On a course, etiquette is mostly about other groups. In a simulator bay there are no other groups. It is you, your friends, a mat, a screen and a fixed amount of time, and most of the friction comes from people not agreeing on the basics before the first swing.
This post covers how to share the bay. If you are still working out the booking, the door link and the touchscreen, start with your first time at a golf simulator. Clothes, shoes and what goes in the bag are in what to wear to indoor golf.
Safety first: where to stand
A golf club moves fast and a ball leaves the face faster. In a room, that matters more than on a range, because everyone is closer together.
- Stand well behind and to the side of the hitter. Out of the backswing, out of the follow-through, and out of the line of a shot that goes wrong.
- Never walk in front of the mat while someone is set up. Wait until the ball has gone, even if you only need to grab a club.
- Check the space before you swing. Practice swings count. Look behind you and to both sides first.
- Keep bags and spare clubs clear of the hitting area. Lean them where nobody steps over them on the way to the mat.
If kids are in the group, give them a spot to sit while others hit and make that the rule from the first ball.
Golf simulator rules for taking turns
Agree on the format before the first tee. Some groups play every shot of a hole one after another, others rotate shot by shot. Either works. Changing halfway through is what causes the arguments.
Be ready when your turn comes. Pick your club, put your glove on and have your ball out while the person before you is hitting. One practice swing is plenty. On a busy night, the gap between players is where most of the time goes.
The simulator shuts off at the end of your booking, so plan the last hole. Check the clock with about fifteen minutes left and decide whether you can finish the round or whether the last few holes become a closest-to-the-pin contest. The suggested booking is 1 to 1.5 hours per player, and how long a round of golf takes helps you pick a length that fits.
Warming up without hogging the mat
The virtual driving range is the right place to warm up, and it is easy for one person to stay on it too long. Set a number before you start, say ten balls each, then rotate. Stretch and make slow swings off to the side while someone else hits.
If you like a long warm-up, do the first part at home or in the car park. Your friends paid for the same hour you did.
Putting and tidy finishes
Putting is the slowest part of a simulator round, so decide early how your group handles short putts. Holing every putt is fair for a serious game. Giving anything inside a set distance keeps a casual one moving. Pick one and stick to it for the whole round.
If you want to tell your balls apart, use different brands or numbers. Do not mark golf balls with a Sharpie at PGM, because the ink transfers to the screens.
Phones and filming each other
Ask before you film someone's swing, and ask again before you post it. Not everyone wants their worst shot of the night online.
You may not need a phone at all. Every bay has Swing Cam for watching your swing back, so use that first. If you do film, stand behind and to the side like everyone else, never in front of the mat. Take calls outside the hitting area so the person on the mat is not swinging through your conversation.
PGM house rules in one place
Bring your own clubs, since none are provided. Minors must be with an adult. No alcohol on the premises. Do not mark golf balls with a Sharpie. Leave the bay clean. The simulator shuts off at the end of your booking, and you can extend on the day only if nobody has booked the bay after you. More detail is on the FAQ.
Cleaning up and handing over
Nobody works on site, so the next group gets the bay exactly as you left it. Take your water bottles, tees, gloves and stray balls with you, and wipe up anything you spilled.
Finish on time. If you want more, check whether you can extend on the day, which only works when nobody has booked the bay after you. If someone has, pack up before the end of your slot so the handover is quick. The how it works page explains how the booking and the simulator timing fit together.
Book a bay and set the rules
Good etiquette in a simulator bay comes down to a short conversation before the first swing: where people stand, how turns work, and when the last hole starts. Have it once and the rest of the hour looks after itself. When your group is ready, pick a time on the Calgary booking page, or call 403-680-3380 with questions.