Try a launch monitor locally before you buy one
Updated Oct 31, 2026 · Minneapolis–St Paul
A home simulator is a big purchase, and launch monitors feel very different from each other. Renting a bay for an hour with the exact system you're considering is the cheapest way to find out whether you like the numbers, the software and the feel before you commit.
Where to try each system
Only venues whose own website names the simulator are listed here. Prices are per bay per hour.
TrackMan · 5 venues
Radar-based launch monitor widely used by tour players and coaches. Venues run it with TrackMan’s own course software.
- Golf Nerd (White Bear Lake) · TrackMan iO · $45–$60
- Five Iron Golf North Loop (Minneapolis) · $29–$80
- Tanners Brook Golf Club (Forest Lake) · TrackMan (Virtual Golf 2) · $40–$50
- South Metro Indoor Golf Club (Burnsville) · $48
- Swing Lab Performance Golf (Lakeville) · TrackMan 4 · $20
Uneekor · 5 venues
Overhead camera system that reads the ball and club face. Often paired with GSPro course software.
- Mulligan's Indoor Golf Plymouth (Plymouth) · $25–$45
- Mulligan's Indoor Golf Eagan (Eagan) · $25–$45
- Phalen Park Golf Course (St Paul) · Uneekor QED with GSPro · $44
- The Wilds Golf Club (Prior Lake) · Dual Uneekor launch monitors with GSPro · $35–$45
- Wild Marsh Golf Club (Buffalo) · Uneekor EYE XO2 · $30–$50
Full Swing · 1 venue
Full simulator setup with its own course software, common in golf-course clubhouses.
- Oneka Ridge Golf Course (White Bear Lake) · Full Swing HD · $33–$43
GolfZon · 1 venue
Korean simulator system known for its moving hitting platform that tilts for uphill and downhill lies.
- The Links Lakeville (Lakeville) · GolfZon TwoVision NX · $45–$60
X-Golf · 6 venues
X-Golf’s in-house system using cameras, infrared and impact sensors. Only found at X-Golf locations.
- X-Golf Blaine (Blaine) · X-Golf's own system (cameras and infrared sensors) · $40–$60
- X-Golf Champlin (Champlin) · X-Golf's own system (cameras and infrared sensors) · $40–$60
- X-Golf Medina (Medina) · X-Golf's own system (cameras and infrared sensors) · $40–$60
- X-Golf Apple Valley (Apple Valley) · X-Golf's own system (cameras and infrared sensors) · $40–$60
- X-Golf Eden Prairie (Eden Prairie) · X-Golf's own system (cameras and infrared sensors) · $40–$60
- X-Golf Woodbury (Woodbury) · X-Golf's own system (cameras and infrared sensors) · $40–$60
What to test in one hour
- Your stock shots. Hit 10 balls each with a wedge, a mid-iron and driver. Do the carry distances match what you know from the course?
- Spin and launch readings. Check that the numbers change sensibly when you hit a deliberate fade, draw or thin shot.
- Putting and chipping. Short game is where systems differ most. Try a few 10-foot putts and 20-yard chips.
- The software. Play three holes. Is the course graphics and ball flight convincing, and is it easy to set up a round?
- The room. Note the ceiling height, screen distance and hitting-mat feel. Measure your own space against it.
Questions to ask the venue
- Which launch monitor model and software version is in the bay?
- Can you see the raw data (ball speed, spin, launch angle), not just the shot on screen?
- Do they offer lessons or fittings on the same system?
Budget for testing
Book a solo hour at a weekday daytime rate, which is the cheapest slot at most venues. Trying two or three systems over a few weeks costs a small fraction of a home setup and can save you from an expensive mismatch.
Compare every venue's price for your group on the Minneapolis–St Paul page, filtered by simulator brand.