Look: In Dubai you can play at 200 of the world’s best golf courses in a single day

Golf simulators in indoor golf facilities make the experience seem closer to reality

By Leslie Wilson Jr

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Photo by Shihab
Photo by Shihab

Published: Fri 21 Oct 2022, 2:59 PM

Last updated: Fri 21 Oct 2022, 3:23 PM

Kaiser is living his wildest dreams.

Just six months after he began to play golf, he has already shaved a big chunk off his handicap and has putted for birdies at some of the greatest golf courses in the world, including his particular favourite, Pebble Beach Golf Resort in California, widely regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful golf venues.


He has played the rolling grand courses of the British Isles right up to the expansive masterpieces in the US. Throw in the iconic Old Course at legendary St. Andrews to Pine Valley in New Jersey and historic Augusta in Georgia, Kaiser has tested his growing skills at all of these breathtaking locations.

Everyday Kaiser pinches himself to see if all this is happening for real.


Living the experience

Thanks to the UAE’s latest luxury indoor golf facility – MyGolf Dubai — golf lovers like Kaiser can indulge in an extraordinary near-to-real sporting experience playing at one of the 14 simulators in the facility.

Spread over 1,500 square meters the club caters to every golfer’s needs through its high-tech simulators, on site PGA professional coaches, a social business hub, private rooms and top-class entertainment opportunities.

Indoor golf is a proven model in Asia, Singapore and Hong Kong as it delivers service and quality while helping to bolster the golfing community in the C region.

How does the simulator work?

The golf simulator has taken the world by storm. It usually consists of a large projection screen and a video projector that delivers images of the course.

The simulator in use at MyGolf is made by Golfzon, the world’s bestselling golf simulator company which works by analysing data produced from your golf shot that you hit off a mat that mimics natural grass. High-tech sensors read the speed, direction and spin of the ball, which are instantly converted to a virtual ball on the screen in real time.

Graphic by Raja Choudhury
Graphic by Raja Choudhury

The system realistically takes you where your ball lands so that you can make your next shot and so on. The computer accurately assesses every shot and analyses the data which you can review.

“It’s crazy what dreams can do and this goes way beyond the vision that I had at the start," says Michael Zhao, founder, MyGolf. "We don’t just offer golf – we are greater than the sum of its parts. We are a sports, leisure, entertainment and social networking company.”

What’s so special about indoor golf?

Besides the access to simulators indoor golf facilities offer a whole range of features that a member might require during the day.

From the option of tapping into a golf academy where PGA-certified golf professionals offer courses and lessons for professional training, they have private rooms which offer a noise-free environment.

All facilities come with high-end and branded golf merchandise and equipment, business centres, restaurants and an entertainment rook with karaoke for post-golf parties.

Photo by Shihab
Photo by Shihab

Hear it from a pro

Zenia Wivou, the first Fijian female professional golfer to gain a Tour card, says indoor golf has helped improve her performance at different levels.

She speaks enthusiastically about the benefits of having the option to train at a state-of-the-art indoor. “The fact that you can practise and train indoors, check out your swing, your distance, the metrics and have coaches on hand who can guide you, is fantastic,” says Wivou.

“The golf simulators are very realistic and the technology is advanced. You have to really appreciate what the people who created this concept came up with," she says.

“The good thing about hitting at an indoor golf range is the fact that you can spend longer hours working on your game. When I train outside I would usually play for 3-4 hours on the course," she adds. "But at the indoor facility I find myself spending the whole day there, training, relaxing and reviewing the data parameters that are important to improving your game."

Thanks to these simulators, Wivou says she can now see the course differently in terms of detail and margin. "It’s such a positive step for me. I’m a big fan of indoor golf.”

letters@khaleejtimes.com

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