What Is a High-End Simulator, Really?
One of the key requirments for Neighborhood National is that we only use high-end simulators. Not sim arrogance, at least we hope. It’s about ensuring our members have the consistency and quality they expect from the NN network. There's an issue though: the definition of “high-end” isn’t as clear-cut as you might think.
With so many options on the market claiming “tour-level accuracy” (ranging anywhere from $500 to $50,000+), the line gets blurry fast. We hate drawing a line—it leaves good systems out.
We want to be clear: we’re not passing judgment on the systems that don’t make the cut. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a simulator on the market today that doesn’t have a solid reputation. Most are great. But simulators are computers—you get what you pay for.
Why NN Takes a Conservative Approach
One of our guiding principles is simple:
We want to appeal to all golfers.
But to do that, we also need to make sure we appeal to elite golfers.
When we choose what systems are acceptable in the NN network, we draw a conservative line. Could we be wrong sometimes? Sure. Could we include more systems down the line? Absolutely. But we don’t want to debate whether something is “good enough.” We only accept systems that are clearly high-end, with very little gray area.
And while there may be plenty of debate about the systems we don’t accept, there’s virtually no debate around the ones we do.
How We Think About "High-End"
There’s no formal grading scale, but if we had to make one, it would look something like this:
We focus on consistent accuracy across the entire bag, factoring in setup and ease of use. What good is a highly accurate system if it’s a pain to calibrate or doesn’t pick up certain shots?
If we’re rating on a 1–10 scale of consistent, real-world accuracy (including putting and chips), we’d say:
- NN-accepted systems score a 9+ across the board
- Bubble systems might hit 8s, 9s, even higher—but not across the full range of shots
Why does that matter?
It’s much easier to get a 7-iron reading dialed than to deliver consistent accuracy on both ends of the bag—especially with:
- High-speed drivers from big swingers
- 3–5 yard touch chips
- And yes… putting
Sim putting is notorious. But in NN clubs, 72% of members actually prefer to putt manually instead of using auto-putt. That’s because our systems are accurate enough to make it feel real.
While we haven’t specifically surveyed on simulator accuracy, we track satisfaction closely—with 97.8% of our members telling us they would recommend membership to others.
Where We Draw the Line
Right now, we accept the following systems:
- Foresight GC3 / Bushnell Launch Pro and up
- All Foresight and Bushnell launch monitors
- All Trackman monitors
- All Uneekor overhead monitors
Systems we don’t currently accept include:
- SkyTrak and SkyTrak+
- FlightScope Mevo+ and Full Swing KIT
- Uneekor Eye Mini
- ProTee VX
And again—not because they aren’t good. Many of these are solid, and several are improving fast. We’ll continue watching and may add some over time. But our current line is drawn based on:
- Consistency across the full bag
- Real-world ease of use
- Broad industry acceptance of high-end status
The Entry Point for NN-Approved Simulators
For those curious about what a solid NN-ready setup costs, here’s a breakdown with solid ballpark numbers:
💰 An entry-level Bushnell Launch Pro (BLP) - $3K
➕ A good (not great) gaming PC - $1200
➕ A solid (but not fancy) projector - $800
➕ A quality screen, enclosure and hitting mat - $3K
= Just under $10K in most cases
After that, you’ll want to budget for the rest of your startup costs (LLC filing, insurance, odds and ends). But for planning purposes, $10K all-in is a solid number to use.
Pro Tip
There’s no perfect system. And no perfect definition of “high-end.” But we’ve been around enough of them—and talked to enough of those in the know—to know what works and what doesn’t.
We draw a line not to exclude, but to ensure every NN club meets a standard that keeps the experience consistent, accurate, and enjoyable… whether you’re a scratch player or just learning to hit a ball straight.
And if you’re ever not sure where a system falls?
Reach out and ask, whether you're interested in The National or not.
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