วีดีโอ

Thanks, and thanks for watching! Glad it comes across as in some sort of professional studio and not a garage. :) It sounds like you have a great setup on the horizon! Don't get too locked in on the launch monitor. It's easy to think you need the best of the best, when all you really need is consistency in what LM you are using. Sure, you may lack some data right away, but you can always upgrade as you learn exactly what you want in an LM. The Garmin will be a fantastic place to start. Carl's is rad, they do an amazing job working with individuals to create the perfect setup for their budget and space. The screen will last you for years and the hitting mats are exceptional with very low hitting strip replacement costs. Your inside swing syndrome will go away very quickly. Heck, I've even moved to hitting driver from the center of my strip with no worries. Feel free to reach out as you go through your process with any questions. I am happy to help with product decisions and build advice. tuftsje@gmail.com will reach me.

Thanks, Bill! I appreciate you taking the time to comment.

Ha ha! I can't say you are wrong, but man, the Stix irons have performed just fine. Every once in a while I pick up my 223s and hit a few balls. There is certainly a difference in feel. I did have to upgrade the Driver, 3W and 4H. I had to get away from the extremely draw bias Stix heads that were not adjustable. Callaway Paradym now, and they are fantastic! The Fujikura stuff is amazing. Takes any club and your game to a whole nother level. I've kept my Ventus TR's on my D & 3W with the Ventus HB on the 4h.

@@goinforeit Nice! I’m in 243 currently and love the feel. Paradym is a great driver. Been thinking about putting it the 💎💎💎 max Paradym up against my Qi-10. I’m definitely a Velocore guy like you. It meshes very well with my swing.

@@GolForElse love the 243’s! Something about Mizuno just calls to me. I found a set of three 223’s in good shape right before they released the new ones. The feeling is noticeably different than the Stix, but not really a bad way. Just different. My 223’s have MMT shafts that are too light and flexy, but still… they feel so darn good when pured!! Can’t wait to get them on the Axioms. I’ll deal with a generation old until I’m consistently breaking 80 and then I’ll move to the 243! Give me something to look forward to. It’s always tempting to upgrade to the newest stuff… that Smoke AI looks amazing. Love the sound of the Paradym.

So true! The first jump is so big and the golf really becomes a game of degrees. Low 90’s in 2 months is incredibly impressive! Congrats to you, coach! Keep me posted on what gets him into the 70’s and keep that grind going!

There ya go! First off, great working learning so fast! That takes a lot of time and discipline. The one thing I can say as a certainty is if you can find a good PGA instructor close to you, the only bummer you'll have is not going to him/her earlier. :) You'll look at your golf swing completely differently, and then probably suck a bit while you adapt, and then you'll be shooting in the 30's through 9 when it all clicks. You'll also have the knowledge to adjust when that slice comes back. The important part is that you understand how to make those adjustments FOR YOU rather than a generality. Get at minimum 5 lessons, trust the process, and practice in between your lessons. Recipe for success, my man! Keep going!

Great notes! Yea, these clubs certainly have a lack of spin compared to higher-end forged clubs. Which I don't find to be an issue for new golfers. I am surprised you couldn't get a higher launch angle with the 7-iron as it's quite lofted. I couldn't agree more on the cost. Amazing to have a full set for under $1000 that extremely out performs. Congrats on the workable swing! Good work!

Unfortunately, I have not. I re-aggravated an old cycling injury and haven’t been able to play much in 7 weeks. So my outdoor game has been stalled. A fractured T3 vertebrae is the culprit. Doing my best to recover and get out there. I’m dying to play!!

Yea, around that, ish. Editing on this one was Devon Lyons of Outsight Studio in Bend, Oregon. But my wife definitely makes the wheels turn on a lot of the other ones! Going to keep'em coming as much as I can. Thanks for watching!

This is really interesting and a bummer to hear. I can only imagine how that felt as you headed outside with all that confidence, just to feel like you wasted an entire winter of practice. Sorry, man! As I start playing outside, I'll be able to go back and forth and get a feel for it. I'm very curious to see what it will be like.

@@goinforeit it was many years ago. Where i live we can play sometimes in October and usually can get out in April. So about 6 months. We have an indoor practice facility not far. It’s covered with about a hundred yards b4 u hit a net. There’s greens and flags and nets to pitch into. I usually go once a winter because of the same reasons I mentioned. Hitting off a nice firm mat, flat, dry etc. to me is so easy. I can pick spots anywhere out there and hit them like I’m Tiger in his prime. There’s rarely ever a time when it’s like that on a course, at least around here. Rolling hills and mountains, lots of rain. I played today and the course was so wet you lost your ball in the fairway. Hitting into a simulator would not help for today’s conditions. I’d love to have one still, it’d be neat to see the yardage for each club, ball speed , spin etc. never done it before. They didn’t have that stuff when I first started playing 30 plus years ago. Well anyways, good luck, great video. Lmk how you hit’em when u get out there!

@@therealbeedubbs35 I love it! See.. it's all about nerding out on the data and learning mechanics. I could not agree more that there is no chance I'll fair well in a lot of the variable conditions. Lays will be tricky and until simulators can mimic that, it will not be a 1:1 comparison. The fun for me is how close will I get with mechanics alone? I can read a course well now and understand a solid approach. I also have a great "feel" for yardages within 100y. I've been to a few course practice facilities to make sure my yardages are accurate t what I see inside. And off flat grass range hitting areas, I surprise myself every time. The challenge is going to be very very fun.. I just really need to sort whatever the heck I did to my mid back. Hopefully sooner than later. I definitely got cocky in march and over played in the sim.

Oh! That’s a great one. I’m fortunate enough to be using technology that is very good with short game, so I didn’t even think about that for the other tech out there. By all means, regardless of tech, you still have to go outside and practice. I’ll have to do a video in just that!

I don't see why not. I would imagine they'd show wear a bit quicker due to the elements, but should work fine!

Ha! Good eye! However, I was just cutting out an uncomfortably long stand over the ball. I'm not really sure what I was doing on that particular one, but I cut a few spots out throughout to move it along for the viewer. Mulligans are turned off for the competitions, so I wouldn't have been able to sneak in a redo. Thanks for watching!

LOL! This made me laugh. You aren't wrong... that space really is the size of a small apt, isn't it? The carzy part is that I don't live in anything above the average home here in Bend. This particular builder just decided to put in a garage space that was more than sufficient. I'm working on a video on how to do a pop-up simulator for a reasonable price that you could do anywhere. Should hopefully help expand the idea beyond my excessive set-up.

This was the comment I needed today! Thank you for following and for the kind words. It's been a wild ride regarding my back so far. It's not the usual golf injuries you see, but rather a few traumatic cycling injuries that have my nervous system going into super protection mode around my upper T-spine. Causing severe spasms. Unfortunately, I need to just be patient and not lose focus. Even though it's very hard for me to do after putting all this work in. I'm very excited to show everyone what I have learned and what I can do! I'll certainly cover my true expectations for myself and see if I can golf to them, in fact, I think I'll probably do that for the first few rounds outside under different scenarios. Very easy course, private course, difficult course, etc. If I can be back to full swings by the end of May, aG has an idea for my first round outside that is an amazing opportunity that I could not turn down. I should know by the 3rd week of May and I'll put a video out about it.

@@goinforeit well I know back issues affect way more than just golf, so I hope things get better!

@@pelster944 Much appreciated! Better every day!

Thanks! I appreciate the motivation! Turns out I was still injured and now I’m out with an extremely locked up upper back. Pretty sure it’s stemming from an old cycling injury (broken c5/6). Notes on the sim golf vs green grass. They say sim golf is about 10 strokes easier through 18. No elements is correct, although you can add them. What’s missing for now is the lack of penalty out of the rough it sand. Lies are struck flat, but are variable on the sim and it does effect ball flight, so you have to aim accordingly. You do have to read the greens, in fact, in aG the putting is phenomenal and surprised everyone who comes into the studio. Greens are read via moving balls or heat maps. Sim golf will never replace outdoor, but man, it’s getting pretty good! I can for sure point out a few things that just don’t make sense in comparison. But I’ll wait and do that after I start playing outside… as soon as I heal up; somehow.

Thanks, man! As am I! I'll be playing a course called Meadow Lakes in Prineville, Oregon. It's going to be a good time.

Hi Tim, I am 100% happy with the flooring. It's one of the portions of my setup that I'd do exactly the same if I redid the build. The only thing I could argue is maybe finding a faster turf, but it's not really a big deal. the color was really what I was after. I was very careful when I cut the hole and it's a very snug fit, so no, it doesn't move at all. The OSB also has a pretty snug fit, but I live in a dry climate and don't have to worry about expansion/contraction as much as other areas in the country. The Carl's Hotshot mat has been amazing and another bit I would do again. I've also put so much time in the sim and progressed quite a bit very quickly that I have a theory about chunking and pain. Does it hurt if you chunk it proper? Kind of. Does hitting off mats cause tendonitis in your elbow? That is where I question the old thought. Mats are pretty good now, and as I learned proper technique and swing mechanics, my tendonitis completely went away. The Hotshot mat is almost 2" thick and very soft. Feels like grass when standing on it under your feet, and the pain when chunking comes mostly from the synthetic turf grabbing the club's leading edge. More annoying than painful and usually means you are tired and should stop anyway. :) Too much info, but I hope this helps! Feel free to reach out to me if you have any more questions and want to bounce ideas for your won build. tuftsje@gmail.com

@@goinforeit Thanks so much for the well thought out reply. I'm getting ready to order all my supplies in the next week or so and the flooring/hitting mat is where I'm most unsure.

@@timgough6738 ​​⁠happy to help! The advise I give is look at the bigger picture. You aren’t going to want to buy another mat or have to worry about out where you are hitting it. A cost effective replaceable hitting strip is key. The SIG pro is a great option, but it’s thicker than the Carl’s mat, so that decision needs to be pre planned. Carl’s wins in my book simply because the strip is less than $50. I play daily and replace my strip every 4-5 months. Design your floor around your hitting mat. Just make sure the launch monitor/hitting zone is accurate. Distances and all that.

Love it. Thanks for the advice! It looks like I am going to be doing just that. As of now, I'll be at Crooked River Ranch just north of Bend. From what I've gathered it's pretty short, very little OB or danger, wide fairways, and no par 3's that are pushing 200 yards. When I started the challenge, I didn't want to sandbag, but I feel like you are right. I need to give myself the best chance to score. Just for fun, I'll go hit Tetherow as my 3rd or 4th round just to see the difference. I decided to push into May with the crazy winter we've had, which turned out to be the right choice as I ended up doing a number on my upper back and had to take almost 3 weeks off. Just getting back into it, and as courses open up, i'll book a tee time and get out there. I'm ready, man. Ready to put all this work to the test. I think I'll be fine tee to green, it's getting out of trouble or chipping that will prove foreign to me. I've gone to putting greens, and honestly, aboutGOLF has done a great job prepping me for putting. I'm excited. I think 80 will be very tough, but 90? I think that is possible and will still be very impressive. If I shoot over 90, i'll be bummed.

I think whatever the result, you shouldn’t get discouraged. I know it’ll be hugely difficult after doing this for a year if you don’t post a good score, but either way you’ve given yourself a solid base and practice routine so i think that’ll definitely help you to improve once you start playing outside and figure our what areas you need to work on. I actually suspect the biggest challenge will be putting and chipping as it’s so green and lie dependent. But that’s a whole other area of golf to learn about and i suspect if you’re this dedicated to sim practice you’ll definitely figure it out quickly. I do think you have a very realistic chance of breaking 90 but even if you don’t, i think it was a cool experiment and i’m interested to see what happens! Best of luck!

I really appreciate the support and encouragement. I do agree, regardless of my score, I think my practice discipline will have me shooting the scores I want in due time. Putting and chipping are on my mind for sure. Our tactic is to aim for the center of every green (hopefully in regulation) and do my best to keep it to two putts. Three putts will happen and so will bogeys and double bogeys. I just have to accept them and move on. The pace of play is also a large concern of mine as I am used to knocking out my shots back to back and not having to think about bad shots as I walk to the ball and wait for other players. A bad shot to me is behind me within seconds. I've learned to mentally cope with bad shots because I have the ability to just hit the next one. So I'll have to gain some mental strength on the course. It's been an amazing experiment and I cannot wait to walk through the entire experience for everyone to hear about after I get outside. I am mechanically well past where I should be this far into my game, and my golf IQ is pretty high. However, I have very large gaps when it comes to grass, lies, real wind changes, moisture, sand, and when to use certain shots. So much on my mind, but I cannot wait to see how my first few rounds go. I definitely do expect a large jump from round one to round 4. Then there are the expectations I put on myself as an ex-elite athlete. My expectations on myself are extreme. A great example, in the sim (this won't be outside) If I'm within 110 yards of the pin, I expect to be within 15'. with5'in 50y is 10' and within 25y is 5' to the pin. Absurd to expect that, but if I don't hit those metrics, I see my shot as poor. Crazy, eh?

Thanks, man! I'm still as happy as I was the day I finished it.

That is really great feedback, sorry to hear about the finish. Very cool that the shafts work well for you. You should reach out to Stix and see if they can swap your irons out for a set that may have a better finish or possibly get you a set of the silver when they become available. Their customer service is all-time. I hope the performance at least makes up for the scratches :)

Thanks!

I’m actually not sure on the rain cover, I still haven’t gone outside so I’ve yet to dig through the bag. I’m thinking mine did. Durability has been great. There are light scratches from sand play, and they will scratch a bit, but that’s part of the fun! They are after all just tools. Adding the Fujikura Axiom 105S’s to the wedges and irons, and Ventus to the D, 3W, and 4h were a game changer.

Short game = scoring

I would appreciate it if you could kindly answer my questions! :)

This is a good question

Any thoughts?

Sure thing! Here are the exact notes from the designer over at Carl's. --- Overall Room Dimensions: 127"H x 164"W x 240"D Overall DIY Enclosure Frame Dimensions: 103.5"H x 160"W x 59.125"D Viewable Screen Dimensions: 94.5"H x 151"W

Stix are really going to hit hard this year. Their new adjustable driver is supposed to be amazing! The lack of adjustability was the only thing that made me drop it a couple months ago. You are making the right choice making these your first set. I LOVE the putter, wedges, and irons to this day and I have major brand replacements for them in my garage. The forgiveness to distance ratio you get with these are unmatched. Take advantage of their 30 day trial and get what works for you. They will take great care of you. Great company.

You won’t be disappointed

Oh, man! How was your fitting experience? What did you end up finding that worked for you the best? The Fiber Built does have a great feel. For me, it's the cost of replacement strips that is rough.

Bummer... at least it's still a fraction of what the other companies cost. $300+ for a replacement strip is absurd.

Thanks for the support Casey! I'm just waiting for the snow to melt and the courses to get back to somewhat decent condition. With the weather outlook, I'd say first or second week of April. I'm dying to get out there! Just been a weird winter.

Marginal gains...

A Top Golf membership is a great alternative! Sorry to hear you did not have a good experience. I've been in a few simulators that were pretty bad as well. It's usually due to gimmicky technology or poor care. Keep up the great job practicing!

Hi Steven, thanks for watching! I'm glad you could take away a few features to put into your build. My floor is actually floating. Because I have borders on 3 sides, I didn't need to affix it to the ground. The OSB floor is cut with about 1/8" around all three sides to allow for expansion and contraction due to temperature changes in my space. The interlocking gym floor sits on top of the OSB floating as well. The putting surface is then laid on top from edge to edge and is tucked under a 1/2" edging I built out of insulation and wrapped in black duck fabric to hide the seam, but it's cut pretty darn tight to the actual room edges. I did take a few broad-headed penny nails and placed them about 10" apart on either side of the fringe that I cut and placed for cosmetic purposes. That simply keeps the fringe from moving when people walk over it. That means the putting surface is only secured with 8 or 10 nails at the back against the fringe. I've never had any issues with the flooring being installed as floating vs. glued down. This also allows me to make any changes in the future if needed without having to trash the entire floor upon removal. If that doesn't answer your questions as much as you'd like, shoot me an email and i'll gladly expand for you. tuftsje@gmail (.com)

Thank you! My set up excites me just as much now as it did at the beginning. Which was my #1 goal. You are doing it right, get the mat first and then build the turn around it. Take a look at my build video where I go over exactly how I did the floor. I had some random OSB cuts laying around that were different thicknesses, and bought 1/2" gym floor tile off amazon, with a sample of the turf, I was able to get it perfect before committing to 700 sqft of material. I used turf from Turf Factory Direct. It was their top of the line putting surface at that time. It was discounted as they were bringing in the new season's stuff and I was honestly tired of over thinking my choice, so I went with it. It was the color I wanted and they shipped to my house. Since I'm in a remote city, I wasn't able to get any turf locally. I'm very pleased with the way it came out and the putts roll just fine.

This is awesome! I truly believe that it's only a matter of time before golf sim technology becomes the leading factor in the growth of the game. Golf has a steep learning curve and traditionally a difficult barrier of entry. The cost and accuracy of launch monitors are only getting better and soon, every golfer will have an indoor setup, and breaking 80 won't be that big of a deal anymore. :) Let me know how you do when ou go outside. I'm just a few weeks away and can't wait to show everyone how much I've learned.

Absolutely!

Hi! Thank you for watching. I truly enjoy learning golf and making content to share my experience. Really cool to hear you took up a part-time job at a sim house to learn the game. Are you chasing a particular score? Or just looking to speed up the learning process to get better at this impossible game? I love aboutGOLF! Such a great technology, eh? The YT golf instruction rabbit hole is tough because there are so many different swing styles and ways to do a particular technique. There is a lot of great stuff out there but also a lot of not-so-great stuff. Golfers want a quick fix, hence the thousands of instructional videos and training aids that promise you the world. This is actually a pretty deep topic that I'll do a video on soon. But to keep it short, the best way to avoid it is to get a coach (Skillest or in person) and stick with that person until you get an understanding of your golf swing, your personal body mechanics, and how to dial the swing in for you. Let them pick the videos for you. And trust the process! Ball Offset - As an employee, you should be able to reach out to support@aboutgolf.com and get squared away. It's a technical issue that could be because of lighting or a need for calibration. If you ever have questions or just want to chat, shoot me a note. tuftsje@gmail.com

@@goinforeit thanks for the response. It is definitely an impossible game and I am not a metrics guy like you so I struggle with the numbers and what they mean, hence the YT rabbit holes. Ive been playing seriously for about two years and my handicap is down to a 20 from a lot more than 20 two years ago. I am chasing the 85 to 90 range right now.

@@TheOlderGamer1973 That is really cool to hear! I personally think you are better off not being a metrics guy if you do get stuck in the rabbit holes. It makes it worse... :). Keep up the progress! You aren't far away from obtaining that 85-90! Good work, keep me posted.

quick question if you dont mind. I figured out the ball offset but what do the numbers mean for instance if it says T.2 im assuming toe but is that .2 off center?

@@TheOlderGamer1973 Correct, T is Toe, H is Heel. .2 I believe is in inches, and the 3Trak measures it off of the club sticker. So make sure your sticker is accurately on the center of the club face.

Thanks! The panels are attached with industrial strength velcro from Home Depot. I had to use construction adhesive on both the panel and wall for the velcro to have enough adhesive to pull apart. Two strips vertically about 6" in from either side. Ceiling protection is 1" sheet foam insulation with square foam sound panels from amazon glued on. The ceiling is the one thing i'd do differently if I were to do this build again. I'd probably use baffles hung down at 10" increments to just stop the ball as it goes that high. Carl's place sells them, as do most indoor golf shops. Check out my full build video th-cam.com/video/t18p8L5YBZ4/w-d-xo.html for more!

These are the enclosure panels on the side if you are going for a built-in look. There isn't anything behind the screen. The impact screen does all the work, you want to make sure you leave 12 -18 inches of space behind so you don't have any interference.

Golf Pride Tour Velvet Plus 4's.

Of course! If there are any other metrics that you'd like 'the easy button' for, let me know and I'll add it to part 3.

I wouldn't change anything regarding the side impact panels. In fact, I am even happier that I didn't just buy them online.. For how much they cost pre-built, I simply would have been annoyed if I hadn't built them myself and saved a significant amount of money. They still look new, come off easy when needed, and I have had zero issues with them falling off. I will probably build it out to another 12" when the challenge is over and I take some time off golf, as the extra coverage would be nice. The only change I'd make is to the ceiling panels. I would (will) make more of the side panels and use those on the ceiling as well, rather than the foam sound tiles I used from Amazon. Mainly because the adhesive eventually fails and I have to constantly respray and reattach the tiles. I am going to make a video of exactly how I built the panels in the next couple of weeks. I've been asked a lot about them.

Weatherford for life! GO BEAVS!

Hi! Congratulations on your build! My screen is 13.5’ x 8.9’ - I’ve got plenty of room for more height, but wanted to maintain a 16:10 aspect ratio for 4K. If you have any questions regarding the size of screen you should install in your space with a specific aspect ratio, give Carl's Place a call and they'll get you squared away.

Thanks, Josh. Fazio is on the list to consider, especially since I have been working with Jeff Ritter. I am leaning towards giving myself the best chance as well, and I think staying local will allow me to go about it tournament-style as well. 4 days in a row, see what I get out of 4 rounds rather than just one. The narrow fairways and expansive trouble we have on our courses around here definitely scares me a bit. Widgi for example, maybe not the toughest, but so narrow. I thought about Juniper too.. If you are in Bend, give me a shout. Let's play a round on the sim! tuftsje@gmail

Thank you, @jimsimpson2393! That really means a lot. We worked pretty hard on this one knowing it would probably be my most watched release with the most reusable info. My vision for the channel is a migrating style. The first part is to prove technology can change the way golf is learned. I play and learn inside for a year and see what I can score. This will give me content regarding the variables golf holds on an outdoor course vs. indoor sim, and allows me to then find the balance of indoor practice to outdoor practice to get a completed timeline of brand new to breaking 80 assuming I do not get there on my first round. I do hold realistic expectations. The channel will then migrate to a heavy focus on the new and average golfer. Taking my experience learning on a simulator, sharing it, and continuing to make golf more accessible by changing the way golf is learned by using simulator technology. Really drive home the idea of practicing indoor to improve your fun outdoors. Content on getting folks into the right sim for them. I will take my personal challenge from breaking 80 to breaking par and gaining a 0 handicap outside. That will include online competition and continuing my path of working with PGA Professionals to improve my game at a rapid pace. I will also have fun with notable courses by playing X course for a month and then taking a buddy to play the course outside who have never played the course, showing how you can use a sim to fully enjoy a bucket list course through preparation. So in short and by priority: 1: Beginner to average golfer simulator usage to increase accessibility and practice to supplement their outdoor game. 2: Documenting how quickly I can break 80, then par, then get a scratch handicap. 3: Simulator usage to maximize your bucket list golf trips. This is planned to continue over the next 2 - 3 years and will certainly evolve as the market changes. What do you think?

@@goinforeit I think you have articulated a clear and very interesting set of goals. I have not seen any TH-cam channels pursuing anything like what you are describing. I will be watching with interest. You may be able to teach this old dog some new tricks (77 yrs young shooting in the mid eighties from the forward tees). I wish you good fortune.

@@jimsimpson2393 Jim, thanks again. Your support means more than you think. My advice is keep playing from those forward tees! There is no shame. No matter how much pressure the cool kids give. A big push of mine will be to push more forward tee play. If you want to see anything specific or have recommendations, shoot me an email: tuftsje@gmail . Would love to hear from you.

“Honey, I’m going to set up a little golf net in the backyard. Trust me, you won’t notice a thing.”

@@ben_joven LOL! Totally.