There comes a time, for most of us anyways, when nature dictates it’s time to put the sticks away and that the golf season is done. You don’t get a vote, it’s just over. And some of us are ready for that break and have families we need to attend to. For me, and I don’t think I’m alone here, I wasn’t ready to be done. I was more than fine to keep neglecting my family and continue golfing. I was tired of working on my game during the “normal” golf season months, putting by clubs away for the long winter, and then just hoping I had any semblance of a golf game when next season began. Or worse yet, going on the annual guys winter golf trip and getting beat by Carl. Screw you Carl, you had one fortunate week eight years ago. No one likes you, Carl.

This is why I play sim golf. Not directly because of Carl, but not not because of Carl. Here I am, stuck inside watching the PGA tour play in all these warm tropical climates and it’s hard not to get the itch and growing resentment towards these guys. Maybe I could’ve been on the tour if I had started at a younger age, had the talent, support and the work ethic. If only a few more things had gone my way. Until recently there really weren’t many great options to scratch that itch, outside of waiting for that odd, nice day or traveling down south. You expect me to grab a hitting mat, a net and hit in my sub-freezing garage? I think not. The sim game has changed my friends, the game has changed. Sim bars are opening all over the place. People are putting custom simulator setups in their homes and playing a quick round on their “breaks”. And you can hear wives around the world rejoicing because finally, their men can play the game they obsess over year around. I would personally like to thank all of them for their support and endless love. They are the true heroes.

The main reason I started playing sim golf was to keep sharp throughout the year. I turned out to be much better and more fun than I thought it would be. It’s morphed into nerding out about what products are coming out next, obsessing over stats, winning the league trophy and all the prestige and accolades that comes with that. So why do I play sim golf? Because I’m a golfer.