PGA Jr. League on a Simulator: Best Practices

Review indoor safety guidelines (find more tips below).

Give a demo of the simulator software, including how to restart the hole, take a mulligan and how to best chip and putt. Consider giving a hands-on learning experience.

If you have a larger space with multiple bays, consider asking for parent volunteers to help monitor safety during practices and matches.

If you have a small space with one or two bays, it may be safer to ask the parents to wait in a different area.

Review how you will keep score or measure success within the league.

PGA Coaches implementing simulator leagues estimate their sessions last 90-120 minutes. They focus more on playing matches and less on the instructional side.

Some PGA Coaches host practices separately from their match days. Practice was 50 minutes on one night, and matches were played on another night for about 1.5 hours. This helped keep the kids fully engaged throughout each session.

Spend the first 15-30 minutes warming up.

Play for 60-90 minutes.

Some give awards for first, second and third place after every match, and others keep a season-long leaderboard.

Consider keeping a running scoreboard featuring things like matches or flags won, longest putt, longest hole out, closest to the hole or fastest swing speed. This can serve as an advertisement, particularly if it's in a high traffic spot in your facility.

Timing and holes may vary depending upon the age of your PGA Jr. League team. If you have a younger team (e.g. ages 4-9), consider a time limit of 45-50 minutes and have them play as many holes as they can in that time frame.

If you have a team of kids ages 10-14, consider hosting 9-hole matches. Kids at this age and stage are able to stay a little more engaged and play for 60-90 minutes. Implement a cutoff time at the 90 minute mark.

If you have an older team of kids ages 14-17, consider playing 9, 12 or 18 holes based on their skill and interest level. Players in this age group can practice and stay engaged for up to 120 minutes.

If you have a team with a wide range of ages, consider different goals for different age groups and mixing and matching what works best for their attention spans.

PGA Coaches have had success with random pairings each week and consistently mixing things up. They will typically keep players grouped by age but mix up the skill levels within partners so that some experienced players are playing with intermediate or beginner players.

Other PGA Coaches allow players to pick their partner and stay with that partner all season long. It’s truly whatever works best for you and your program.

Implement a double bogey maximum score on holes.

Putts from 10-15 feet are gimmes. You can drop this down to 4-6 feet as the players get used to putting on a simulator.

Look for a course that has junior tees.

If you are using Trackman, turn off the putting feature since there is no hole. You can turn on auto putt from a certain distance.

The two-person scramble is a setting before you play. It cannot be adjusted after you start.

Consider having simulator-only golf balls in each bay, and not allowing players to use their own ball. Their own balls often have markings on them that can damage screens.

Only allow players to use rubber tees and purchase multiple sizes. Do not allow plastic or wood tees as they can puncture the screen.

Require the players to have clean clubs before playing, and consider setting up a club cleaning station nearby.

For larger indoor areas with seven or more bays, we recommend having at least two parent volunteers to help manage safety and technical issues.

We recommend 2-4 players per bay, but you know your space best. PGA Coaches who have run simulator leagues have shown that two players per bay typically play 9-holes in 60-90 minutes.

If you are in a large indoor area, make sure the players are mature enough to follow the safety rules.

Set up “Safe Zones” with cones indicating where players can swing.

Keep snacks and liquids in a designated area away from laptops and screens.

If you have a large space with multiple bays that are spread out, ask parents to stay during the clinic so they can help monitor safety procedures.

If you have a smaller space, consider asking the parents to wait elsewhere as they could cause a safety issue or slow the kids down.

Pricing will vary by region and is dependent upon what you are offering.

Remember that the indoor space will likely mean smaller groups of players and therefore a higher coach:student ratio. If this is your first time offering a simulator league, be transparent with parents about how different this experience is vs. green grass.

The #GameChanger membership model means that players only pay the $99 fee once per calendar year. If you add a simulator league in the winter and have repeat players from your spring, summer and fall seasons, players do not need to pay a second team kit fee.

If you're in a league with 24+ players, you’re eligible to form an All-Star team.