What Are The Best Indoor Golf Simulators in NYC? We Went Searching For Them

I've been living in New York for the last three and a half years, and in so many ways my life has gotten better. Better matcha lattes. I've gotten exponentially better at throwing together outfits. My friend group has never been more diverse. Every facet of my life has improved...except my golf game.

Whoever said that golf is like riding a bike is a liar! Because truly, your game is a skill that must be honed constantly. And as you can imagine, practices are few and far between especially in the winter when it's too cold to do anything at all. And even when summer comes, I'm really only playing golf unless I leave New York.

So this year, I made a vow to myself and my club that I would find a space to whip my game back into shape. City golfers have had to get creative when it comes to experiencing golf when space is so limited. And as a result, indoor golf has boomed over the past five years or so.

Golf simulators are the 2020s version of fro-yo in the 2010s—they are everywhere you look, even in the places you wouldn't think to.

I'm on the hunt for the best golf sims/indoor golf spots in and around New York City that give me the tech that I need, while also doing a little something extra in providing another cool spot to hang out and meet others who are embarking on their own golf journeys.

The first stop of this new adventure took me to Birdies and Lattes in Edison, New Jersey.

Now I'll be honest, it took me 40 days and 40 nights to get there—I'm talking getting the 35-minute subway to Penn Station from my apartment Brooklyn to get on the NJ transit to get into an Uber that dropped me off in the parking lot—but every second was worth it.

Birdies and Lattes is a Korean-owned business in this small plaza in the suburbs of Jersey, but as soon as you walk in you're transported to this vibey, little cafe that also has the sickest golf apparel you'll ever see that then opens up to a handful of simulator bays.

Every inch of the space is heavily curated to be a shared community hangout. As soon as you walk in you're met with cafe area, where you can order coffee or matcha and there's even a display case of gorgeous little sweet treats that are oh so enticing. There's also a full food menu...more on that later!

There are upholstered chairs and couches for your comfort, complimented by soft and moody lighting and the Spotify playlist of your dreams echoing over the sound system.

The vibe means a lot at B&L. The team also owns a day spa not too far away, so curating a specific feeling of escapism and relaxation is something they are well-versed in.

That's the other thing about this spot, the hospitality was insane! Everyone was beyond friendly and I immediately picked up on the regulars who just love to come and kick it. No one felt "too golfy" or too serious, it was a collective of really down to earth folks who also crave a sense of belonging—something New Yorkers can all relate to.

RELATED: Love Letter To: Bethpage Black

So not only does this place have one of the best strawberry matchas I've ever consumed, the people are cool AF, but for my sickos, the golf tech is also A1.

Behind the cafe area, their putting green is from PuttView so it's equipped high-end technology that helps you understand green reading, start lines, along with speed and distance control. Then you move into the bays which are hooked up to K Golf, which is a Korean simulator I hadn't heard of before. But what I loved about it was that each bay had a face on mirror that guided you like those fancy workout mirrors, so you're able to see every point and line in your swing.

Birdies and Lattes checked every box I had. Great tech, with even better vibes—this was a great place to start. But my search for the best golf simulator continues...where will I head next?

RELATED: A First-Timer's Experience at a Women's Major

Watch Episode 1 of Sim Seeking Now

RELATED: A Completely Subjective Shortlist of What's In (and Out) in Golf Culture, Volume II