From Concept to Play!

Lessons From Building Simulators

Thinking about building your own golf simulator? It’s exciting, but also a bit overwhelming. We’ve been there. After installing plenty of sims — both at home and in dedicated spaces — we’ve learned a few truths about what makes the difference between a setup you love and one that leaves you frustrated.

Budget: Spend Where It Counts

The first mistake a lot of people make is blowing the budget in the wrong places. You don’t need the fanciest extras straight away — but you do need to get the basics right.

A quality screen that gives you a clear picture and doesn’t bounce balls back at your shins.
A reliable launch monitor — because without good data, the whole thing is pointless.
A projector and PC that can keep up, so you’re not watching lag instead of ball flight.

Once those are sorted, you can add the nice-to-haves: flooring, surrounds, even multi-sport.

The Building Blocks of a Sim

Every simulator needs a few key parts, and we’ve learned the hard way what happens when you cut corners:

Impact Screen – Don’t skimp here. We’ve tested everything from cheap fabric to military-grade material. The result? One Pro screen that we know works, and one Home screen for those who want something more affordable but still solid.
Launch Monitor – We tend to use TruGolf, which is relatively lees known, because it’s accurate, consistent, and easy to live with. APOGEE for ceiling-mounted builds, LaunchBox for mats, MultiSport if you want to mix it up.
Projector & PC – Short throw is your friend, and a computer that doesn’t cough every time you open software saves a lot of swearing.
Flooring & Mats – Good mats matter more than you think. Cheap ones feel awful on the joints. We’ve learned this the expensive way.
Side Panels – Not just for stray shots — they tidy everything up and make the sim look like it belongs.

Value for Money: What Experience Teaches You

Here’s the thing: you can buy “budget” components all day long, but nine times out of ten, you’ll end up replacing them. Screens that stretch, mats that wear out, tech that doesn’t integrate — we’ve seen it all.

That’s why we keep it simple: one screen we trust, mats that last, tech we’ve tested. No fluff, no gimmicks. Just the stuff we know will work, because we’ve been through the trial and error already.