We just wrapped up our best personal launch monitor testing and the top overall pick costs $3,000. For plenty of golfers that is out of budget before they buy a net, a mat or a screen. So here is the question we keep hearing: if all you have is $1,000, is there a road that gets you through the winter or gives you a spot to get some extra rounds in at home and still gets you some real indoor golf?
The short answer is yes but there are trade-offs.
I went through the Indoor Golf Shop’s catalog to see what each option costs right now, what you get, and what you give up when you spend less. Some of these options are on sale for Black Friday 2026 so keep that in mind.
The $1,000 road: A launch monitor and a net
The most realistic sub-$1,000 starting point is the Garmin Approach R10 Golf Net Practice Bundle. It costs $739.99 with a 10x10x10 net cage. Swap for a 10×7 rectangle or rounded net and it drops to $549.99.
The bundle includes the R10, a carry case, a phone mount and your net. A hitting mat is optional and extra.
The R10 is a small radar unit that sits behind you and sends your numbers to your phone. It tracks over a dozen metrics, records your swing with the stats overlaid and runs up to 10 hours on a charge. It works indoors and outdoors.
Garmin designed it for use at home or at the driving range. In our 2025 testing, the R10 scored 9.3 overall and was our best personal launch monitor under $500 although it will not match the precision of a $25,000 launch monitor.
You’ll need to budget for software, too. Virtual rounds in Garmin’s Home Tee Hero need a Garmin Golf membership which is $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year (there’s a free 30-day trial).
The R10 also works with E6 Connect which includes five free courses on iOS only. A bundle plus a year of membership comes to $839.98 with the cage or $649.98 with the 10×7 net. Neither includes a hitting mat.
What you give up: The projector and the picture
The biggest thing you lose with less than $1000 to spend is the picture in front of you. To watch your shot fly down a fairway you need an impact screen, something to hold it up and a projector to throw the image. None of that comes in under $1,000 alongside a launch monitor.
The projector is the part that blows the budget. The golf projectors Indoor Golf Shop sells run from about $900 to more than $4,000.
With less than $1000, you still hit actual shots and get ball and club data, you can record your swing and you can play virtual rounds on your phone or tablet. What you give up is the screen, the scale and the feel of playing a course with friends watching.
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The Garmin bundle does not include a hitting mat. The shop’s premium simulator mats cost more than the room you would have left in a $1,000 budget but its mat page also lists options under $300.
| Mat | Price | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Fiberbuilt Grass Series Flight Deck with Adjustable Tee | $99 (was $109.99) | Small practice mat |
| Cimarron 5′ x 5′ Premier Golf Practice Mat | $269 (was $309) | 5′ x 5′ |
| Big Moss True Launch Hitting Mat 4′ x 5′ | $274 (was $379) | 4′ x 5′ |
| Cimarron 4′ x 6′ Ultimate Golf Hitting Mat | $279 (was $339.99) | 4′ x 6′ |
| SIGPRO 3D 5′ x 5′ | $529.99 | 60″ x 60″ x 1.6″ |
If you only need a place to stand and hit, the $99 Fiberbuilt practice mat is the cheapest option and the shop also lists Cimarron and Big Moss mats between $269 and $279. Keep in mind how often you will use your simulator. A cheap mat can feel hard, which can lead to sore wrists and elbows, and can wear out quickly
Remember that a mat raises you 1-1/4 to 2.5 inches which matters in a room with a low ceiling.
Stretch to about $1,500: A real screen with the DIY studio packages
If you can stretch to roughly $1,450–$1,500, you get what the $1,000 build lacks: an impact screen. The SIG DIY studio packages pair a launch monitor with a SIGPRO Premium impact screen and the surround, and you build the frame yourself. There are three to choose from.
| Package | Starts at | What’s included |
|---|---|---|
| Garmin R10 SIG DIY | $1,449.98 | Garmin R10, travel case, tripod and phone mount, SIGPRO Premium impact screen, black surround panels, sandbags, connectors, foam padding, ball bungees |
| Rapsodo MLM2PRO SIG DIY | $1,499.98 | MLM2PRO, travel case, tripod, charging cable, three Callaway RPT balls, 21-day Core Membership trial, SIGPRO Premium impact screen, black surround panels, sandbags, connectors, foam padding, ball bungees |
| Square Golf SIG DIY | $1,499.98 | Square launch monitor, swing stick, lithium-ion battery, three marked balls, SIGPRO Premium impact screen, black surround panels, sandbags, connectors, foam padding, ball bungees |
The starting price is the smallest enclosure, 8’4″ × 8’4″. Prices climb with size.
The kit includes everything in the premium enclosures except the pipe frame, the materials for which you buy at a hardware store. A hitting mat is a separate choice.
Think of this tier as the screen-ready core of a simulator. It’s still not the finished room.
The timing: Black Friday deals are already running
The Black Friday page at Indoor Golf Shop says early deals started Oct. 26. Black Friday is Nov. 27 and the deals run through Cyber Monday, Nov. 30.
- Garmin: Packages up to $500 off with the SIG DIY packages listed as on sale.
- Square Golf: Packages up to $500 off including the SIG DIY packages and the net practice bundle.
- Rapsodo: Packages up to $750 off and $150 off the MLM2PRO launch monitor. The Rapsodo DIY page also carries a $150-off MLM2PRO package banner.
- Screens and nets: 25% off SIGPRO Premium impact screens and the SIGPRO golf net and 20% off the shop’s other nets.
- Mats, flooring and enclosures: These joined the sale Nov. 9.
Can you use your phone or computer or do you have to buy one?
You do not have to buy a computer to start using a simulator. All three launch monitors I talked about in this article run on devices you probably own.
- Garmin R10: it pairs with your phone and runs Home Tee Hero through an app for iPhone and Android. Virtual rounds need the Garmin Golf membership.
- Rapsodo MLM2PRO: Apple and Android compatible.
- Square Golf: it connects by Bluetooth to a phone, tablet, laptop or PC.
The question changes if you add a projector. You need a device that can send its picture to the projector. The shop’s projector accessory bundle includes a 25-foot HDMI cable and a ceiling or floor mount at no extra cost but check how your phone or tablet connects to that cable.
The bottom line
Yes, $1,000 is enough to get through the winter and keep hitting real shots but not enough for a screen and projector. The Garmin R10 net bundle at $739.99 gets you real data and swing video. Add a basic practice mat and a year of membership and you are still under $1,000. A simulator-style mat will push you over the budget.
If you can stretch to about $1,500, the DIY studio packages from Garmin, Rapsodo, and Square add the impact screen which is the first step toward seeing your shot. Plan on paying extra for the frame, a mat and a projector before you have the full picture. With Black Friday deals already running, this is a good time to price out what it costs to have a simulator at home.
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