Indoor Golf vs. Outdoor Golf: 5 Pros and Cons of Each

Golf is a phenomenon. There are some people who play it religiously. However, is it better to play outdoors, or is a simulated indoor golf course the way to go?

Here are five compelling reasons to play indoors and five to play outdoors.

There’s No Weather to Worry About

Let’s start with some reasons for playing indoors. If you’re not familiar yet with how indoor golf simulators work, you should know that when you play indoors, there’s no weather to deal with. In other words, you’re never going to get rained on, and there won’t be any epic wind gusts.

It’s Climate Controlled

If you plan indoors on a simulated course, it’s also usually air conditioned. That’s a pretty great feature, especially in the height of the summer in Florida or Arizona.

You Can Go at Your Own Pace

If you’re playing on a simulated indoor course, that typically means there’s not a foursome waiting impatiently behind you while you search for your ball that landed in the trees somewhere.

You Can Play the Same Hole Repeatedly

If you’re trying to work on a particular aspect of your game, it might benefit you to play the same type of hole more than once. You can easily play the same hole as many times as you like when using an indoor simulator.

You Can Have a Snack or Hit the Restroom Whenever You Want

If you play indoors, you don’t need to wait to get back to the clubhouse to relieve yourself. You can hit the bathroom or grab some food any time you’d like.

There’s the Excitement the Weather Brings

Outdoor play has its charms as well, though. For instance, while there’s no weather to deal with when you play indoors, some golfers thrive in the wind and rain. It’s fun to test your mettle against whatever Mother Nature decides to throw at you.

You Can Play Epic Courses

There are also dozens of epic golf courses around the world, like Augusta National or Bethpage Black. Playing at an outdoor course lets you experience golf in the same way that the pros do. You can’t say the same thing if you’re sticking exclusively to indoor courses.

You’re Surrounded by Natural Beauty

If you play golf outdoors, you’re out in nature. There can be something quite beautiful about that. It’s tranquil, especially if you’re playing just after sunrise or finishing up just as the sun is setting.

You Can Brag About Your Round

If you shoot the round of your life, it means something if you’re outdoors on an actual golf course. Getting a hole in one doesn’t mean much if you did it indoors on a simulated course.

It’s Perfect for Talking Business

There are some people who love golf because they regard it as a time to talk business, such as with a prospective client. Closing a deal seems a lot more likely if you’re trying to do it on a real course rather than an indoor simulated one.