A state of the art indoor golf simulator is set to open at the Isle of Purbeck Golf Club near Swanage in Dorset, offering players the chance to practise and compete all year round, plus the opportunity to find out how they might fare at the US Masters golf tournament.
With a choice of 20 professional golf courses to play, including Augusta, the home of the US Masters, locals can match their scores directly against those of the world’s leading golfers like Rory McIlroy or Scottie Scheffler.
The Isle of Purbeck golf club overlooking Poole Harbour, has a course set in spectacular scenery but now the very latest golf simulator offers a wide choice of backdrop
Unique facility in Dorset
The new facility, housed in the fully refurbished former pro shop, is expected to launch by the end of April 2026, following several months of renovation work.
It becomes a unique facility in Dorset, with its use of the very latest technology in a social setting, located at a Top 100 UK golf course.
The simulator can be used for training – as it delivers some of the most detailed statistics possible about how the ball was played – or for practice on other South West courses which host competitions. The venue even includes putting surfaces with different speeds to further enhance the experience.
With comfortable seating and access to food and drink from the golf club’s kitchens and bars, it is also being seen as a sociable gaming centre where friends can shoot a round of golf on any conditions – or even as a conference centre for local companies.
Simon Fenech has been leading the project since experiencing a very wet winter round of golf
“A very wet and windy round of golf”
Simon Fenech, who has been closely involved in the project, said:
“It is reckoned there’s soon going to be more people playing indoor golf rounds than outdoor, especially during the winter – it’s really kicking off and we think this simulator is a really good addition to the facilities we offer here.
“It all started after we played a very wet and windy round of golf on the main course and we were all saying how great it would be if we could go somewhere where there was a simulator in the warm.
“Judging by the steady stream we’ve had of interested people we think it will be very busy, we have really high hopes for it.
“We wanted to create something that wasn’t just standard. Normally, if you go to an indoor golf area you just get a bay, but we wanted to create more of a venue.
“All the technology is top of the range, the building has been fitted with underfloor heating, it’s all been soundproofed and protected, and we also have putting surfaces which are different speeds. It’s a fantastic piece of equipment.”
Renovations at the former pro shop should be complete by the end of April 2026
“You don’t lose too many balls!”
Simon added:
“Our venue is comfortable, warm and based on a real golf course which is one of the top rated in the UK – and we also have drinks and food on the doorstep.
“The pros can have people in here for lessons – we already have people booking up for indoor lessons, they can play any course you like, they can see all the technical data on your shot, it’s warm and dry, and you don’t lose too many golf balls!
“As golfers, we are obsessed with the gamification of it, so you can come in here and play Augusta on a Friday night after watching the Masters on television and go around the exact same holes that the pros are playing at the same time – just not as well!
“But we have also made sure the room was designed with a venue feel, so that we can fit up to 20 people in here for a company sales conference, a product launch or a meeting with your team.”
The GSPro simulator has photorealistic, playable courses from around the world
Plans to set up a Founders’ Club
The building was converted from the old pro shop, and while work was being carried out, a discovery was made of the original Isle of Purbeck scoreboards from the 1920s and 30s, engraved with the names of tournament winners from a hundred years ago.
There are now plans to set up a Founders’ Club, a limited membership for golfers who will be invited to play tournaments where the winner’s name will go on the same scoreboard as past champions, tying 21st century technology back to the origins of the golf club.
Eventually, there are plans to include the Isle of Purbeck golf course on the simulator, with software provider GSPro using telemetry from Garmin and Google Earth to tell them where the greens, bunkers and holes are, and construct the course as a photorealistic online challenge.
It will mean that anyone can enjoy a perfect round of golf at any time of year without having to contend with wind or rain, and will allow more elderly golfers to play without having to walk around a hilly course.
Club owners David Suruki and Kathy Tatar envisage the Isle of Purbeck club becoming a Swanage social attraction
“Gives you a lot of technical details”
Course owner David Suruki said:
“This project has transformed our old building into a modern golf studio designed for both serious players and those simply looking for a fun experience.
“It’s good for the fun of it, but also for people who want to work on their golf game. It gives you a lot of technical details to fine tune your swing, from carry distance and ball speed to spin and how the club strikes the ball.
“The stats will tell you how far the shot has gone, and video will show you how your club has actually hit the ball, so you can see whether you’ve sliced it, or whether your swing was too closed or too steep, it gives you a lot of information for you to hone your golf skills.
“This allows people to play our course during the winter, or without physical limitations. We are excited to open it as a nice addition to the golf club, another facility that people can use and enjoy.
“It will be open to members and visitors alike, so non-members will be able to use the facility, and eventually will be able to book online, and there is room for a second bay here if it takes off.”
The former pro shop has been refurbished and now the sociable space offers different speed putting strips as well as the simulator
Breathtaking vistas are legendary
As part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest and with spectacular views over Poole Harbour the Isle of Purbeck golf club has always had a magical quality – King Edward VIII once described the view from the fifth tee as one of the finest in his kingdom.
Breathtaking vistas from the golf course are already legendary in the golfing world – the website Top 100 Golf Courses has listed it as 90th best amongst England’s 2,200 clubs, noting:
“If there is a golf course where you could drag your non-golfing partner along, this is it. He or she will be more than happy to drink in the views.”
Established in 1892, the club has a rich history – Enid Blyton’s husband bought the course for her in the 1950s, and it was later bought by the MD of Wilkinson Sword MD, Harry Randolph.
Current owners David Suruki and Kathy Tatar have a vision of the club becoming a Swanage social attraction in its own right, having worked hard to take elitism out of the club and make it a welcoming venue where anyone can come for a meal or a drink as well as a round of golf.
Regular jazz events, quiz nights and Easter, Halloween and Christmas parties are run at the clubhouse, which also hosts wedding receptions, and now the hope is that the new golf simulator will open up the club to even more visitors.
Watch a tour of the golf course
Further information
- More about the Isle of Purbeck Golf Club on its website
