The media could not be loaded.
Here are the some basics and then to the tips. For $300 out of the box you get about a dozen courses. For an additional $49 a year you'll receive more courses and the ability to play in 2 tournaments a month. After the 1st year I joined the Pro Tour which gives you several more courses and from 3 to 4 tournaments a month. This last year Optishot gave us the ability to pay $200 to have a lifetime subscription to be in the Pro Tour with no other annual fees from now on. I counted 62 courses and these are some of the finest courses not only in the US but several from around the world including Scotland, South Africa, Thailand and Taiwan. We also have tournaments called Closest To The Pin about once a month where you get 9 attempts. Peer to peer allows you to set up a game or play with other people from around the world.
When setting up a game you decide on 6 different wind speeds and directions, 5 different green speeds, fairway, rough and bunker difficulties that go from easy, moderate, demanding to very demanding. Other features include allowing yourself to have mulligans or not, gimmy putts to whatever distance you choose, different camera angles, tracer shot technology, replay shots, save game, etc. In practice mode you can choose any course any hole and any ball placement for that hole as well as a practice range.
Here's some important tips. Before you begin you need to calibrate your clubs. You'll be asked to do 5 strokes with a square club face then 5 closed and 5 open. The trick is to use a PUTTING STROKE not a full swing which can be inconsistent. Next in the bottom right hand menu go to edit Club Set and you will determine the speed adjust and distance adjust to match the distance you want each club to be. Most of my clubs are at 110% in both speed and distance.
I've seen reviews that criticize putting. I totally disagree. As real golfers know putting is a combination of putter speed, slope, green speed and whether you're hitting up or down hill and the degree of that. I think some people try to hit across the pad at an angle to adjust for slope. It's better to use the arrows on your keypad to determine where you would aim taking into account your green speed setting (fast greens break more than slow ones) how many inches up or down hill and the severity of break. Then hit squarely with your putter on the pad. In real golf you want to be able to hit your putter squarely with the correct speed at a target according to all the variables and this thing is extremely sensitive and consistent. If you want to compete at a high level in our tournaments you need to be putting lights out and making birdies. As David Duvall says golf is all about being able to repeat. Optishot 2 will reward you if you do something right.
Optishot 2 does not measure ball spin or launch angle but for the reviews that say it doesn't measure hitting fat they're just plain wrong. Hit fat and you'll see not only a loss of distance but usually your clubhead will be open just like in real golf. By the way, I don't hit with a ball since I play aiming at my TV and like not having wear and tear on my 63 year old joints.
I used to think I would have to win a big lottery to have a $50,000 golf simulator in my house. That would be nice but for the price I love this thing just as much as I did when I first got it. You'll find me in the tournaments as MarkMak. Best of luck!
