Home golf simulator guide: visunext buyer’s guide to space, costs & equipment

Build the ultimate home golf simulator – the visunext guide makes space, budget, and tech decisions easy.

Build the ultimate home golf simulator – the visunext guide makes space, budget, and tech decisions easy.

Content

What is a golf simulator and what are the reasons to get one?

An indoor golf simulator lets you practice and play on digitally replicated golf courses using your own clubs and balls, effectively bringing the course into your home. High-tech sensors and software track your swing and ball flight, while a projector displays a virtual version of each shot on a large screen.

As home golf simulators continue to grow in popularity, many golfers are discovering the benefits they offer:

Year round play

Weather conditions such as rain, frost and snow often make playing golf in winter extremely difficult. In addition, the limited daylight significantly restricts playing time. Regardless of the weather or time of day, you can go and play at a time to suit you. A full round of 18 holes or a quick practice session to work on your pitching, all from the comfort of your own home.

Instant feedback and insight

Ball tracking allows you to work on your game, giving you real time insights that can gain you an edge. It can monitor things such as ball speed, launch angle, spin rate, and swing path, which when analysed can help you make precise adjustments and track your progress.

Access to world famous courses

Play on a digital version of a whole host of courses around the world. From renowned courses such as St Andrews or Augusta, recreate some of your favourite golfing moments adding variety to your game rather than always playing at your local course.

Fun for family and friends

Not just for you, a golf simulator can be fun for friends and family too. Mini games, multiplayer and online play give you a host of possibilities for communal play and can be a huge hit with your golfing buddies!

How much does a golf simulator cost?

If you are building a DIY golf simulator at home, you can expect to spend a minimum of around £ 4,000 to get all of the parts that you need:

Entry-Level (£ 4,000 – £ 10,000):

Includes all essentials like a launch monitor, impact screen, projector, hitting mat, computer and software.

High-End (£ 12,000 – £ 25,000):

Features premium components such as 4K projector, full enclosure, high-performance PC, and professional launch monitor and premium softwares.

What do I need for my golf simulator?

There are several components you will need to consider when creating an indoor golf simulator. Here we will take a look at the key components.

£ 450 - £ 15,000

Launch Monitor

A launch monitor uses sensors to record data from the golf ball and club immediately after impact in order to calculate the flight virtually. You can choose between camera based systems for greatest accuracy and radar based models, which are usually cheaper and more portable, but require more room to work.

£ 700 - £ 4,000

Impact screen and enclosure

The durable impact screen serves both as a projection surface and as safe impact protection for the golf ball. In addition, the enclosure ensures the necessary safety in the room and improves the image quality of the projector by effectively shielding ambient light.

£ 600 - £ 5,000

Projector

Our favourite part of any golf simulator! A projector is used to display the virtual course you are playing on and relays all of the information from your launch monitor into results you can see on screen. We’ll look at this in much more detail below.

£ 300 - £ 600

Hitting mat

This is where you’ll stand to hit the ball. There are a few options for your golf hitting mat but look for something with a realistic feel and shock absorption to protect your joints and help prevent injury. You can find some with replaceable hitting strips that will last even longer.

£ 1,000 - £ 4,000

Computer hardware

The PC will need to be powerful enough to run your golf simulator software smoothly, so get something with a good graphics card and enough RAM. There is also the potential to run it via your iPad.

Typically £ 200+ per year

Computer software

When choosing your golf simulator software, you should focus on your personal goals, as these will determine the available golf courses, game modes, and swing analysis features. Since the software is usually an annual subscription, it is particularly important to carefully tailor it to your needs.

Projectors – How to pick the ideal model for your home golf simulator?

There are a few considerations when looking for the best golf simulator projector for your set up, we’ll look closely at each of them here to give you the best understanding of what is required.

Throw ratio - How far does the projector need to be from the screen on a golf simulator?

This is hugely important as it will dictate where your projector will be positioned. The projector needs to be safe from stray balls and your club, but also needs to be positioned to reduce any shadows being cast on your image. There are three possible categories here, Ultra short throw, Short throw and Long throw:

Ultra short throw projectors will sit just inches from the screen, but they are very sensitive to any wrinkles in your screen, which with an impact screen are highly likely and this can distort the image.

Short throw projectors (0.5:1 to 0.99:1 ratio) will typically be mounted directly above or slightly in front of the hitting area, reducing any chance of a shadow being cast.

Long throw projectors (1:1 + ratio) will typically be behind the golfer, which can result in shadows being cast depending on the height of the mounting. This can be alleviated by looking for a projector with some horizontal correction allowing the projector to be positioned off centre to the left or right.

Brightness (Lumens) - How many lumens do you need for a golf projector?

The more lumens your projector has, the brighter the image will be. Aim for 3000 lumens as a minimum here, this should be sufficient to give you a bright and clear image in rooms where you have a little bit of light control, particularly if you are using a full golf sim enclosure which will darken the area.

Having more lumens is only really a positive when it comes to golf sims, so if you can get to 4,000, or even 5,000 lumens this will enhance your image further, particularly if you are looking at a long throw projector, or you are hoping to have a particularly large image.

Resolution - Do you need a 4K projector for a golf simulator?

The software and PC you are going to use for your golf simulator will ultimately dictate this. If your graphics card is capable of pushing out 4K content, and your golf simulator software is compatible, then yes, having a 4K projector will allow you to really make the most of the potential. This will result in an incredibly realistic looking image, fully immersing you in any golf course of your choice!

A 1080p projector is probably still considered the standard in the golf sim world, an HD Golf simulator is much more affordable and still looks great on images of up to around 10ft wide.

Discover 4k projectors!Discover Full HD projectors!

Lamp vs. Laser - Is it worth getting a laser projector?

Absolutely! Lamp based projectors are quickly becoming a thing of the past. A laser projector brings a myriad of improvements including a much longer lifespan, instant start up time and far more consistent brightness over the lifespan of the projector.

Discover laser projectors!To the lamp projectors!

Other important features to consider

Screen fit

An incredibly useful feature found on some higher end models that will allow you to quickly and easily adapt the projected image to fit your screen size, be that a 1:1, 4:3, 16:9 or 16:10 ratio.

Horizontal keystone correction / Four corner correction

This will allow you to position your projector off to the left or right which can aid with your set up, helping to avoid shadows.

Digital zoom

A lifesaver if you accidentally mount your projector a little too far back, use software to digitally shrink the image to fit your screen.

Input lag

Think of your golf simulator like a high end video game. If your projector has high input lag there will be a noticeable delay between your ball hitting the screen and the virtual golf ball taking flight. Look for a projector with less than 30m/s, or ideally under 16m/s to ensure the best results.

Golf mode

This is something only found on a small handful of projectors at the moment, but it will set the projectors colour processors to optimise the hues and shades of every fairway, green and bunker allowing you to enjoy your golf simulator at its very best.

HDMI ARC

Planning a multi use space? If you are going to use your golf sim projector for a bit of home cinema too, having an HDMI ARC/EARC (Audio return channel) can simplify your cabling allowing you to easily connect to a soundbar or av receiver.

Find the right projector for your golf simulator now!

Discover more projectors now!

Launch Monitors - What are the best launch monitors for home use?

A high quality launch monitor is the brain of the simulator and can make or break the experience. Launch monitors use advanced radar or camera technology to track the ball after it is hit. Data such as ball speed, launch angle, and backspin are recorded to predict where your ball would land on a real golf course. This ensures an immersive simulation.

Choosing the right technology for your space

There are two major technologies used in golf launch monitors and the choice will typically be dictated by your space.

Camera Based (Photometric)

These monitors are typically placed beside the ball (or overhead) and use high speed cameras to collect thousands of images of impact.

Best for tight spaces: Can suit two handed set ups better when mounted overhead. They provide incredibly accurate spin and club face data.

Radar based (Doppler radar)

These would usually be placed between 6 to 10 feet behind the golfer and emit microwave signals to track the ball flight towards the screen.

Best for larger indoor spaces: Excellent tracking of the ball over long distances.

What is the best position for a launch monitor?

The amount of space in your room will likely dictate where you will position your launch monitor, we’ll take a look at what could be best for you below.

Behind the ball

This is usually the most commonly used position for launch monitors, particularly for portable or budget friendly options. They will use the radar system and will typically be 6-10 feet behind the ball and aligned with the target. You will typically need 8-13 feet of space in front of the ball too, as the monitor needs time to track the ball before it hits the impact screen to accurately calculate spin.

Beside the ball

These systems will typically be sat on the groundbeside the ballaround 12-24 inches away and use a camera based system. They require very little space as they only process data from the moment of impact rather than the flight of the ball.

Above the ball

The ideal option for professional systems that are permanently mounted above the hitting area. Usually mounted 3-4 feet in front of the tee and 10 feet above it. You must have a stable ceiling with no vibration and sufficient height.

The differences in the launch monitor position at a glance

Feature	Behind (radar)	Beside (camera)	Above (camera)
Total room depth	16-22’	10-12’	12-15’
Lightning needs	Works in dark	Needs good light	Bulit in LED flash
Right + left hand play	Easy (if centred)	Difficult (must move)	Seamless
Portability	High	Medium	Impossible (Fixed)

Which computer do I need to run my golf simulator?

The computer you require will depend on both the software you want to run and the resolution you want to output with your projector (1080p vs 4K). Because a golf simulator is essentially like a high end video game, you will need something more akin to a gaming PC than your typical office computer.

Here is a typical PC specification for both a 1080p and 4K setup

	1080p	4K
GPU	NVIDIA RTX 3060 / 4060 or better	NVIDIA RTX 4080 / 4080 Super
CPU	Intel Core i5 (13th Gen+) or AMD Ryzen 5 (7000 Series+)	Intel Core i7 (14th Gen / Ultra 7) or AMD Ryzen 7 (7800X3D)
RAM	16 GB	32 GB
Storage	512GB – 1TB SSD (Required for fast course loading)	1TB+ NVMe SSD

(all product and brand names are property of their respective owners, we are not an authorised retailer for PC components)

Having a powerful PC at the core of the system will ensure a smooth, lag-free experience. The higher the spec of the PC, the more chance you have of seeing every blade of grass from your favourite golf course. You should also note that some golf simulator software packages will only work with Intel processors.

How do I choose my golf simulator software?

There are a few things to consider when choosing your golf simulator software.

Compatibility

Compatibility with your launch monitor as not all simulators work with all launch monitors.

Hardware power

Can your PC / iPad run the software?

Play style

Are you looking for ultra realism, do you want multi player to play with your golf buddies, or do you want something to play with your family featuring mini games.

Connection fees

Some monitors may require a fee to unlock the ‘connection’ between software and monitor

Subscription fees

Some packages may offer a one time purchase, others may be on a monthly basis that provides regular course updates and other timed updates.

Upgrades

Some simulators may offer the opportunity to purchase additional courses or game modes

Frequently asked questions about home golf simulators

A golf simulator combines advanced sensor technology with powerful software to recreate the experience of a real golf course indoors. The process begins with a launch monitor that tracks the impact of the club and the flight of the ball. These sensors capture important metrics such as ball speed, launch angle, and spin rate with a high degree of accuracy.

The captured data is then immediately processed by software that predicts the ball's trajectory and projects the resulting flight onto an impact screen via a projector. This creates an immersive simulation where you can see in real time how your ball lands on the virtual golf course.

Investing in a golf simulator offers the decisive advantage of allowing you to practice all year round, regardless of the weather – either alone or with friends. You secure a long-term platform for the targeted improvement of your handicap through precise real-time data analysis of each individual shot. Find out more here!

Height will be the most important consideration for whether you have room to install your golf sim, you will need a minimum of around 9ft to be sure you have the space to swing your driver without hitting the ceiling. The best way to check is to get your clubs out for a few (very slow!) test swings, make sure you have a good few inches of clearance.
Width comes next, if you are building a golf sim designed for single handed play, you will need a minimum of 10ft and you will position the hitting mat off centre. If you want to accommodate for dual handed play (left and right handers) you’ll need 14ft or more and the hitting mat will be central.
Depth is the final consideration and is made up from three parts. You’ll need 8 to 12ft for your ball tracker to work, 7ft behind you to allow for the clearance of your swing and another 2ft behind the screen to absorb the impact.

So with all of the above in mind, a space of around 9 x 10 x 16ft (H x W x D) will be the absolute minimum required

Without a launch monitor, you are essentially just hitting a ball at a big sheet of fabric. Launch monitors give you precise data and track metrics including ball speed, launch angle, backspin and more with tour level accuracy Launch monitors will allow you to see improvements with every shot.

These systems give you an immersive simulation and when paired with a golf simulator package, you can access real world golf courses from all over the world.

If budget allows, a ceiling mounted (overhead) system is undoubtedly the best. It allows for totally seamless switching from left to right handed play thanks to the large ‘hitting zone’ it provides with no need for recalibration. However, these will be by far and away the most expensive set up.

You’ll find a rear mounted radar system considerably more friendly on your budget, however, your room dimensions will become even more critical here as you will need a width of at least 14 feet for a ‘centre strike’ system. You’ll also want to ensure you get a continuous hitting surface, not one with a hitting strip on one side, which will ensure the golfer can stand where they need to.

Yes you can, but the experience will depend on the launch monitor and software you want to use. Running your golf simulator on an iPad can be seen as a more budget friendly solution as it avoids the need for an expensive gaming PC, however there will be trade offs in terms of image quality and choice of software available to you. You will also need to ensure that whichever launch monitor you use is compatible with iPad.

Have you finished your golf simulator?

We would love to hear from you and feature your setup on this page! Maybe your golf sim set up can inspire another golfer to take a swing at their own home set up.

If you are interested in doing so, please send us the following:

Do you still have questions?

We are also happy to advise you personally - we look forward to your call or email! If you would prefer us to call you back free of charge, simply leave us your contact details now.

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