A golf simulator requires a lot of components to make it go, and they’re all important. The screen and enclosure, the turf, and of course the launch monitor are obvious essentials. Your choice in projector might be the most critical piece in making it all come together, however. Nothing screams “amateur hour” like an ill-fitting image on your impact screen. Of your entire simulator build, the projector can be the easiest piece to get wrong if you rush into it. Understand these 3 keys to selecting the right projector for your golf simulator to maximize your at-home experience.
Understand Throw Distance and Throw Ratio
You must understand the limitations of your space and where you can place your projector in your golf simulator first, before you buy. Once you know how much space you’re working with, you can then search for projectors with the appropriate throw distance and throw ratio to meet your needs. Throw distance refers to the distance from the lens of the projector to the impact screen, and that measurement will dictate where you’ll mount your projector. Your chosen projector’s throw ratio will then determine how wide your image will be at that distance. So, if you have a projector with ratio of 0.8:1 and a 12-foot-wide screen, then your projector should be mounted 9.6 feet away from the screen. Again, know what kind of space you have to work with and do the measuring. You don’t want to find out the hard way that you can’t mount your projector where you need to.
So, What’s An Aspect Ratio?
A projector has a native aspect ratio, typically 16:9 or 4:3, which describes the shape of the image it puts out. In a perfect world, you’ll get a projector with an aspect ratio perfectly matched to the size of your screen. You can then mount your projector at the right throw distance, and you’ll be off and running with a perfectly fit image. Few of us have that kind of perfect world setup for our golf simulator, however, and compromises have to be made.
Never fear. Buy the right screen size to max out your available space and plan on setting up a custom resolution for your simulator. In short, you’ll mount your projector at the right distance to ensure a proper top-to-bottom fit. Then, you’ll use your PC’s graphics cards to manipulate the width of the projected image to get a proper corner-to-corner display. But remember, it all starts with making sure you bought a projector with the right throw distance for your space.
Let There Be Lumens
Don’t overlook the brightness capabilities of your projector. Again, know your space. If you’re in a darker room, you can probably get by with something in the 2.000 lumens range. If your simulator is in a more well-lit area, you’re going to need 3,000 lumens or greater. Your projector needs sufficient lumens to rip through the light of the room and present a clear image. The brighter the room, the higher the lumens you’ll need.
Resolution
The resolution of a projector refers to the number of pixels it uses to create an image. The higher the resolution, the crisper and clearer the image. There’s a catch though: the price tag goes up along with the resolution. 1080p is plenty clear for most, but if you have to have 4K resolution you’re going to run into a pretty big price jump to get it. You’ll also need to make sure to buy a PC with a graphics card capable of handling 4K, another punch to the wallet if you absolutely need the highest possible resolution.
Doing the Research
The bottom line is to do a thorough job researching your golf simulator space, screen dimensions, and PC graphics cards capabilities to make sure you’re buying a projector that will work for your setup. Some projector companies like BenQ have responded to the boom in home golf simulators. You’ll find free interactive setup guides to help you identify the exact projector you need from a company’s lineup.
A golf simulator needs the right projector to really reach its potential. Understand the nuances of what your space will allow and what your simulator will require to pick the right projector. Get a projector with the right throw ratio and distance, sufficient lumens, and appropriate resolution to meet your needs. Done right, your projector can deliver you the crisp clear image you need to get the most out of your golf simulator.