Think you need a $20,000 golf simulator to practice at home?
That’s what we thought too. Me and Carl have wanted a home golf simulator forever, but the reality is most of the good ones cost an absolute fortune.
So when we found GolfBoy, an app that claims to turn your phone into a budget golf simulator, we had to test it. Is it the real deal? Let’s dive in and find out!
Key Takeaways
If you don't have the time to read our full blog post about the GolfBoy simulator app, here are the main things you should know.
- Turns your iPhone into a golf simulator with just a tripod and your phone camera
- Surprisingly accurate distances for wedges, irons, and even longer clubs
- Includes multiple game modes like shot mode, course play, putting, and swing analysis
- Very affordable at $7.99 per month with the first month free
- Not as advanced as premium simulators, but way more fun and useful than we expected
But if you like watching reviews in video format here is the full video on our YouTube channel!
We Tested the World's Cheapest Golf Simulator!
First Impressions
We thought the concept was great. No launch monitor, no expensive hardware, no massive setup. Just an app, a tripod, and an iPhone 11 or newer.
That’s exactly why we wanted to test it. When you open the GolfBoy app you immediately see several modes: shot mode, course mode, putting, and even a course creator.
Compared to traditional simulators, the entire setup is tiny. It literally fits in your pocket, which already makes it interesting for golfers who want a cheap practice tool or something fun to use at the range.
Setting Up GolfBoy
The setup process is surprisingly simple:
- Place your phone on the tripod
- Select the tripod height inside the app
- Select the mode
- Position the ball in frame
- Hit shots!
If you're using the official GolfBoy tripod you can just choose preset heights like low, mid, or high.
With a regular tripod you might need to measure the height manually. Either way, within a few minutes we were already hitting balls and getting shot data.
Testing Accuracy
We started with wedges because short distances are the easiest way to expose bad tracking.
The first wedge went about 54 yards, which actually matched the chunky strike we hit. Once we started hitting cleaner shots, the numbers quickly became more realistic.
Several swings landed between 85 and 95 yards, which is exactly what we’d expect from a solid 56° wedge.
56° Wedge
- Distance: roughly 85–100 yards
- Accuracy: realistic based on strike quality
- Extra data: swing path feedback after each shot
Seeing the swing path was actually one of the coolest features because it instantly showed if you were coming over the top.
8 Iron
- Distance: about 145–150 yards
- Accuracy: very close to real expectations
- Consistency: repeated shots stayed believable
Then Arvo pulled out the Takomo 2 iron because of course he did.
Takomo 2 Iron
- Carry: roughly 185–195 yards
- Total: around 210–220 yards
- Takeaway: surprisingly close to real-life numbers
For something that only uses a phone camera, the carry distances were honestly impressive.
Course Mode
This is the most fun part. The app lets you play virtual courses and individual holes. We loaded up a course in Japan and played a par 4 straight from the driving range.
You’re standing in the same spot in real life, but on the screen you’re suddenly teeing off on a completely different course.
If you connect your phone to an iPad or TV, the 3D course view becomes even more immersive.
Once we figured out how to adjust the aiming point inside the app, the gameplay started making a lot more sense and actually became pretty addictive.
What Features Do You Actually Get?
GolfBoy isn’t just a distance tracker. It actually packs in several different modes.
Main Features
- Shot Mode: practice and test club distances
- Course Mode: play simulated golf holes
- Putting Mode: practice putting (we’ll test this soon)
- Creator Mode: build your own courses
Considering the app costs only $7.99 per month, that’s a surprisingly large feature set.
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros:
- Super affordable compared to traditional golf simulator setups
- Very easy to set up and use
- Distances were more accurate than we expected
- Course mode is genuinely fun
- Swing path feedback adds real practice value
❌ Cons:
- You need an iPhone 11 or newer
- Not a full replacement for high-end simulator hardware
- Can take a bit of trial and error to understand all the features properly
Final Thoughts
We went into this expecting a bit of a gimmick, if we’re being honest, but GolfBoy ended up being way better than expected.
The distances were surprisingly believable, the course mode was a lot of fun, and the fact that all of this works through a phone app is honestly pretty impressive.
It’s not trying to be a $20,000 simulator, but for the price which is less than some snacks at the pro shop, it gives you way more than we thought it would and we definitely recommend you try it out!
Ratings
★★★★☆ (8/10)
“For something that runs on your phone, this is ridiculously fun. Pair it with a net and you’ve basically got a winter golf setup.”
★★★★☆ (8/10)
“Way more accurate than I expected and honestly just a cool gadget to have. Not a premium simulator, but a very fun and surprisingly useful budget option.”
