Buying guide
Golf Simulator Setup Guide
Room dimensions, enclosure choices, lighting, and the setup mistakes that cost golfers the most time and money.
Measure twice, buy once
The most expensive simulator mistake is buying before measuring. Record your room's width, depth, and ceiling height, and note obstructions: garage door rails, light fixtures, ductwork, and anything that intrudes into the swing arc. Most setups want at least 10 feet wide, 10 feet deep, and 9 feet of ceiling — but your launch monitor's manual is the authority, not a rule of thumb.
Enclosure vs. net
An enclosure gives you a screen, side barriers, and a finished look; it costs more and needs more space. A net is cheaper and more flexible but stops balls without showing a projected image. If you plan to run simulator software with a projector, you need an impact screen — a plain net will not do.
Lighting matters more than you think
Camera-based units are sensitive to direct light on the hitting area, and projectors need a dim room to look good. Avoid spotlights aimed at the ball or screen, and test your lighting at the same time of day you will actually play.
Flooring and safety
A proper hitting mat protects your wrists and your floor. Leave clearance around the hitting area for a full swing with your longest club, and keep the space behind and beside the hitter clear. Simulator golf is still golf — a mishit ball goes where physics sends it.
Order of operations
Set up in this order: measure the room, choose the launch monitor, then the enclosure or net, then the mat, then the projector and software. Buying the screen before the launch monitor is how golfers end up with incompatible gear.