PGA Show 2026 Golf Simulator Review by SimCaddy

The 2026 PGA Show confirmed that golf simulation has entered a new era, driven by AI, immersive software ecosystems, and rapid innovation in launch monitor technology. This article captures the key developments, product updates, and industry insights shaping the future of indoor golf in Canada.

By Tom Murray, Founder, SimCaddy

From Niche to Mainstream: The Rapid Evolution of Golf Simulation

The PGA Show has always been a reliable pulse check on the golf industry, but in 2026, its significance was unmistakable.

Over the past three years, golf simulation has grown at a remarkable pace. What was once a small cluster of booths tucked into a corner has become a dominant presence across the show floor. Simulation is no longer a niche category; it is now central to coaching, player development, club fitting, retail, hospitality, entertainment, and commercial golf operations.

This year made one thing clear: technology is now the engine driving the industry forward. Launch monitors, simulation platforms, swing analysis, and AI-driven training tools are reshaping not only product innovation, but also how coaching studios, fitting centers, retail spaces, and entertainment venues are designed.

One highlight was meeting educators, creators, and industry voices like Joe Lagowski, Mitch from Handicap Golfer, and others in the social golf community. A group photo captured how collaborative golf tech has become. Digital creators now shape how golfers learn and engage- making complex ideas accessible, boosting knowledge sharing, community, and growth. It was energizing to connect with people passionate about advancing how golf is taught and experienced.

AI and the Next Phase of Indoor Golf

One of the most exciting themes running throughout the 2026 PGA Show was the rapid and seamless integration of artificial intelligence into golf simulation.

AI is now embedded across nearly every technology sector, and golf is no exception. What stood out was how naturally AI has been adopted within modern simulation platforms, enhancing swing analysis, performance modeling, training workflows, and overall user experience without adding unnecessary complexity.

Rather than replacing coaching or instruction, AI is becoming a powerful tool that augments understanding, accelerates learning, and personalizes improvement. The result is faster feedback, clearer insight, and more engaging training environments for golfers of all skill levels. It is genuinely exciting to witness how effectively AI is being applied across the golf simulation ecosystem, making this one of the most dynamic periods the industry has ever experienced.

Why the PGA Show Matters for SimCaddy Customers

For SimCaddy, the PGA Show is far more than a trade event. It is where we reconnect with our manufacturing partners, fellow resellers, and industry collaborators, experience new technologies firsthand, and gain clarity on where the golf simulation industry is heading.

We carefully select the brands we represent based not on hype, but on performance, reliability, long-term vision, service quality, and overall user experience. Attending the PGA Show allows us to compare platforms side by side, engage directly with engineering and product teams, collaborate with industry leaders, and test each ecosystem exactly as our customers will experience them.

This hands-on exposure is critical in helping Canadian golfers, instructors, and facility owners make informed and confident decisions when investing in a golf simulator system. Below is a summary of what stood out most from our core partners this year.

ProTee United - Building the Future of Simulation Software

ProTee United once again delivered one of the most exciting technology previews of the show.

Their upcoming GolfCore simulation platform, powered by Unreal Engine, represents a major leap forward in graphics realism, physics modeling, and overall immersion. Beta release is targeted for the end of Q1 2026, with a stable public launch planned for Q3.

Beyond visuals, ProTee is rebuilding their software architecture from the ground up, delivering enhanced ball physics, real-time lighting, deeper shot visualization, and expanded swing camera workflows. The goal is not simply better graphics, but a more intelligent, responsive, and immersive simulation environment.

What impressed us most was ProTee’s disciplined development philosophy. Their focus remains on stability, accuracy, and long-term reliability, prioritizing strong foundations before rapid feature releases.

ProTee has evolved beyond hardware into a complete digital golf ecosystem, combining overhead tracking, advanced swing camera integration, GSPro compatibility, and now a next-generation simulation engine. Customers purchase the system outright, with core software functionality included for the lifetime of the unit, offering predictable long-term value and excellent flexibility.

Since the ProTee VX first appeared in beta three years ago, the platform has matured rapidly. Today, ProTee stands as one of the most forward-thinking companies in the industry, delivering solutions that appeal equally to casual golfers, serious players, instructors, and commercial facilities.

Trackman - Refining the Ultimate Golf Ecosystem

Trackman remains the undisputed benchmark in golf technology, delivering one of the industry’s most complete and refined ecosystems for performance, coaching, instruction, and immersive simulation. Their platform is deeply established, meticulously engineered, and widely recognized as the gold standard across touring professionals, teaching academies, elite training centers, and premium commercial venues.

At the 2026 PGA Show, Trackman reinforced this leadership position by highlighting the strength of their fully integrated platform rather than introducing new hardware. Their showcase demonstrated how coaching, practice, simulation, performance analytics, and business management tools operate seamlessly within a unified environment.

At the core of this experience is Trackman 360, a continuously evolving software platform that unifies on-course performance tracking, advanced practice analytics, coaching workflows, simulation play, and business intelligence tools. The result is one of the most comprehensive and polished golf technology platforms available today.

SimCaddy’s new reseller collaboration with Trackman allows us to deliver best-in-class solutions for both indoor and outdoor environments, including advanced indoor installations powered by the impressive Trackman iO overhead system. Together, we support professionals, instructors, club fitters, elite players, and commercial facilities seeking industry-leading accuracy, performance, and reliability.

Trackman’s premium subscription ecosystem ensures customers benefit from continuous software innovation, cloud services, expanding course libraries, and advanced analytics through ongoing platform updates.

Foresight - Accuracy Meets Next Generation Software

Foresight has long been synonymous with tour level accuracy, and that reputation remains firmly intact. Now operating under the Revelyst Golf Technology platform alongside Bushnell and Golf Logix, Foresight continues to lead the industry in launch monitor technology and performance software. Their systems remain a fixture on PGA Tour practice ranges, trusted for precision, consistency, and reliability.

Premium overhead solutions like the Falcon and portable units such as the GCQuad deliver elite performance for commercial and residential installations. The Bushnell Launch Pro Circle B Edition, now available in Canada, brings GCQuad level accuracy to a more accessible price point, while the Launch Pro Indoor offers identical data in a plug in only format designed for permanent indoor setups.

Major upgrades to FSX Play introduce a fully rebuilt simulation platform built on a modern 3D engine, delivering enhanced realism through improved graphics, physics, performance, and interface design for a more immersive experience.

Foresight also leads innovation in putting and short game training through its partnership with PuttView, an advanced augmented reality system that projects dynamic visuals onto the putting surface, enabling unmatched precision.

Their modular licensing model provides flexible access to performance, coaching, and simulation tools, allowing each system to be tailored to individual goals and budgets.

Golfin and SimBooth - Architecture Meets Simulator Engineering

Canadian innovators Golfin and SimBooth brought a refreshing architectural and structural perspective to the PGA Show, delivering one of the most complete end-to-end simulator solutions available.

The IDRA II continues to stand out as a solid and reliable launch monitor, delivering accurate ball and club data. Paired with GSPro, it provides a highly immersive and trusted simulation experience for both residential and commercial environments.

The upcoming IDRA Pro, featuring a third high-speed camera, represents a meaningful step forward. This additional camera enables deeper club and swing data capture, improved spin modeling, and more refined performance analysis.

Golfin also offers a robust commercial backend platform supporting online booking, scheduling, and payment processing, which is increasingly critical for modern simulator businesses.

SimBooth, their sister company, continues to set the standard for modular, structurally rigid, commercial-grade simulator enclosures, dramatically reducing installation time while delivering exceptional build quality and architectural flexibility.

Uneekor - AI Powered Swing Intelligence

Uneekor delivered one of the most compelling forward-looking technology previews of the show.

The emphasis was clearly on what comes next for the platform, including the upcoming launch of AIMY, their AI-powered swing analysis tool, alongside continued refinement of their GameDay simulation and practice ecosystem.

AIMY uses artificial intelligence to identify swing patterns, explain cause-and-effect relationships, and provide actionable coaching insights in real time. Combined with their increasingly polished simulation software, Uneekor continues to strengthen its position as a performance-driven training platform.

Uneekor’s ecosystem operates through annual subscription licensing, supporting continuous feature development, AI-driven analysis, and ongoing content expansion.

V-Track - Strong Potential, Still Maturing

Laon People’s V-Track continues to evolve as a promising overhead launch monitor platform.

From a technical perspective, the hardware is impressive. The compact ceiling-mounted design, camera configuration, and tracking performance reflect serious engineering effort, and the value proposition at its price point is compelling.

That said, technology maturity is proven not just in demos, but over time through software development, ecosystem refinement, service infrastructure, and real-world installations. Like all new platforms, V-Track will benefit from continued iteration, field experience, and long-term ecosystem growth.

At the show, V-Track demonstrated strong tracking performance alongside upcoming AI-driven swing analysis features designed to enhance player feedback. Typically paired with GSPro, it offers a flexible and accessible entry point into overhead tracking systems.

Final Thoughts: Navigating Growth in a Rapidly Expanding Market

One of the clearest takeaways from the 2026 PGA Show is just how quickly the golf simulation market continues to expand.

New technologies, new companies, and new platforms are entering the space at an accelerating pace, particularly in launch monitors, simulation software, and AI-driven training tools. This growth is overwhelmingly positive. Increased competition drives innovation, improves performance, expands price accessibility, and creates better solutions across residential, coaching, and commercial applications.

Today, Canadian golfers and facility owners have more choice than ever before. From ultra-premium tour-grade systems to highly capable value-driven platforms, there is now truly a solution for every type of golfer, business, and budget.

However, this abundance of choice also makes decisions more complex.

Two systems may appear similar on paper, yet differ dramatically in data capture accuracy, software ecosystems, AI capabilities, camera integration, simulation realism, course libraries, commercial tools, long-term ownership costs, service infrastructure, and overall reliability. Understanding how these differences translate into real-world experience and long-term value is essential.

At SimCaddy, our role is to simplify that complexity. Through hands-on testing, technical expertise, and real-world installation experience, we help our customers cut through the noise and identify solutions that genuinely align with their goals, space, and budget.

While nothing will ever replace outdoor golf, today’s technology allows us to experience the game indoors in increasingly realistic, meaningful, and measurable ways. Modern launch monitors, paired with advanced software and integrated swing cameras, provide powerful tools for training, improvement, entertainment, and year-round play.

If you are currently exploring golf simulator options in Canada, we are always happy to provide honest, unbiased guidance, helping you understand the differences and find the system that delivers the experience you are truly looking for.

Because in the end, the best simulator is not defined by specs or price. It is the one that inspires you to play more, practice smarter, and enjoy the game year-round.

Tom Murray, is the Founder and President of SimCaddy, a golf simulator design and supply company serving customers across Canada. As a CTS-certified audiovisual professional, Tom combines his AV expertise with a passion for golf simulators, specializing in designing and building advanced systems for both residential and commercial spaces. His focus is on delivering immersive, high-quality solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs.