Best Projector for a Golf Simulator

A washed-out picture is the most common complaint about a home sim, and most of the time it comes from the projector: too dim for the room, or in the wrong place. The picks above come from sellers’ published specifications and prices, not our own use. Brightness and input lag figures are the makers’ numbers.

Brightness: how many lumens

Lumens measure brightness, and the advice from sellers varies with the room. PlayBetter gives three bands:

Room	Lumens suggested
Dark room	1,500 to 2,000 minimum
Most indoor setups	2,200 to 2,500 ideal
Bright spaces, garages, multipurpose rooms	3,000 or more

Golfer’s Authority agrees that a dark room might need only about 1,500 lumens and a well-lit one at least 2,200. BenQ aims higher: about 3,000 ANSI lumens for smaller screens, and 4,000 or brighter, ideally laser, for screens 10 ft wide or wider. aboutGOLF recommends at least 3,000, with more for ambient light.

A darker room makes a brighter, cleaner picture for the same projector, which is why Carl’s Place notes that basements help. If your simulator is in a garage with a window, buy brightness. If it is in a basement you can black out, you can spend less.

Throw ratio and where the projector goes

Throw ratio is the projector-to-screen distance divided by the image width. Throw distance equals throw ratio times screen width. A ratio of 0.8 and a 10 ft wide image means mounting 8 ft away. The projector throw calculator does that sum for you in both directions.

Short-throw projectors typically run 0.4 to 1.0, and BenQ’s use range is 0.5 to 1.1. Short throw lets the projector sit closer to the screen, which helps keep it out of the golfer’s shadow and the ball’s path.

BenQ advises a mount on the target line 7 to 8 ft from the screen, with the projector about 4 ft behind the tee. PlayBetter says directly above the golfer or 3 to 4 ft behind. Overhead installs are usually upside down, and at 100 percent offset the top edge of the image lines up with the lens center. Offsets above 110 percent in a room with a ceiling under 9 ft may need tilt and keystone correction, per BenQ. The projector setup guide covers the mounting steps.

The GT2400HDR, AH30ST and AH500ST are listed as short throw and the other three carry an ST model name, but none of the listings gives a throw ratio, so read the ratio on the seller’s page and run it through the calculator before you order. PlayBetter’s example of a projector that is not short throw is the LG ProBeam at 0.94 to 1.14, so do not assume the ratio from a model’s name.

1080p or 4K

BenQ says 1080p is acceptable and 4K is preferred, and recommends 4K for screens wider than 14 ft. The three 4K picks run from $2,699 to $4,899, and all of them need a PC that can drive 4K, which a typical computer may not.

Resolution loses pixels on a 4:3 screen. BenQ’s table shows that 4K 3840x2160 becomes 2880x2160, and Full HD 1920x1080 becomes 1440x1080. Impact screens are typically 4:3, so the resolution you see is less than the box says. See the impact screen guide for sizing the screen to match.

Input lag

Input lag is the delay between the PC sending a frame and the projector showing it. The GT2400HDR lists 8.4 ms at 1080p 120Hz, the only input lag figure in the picks. The other five listings give none, so check the spec sheet if it matters to you.

Lamp, LED or laser

Golfer’s Authority puts lamp life at 3,000 to 4,000 hours, LED at up to 20,000 and laser at about 50,000, while PlayBetter cites 20,000 or more for laser. BenQ warns that lamp projectors can fall to about 3,000 lumens on screen after about a year of use. Two of the picks list a laser light source: the ZK521ST-B and the LK936ST. The BenQ AH30ST, AH500ST and AK800ST listings do not state one, so check the light source before you compare running costs.

Matching the projector to your build

Work backwards from the screen. Choose the screen width first, then use its width and the projector’s throw ratio to find the throw distance, then check that distance against your ceiling mount position. If the numbers land inside the room, you have a match. If they do not, a different throw ratio is the fix.

Then check brightness against your light. The GT2400HDR lists 4,200 ANSI lumens and the AH500ST 4,000, which fits BenQ’s advice for screens 10 ft wide or wider. The three 4K models list 5,000 to 5,100 lumens. The AH30ST listing does not give a lumen figure in the seller’s summary, so confirm it before you compare it with the others. Cost is the last check: the six picks run $1,299, $1,499, $1,999, $2,699, $3,999 and $4,899, and each one needs a mount you buy separately.

Run the numbers

Add the projector to the cost calculator with a mount, and check the room with the room size calculator.

Who should skip a projector

• Anyone who wants only numbers. A net and a monitor cost far less. See the enclosure vs net guide.
• Rooms with no depth. If you cannot fit the throw distance, look at a different throw ratio. Ultra short throw models are a separate category this guide does not cover, so check the maker’s page for specifics.
• Buyers without a PC to match. A 4K projector with a weak computer gives you nothing for the extra money.

Common buying mistakes

1. Buying the brightest model regardless of room. Match lumens to how dark you can make the room.
2. Not checking throw ratio. A projector that cannot reach your screen size from your ceiling mount position is a return.
3. Forgetting the mount. Every pick lists the mount as sold separately.
4. Ignoring the aspect ratio. Check the resolution you will get on a 4:3 screen.
5. Hanging it in the strike line. Keep the mount out of the ball’s path. The enclosure kit guide shows where mounts go.