Canadian golf season is short. A simulator turns the other six months into practice time, league nights and a reason to get friends together. There are three ways to get there: play one, have one built, or build your own. We’re part of a business for each, so here’s how they compare.
Play one first: Swing Stations Strathroy
If you’ve never hit into a simulator, start by renting a bay. Swing Stations Strathroy is a fully automated golf and multi-sport facility at 212 Metcalfe Street East. It’s open 24/7, with no staff and no set hours. Book online, get a PIN by text, and let yourself in.
- Three private bays with Uneekor EYE XR launch monitors and more than 100 courses in GSPro
- Ball speed, spin and launch angle on every shot
- A VIP bay with surround sound, swing cameras and a multi-sport arcade with hockey, soccer, baseball and more
- Whole-building rentals for birthdays, corporate events and holiday parties
An hour in a bay tells you a lot: how much room you need, which launch monitor you like, and whether you’ll use one enough to own it.
Have one built: Swing Stations
Swing Stations designs and builds turnkey simulators across Southwestern Ontario, and travels for larger projects. It handles consulting, design, build, installation and support.
- Backyard sheds: insulated simulator sheds in MiniSIM, ProSIM and PartySIM models, or a custom build
- Rooms: garage conversions, basements and other rooms in the house
- Commercial: simulator rooms for offices and commercial spaces
Financing is available. This is the right route if you want it done properly and don’t want to manage trades, screen sizing and projector placement yourself.
Build your own: Swing Depot
If you’re handy, Swing Depot sells the gear to build your own, priced in Canadian dollars with duties and brokerage included. It’s an authorized dealer for Trackman, Uneekor, Full Swing, BenQ, Carl’s Place and TruGolf, and ships across Canada.
- Launch monitors: overhead, floor and portable
- Impact screens, including made-to-measure, plus enclosures, turf and hitting mats
- Projectors, computers and audio
- Advice on room size, launch monitor fit and projector choice before you buy
If a DIY build gets bigger than planned, Swing Stations can take it over.
Which one is right for you
| Option | Best for | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Play | Trying golf simulation, practice, parties and events | Swing Stations Strathroy |
| Build for me | Homeowners and businesses who want it done right | Swing Stations |
| DIY | Handy golfers with a garage, basement or spare room | Swing Depot |
What we’ve learned building them
- Measure the room first. Our Strathroy bays are 14 feet wide with 10-foot ceilings. Ceiling height decides whether you can swing a driver.
- Pick the launch monitor before the screen. Overhead camera units like the Uneekor EYE XR need their own mounting plan, while floor units don’t.
- Match the ball to the tech. Soft balls like Callaway Supersoft suit camera systems. Radar units like Trackman read Titleist RCT balls best.
- Plan the software. GSPro and E6 Connect each have their own course libraries and subscriptions, and not every launch monitor runs both.
Why this is on a marketing blog
Modev Media built and markets all three of these businesses. Booking, PIN access, online gear sales and the ads that fill bays in January all run on the same tools we use for clients. If you run a seasonal or local business and want to see how that works, get in touch.