Square Golf + Awesome Golf: Do You Need a Gaming PC?
Do You Need a Gaming PC?
Square Golf Omni works with Awesome Golf on iPad — no PC needed. Need GSPro's 4,000 courses? That requires a Windows PC with GTX 1070+. Here's exactly what.
The Short Answer
Square Golf Omni works with Awesome Golf on iPad — no PC needed. Need GSPro's 4,000 courses? That requires a Windows PC with GTX 1070+. Here's exactly what.
Path 1: iPad + Awesome Golf (No PC Needed)
This is the path most Square Golf buyers should take. You don’t even need a phone — a standard iPad, any model from the last four years, is all the computer you need.
Here’s the setup:
- Set up the Omni next to your ball
- Open Awesome Golf on your iPad
- Connect via Bluetooth
Done. You’re now playing golf on your simulator.
What you get: Awesome Golf has skill challenges, mini-games, practice modes, and full round play. It’s not GSPro — the graphics aren’t photorealistic and the course library is smaller. But it’s genuinely fun, it tracks your data, and it’s designed for the way most people actually use a simulator (quick sessions, games with friends, beat-your-own-score practice).
What it costs: $199/year for Awesome Golf. That’s it. No launch monitor subscription. No PC hardware to buy. If you already own an iPad, your total software cost is $199/year — less than what SkyTrak or Bushnell Launch Pro users pay for just their LM subscription.
The Omni itself has 10 built-in courses that work without any software at all. You get 1,000 free credits to play them (about 55 rounds). So technically, you can hit balls on day one with nothing but the Omni and a net. The iPad + Awesome Golf is your upgrade path.
Who should pick Path 1: Anyone who doesn’t already own a gaming PC. Anyone who wants a clean, simple setup. Anyone who values ease over maximum visual fidelity. About 80% of Square Golf buyers, probably.
Path 2: PC + GSPro (The Full Sim Experience)
This path costs more. But it also gives you more — a lot more.
GSPro has over 4,000 user-created courses. The graphics are stunning on a good PC. The physics engine is the best in consumer simulation. If you want to play Augusta National on a 10-foot screen with a projector, this is the path.
But you need a Windows PC that can handle it.
The minimum spec for GSPro:
- GPU: GTX 1070 or better (RTX 3060 recommended for 4K)
- CPU: Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 5
- RAM: 16 GB
- Storage: 50 GB free (courses add up)
- OS: Windows 10 or 11
That’s roughly a $700-1,200 PC. You don’t need a flashy gaming rig with RGB lights and a glass side panel. You need a Windows computer with a dedicated graphics card. A $900 Dell desktop with an RTX 3060 will run GSPro beautifully. A $1,200 gaming laptop will do the same and let you move the setup to the range.
What this costs all-in: Omni ($1,599) + GSPro ($250/year) + PC ($700-1,200). Your first-year hardware+software cost is $2,200-2,700 depending on the PC. After that, $250/year for GSPro.
Who should pick Path 2: Anyone who already has a gaming PC (you’re already halfway there). Anyone who wants the full 4K projector experience. Anyone who cares about playing the exact digital versions of real golf courses. About 20% of buyers.
The Short Game Question
One thing Square Golf does that most radar units can’t: it handles short game and putting. The cameras are looking at the ball from inches away, not tracking it through 20 feet of flight. This means you get chip shots, pitch shots, and putts with the same accuracy as your full swing.
This matters for the PC question because if you’re buying a PC specifically for GSPro, you need to know that GSPro handles short game really well on the Omni. The putting reads are accurate. The chip shots track. You’re not getting the “radar ignores anything under 30 yards” problem.
But here’s the thing: Awesome Golf also handles short game well. And it runs on your iPad. So if short game is important to you, you still don’t need a PC. You just need Awesome Golf.
The Mac Problem
Quick note for Mac users: GSPro is Windows-only. There is no Mac version. You can run it on a Mac via Boot Camp or Parallels, but it’s not a good experience — the performance hit makes it feel sluggish.
If you’re a Mac household, your best path is iPad + Awesome Golf. No workaround needed. No dual-boot. No virtual machine. Just connect and play.
(The Omni works with Macs via their desktop app for basic data viewing, but simulation requires either iPad/tablet via Awesome Golf or Windows via GSPro/E6.)
What About E6 Connect?
E6 Connect is Path 3, but it’s a niche. It runs on iPad and PC both. The iPad version has ~20 courses and basic graphics. The PC version has ~150 courses and better visuals. E6 is fine — it’s just not as good as GSPro on the high end or as fun as Awesome Golf on the casual end.
If you have a PC, buy GSPro. If you don’t, buy Awesome Golf. E6 sits in the middle and doesn’t win either category.
The Honest Recommendation
Buy the Square Golf Omni. Use it with your iPad and Awesome Golf for the first month. See if you actually need more.
Most people don’t. The iPad + Awesome Golf combo gives you a genuine simulator experience. You can play rounds. You can practice. You can compete with friends. The graphics are good enough that your buddies won’t know the difference unless you point it out.
If after a month you find yourself wanting more courses, better graphics, or the ability to play Augusta at midnight with a projector, then buy the PC. You’ll know by then whether the investment is worth it.
But don’t buy the PC first. The Omni is designed to work without one. Let it do its job.
Ready to buy? The Square Golf Omni is available now at $1,599 — no subscription, four cameras, direct spin measurement. If you want the full GSPro experience, check our computer requirements guide for the best budget PC builds. And if you’re still deciding between software platforms, read our GSPro vs E6 vs Awesome Golf breakdown.