole. Jack Nicklaus’ famous shot on hole #16 or Tiger Woods overpowering the course in 1997.
The many memories are there and now I get to hit those same shots on my golf simulator. My favorite hole is hole #11 due to the challenging tee shot and then the awesome approach shot into the 11th great – water on the left, bunker on the right and a green that has a shape of right to left. Do you use the slope or try to carry it to the hole.? Runner up is #16 because I have seen Jack’s shot there over a hundred times and it is the same hole where Tiger Woods chipped in from off the green with that amazing shot. If you can hit a slight draw you can get close to the typical Sunday pin placement.
2) Whistling Straits
Is a Pete Dye design that has hosted 3 PGA Championships and is set to host the 2020 Ryder Cup. The real course is located in Wisconsin, along Lake Michigan, but one would think the golf course was in the United Kingdom or Ireland with the beautiful rolling land and the challenging undulations that exist. Eight of the holes hug the lake and provide an excellent challenge. What I appreciate most is the need to be able to work the ball both ways off the tees while being precise. The green are on the larger side and also encourage you to work the ball one way to get close to pins.
3) Le Golf National
I never knew much about this course until the 2018 Ryder Cup, but having watched that Ryder Cup closely, I quickly became fansinated with the amount of water and challenging shots that existed on the course. Once again, a course that requires you to work the ball off the tees and has some pretty amazing par 3s. While you won’t be able to replicate the 80,000 people in the grandstands, you can challenge your game with the shots that the Ryder Cup teams had to hit under some great pressure. The Olympics of 2024 are set to play the golf tournament at Le Golf National and it has hosted the French Open for the most part since 1991.
4) Old Course at St. Andrews
Once again a course that makes the list because of the history that it brings to the table. Playing the 1st and 18th holes in addition to the road hole on 17 brings about some great excitement and challenge. Having watched these holes played many times in the British Open, being able to challenge myself with these shots is always a great deal of fun.
5) Pebble Beach
I think most Americans dream of playing Pebble Beach one day, but would have to bring their $500 plus to the clubhouse. I first became amazed with the course in 2000 when Tiger Woods destroyed the field in the US Open. Not only are there some great holes, but it just might be the most beautiful course in the world as it sits up against Carmel Bay. The 6th hole Par 5 always amazes me when watching the PGA tour or US Open. The 7th par 3 might be the hole that has been photographed the most and who can forget #18 and the challenge that it presents. Playing this course in January, while it is cold and snowy outside, makes the winter seem just a bit shorter.
6) Bethpage Black
Tiger Woods won the 2002 US Open at Bethpage Black on this public course located on Long Island in New York. The narrow fairways, difficult rough and greens that seem to sit on top of a hill make this a great challenge both in outdoor golf and simulator golf. A course that is becoming an iconic course in the US due to it being publically owned and operated is quite the challenge on the golf simulator.
7) Firestone Country Club South
The narrow, tree lined fairways make this course a true test of the complete game. It has hosted the PGA Championship three times and a WGC for many years. Located In Akron, Ohio it is a true gem. Having played the course in 2008, the realistic nature of the course in the golf simulator is pretty impressive. My favorite holes both in real golf and simulator golf include the super long Par 5 16th hole and the closing 18th hole. On the front side I really enjoy the par 5 2nd hole.
8) Hoodo Hills (Remastered)
While a complete fantasy course, if you ever feel like your game is getting really good and you need an ego check – then you must play this course. It has a beautiful look to it with water, desert, mountains and challenging greens all throughout the course. It is a good change of pace from the typical courses that you will play on simulator golf. It reminds me of a course in Ohio from a challenging standpoint known as ThunderHill. The graphics of the TGC software stand out and everything is very clean and crisp and looks real.
9) TPC Sawgrass – Players Stadium Course
Maybe one of the most famous holes in golf – the island 17th par 3 hole which can bring about feelings of fear, anxiety and nervousness several holes before even getting to the hole is at your fingertips. Standing on that hole in real life has to be quite the thrill can happen for around a green fee of $400. In the simulator golf setting, one of my favorite feature is to put the TGC software in auto rewind mode and hit shot after shot into the 17th green. Then head to 18 and try to finish strong on another challenging tee shot.
10) PGA West Stadium Course
Famous as being the course the pros tried to stop regular PGA tour play at through a petition. The course can be quite the challenge on the golf simulator as well. The course is a true test of golf and rewards precision and punishes the poorly hit shots.
Summary
The options within the Golf Simulator world continue to improve and become more affordable for the consumer, which benefits the consumer as the quality of the products improve and the prices remain competitive. To be able to play simulator golf with a total entry price point of between 5 and 10 thousand dollars is quite impressive.
Years ago, a golfer would have had to visit a commercial site and pay $40 per hour or shell out 30-40 grand to have the options for their house. You can get into the game and not let the rain, snow or cold weather stop you from enjoying the game you love 365 days a year. The SkyTrak and TGC software is the route I went, but there isn’t it a bad route, you just want to match it up to your budget and expectations. I personally love the wide range of courses and the ability to play different tournaments against friends. After much research, I believe the TGC software graphics and game play are the top in the industry and difficult to beat. Get started today!