The simulator is a very good way to practice landings.

Your rc plane will land the same way, as you know by now, landings are not easy and need a lot of training.
My guess is - cut the throttle sooner then you are used to. You need to bleed off airspeed and your trainer
floats better then you think.

Also if you come close to the ground, you will hit the 'ground effect' - sort of an air cushion, your descend will slow down and
you will keep floating with an excessive airspeed.

You can make very smooth landings just using the throttle, with very little elevator input