How do I set up a Golfzon WAVE golf simulator?

What's in the box

Golfzon's WAVE quick start guide lists the WAVE Radar, the WAVE Putt putting sensor, a carrying case for the radar, the power adapter and cable, a USB-C cable, a tripod and the quick start guide. If you bought our Golfzon WAVE golf simulator package, the enclosure, Tee Turf hitting mat and BenQ AH500ST projector with its floor case come in separate boxes, with a setup guide. Side netting is an add-on. The package doesn't include a computer or an HDMI cable.

What you need ready

• A Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit) PC with about 70GB free for Vision WAVE, Golfzon's course software.
• A second internet connection on the PC, such as an Ethernet cable to your router. The PC joins the radar's own Wi-Fi, so Golfzon says to use a secondary channel for online play.
• A phone for the WAVE Skills app (iOS or Android, about 500MB), if you want practice stats and swing video.
• A USB power supply or power bank for the WAVE Putt, which runs from its USB-C cable.
• An HDMI cable (the standard lead that carries picture and sound) from the PC to the projector.

Where it goes in the room

Our rooms start at 3.0m wide, 2.7m high and 4.2m long, with about 2.5m from ball to screen. The WAVE needs more length than that, for two reasons. It's a radar that sits behind you, and Golfzon asks for more room in front of the ball.

From Golfzon's quick start guide:

• Leave at least 3.5m (11.5ft) from the screen or net to the ball.
• Place the radar 2.0m to 2.5m (6.5 to 8.2ft) behind the tee, square to the screen.
• Line up the radar's alignment line with the ball.
• Stand it on a floor in line with the hitting area. It must never sit lower than the hitting area, or more than 76mm (3in) higher.
• Keep the ball within its recognition range: 50cm (19.6in) wide, 25cm (9.8in) either side of the line.
• Place the WAVE Putt on a flat surface, parallel to the target line.

Add 0.3m behind the screen, and the room needs to be about 5.8m to 6.3m long. A ceiling of 3m or more is ideal.

Step-by-step setup

1. Charge the WAVE Radar with its adapter. Golfzon gives 2 hours to charge and 4 hours of continuous use.
2. Hold the power button on the side to turn it on. Its communication and Bluetooth lights flash white while it starts, then go out.
3. Plug the USB-C cable into the WAVE Putt and a power source. It connects to the radar by itself.
4. On the PC, open Wi-Fi settings and pick the network whose name (SSID) is printed on the back of the radar. The password is in the quick start guide.
5. Download Vision WAVE from golfzongolf.com/wave, run setup.exe and open it from the desktop icon.
6. Install WAVE Skills on your phone from the App Store or Google Play, if you want it.
7. Place the radar 2.0m to 2.5m behind the tee and line it up with the ball.

Connect to the projector

The PC sends the picture. Plug the HDMI cable into the PC's graphics card and the projector's HDMI input, and select that input on the projector. Then press the Windows key and P together and choose Duplicate or Second screen only.

First-shot check

When the radar has joined Wi-Fi, its communication light turns solid green. Open the range in Vision WAVE, tee up inside the recognition range and hit. On the WAVE Putt, the ready light glows green when it's ready for a putt. If the communication and Bluetooth lights flash green together, the radar isn't set up correctly, so check its height and alignment.

Playing courses

Vision WAVE's free plan has 3 courses. Golfzon's paid plans, in US dollars at the time of writing, are Basic at $99 a year with 18 courses and Premium at $199 a year with 150 courses. Golfzon lists both as half-price offers. E6 Connect also works with the WAVE, bought separately from TruGolf, and Golfzon says it doesn't refund or support third-party software.

The three things that most often go wrong

The PC loses its internet

That's expected when the PC joins the radar's Wi-Fi. Give the PC a second connection, such as an Ethernet cable to the router, for online play and updates.

Shots aren't picked up

Check the radar is 2.0m to 2.5m behind the tee, isn't lower than the hitting area or more than 76mm above it, and that the ball is inside the 50cm recognition range.

The WAVE Putt won't connect

It can't join a network by itself; it only pairs with the radar. If its two lights flash together, it isn't connected. A short press of the radar's reset button resets the WAVE Putt pairing, and holding the WAVE Putt's reset button for 3 seconds reboots it.

Official help from Golfzon

• WAVE quick start guide (PDF)
• Manual and guide videos, including firmware updates
• WAVE subscription plans and E6 Connect for WAVE