Building a Quality Golf Simulator

[newballcoach]

Great inspiration for all of us. Inside the next 5 years I'd love to put something like this into my garage. I sold my wife on the idea because it would save me from the local indoor golf league every year!

You mentioned an extra step with subflooring if you have concrete. Wondering what/why that would be? Is it due to not being level?

[tony@CIC]

You mentioned an extra step with subflooring if you have concrete. Wondering what/why that would be? Is it due to not being level?

I'm not an expert but I'd think the two benefits would be a level floor and for those of us in a northern climate a warmer floor. Concrete gets pretty cold in the winter.


Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

[Kanoito]

Wow, can't believe I just seeing this thread now.

@FlyboyAF that's a fuckton of work you put into the project, congratz! It looks awesome! Thank you for sharing so many details and suggestions.

Is the simulation software from GCQuad? Or can you combine it with other types of software? I'm asking because the graphics don't look like other HD stuff out there. 

 

[berkeleybob]

On 2/10/2020 at 7:32 PM, Cooltrav said:

Thanks a lot for this incredibly detailed rundown. I'm a first-time father-to-be and we're also looking at buying a new bigger house in the near future. I've managed to convince my wife that putting a simulator into the house will alleviate my urges to go to the range several times a week--therefore, I'm home more often. I'm pretty sure she just loves me, she doesn't actually fall for my sell tactics.

My wife and I look at houses for sale on the internet from time to time. I showed her one that was a little further out than we liked, but not a bad layout, small back yard, mostly patio ... and then at second glance I saw they had a putting green with a chipping installed at the back ... Well, let's just say, as a DIY guy, I have a better chance of making one on my own at some point, than trying to sell my wife on a house because it has a putting green.

[berkeleybob]

FlyboyAF, congrats on the room!

I'm curious, how the rest of the room turned out. I saw the barstools—maybe the perfect mancave? What are your plans for it? Maybe share some pics?

[J_L_35]

Great write up and amazing detail.....leaving a comment here to bookmark for the future lol

[FlyboyAF]

On 2/10/2020 at 12:32 PM, Cooltrav said:

Thanks a lot for this incredibly detailed rundown. I'm a first-time father-to-be and we're also looking at buying a new bigger house in the near future. I've managed to convince my wife that putting a simulator into the house will alleviate my urges to go to the range several times a week--therefore, I'm home more often. I'm pretty sure she just loves me, she doesn't actually fall for my sell tactics.

My budget promises to be about 1/4 of yours, but you've still laid out a lot of the things to consider (even if I have to do many of them much cheaper). I have a really handy father who can save me a lot on the labor and will jerry rig many of these things that you have done incredibly well. I think the biggest challenge, at least in my opinion, will be on the technology side. Deciding the best launch monitor/software set up for the price. I'd love the GC Quad, but that kills my budget immediately.

Either way, absolutely great job--you've inspired me further haha

You are welcome my man!! The reason I put it out there was that it took so much longer to go through the process myself due to the lack of consolidated information out there. Glad I could help stimulate some ideas! The hitting mat is one of the most important parts and the option I chose should be well within your budget (Real Feel Golf Mats). They will save your wrists and arm joints as well as have the added benefit of giving you feedback on your strike. If you hit a fat shot on these mats, you will hit a fat shot on your simulator....none of that bouncing up into the ball and making you think that you hit a great shot lol.

I knew that I was going to spend on the launch monitor side, so did a little research on things like Skytrak, Optishot, and even Flightscope. I would go out and see if you could find a GC2 with HMT. You can get a refurbished set for about half of what the GC Quad would cost you. the HMT part gives you the ability to see where you are striking the ball on the club face while the GC2 part is the launch data. Still highly accurate and provides the most useful info to help you get better! 

[FlyboyAF]

On 2/16/2020 at 1:27 AM, berkeleybob said:

FlyboyAF, congrats on the room!

I'm curious, how the rest of the room turned out. I saw the barstools—maybe the perfect mancave? What are your plans for it? Maybe share some pics?

Thank you very much!!! Eventually I would like to put a full bar / poker room in the adjacent room so I could have a bigger group over and we could just go between the two lol. With the craziness of what is hapenning at the moment, that is on hold.

I also want to install a Swing Catalyst system. It uses a visual heat map to track and display your pressure on the ground throughout your entire swing and syncs it up to high-speed video. That way I'll be able to improve my pressure transfer and really put all of the force possible into the ball! : )

[FlyboyAF]

On 2/12/2020 at 1:41 AM, Kanoito said:

Wow, can't believe I just seeing this thread now.

@FlyboyAF that's a fuckton of work you put into the project, congratz! It looks awesome! Thank you for sharing so many details and suggestions.

Is the simulation software from GCQuad? Or can you combine it with other types of software? I'm asking because the graphics don't look like other HD stuff out there. 

 

Thanks Kanoito!!!! Putting in the work and building the majority of it myself was incredibly rewarding! The FX software comes with the GC Quad. They have different levels of the virtual courses that you can buy. At the top tier ($500 per course), they literally map every undulation, rock, tree, view, etc. Those are spots like Spyglass & Pebble Beach. They also have a bunch in the $150 per course range that are still pretty sweet from a graphics perspective....places like the British Rotum (Carnoustie, Gleneagles, etc). 

The Quad can link to other software as addins like Swing Catalyst, High-Speed Cameras (up to 2), etc, but the simulation software is FX.

[FlyboyAF]

On 2/11/2020 at 9:40 AM, newballcoach said:

Great inspiration for all of us. Inside the next 5 years I'd love to put something like this into my garage. I sold my wife on the idea because it would save me from the local indoor golf league every year!

You mentioned an extra step with subflooring if you have concrete. Wondering what/why that would be? Is it due to not being level?

If you have a concrete floor, there is the leveling factor, plus laying down some thin rubber layering and/or foam to prevent the plastic subfloor from sliding around. I used the TourLink Panels for my setup, but you could also look into using the Home Depot rubber tiles for a cheaper solution ; )

[berkeleybob]

38 minutes ago, FlyboyAF said:

You are welcome my man!! The reason I put it out there was that it took so much longer to go through the process myself due to the lack of consolidated information out there. Glad I could help stimulate some ideas! The hitting mat is one of the most important parts and the option I chose should be well within your budget (Real Feel Golf Mats). They will save your wrists and arm joints as well as have the added benefit of giving you feedback on your strike. If you hit a fat shot on these mats, you will hit a fat shot on your simulator....none of that bouncing up into the ball and making you think that you hit a great shot lol.

I knew that I was going to spend on the launch monitor side, so did a little research on things like Skytrak, Optishot, and even Flightscope. I would go out and see if you could find a GC2 with HMT. You can get a refurbished set for about half of what the GC Quad would cost you. the HMT part gives you the ability to see where you are striking the ball on the club face while the GC2 part is the launch data. Still highly accurate and provides the most useful info to help you get better! 

You are seriously inspiring me ... to persuade my bro to build one in his house or garage. He definitely has the room.

[jsavoie88]

This is absolutely incredible! Congrats to you and thank you for sharing the wealth of information. You are an inspiration and we are all green with envy.

[Sluggo42]

Just WoW.

 Just started looking at this stuff here in SoCal due to club closures from Covid-19.

you went deep and ultimate, where I would never go, so I’m very jealous, and extremely impressed. Your setup is awesome. I’m probably going to end up with just a new in the garage haha, but congrats on your work mate, it’s beyond awesome.

[tatersalad18]

Hi.  Just starting out on this venture.  Can you tell me how much space is in between your screen and wall?  I see everywhere most places recommend 12", curious if thats what you have.  Also, have you had any issues hitting the wood frame and having to dodge a hot ball?

 

Thanks

[Grit Golf]

Your project is so much higher quality than mine! I would LIVE in that room!

Here’s mine:

[FlyboyAF]

On 6/24/2020 at 7:22 AM, tatersalad18 said:

Hi.  Just starting out on this venture.  Can you tell me how much space is in between your screen and wall?  I see everywhere most places recommend 12", curious if thats what you have.  Also, have you had any issues hitting the wood frame and having to dodge a hot ball?

 

Thanks

I left 14" between the wall and the screen. Keep in mind with your setup:

You have to be able to get behind there to setup the grommets on the hooks on the left/right/and top of the impact screen....so the more room, the easier that will be

I haven't had any issues with the impact on wood because I don't shank it lol. I can pull the side drapes out and move them in front of the wood on the sides. I have 6' between the front of my hitting mat and the screen, so if I'm hitting 60 deg wedges, I'll just hit from the front ; )

Edited September 23, 2020 by FlyboyAF

[Headhammer]

Not sure how I missed this thread, but WOW!

[Vakanso]

On 12/18/2019 at 7:43 PM, FlyboyAF said:

Stage 6: Projector

Projectors: I investigated a lot of options including BenQ, Optoma, Sony, and Epson. The important factors in selecting the right projector for your application are

• Throw Ratio - The mounting distance away from the screen (D) divided by the width of the projected image (W)..... D/W
  • Most simulators will require a short throw or ultra-short throw ratio because of available room length (0.3:1 to 1:1)
  • You can buy projectors without lenses. The lens is the piece that is responsible for the throw capability (short-throw lens)
    • You can also cheat throw distance by buying a projector with a good amount of zoom ability
  • Link - Projector Central Throw Calculator (also a great site and resource for projector information)
• Lumens - Brightness of the projected image
  • Less lumens are required for darker rooms and more lumens are needed for rooms with more natural light so that the projected image isn't washed out by the ambient conditions
  • Minimum Lumens: 2000 in a dark room
  • Recommended Lumens: 3000+
  • Optimum Performance: 5000+
• Aspect Ratio - Relationship of width:height of the projected image
  • Typical ARs are 4:3 (Rectangular), 16:9 (HD), and 16:10 (Awesomest)
• Resolution - Number of pixels contained in the image (pixels for width x pixels for height). The "W" below stands for "Wide" used with 16:9 & 16:10 ARs
  • SVGA to UXGA: Resolutions for a 4:3 AR 
    • 800 x 600 to 1600 x 1200
  • WXGA to WUXGA: Resolutions for 16:9 & 16:10 AR
    • 1280 x 800 to 1920 x 1200
  • The more pixels you have, the clearer and crisper your image shall be
  • There are also 4K specs, but now you're getting into ridiculous amounts of $$$$

In the end I went with the Epson Pro G7500 projector w/Epson Short-Throw Lens (ELPLU03). $5,424

Link - Best Deals I Found on Projector & Lens - Tierney Brothers

• 6500 Lumens
• 16:10 Native Aspect Ratio
• 1920 x 1200 Resolution (WUXGA)
• 50,000:1 Contrast Ratio
• 1.0 - 1.2x Zoom Ratio
• 0.65 - 0.78 Throw Ratio in 16:10 AR
• Throw Distance of 9' 11" back from screen

Mounts are also a whole world unto themselves.....

I went with the Epson ELPMB 47 Low Profile Mount to maintain as much vertical clearance as possible between a golfer swinging a club and the expensive projector lol $322

I was very inspired by your posts and got the idea to create a golf simulator at home. Now there is an epidemic of COVID-19 in the country, so it is dangerous to go out on the field, like in other public places. I have a question about a projector: can I buy a good one for $ 1000? I liked the ViewSonic True 4K Projector from this guide. What do you think of him?

Edited October 29, 2020 by Vakanso

[gman8966]

What an awesome setup, looks like you did a great job. I have a GC2 setup in my barn and plan to add an enclosure with hitting screen and projector in the near future. I am jealous of your setup though!

[Andrew0921]

How difficult is it to switch the Foresight system when you have a left-handed golfer in the group?

[Golfer1280]

I show you said you secured the screen with hooks from the inside of the frame. I don't show they are visible. Does the outer part of your frame overhang the screen?

 

Edited August 12, 2022 by Golfer1280

[Chester3488]

This is such a fun thread to follow. 

Some great ideas here. 

[ruliz]

Great thread and explanation of the steps to build one of these in the house. I definitly will be saving this for reference in the future when I finally decide to build one at home.

[Megan H]

@FlyboyAF- The buildout looks great! How has it held up over the past few years? I'm especially interested in the durability of the ceiling pads and how well they deflect the balls. Thanks!

Edited January 18 by Megan H
Tagging user

[FlyboyAF]

On 2/12/2020 at 1:41 AM, Kanoito said:

Wow, can't believe I just seeing this thread now.

@FlyboyAF that's a fuckton of work you put into the project, congratz! It looks awesome! Thank you for sharing so many details and suggestions.

Is the simulation software from GCQuad? Or can you combine it with other types of software? I'm asking because the graphics don't look like other HD stuff out there. 

 

Yes. I use GCQuad as the launch monitor and FSX Pro for the simulation. I've been looking at GSPro as what I want to move to for playing courses. It has a ton including "Georgia Golf Club"   The closest I will come to playing Augusta! lol. 

[FlyboyAF]

On 1/17/2024 at 7:31 PM, Megan H said:

@FlyboyAF- The buildout looks great! How has it held up over the past few years? I'm especially interested in the durability of the ceiling pads and how well they deflect the balls. Thanks!

Zero problems....it's like new. I've only hit the ceiling protection a couple times with some lob shots, but the memory foam does it's job in dampening the impact velocity instead of creating a trampoline effect like other foam solutions. If I'm practicing/hitting wedge shots, I'll move up to the front of the hitting mat (about 6' to the screen) to ensure the ball impacts the screen.

[FlyboyAF]

On 8/12/2022 at 11:21 AM, Golfer1280 said:

I show you said you secured the screen with hooks from the inside of the frame. I don't show they are visible. Does the outer part of your frame overhang the screen?

 

Yes. The hooks screw into the inside of the wooden frame. There is extra coverage from the frame to hide the connection points to the screen.

[FlyboyAF]

On 5/23/2021 at 10:26 AM, Andrew0921 said:

How difficult is it to switch the Foresight system when you have a left-handed golfer in the group?

Pretty easy. You just press the "L" button on the Quad and move it to the other side. If you are connecting to the computer via Bluetooth with a charged battery, there aren't any cord attachments to anything

[Tuckerman]

This is the most helpful information I have found on building a built in enclosure!  I will be building a new home so I have a chance to spec the space and get it right. A few questions.  How much bigger did you make your frame than the screen size (looks like just a few inches on each side)?  I was thinking of attaching metal conduit to the wood frame vs screw in eyelets for attaching bungees?  Any concerns with that approach?  It looks like your screen is tight to the floor, how did you secure the bottom of the screen?

Thanks so much!

[FlyboyAF]

@Tuckerman

Thank you!!! It was a passion project for sure

The viewable screen width is 160" (13.33') with 5.5" frame segments covering the remainder of the screen on both sides. The screw hooks that catch the bungees are screwed into the lateral ends of the frames internally. I bought a 115" x 167" Premium Impact Screen from Carl's Place (Custom) with finished edges (grommets) and a sewn pocket on the bottom. I put an aluminum pipe through the bottom to keep tension from the bungees on the top and keep the screen smooth.

So about 3-3.5" overlap on either side (Frame to Screen). Leave plenty of room to ensure you can tune the tension so the ball return is just right back to just in front of the hitting area (adjustable bungees also work very well for this).

 

No concerns at all with conduit instead of eye hooks as long as you remember to put some spacers at a few points between for standoff so you can wrap the bungees.

Looks like I'll be installing a couple high speed cameras and the Swing Catalyst Dual Pressure Plates this summer  

 

Edited March 7 by FlyboyAF