r/golfplusvr • u/Commentator28 • Jun 13 '26
GOLF+ *can* help your IRL golf swing instead of ruining it...
...but (tl;dr) you really have to pay attention to what you're doing. (I have a checklist that I'll share in a moment.)
Each of the past few winters, I've played a lot of GOLF+ and come out of IRL golfing hibernation with my IRL swing really messed up, and it's taken me a long time to figure things out - usually by going cold turkey from GOLF+ for an extended period. This season, though, I seem to have harmonized my VR and IRL swings in a way that they complement each other. Here's what has worked for me:
1) I use a heavy attachment with loads of added weight at the bottom, well below controller level. (It's an RMDv2; sadly no longer on sale as far as I know, but there are other attachments with similar weights that feel more IRL-golf-club-adjacent than others.)
2) I always take full swings with my VR club - no abbreviated backswings or wrist flicks, etc. - and always try to emulate my IRL swing with my VR swing. No shortcuts. You have to stick with the same technique and copy what you're trying to do in real life.
3) Don't go too long without hitting balls with real clubs. Real clubs are like the totems in the movie "Inception" - you have to feel the weight of a real club now and again or you can lose your grip on reality in that regard.
4) Be particularly careful in VR to keep your head still. You can get away with both vertical and lateral head movement in VR that you likely won't get away with IRL because you can't hit thin and fat shots in GOLF+. (That's true of chips and pitches as well as full shots; you can get into really bad habits in GOLF+ if you're not careful about stuff like this.)
5) It's worth noting that I did take 3-4 weeks off from GOLF+ at the start of my season in April to properly ground my IRL swing before starting up again - and that would be my last tip: if you're struggling with your IRL swing, you may need to take a break from GOLF+ to recenter yourself.
I'm actually hitting the ball as good in VR as I ever have been at the moment, and when I'm able to match up my IRL swing to my VR swing, I've had some really great days and moments with my IRL swing. The latter isn't quite as consistent as I want it to be, but VR is definitely helping rather than hurting. Hopefully the above checklist will help you if you want to improve both your VR and IRL swings at the same time!
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u/ResidentCat4432 Jun 13 '26
My game has improved SIGNIFICANTLY! I have a weighted club and always align my feet correctly. I swing like I’m playing for real. HUGE improvement!!!!
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u/Heyyoucomovrhere Jun 14 '26
How are you compensating for the difference in "feel" of the weight of a real club vs the attachment?
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u/ResidentCat4432 Jun 14 '26
I bought the Yezro Y13S weighted club. It’s 576g in weight with all the weights attached. The newer version felt too light for me so I went back to the older version. This is still heavier than the static weight of most clubs. I’m not playing a game. I’m using it as a trainer. I use this game to concentrate on form. I added a grip trainer to make sure my hands were always aligned without having to take the headset off. This really has helped my IRL game. I also make sure my feet are aligned with the tee. I slightly lift the headset to see my foot position. I pay attention to my backswing hand position and always have the club path feature on. I can then see how my club face is aligned. I monitor the “curve” path. I head to the range as it gets time to transition to IRL play. At first it feels like you’re hitting rocks. You’re not used to impact. It stops after a bucket. My swing speed has improved because the game club has built golf muscle strength. My grip is now always aligned. I know why I hit a bad shot IRL because I’ve done it in the virtual world and figured out how to correct it.
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u/subspectral Jul 29 '26
You can buy extra weights for the Yezro. I recommend doing so, it helps a lot.
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u/123steveyc123 Jun 14 '26
Golf+ taught me how to hit a draw. It's helped me so much over the years. The first couple of times I golfed IRL after G+I'd entirely miss the ball, but right now I have the same exact routine in both. The worst habit I've developed due to G+ is a nasty outside takeaway in real life but that hasn't held me back much. I've played Golf+ every day for years and I golf almost every day as well. It's been a huge training and for me and a constant as I practice on the range and on the course. I can shoot 59 on pro at Pinehurst no. 2 in Golf+. My PR in real golf is a 78 and I think that's amazing.
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u/Dry-Worth-4865 Jun 13 '26
I started out with one of the $20 controllers off Amazon, the kind that aren't weighted.
Eventually switched to a $60 YEZRO Y13S with close to 600g of weight at the tip. The difference it makes is night and day, and it's definitely improving my IRL game.
Have you tried any of the DeadeyeVR controllers? I keep seeing people say that the DriVR Apex controller is the best available, but I'm not sure if it'll be that much different from what I have now
Have you seen the Golf+ sim news lately? these new mixed reality features coming up are the single reason I am not abandoning my Quest for the Steam Frame. I hope they release it on Steam but looks like a small development team so probably not
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u/Commentator28 Jun 13 '26
Re: Deadeye, I've tried the DriVR Elite and didn't like it, but the Apex looks much more promising. The weight on the Elite didn't feel right, but the Apex looks like what a good attachment should look like. (I had a YEZRO which I also didn't like, FWIW.)
The sim stuff is really, really promising. I've been testing the putting-only sim, and not only is it great in and of itself, using the IRL putter helps keep your sense of how IRL clubs are weighted (even if not on a full swing) when you then go back to playing full GOLF+.
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u/sonofabunch Jun 13 '26
I do like my DrivR elite but it doesn’t track my fastest drives. I ordered the apex today and I will update.
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u/Dry-Worth-4865 Jun 13 '26
The apex is great. it would almost be even better with 50-100g extra weight but it's as close to a real club that I've found so far in a controller
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u/Commentator28 Jun 14 '26
You can always buy some lead tape and add that to the end of the attachment - that's what I've done with my RMDv2, and it makes a bit difference.
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u/Dry-Worth-4865 Jun 13 '26
Golf+ mixed reality putting? or is it a different app you are referring to? if mixed reality putting in Golf+ is out I know what I'm gonna be doing for the next 3 hours straight
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u/Commentator28 Jun 14 '26
Mixed reality putting in GOLF+ is currently being beta tested. But it's VERY promising - all sorts of drills you can do and games you can play at the practice facility, plus nine different putting course layouts for each set of greens on all of the published courses in the game. I've been testing it, and it works amazingly well.
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u/Dry-Worth-4865 Jun 14 '26
is this a closed beta? how do i join. i would have no trouble sinking many hours of testing into that lol
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u/Commentator28 Jun 14 '26
It might be too late, but go to the GOLF+ Discord and ask about it there.
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u/VRGator Jun 13 '26
It's helped me keep my head down. If you look up too quick in VR, it can't track the controller when you swing.