A rock climbing wall, weight room, indoor track and pool are all things the Southeast Missouri State University's Student Recreation Center North offers to Southeast students. Recreation Services newest addition is a golf simulator.

The simulator, which is a virtual golf game, cost around $2,000 and consists of multiple components, including a green mat for hitting, a sensor, cage, projector and software. Recreation Services also had to purchase a laptop for roughly $1,000 in order to run the software, which is projected onto the screen.

The golf simulator was first displayed to Southeast students during the first day of finals week last winter at the late-night breakfast in the lobby of Towers Complex. More than 40 students tested out the new machine, according to Jason Lipe, an associate director of Recreation Services.

The machine got cracked during the demonstration and had to be sent back to the manufacturer to be fixed.

The machine is now permanently placed in the Student Recreation Center North on the second floor in a racquetball court room. It will be open to all of the Southeast students on Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

For a fee of five dollars or $10, up to four students can rent out the simulator to play 18 holes or just nine, along with the option of driving for 30 minutes or an hour. Members of the golf club will run the software, which allows them to choose between 10 different courses, the type of golf club and the angle in which the golfer wishes to hit the ball.

The Student Recreation Center North provides golf balls along with men's and women's golf clubs, so students do not need to bring anything but a few dollars.

"It's a great opportunity for students," Lipe said.

Golf club president Shawn Heuring and club members Ryan Painter and Zachary Tapella helped host another demonstration day on March 12 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The turnout was lighter than the previous demonstration. Some students just watched from the glass windows and only a few participated in testing out the system.

Erik Rhines, a Southeast student, interrupted his workout to hit a couple of golf balls to test out the machine.

"[I golf] for fun," Rhines said. "But this is a good deal."

The 15-member golf club has taken advantage of the simulator by incorporating it into its practices. The members plan to reserve it once or twice a week for a few hours so they can practice their putting and driving skills.

The club has two upcoming tournaments in April in Urbana and Bloomington, Ill., where it will compete against schools such as Missouri State University, Notre Dame University, and Saint Louis University. The club will send its top eight players based off how they do during the club's tryouts, which consist of four rounds against their teammates.

Heuring thinks the simulator has helped the club and hopes that it will increase its chances at upcoming tournaments.

"It's definitely been nice to swing the golf club when it's cold and there's nasty weather out there," Heuring said.