Sports simulation system

A golf simulation system comprising:

• a launch area sensing unit positioned a distance in front of a target in which contact with a golf ball is made using a golf club, said launch area sensing unit comprising at least one camera device configured to capture images of said launch region and at least one illuminator adjacent said at least one camera device configured to illuminate said launch region;
• and
• at least one processor configured to receive image data from the launch area sensing unit, to determine positions, velocity, acceleration and spin of a detected launched, spinning golf ball and to calculate a trajectory of said launched, spinning golf ball into a golf scene presented on a display surface.

A golf simulator comprising:

• a launch area sensing unit comprising at least one camera device configured to capture images of a golf ball launched from a launch region towards a target;
• and
• at least one processor configured to process image data received from the launch area sensing unit, to determine the spin of the launched golf ball based on regions in the image data corresponding to one or more markings on the golf ball, to calculate a trajectory of the launched golf ball and to modify a golf scene presented on a display surface in accordance with the calculated trajectory of the golf ball.