Golf Simulator Projector Buying Guide

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One of the most important decisions when you're setting up your home golf simulator is whether to buy a projector, and if so, which one?

Many of our Spornia customers start off by using their Garmin Approach R10 (or other golf launch monitor and simulator) connected to their phone, laptop, tablet or TV monitor. This is an easy and affordable option, but the obvious disadvantage is that you need to look across to your device after you've hit your shot, to see the results. 

Having a projector can take your simulator set-up to the next level. Combined with one of our white target sheets, you can project directly onto the impact screen and see your ball flight, the course you're playing, and all the key stats right in front of you. It's the next best thing to actually being on the course.

*Note: There are two ways to decide on which projector to buy: Either do all of your own research (see below!), or just ring or visit a projector store, describe your situation, and ask for their recommendations - many of them publish their own projector buying guides such as this one from JustProjectors.com.au (If you're asking for recommendations, it's worth quickly reading the section on Aspect Ratios below first...).

What are the key considerations when buying a projector? 

1. Budget. How much do you need to spend? Projectors don't come cheap, and you're looking at anywhere from $900 to $6,000 or more. And generally you get what you pay for - the more you pay, the better quality imaging and performance you get.

2. Location & Light. One of the great things about a Spornia-based Golf Simulator is that it's portable and not permanent, so you don't need a dedicated space - you can set-it up in around five minutes, play a round, and then pack it away.

But choosing the right location is important, firstly because you need enough space to swing freely, and secondly because of the presence of ambient light - excessive light and glare can wash out the quality of the projected image, so the darker your room is the more realistic your virtual golf experience will be.

3. Mounting - Floor or Ceiling? Short-Throw or Long-Throw? A ceiling mounted short-throw projector is generally the preferred option (mounted 1m to 1.2m back from the screen), because it gets the projector out of the way and eliminates shadows.

However it isn't aways possible to install a ceiling mount, so the alternative is placing your projector on the floor, or a low table or stand. This is the simplest and cheapest option, but using a standard or long-throw projector will introduce shadowing so most experts recommend using a short-throw projector.

However you will need the projector offset from the centre of the screen, so make sure your model includes offset and keystone adjustment options. You may also want to consider buying a projector enclosure, to protect it from the odd shank :)

4. Projector-To-Screen Distance? You can easily measure the correct distance from your projector to your screen using this very cool Projector Throw Distance Calculator from the team at Projector Central. You can either search by projector type, or input the throw distance and screen size.

5. Aspect Ratio. Aspect ratio describes the shape of the projected image, or the ratio of the width to the height. It's very important to consider the relationship between your projector's aspect ratio, your screen's aspect ratio, and that of your simulator software. In the olden days, most projectors had a 4:3 ratio but nowadays the majority of projectors will project in a widescreen ratio of 16:9 or 16:10.

However, some golf simulator software will only display on a 4:3 ratio (a squarer image), and if you're using a Spornia net and our white target sheet, your screen will be square or a ratio of 1:1. While there are no projectors that have an aspect ratio of 1:1, in most cases you can adjust your projector to project this aspect ratio, either via the projector's settings or via your source (laptop, phone etc) settings.

Alternatively, you can use a projector with a ratio such as 4:3 or 16:9 and then choose to either fill the screen and have part of the image project off the sides, or accept the presence of 'masking bars' (these are the black bars at the top and bottom of your screen).

6. Resolution. Projector resolutions include Standard, High, Full HD, Ultra HD and 4K. The majority of golf simulator projectors are Full HD resolution, which is also known as 1080p (1920 x 1080), and these options are more affordable and provide great image quality. 

More recently golf simulator projectors are Ultra HD or 4K projectors, which provide 4 times the pixels of a 1080p projector, but they are much more expensive and may not provide significantly more bang for your buck.

7. Brightness (Lumens). One of the last considerations is how bright your projector needs to be. This will depend on a number of factors including the amount of ambient light in your room, the distance from your projector to the screen, and the quality of image required. As a general rule you need a projector with at least 3,000 ANSI lumens, otherwise you will need to be playing in the dark!

We hope that helps - as always, email or call if you have any questions.

Mark & Andi

If you'd like to dive even deeper into golf simulator projector research, see below for some useful articles and videos:

Just Projectors (Melbourne, Australia) - Golf Simulator Projectors Buyers Guide:

ProjectorPoint (UK) - Golf Simulator Projectors:

Golfstead (USA) - 8 Best Golf Projector Simulators - 2023 Reviews & Buying Guide:

My Golf Simulator - Best Golf Simulator Projector 2023 - 8 Step Buying Guide & Set-up Examples (*Warning: VERY Detailed!):

VIDEO: Handicap Golf: Golf Simulator Projectors - Everything You Need To Know!