Golf is a game of great history and tradition, played for generations by those who had both the means and the desire to feel its unique challenge, and to return to it time and time again. Once, golf existed purely as a game played out on the fairways and greens. But not anymore.
In the modern world, golf comes in many forms, and it’s now more accessible than ever, opening the door for so many more people to experience this wonderful game for themselves.
Over the past decade or so, the sport has shifted in ways none of us could have predicted. Equipment has become smarter, coaching more personalised, and technology… well, technology has taken us from guessing to knowing.
One of the biggest steps forward has been the rise of indoor golf, and it’s helping golfers everywhere get better, faster, and with more enjoyment than ever before.
If you grew up in golf before the tech wave hit, you’ll remember the trusty shag bag. You’d head down to a quiet patch of the course, a local reserve, or the footy oval and send a bag of your own balls into the distance. No distractions, no data, just you, your swing, and the measuring wheel you dragged along to figure out how far you were hitting it.
It was simple, pure, and honestly a lot of fun.
But as the world changed, especially with tightening health and safety regulations, this old-school style of practice became less practical and, in many places, no longer allowed. That pushed golfers into the next evolution.
Public driving ranges took over as the go-to place to practice. They created a safe, structured environment for golfers of all skill levels. Beginners could learn without fear of hitting a bystander, and experienced players could grind away at their technique.
But as we all know, range balls just don’t behave like proper premium balls. They don’t fly the same, spin the same, or land the same and research from the USGA shows range balls can vary 10–15% in distance compared to a premium ball. That means you’re always practising with a bit of guesswork.
Still, ranges did something important: they brought more people into the game. Food, drinks, and big-hitting entertainment slowly became part of golf culture, and that opened the door for the biggest shift of all.
The real breakthrough arrived with high-accuracy club and ball tracking systems, none bigger than Trackman. This technology, originally built using Doppler radar from military missile-tracking systems, became the gold standard for understanding every millimetre of your swing.
Today, more than 1,000 Tour Professionals use Trackman for practice and play. The accuracy is staggering, independent testing shows it measures ball speed within ±0.2 mph and launch angle within ±0.2 degrees. That’s as close to perfect as it gets.
And then came the game-changer: golf simulators.
Suddenly you could:
In 2024, indoor simulator rounds overtook outdoor rounds globally, an incredible shift, but not surprising when you see how accessible and effective it is.
Simulators don’t just replicate the real game — in many ways, they improve on it.
You’re hitting premium balls into virtual environments mapped with military-grade scanning. Targets are exact. Green contours are real. Data is instant. And you can repeat the exact shot patterns you need to master.
Add Trackman 4 on top of that and you’re suddenly practising like the best players in the world, something that simply wasn’t possible for 95% of golfers a decade ago.
Trackman gives you exact insights into:
This isn’t guesswork. This is proper learning.
And the beauty is, you don’t need to be a +3 handicap or an aspiring tour pro to benefit. Beginners see progress faster because they finally understand what’s actually happening at impact. Experienced players can sharpen weaknesses with targeted precision.
At The Golf Institute, we’re proud to be recognised as one of Australia’s leading Indoor Golf facilities. We’ve built a space that feels open, private, and premium, a place where golfers can settle in, relax, and focus.
Before I opened TGI, I had actually never used club or ball data to teach. I could see most of what I needed to, and my students were getting better. However, there was a huge shift across the golf world, the best coaches and the best players were all using technology to learn and train. I needed to keep up to give my students the best opportunity to improve, and I needed to understand why all these great coaches and players were using technology.
The simple reality is this: if you’re not practising with great club and ball data, you’re not giving yourself the best chance to reach your potential. It’s not replacing the purity of playing, it’s a tool we can all gain so much from.
The variety of shots you can practice and test in a simulator is something truly unique. You can recreate the very shots you’ve seen professionals hit in tournaments on the same courses, challenge yourself with a delicate wedge over a bunker, or finally uncover the real reasons behind the shots you hit well, and the ones you don’t. And the best part? You’re learning through the same technology trusted by the world’s best coaches and players.
It’s always fascinating to compare your numbers to the finest golfers in the world. Seeing where you match up, and where the opportunities lie.
Whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned player, our goal is simple – to help you get better while enjoying the game even more.
We’ve got one of the country’s largest Trackman setups, coaching from PGA professionals, and a facility designed to give every golfer the tools that were once reserved only for the elite.
If you haven’t tried modern indoor golf, do yourself a favour and pop in. You’ll quickly see why golfers around the world are ditching the guesswork and embracing this new, accurate, incredibly fun way to practice.
Brad Lamb is a former touring professional with over 25 years in elite golf, including appearances on the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Japan Golf Tour, and various European Tour events. Known for his sharp eye, calm coaching style, and deep understanding of impact dynamics, Brad has become one of Australia’s most trusted voices in player development.
He coaches full-time at The Golf Institute in Grovedale, where he works with golfers of all levels — from complete beginners through to competitive amateurs and professionals.
You can find Brad at:
The Golf Institute, 24 Capital Drive, Grovedale
Or online via:
Instagram @bradlambgolf
The Golf Institute @the.golf.institute
