Here at GolfBays there isn’t an “average day” as it goes. Whether we are out on a site visit measuring up a new room, on the phone to customers helping them design their dream simulator, hosting a corporate event at a super car dealership or teaching all day at our own studio. No day is the same and we love that.

It’s a major achievement for the Cheshire-based business, which only started trading four years ago and has seen rapid growth, building a global client base in the meantime.

Garmin R10: Best Bang For Your Buck?  The Garmin R10 is one of the most exciting launch monitors currently on the market. Why is that you ask? The answer is, it has a great blend of high-quality data and accuracy, coupled with a price that can not be grumbled at. It is one of our most popular launch monitors here at GolfBays, I am here to tell you why.  How does it work?  The Garmin R10 is a radar-based system that tracks the golf ball for a limited distance at the start of its flight and the golf club through the hitting area. It then uses specific algorithms to calculate and measure the golf club and golf ball data that you see on your screen. A great point about the Garmin R10 is that it can be used both indoors and outdoors, so you aren’t limited to improving your golf in one setting. You could also use it on the golf course to see how your swing changes when you are reacting to different targets and shots.  How do I set it up? I would say this is the easiest of all launch monitors to set up. It really is plug and play. The first thing you will need to do is download the Garmin Golf App. This is compatible with both iOS and android devices, meaning you can use it on your mobile phone or tablet. The next step is to put a golf ball down from where you intend to hit from. Now find a target you want to hit too. You then need to place the device one driver length behind the golf ball, keeping inline with your intended target. Now open the Garmin Golf App and pair your device to your mobile phone or tablet. You are now ready to play, simple as that.  What does it measure? The Garmin R10 offers a huge set of data parameters for such a small device which will give you a great insight into your game. Here is what it offers.  • CLUB HEAD SPEED​ • CLUB FACE ANGLE​ • CLUB PATH ANGLE​ • ANGLE OF ATTACK​ • BALL SPEED​ • LAUNCH ANGLE​ • LAUNCH DIRECTION​ • SPIN AXIS​ • SPIN RATE​ • APEX HEIGHT​ • SMASH FACTOR​ • CARRY DISTANCE​ • TOTAL DISTANCE​ • DEVIATION DISTANCE​   With all this data at your fingertips, it will allow you to pinpoint the specific area of your game you need to work on most. It is also great to have some data and feedback for your coach when you go for your next lesson.   Where can I use it? As I touched on previously, one benefit of the Garmin R10 is that it can be used both indoors and outdoors. We find that it is one of the best routes for people who are thinking about venturing into the world of home golf simulators. The reason is that you don’t need lots of space to operate it. This is a huge benefit when it comes to playing golf at home. The Garmin R10 is also included in our comprehensive SimBoxpackages. This would give you our full SimBoxhitting enclosure, hitting mat and the launch monitor in one bundle making it the easiest way to have your own golf studio at home.  Another positive of using your device at home for simulation is the gaming aspect. On the Garmin Golf App there are over 42,000 virtual golf courses you can play. This means you can practice and improve on the virtual range. Then see yourself improve on the course, all from the comfort of your own home.  Possibly the best aspect of using the Garmin R10 at home, is that the device is compatible with the fantastic E6 Golf Connect software. This gaming software is one of the highest qualities out there. Offering, 17 different driving range views from a full range to practicing short game shots. As well as 100 golf courses with many in the top 100 in the world. Meaning you can play your favourite courses from the PGA and DP World Tours at home.  When you decide to venture out onto the driving range with your device, you’ll never go back to hitting balls without it. Practicing with live data is one of the best ways to improve your golf. You will see what makes your golf ball fly the way it does. Using this data, you can improve your distance and direction each time you practice. You can also use your smartphone camera to include integrated video playback of your golf swing. With this you can analyse your golf swing with data overlay to really get the most out of your practice session. Furthermore, with its 10-hour battery life, it’s never going to let you down in the middle of a session.  Pricing: Garmin R10 -  £499 E6 Golf Connect - $300 per year  SimBox Package - £1999.00    Final Thoughts: The Garmin R10 really is all things to all people. It’s the most competitively priced launch monitor currently on the market. It has a great variety of data parameters. It is also very accurate. The fact that it can be used at home and on the range is a huge bonus. The size of the device means that it will easily fit inside any golf bag or backpack making it uber portable. For the price of the device, I would say it is the best entry level launch monitor on the market.  If you are still undecided or are wondering if it will work for you, please get in contact with our sales team through our website. They will guide and advise you on what will be the best launch monitor for you. Also check out our website for all the latest pricing and deals we have on offer.   Harrison Peck PGA Professional

Let’s talk impact screens. Why are they so important? What are the differences from screen to screen? Finally, what screen suits me best?

The SimBox by GolfBays is quite possibly the most comprehensive product to start you off playing golf in your own home. It is light, portable can be set up with no tools, and can fit a multitude of rooms due to coming in six different sizes. All this means it is the most accessible way to start enjoying home golf simulation. This post will give an overview on why this product is a market leader and is changing the game. 

Over the past few years, many companies have started produce cheaper, more affordable launch monitors. Due to this, golf simulators and studios have become more accessible to the consumer. However, there is one questions that we at GolfBays get asked the most. Which launch monitor is best for me?

Indoor Golf Enclosure Packages for Home 101  by J Cottam on 29/06/2022 So you want to improve your game however live to far from the driving range or just don't have the time in this modern age then you must be thinking or planning on getting a Golf Simulator at home... After scrolling through the never ending pages online advising on how best to achieve this goal we thought we would put together a quick guide on how to put together your very own Golf Sim Enclosure package. No1. Requirements  Spaces is important, you will want a minimum of 2.7m ceiling height however we would recommend 3m as the magic number. Width minimum 2.8m however you will need to understand that taking club path into account you would not be hitting center of the screen. To achieve hitting center of the screen you will need about 4.5m. Depth minimum depending on Launch Monitor of choice you would need 5m.  - 30 cm wall to screen - 2.5m ball to screen  leaves 2m behind the player to swing a driver.   No 2. Enclosure  Once you know your room dimensions you can decide which enclosure would best fit your space - we recommend choosing an enclosure that fits within 5cm tolerance of your room dimensions to give you enough room to assemble.  Simbox - comes in 6 sizes  2.6 x 2.5 x 1.5m 3 x 2.5 x 1.5m 3.6 x 2.5 x 1.5m 4 x 2.5 x 1.5 m 4 x 3 x 3 m Easy sim comes in 2 sizes poles or no poles  2.5 x 2.5 x 1.3m  3.5 x 2.5 x 1.3m  Why no poles ? Shipping long poles aboard can prove expensive so we give you the option to source your own poles locally (this includes the UK). We supply everything else; Screen  Black Fabric Surround  Pole fittings and bungees    Impact Screens  You also have the choice to upgrade your impact screen from the Lite to either; Archery Baffle  Pro Impact Screen  Quad Pro Impact Screen     No. 3 Launch Monitor  We will write another blog on Launch Monitors however our enclosures work brilliantly with the likes of Optishot, Skytrak, Flightscope, Trackman & Garmin R10.   No 4. Hitting mats  Hitting mats are always personal preference however popular mats include; Insert Tee  Standard Hitting mat  Truestrike MK7 Single   No 5. Projectors  Probably the most debated or discussed subject online choosing the right projector can feel like a minefield. Ultimately you need to find a projector that is going to fill the screen image either in a ratio 16:9 or 4:3 from a set distance you have in mind depending on your room whether this be floor or ceiling mounted. We will dive into projectors in more detail in future posts.  Once you have your projector you just need to connect via a HDMI lead to your laptop or Ipad depending on launch monitor requirements.   There are many more extras you can choose for your simulator however this is the bare bones of what is required to play at home. I hope this helps and I will be publishing more content in the near future! Thanks for reading    J