DIY
Golf Simulator Guide
Everything You Need to Know
Most golfers would love to have an indoor golf simulator for their home. For year’s simulators could only be experienced at indoor golf centers or your local golf club. The steep price tags associated with these systems effectively priced out the typical at-home golfer. The good news is the industry has come a long way. Thanks to advancements in technology and a growing home golf market, golf simulator costs have dropped, making it possible to purchase an indoor golf simulator at much more reasonable prices.
Golf simulators are now available with prices starting at $500 upwards to as much as $15000 for complete golf simulator set-ups. Going the DIY route and building your own golf simulator can also help to reduce cost. It's important to note that with golf simulators you often get what you pay for. That is to say that the robustness and accuracy of a $500 system will not compare to that of a $5000 golf simulator. If you’re considering building your own golf simulator it’s important to be aware of what your options are. There are several items that will make up your homemade golf simulator.
Here at Shop Indoor Golf our goal is to educate our customers on their options. This guide aims to provide a detailed overview of the items you will need to build the perfect golf simulator for your home.
Table of contents
How much Room WIll I need for my Golf Simulator?
This is one of the more common questions our customers have when finding a space in their home for their indoor golf simulator. It's an important consideration that we'll address first in this guide. While there's not a one-size-fits-all answer, the important thing is to make sure that you can swing the golf club comfortably and without restriction. You should ensure that the golf simulator room in your home is wide enough, deep enough, and tall enough to accommodate both your golf swing AND the golf net and screen. You can use our Golf Simulator Room Builder to set a room size and see what enclosures will work best for you.
Room Height
In our experience 9’ provides enough clearance for the average golfer. For some golfers a ceiling height of less than 9' could be appropriate, but ultimately will depend on your height and your swing. Many of the simulator enclosures, impact screens, and nets have minimum height requirements, so be sure to reference that height requirement and compare that with your actual ceiling height to determine if it will work.
Room Width
You want to make sure your room is wide enough to fit your golf simulator screen and/or golf net. Most of the golf simulator screens and nets we carry are between 5' and 10' wide. Also if both right handed and left handed golfers will be playing then it'd be best to account for 1' to 2' of additional room width. Typically we like to recommend a room width of 12' so that your space is comfortable, although some of our systems will fit into a room width of 10'.
Room Depth
For room depth you will want to account for some space between the impact screen and the wall, the impact screen and you, and have plenty of space behind you. In our experience we feel that a room depth of 12' is very comfortable and more than adequate for your set-up.
How Much Will My Golf Simulator Cost?
The next step is to decide on a budget. The most important, and probably most expensive component of your indoor golf simulator set-up will be the launch monitor. For that reason, we will dedicate this section of the DIY golf simulator guide to the launch monitor / golf simulator portion of your setup.
What Is a Golf Simulator?
Golf Simulator Impact Screen & Enclosure
Most golfers will choose to build their DIY golf simulator in their basement, garage, or media room. Depending on the space you are setting up your golf simulator there are a few things to keep in mind.
An important item is the setup type. Are you looking for just an impact screen, a "done-for-you" type golf simulator, or are you looking to go more custom? All options are great for a golfer looking to get into the indoor golf simulator world!
If you are looking for something more portable (easy teardown & store) then we recommend a golf net or retractable screen. These options are great for rooms that are low on space or is a shared room (garage, backyard, etc.).
Golf Simulator Accessories
The next items you should be thinking about for your golf simulator are the accessory pieces. Golf Mats, Computers, Projectors, and software. Each item is just as important as your impact screen and enclosure.
The golf mat you choose is a big decision, some mats are forgiving than others when it comes to hitting fat shots. Other mats are more heavy duty & durable. Check out our Best Golf Mats Page for more information and what we recommend.
Depending on the simulator you are looking to use, a computer or mobile device will be needed to run the software or show you more data points. You always want to make sure the device you have or purchase is compatible with the golf simulator you are using. Our Golf Simulator Tech Bundle includes a gaming pc, a wireless hdmi cable, and a control box for easy simulator shortcuts.
If you are going with a golf simulator screen you are going to need a projector. There are a few things to consider when purchasing a projector. The first is aspect ratio. The aspect ratio is directly correlated with the size of your impact screen. It is always a good to check that the projector you purchase has an option for the aspect ratio in the settings. For more on aspect ratios, check out our deep dive screen to aspect ratio page.
Last but certainly not lease is the software for your golf simulator. Whether you are just looking for a driving range or full course play, there are so many options available. Most simulation options are available for the golf simulators on the market but it is always a good idea to double check that the software you choose is compatible with the golf simulator you are planning on purchasing. Check out our Golf Simulator Software Guide for information on the latest software in the golf simulator world.
