Simulator popularity continues to change the definition of golf

Golfzone had the largest booth of any simulator brand at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando last week. Photo: Courtesy of Golfzon

ORLANDO, FLORIDA | Last week’s PGA show was missing many of its longtime contestants. Titleist, Callaway, Ping and others were noticeably absent due to COVID-19 conditions, so the energy at Orange County Convention Center had to be funneled elsewhere.

Where were the crowds? You can find that they are consistently crowded around the ever-growing number of simulators present at the show.

This was not a surprise. The golf course that is just off the course reached 12.4 million in the US last year – almost exactly the same as the crowd that is just on the course, which is at 12.6 million. The primary reason for the increase is attributed to a growing popularity in simulators, especially of the home and commercial self-employed business variety. The simulator game started in earnest when TrackMan was founded in 2003, but the past two years have meant more to the game’s virtual presence than any other.

It’s a combination of a few fa …