$1500 Home Golf Simulator DIY

[Goyanks7777]

I just wanted to share a home DIY golf simulator project I’ve been working on over the last couple months. I did a decent amount of research on different options and would be happy to share what I found/bought and some honest unofficial opinions/reviews in the hopes that it’ll help 1-2 people achieve this type of setup themselves.

As a brief introduction, I live in the northern Midwest and 4-6 months of the year it is too cold to get out and golf. I wanted to build something that was fairly cost effective ($1-2k as I didn’t have the budget for the $2-3k launch monitors) but that would also be accurate and hopefully help improve my game. If someone is hoping to build a cheaper quality setup then hopefully this post will help. If someone wants a top of the line simulator experience then this may not be the post for them. Overall, I’m hoping hitting golf balls more consistently will help lower my handicap but also want to practice in a way that will translate to lower rounds on the golf course, not just on the simulator. If anyone has any of their own tips/tricks to improve the setup and wants to share, I would greatly appreciate those as well!

The simulator is currently set up in a 14’x19’x10' room off of my garage. It would fit nicely in a basement setup as well and the parts (net/screen, mat, projector, launch monitor) are portable with 10-20 minutes effort so the setup could be moved outside if desired. I'm currently running the Rapsodo MLM2Pro software in addition to the E6 trial + Pinseeker App via an Ipad and Iphone. Below are a few photos along with Links/Prices to some of the main pieces. Overall, I have some reservations when it comes to indoor golf simulators as I was not always as comfortable taking full swings in an enclosed area, although this has significantly improved after a few days and becoming more comfortable hitting inside. I would highly recommend going to an indoor simulator (or a couple) prior to trying to build one as it may someone to identify aspects that they like or dislike about hitting surfaces, tees, distances to the screen, etc.
 

*Disclaimer* I am a 22 handicap golfer so any reviews below are not those of a 0 handicap golfer and are my own personal opinions. At the end of the day I recommend researching what's right for you and your needs but hopefully this will help. I was not compensated for any of these opinions but if someone would like to provide compensation or something to test/review then I’m not too proud to accept

GoSports Range Cage (10x8ft) - $299

Ideally, I wanted to set up a net that included a screen so that I could add a projector and play virtual golf courses in addition to using a launch monitor's golf analysis. I considered buying an enclosure kit from somewhere like Carl's Place however even some cheaper options were outside of my budget. If you're handier than I am then it may be worthwhile to consider obtaining a quality Golf Impact Screen (possibly at lower cost) and building the framing/netting yourself to cut costs but I am not that resourceful. I was very happy when I found the GoSports Rang Cage as its price point was great and their other hitting nets had solid reviews. It was relatively easy to build (although would've been even easier with two people) and is very sturdy. One downside to the net would be there is a little bit of drooping from the top of the net, although this was easily alleviated with a ceiling hook. For true beginners, wildly errant shots may hit the side or bottom metal bars but this has not been an issue outside of the first day of obtaining. Overall, this may be the part of the simulator I am most pleased with as the quality of the screen was sufficient for what I needed, the netting/poles are sturdy and once draped with cheap stage curtains looks similar to the far more expensive set-ups IMO.

MGS Best Golf Nets 2023: https://mygolfspy.com/buyers-guides/golf-accessories/best-golf-net/

Golf mat (4’ by 5’) - $200 (on sale from full price of $300)

Which golf mat to buy is one of the more individual preferences in my opinion based on the style of mat one prefers to hit off of. I was trying to simulate hitting off of the fairway as much as I could while not having a mat that was too soft. Sadly, many true feel or realistic hitting mats were outside of my budget but I feel I was able to find one that I like more that the standard driving range mat for close to the same price. Additionally, I wanted to be able to use my own tees in the mat as I've always been annoyed by the standard plastic tees at driving ranges. This comes with its own headaches as I have 3-4 tees I use (smaller than a tee I would play with on the course as it does not go into the mat as much as it does the ground) which I have to pick up after a few tee shots, but I am hopefully that it will better simulate tee shots on the course as I can tee it up like I normally would rather than off of the thick white tees. Additionally, this allows for me to adjust my feet more on the mat and adjust the free-standing Rapsodo rather than having to align it with a standard hitting position. Many mats at this price range were higher quality but very small and I wanted one where I could stand at the same level of the ball, if you can find a cheaper way to alleviate this issue than this cost may be able to be decreased even further. Some hitting surfaces replicated hitting in the rough or sand... this would be a feature I may add in the future, but could be work considering with the smaller mats. Currently the Rapsodo simulator or E6 account for the power difference when hitting out of the rough or sand, but in reality, every shot I hit is hit off of the same mat surface so replicating what would happen on the course for those shots is not currently possible. In the future this will be an area I'll look to upgrade but currently this mat fills my needs. In hindsight, I would recommend getting the 5' by 5' mat as this would allow for my foot room and therefore more comfort when swinging. The 4' by 5' is sufficient but this is a personal preference as my foot being by the edge of the mat may/may not affect how focused I am on the golf swing. To alleviate that I'll likely purchase a larger mat in the future. As a left-handed golfer, something I had not considered was when having others over to enjoy the simulator they would be hitting from the other side of the mat. This means that the Rapsodo monitor has to be moved to the other side of the mat and re-aligned if the selected hitting area isn't suitable to both handedness of golfers. This may not be an issue for right-handed golfers but is another odd situation for left-handed golfers. A larger or centralized hitting area would easily alleviate this problem.

Rapsodo MLM2Pro Launch Monitor + Annual Membership - $750

** Need 6 feet behind, 8 feet to net ( best > 16 feet) 

Projector - $100 (on sale)

Foam/Zip Ties/Curtains/Hooks/Glade/Packing Blankets- $125

For more budget practice setup options: https://mygolfspy.com/buyers-guides/all/best-golf-practice-setup/
MGS Best Home Golf Simulator Review: https://mygolfspy.com/buyers-guides/all/best-golf-simulators-for-home/
 

Edited June 6 by Goyanks7777

[Jeffers]

Very nice, I'm in central Wisconsin so can feel for you with the long off season. How tall is the ceiling? Heated and air conditioned?

[Goyanks7777]

31 minutes ago, Jeffers said:

Very nice, I'm in central Wisconsin so can feel for you with the long off season. How tall is the ceiling? Heated and air conditioned?

I believe the ceilings are 10 foot ceilings, may be between 10-11 feet. It is fully insulated but no central heating or air. I am planning on adding in some kind of portable air-conditioning/heating option as it got pretty hot the other day after a couple hours. Other additions include possibly mounting a TV above where the clubs are currently stored (I hit from the wrong side so it'll be perfectly positioned) as well as a refrigerator and table.

[Schmucker20]

I have been looking for an enclosure like this! I am in Ontario, Canada so I feel you on those long cold months my man. Appreciate you sharing this! First post that popped up when I searched simulators. Have been trying to convince the wife that a simulator will help save money and trips to the local sims in my area lol. This will for sure help cut the cost and push it into more my budget range.