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Virtual Reality Golf, fun gimmick, training aid or a complete waste of money

Written by Stephen Page | Oct 11, 2022 10:28:39 AM

 

So far this autumn we have seen some great autumnal days, perfect for getting out on the golf course and enjoying some more golf. With most of our PlayMoreGolf clubs switching to their winter matrices this month there is really some great opportunity to get out on the course and get some great value golf.

If you are one of those golfers who unfortunately works the normal office hours, your golf will be limited to the weekend with the nights closing in. So what do you do if you want to practice or even hit the golf course on a weekday evening. Well Golf Virtual Reality may be the answer.

We have been reading some great articles this month and wanted to share what we have found. Now the question is, is golf virtual reality any good and can it be used as a training aid that real golfers can enjoy. Let’s have a look at the Meta Oculus Quest 2 looking at some costs and games that are available.

Meta Oculus Quest 2

Purchase price October 2022: £399

What is included: VR Headset, To Touch controllers and Beat Saber game

Golf Game with high recommendations: Golf+, purchase price currently £22.99

Other games to explore: Walkabout Mini Golf, Cloudlands2 and Golf 5 eClub

Optional Accessories required: Virtual Reality golf handle, ranging from £21.99 - £74.59 on amazon

Now we are not going to lie, before having a look on what is out on the market the Quest 2 was on the radar, but it never really interested us in terms of making that investment into virtual reality. With a price of £399 without our desired golfing game it still feels like a big investment. Especially in the current climate. But when you start reading about the number of golfing games on Meta Quest it does start to become tempting. Golf & Course recommend their Best VR Golf Games for Oculus Quest 2 and is well worth a read

But better yet, why not check out the YouTube review from golficity as actually seeing the game in action really enables you to get a feel for the game itself and how fun it could be.

From watching the video, you can really get the idea of how realistic it feels when striking the ball, from the combination of visuals and sound, and divots flying which makes it feel so real. The one take away is that it was felt the distance achieved was slightly optimistic and if you want to be more accurate you can adjust your power meter to be more mirrored with your ability.

The game does understand slicing, path and club face, but it’s felt this game is really about having fun, not using for traditional golf practice. To make the game more realistic it was felt the Oculus golf swing grip was essential to make the controller more weighted like a golf club.

Conclusion

One thing I think we can all agree on is there really is no better alternative to getting out on the golf course and taking every opportunities you can to really enjoy some golf. Now the question is during the off season is golf reality more of a great training aid or a game which you can enjoy with friends. Now from what we have seen over the years as a training aid it isn’t up there in terms of improving your game, but being an enjoyable experience for golf players, it really is up there.

If you have played any golf in VR we would love to hear your thoughts, and don’t forget you can get out on the course and get some great value golf, so what not join now or explore all our PlayMoreGolf courses.