Golf VX's new simulator is next level — so I compared it side-by-side with a real course

(Image credit: Tom's Guide) The world of golf simulators moves forward quickly. Just when you think Golf VX has advanced simulation to a point that's as good as it gets, the company drops its new Quantum tech and blows everything else I've ever tried out of the water.I went to the company's flagship location in Arlington Heights, IL (just outside of Chicago) and played a popular semi-private course called The Glen Club. Then, we went to the course and played the real thing to see how well the simulator holds up compared with the course.What better way to test a virtual experience than by comparing it to the place it's designed to emulate?Golf VX's new Quantum sim tech (Image credit: Tom's Guide)I was at Golf VX's flagship location to check out its latest and greatest simulator technology, and I have to say, it is a noticeable improvement over the company's T2 sim I played in the past.For example, the 15-axis swing plate allows the ground to shift to create the most realistic lies I've ever had the chance to play in a simulator. In real golf, you rarely hit off a completely flat lie (unless you're on the tee box), so being able to practice shots with the ball above and below your feet is critical to improving your game. (Image credit: Tom's Guide)Another improvement related to the hitting area is the Q-Mat, which uses a ceiling-mounted projector to display data about your swing path, distance and other key information right on the floor, keeping you focused on your swing without looking around to see if you were outside-to-inside or inside-to-outside on your most recent shot. This can help you fix that slice or hook, which are issues that plague many golfers (hello, my name is Dave and I'm a slicer).I think the most impressive aspect of Golf VX's tech, compared to other commercial and home launch monitors, is how quickly you see your ball fly on the projector. There's a 15ms delay between you making contact with the ball and the ball flying on the screen. That's fast enough that by the time I finished my follow-through, the ball was in the air. This helps to fix the disconnect between hitting the ball into a screen and playing on the course.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.Real vs. Simulator (Image credit: Tom's Guide)I'm not going to sit here and pretend you can't tell the difference between the real-world course and the Golf VX rendered version. Obviously, the real version of the course is, well, real.But Golf VX did an incredible job rendering the course with the key details in place, so you can practice before playing and get a sense of where the hazards will be. This is true for all 380 courses available in the software, though we'll focus on The Glen specifically. (Image credit: Tom's Guide)One hole that stood out was number 3, which featured water to the left of the tee box that you can clearly see in both real and simulator photos. The tree-line in the distance also matches up well, as do the bunker locations.When I stepped back and took it all in, I could definitely remember what the simulated version of the course looked and felt like while standing on the real tee box. (Image credit: Tom's Guide)For hole 12, I pulled out the Meta glasses to record a first-person version of the hole in the real world and on the sim. Since I'm not the most skilled golfer, my path to finish the hole was very different between the two, with me scoring a par on the simulated hole and a six in real life, but the idea stands: the hole plays almost exactly the same.After going back and watching both holes to edit together a TikTok video, I was thoroughly impressed with the amount of care that went into rendering the courses in Golf VX.Golf VX Quantum availability (Image credit: Tom's Guide)Golf VX's Quantum simulators are available now, but they're prohibitively expensive for most home users, with systems starting at around $50,000 and going up to $100,000 for a full room buildout. If money is no object and you want the best-of-the-best in golf sim tech, though, you should 100% have Golf VX Quantum on your radar, as it's the best golf sim hardware and software I've ever used.Sadly, since the technology is so new to the U.S., it's not available at many Golf VX locations yet, but the company plans to expand with more franchises, so even if you're nowhere near Chicago, you can still play Quantum in the future. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. More from Tom's GuideYou haven't used a golf launch monitor until you've tried Foresight GC3 — here's my thoughts after 6 months of testingI replaced my TV with a 4K projector — and it was the best thing for my golf swing'I noticed how much farther and straighter it was flying': PGA Tour pro Ben Griffin on playing a cheaper golf ball at The Masters Dave LeClair is the Managing Editor, News & Engagement for Tom's Guide, keeping his finger on the pulse of all things technology. He loves taking the complicated happenings in the tech world and explaining why they matter. Whether Apple is announcing the next big thing in the mobile space or a small startup advancing generative AI, Dave will apply his experience to help you figure out what's happening and why it's relevant to your life.