Maintenance & Running Costs
A golf simulator is one of the lower-maintenance things you can put in your home. Here's an honest picture of what it costs to run — electricity, software subscriptions, and what eventually wears out.
What does it cost to run?
The good news: a golf simulator is genuinely low-maintenance. There are no moving parts to service, no filters to change monthly, and no specialist to call in on a schedule.
Here's where you'll see costs:
Electricity. The main draw comes from the projector, the PC and any room lighting. A typical session pulls broadly similar wattage to a large television and a desktop gaming PC running together — modest, and well within a normal home electricity budget. How much exactly? It varies by your equipment spec and session length, but it's not a number that should give you pause.
Software subscription. Most simulator software runs on an annual licence — E6 Connect and Awesome Golf are the two most popular platforms. Costs vary by software and plan; expect a recurring annual fee that's a small fraction of the hardware investment. We'll tell you the current figures for the software on your chosen setup at quote stage.
Projector lamp / laser module. Older lamp projectors have a consumable bulb — replacement is infrequent (thousands of hours of runtime) but worth factoring in. Laser projectors, which we fit as standard on our builds, have no replaceable bulb and a significantly longer service life. Another reason we recommend laser over lamp.
What wears out — and when?
Everything wears eventually; here's the honest picture on what to expect and roughly when.
Impact screen. The screen takes thousands of ball strikes over its life. A good-quality impact screen — like the GTS Ultra Stealth we use in our builds — is engineered precisely for this. It will show wear eventually, but we're talking years of regular play, not months. If you're playing every day at high volume, the timeline shortens; casual use extends it considerably. Replacement is straightforward when the time comes.
Hitting strip / turf. The mat and hitting strip under your feet absorb impact on every swing. Quality turf holds up well; the hitting strip (the dedicated synthetic grass around 400mm × 800mm) is the first area to show wear. It's a relatively inexpensive swap when needed, and you'll feel it underfoot before you see it.
Recalibration. Launch monitors are precise instruments. Occasional recalibration ensures they're reading your shots accurately — this is a simple process that we walk you through at handover, and in most cases you can do it yourself. If the numbers ever feel off, that's the first thing to check.
PC / hardware. A well-specified PC will run simulator software without issue for many years. Software updates stay ahead of hardware for a long time with a properly spec'd machine — another reason we don't cut corners on the PC in our builds.
Day-to-day care — it's simple
There's no elaborate cleaning routine. A quick vacuum of the mat and turf after sessions keeps the surface fresh and prevents grit working into the fibres. Wipe the screen surround and projector lens cover occasionally — a microfibre cloth is all you need.
The only thing to be mindful of is ventilation and humidity: a room with good airflow stays fresher and is kinder to both the electronics and the screen material over time. If you're fitting out a garage, it's worth insulating and ventilating the room properly as part of the build — your installer should be doing this anyway.
We cover all of this during the handover on install day. You'll leave knowing exactly how to look after your setup.
Low cost to run. Simple to look after.
Most customers tell us the maintenance side of ownership is a pleasant surprise. After the initial investment, you're looking at:
✅ Modest electricity costs — comparable to running a gaming PC and projector
✅ An annual software licence — clarified at quote stage
✅ Occasional screen and turf wear — years away for most users
✅ No mandatory service contract (though one is available if you'd like peace of mind)
✅ A full handover and training on installation day
If you're thinking about total cost of ownership alongside the initial investment, take a look at our ROI page — it puts the running costs in context alongside green fees and driving range costs over time.
Questions? Call us on 01 582 6935, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, or get in touch online.
Ready to talk running costs for your specific setup?
Tell us your room and shortlist, and we'll give you a clear picture of what to expect — from install day through year five.
Or call us directly: 01 582 6935