Indoor golf
How to set up a golf simulator. Seven steps, DIY first, with when to call a professional.
Many home bays go up with two people and ordinary tools. The order matters: the mat fixes the hitting position, the screen fixes the projector, and the projector fixes the cable run. Follow the seven steps in order and read each product's own instructions.
Step 1
Measure and mark the room. Ceiling at the lowest point, width, depth, hitting line.
Before anything comes out of a box, confirm the room against the figures on each product page. Measure ceiling height at the lowest point over the hitting area, width wall to wall, and depth from the screen wall to the back wall. Mark the hitting line on the floor with tape, then mark where the enclosure and the launch monitor will sit. Find the ceiling structure for the projector mount now, while the room is empty.
Step 2
Lay the mat, set the hitting position. Everything else lines up to this.
Place the hitting mat on the line you marked, at the position the launch monitor's instructions give. For a ceiling-mounted unit, that sets where the unit goes overhead. Lay turf around the mat if you are using it. For shared left- and right-handed play, center the hitting area. Take a slow practice swing to confirm the ceiling and walls clear before you build anything above or beside you.
Step 3
Build the enclosure and hang the screen. Two people, the maker's instructions, and the gap behind.
Assemble the frame following the maker's instructions, then stand it up with two people and position it so the screen keeps its gap from the wall. Hang the impact screen as the maker describes so it sits flat. Add side netting before the first ball, then padding where the ball can reach. Check the screen is square and centered on the hitting line.
Gap to the wall
An impact screen needs a gap to the backing or wall. Follow the maker's instructions; never set it flat against the wall.
Screen fit
Hang and fasten the screen as the maker describes, and check it again after the first session.
Tools
Use the tools the maker's instructions list. A step ladder and a second person are the usual extras.
Step 4
Place the launch monitor. At its stated position, level, aimed at the ball.
Put the launch monitor where its product page and instructions say: beside the hitting area or on the ceiling within its height band, at the stated distance from the tee. Level it, aim it at the ball position, and keep the path between unit and ball clear. Ceiling units need fixing to structure; use an installer if you are not comfortable working overhead. Connect it to the PC and follow the maker's setup steps before you move on.
Step 5
Mount and align the projector. Fix to structure, set the height, center the lens.
Multiply your image width by the projector's throw ratio to get the lens-to-screen distance, and mark that point on the ceiling above and behind the hitting area. Fix the QualGear mount to structure, never drywall alone, using the kit for your ceiling type, and check the weight rating against the projector. Set the height so the image lands on the screen, hang the projector, and square the image using its own adjustments as its manual describes.
Find structure
Joist, drop-ceiling grid, slope or truss. Pick the matching QualGear kit and locate the fixing points before drilling.
Set the height
QualGear sells Pro-AV 1.5-in NPT extension pipes to bring the projector down to the right height.
Align
Center the image, then focus and size it to the screen edges, following the projector manual.
Step 6
Run the cables. HDMI and power along the ceiling, out of the swing.
Run HDMI from the PC up the wall, along the ceiling and down the mount to the projector, with slack at both ends. Run power the same way to the nearest outlet, or have an electrician add one at the ceiling. Keep every cable out of the swing path and off the floor between mat and screen. Hold the run with cable clips along the ceiling and hook-and-loop ties at the mount. The HDMI cables in our builder come in 3 ft, 6 ft and 10 ft.
Step 7
Calibrate the software. Match the image to the screen and the monitor to the ball.
Open the simulator software, set the output to the projector's native resolution and aspect ratio, and run the software's screen calibration so the aim point on the screen matches where the ball goes. Then follow the launch monitor's own calibration steps and hit a few balls with a mid-iron, checking that the reported distance and direction look sensible. Re-check calibration after the screen or the mat has moved.
When to hire a professional
Call someone for structure and power. Overhead fixings, electrical work and venues.
Hire a professional if you are not sure what the ceiling is made of or where the structure is, if the projector or launch monitor mount needs fixing into a sloped or truss ceiling, if you need a new outlet at the ceiling, or if the bay is in a commercial venue. Installation and labor are not included; we recommend professional installation for commercial venues. A local AV installer can do the mount and cabling; an electrician does the power.
What to ask an installer
Six questions before they start. So the mount, the cables and the record are clear.
Ask what the ceiling is made of and what they will fix into. Ask them to confirm the mount's weight rating against the projector. Ask how the HDMI and power will run and whether they are adding an outlet. Ask who aligns the projector and calibrates the software. Ask what they need from you on the day. Ask for a written note of what was fixed and where.
Structure
What is the ceiling made of, and what will you fix the mount into?
Weight
Does the mount's stated weight rating cover this projector?
Cables
Where will HDMI and power run, and do we need a new outlet?
Alignment
Who aligns the projector and calibrates the software?
Preparation
What do you need from us before you arrive?
Record
Can you leave a written note of what was fixed and where?
Who answers what
Real people, Mon–Fri 9–5 CT. QualGear for the mount and cables, partners for golf gear.
Golf products are sold by QualGear and fulfilled by our partners, who ship them directly and handle product support, warranty and returns. Contact us first and we will route your request. QualGear mounts, cables and cable management are our own products: US-based support — real people, Mon–Fri 9–5 CT, 972-423-5015 — and orders for QualGear items placed by 2:00 pm CT ship the same business day.
Questions
Setup questions
How long does setup take?
What tools do I need?
How do I align the projector to the screen?
How do I hide the cables?
Do you install?
What if something arrives damaged?
Plan it, then build it. Measure the room, then choose a package or each part.
Build your simulator
Choose each part; the builder checks it against your room where the maker publishes a size, and adds the whole build to your cart.
Start the builder