“The BenQ LW500ST covers 98% of the Rec 709 colour gamut and it has proven to be a good fit for small to mid-size rooms used for the golf simulation”
by Neil McCammon
I started my Golf simulator build about 4 years ago and must admit I did not know anything about projectors at that time. I tried several different used devices I found on typical online sources and each one worked, but I could not get things to align properly and troublesome issues until I get this projector. One frequently asked question is which projector I chose. I have an ala carte golf simulator that I built myself. I used a BenQ LW500ST golf simulator projector with a 133” diagonal impact screen. I am currently using TGC2019 simulation software and Skytrak Launch monitor. My hitting area is 3.7 (m) wide and 5.5 (m) deep, with the middle of the strike mat at 8’ from the screen. To fill the entire screen, I used Auto Vertical Keystone, Corner Fit, and Screen Fill. These built-in settings allowed me to easily fill my customised projector screen. The BenQ LW500ST supports projecting a custom-sized image while still providing a great picture.
Golf Sim Setup
Room Dimension: W3.7’x H2.7 x D6 m
Impact Screen: W2.7 x H2.3 m
Projector: BenQ LW500ST
Launch Monitor: SkyTrak
Software: TGC2019
My custom-sized screen is 2.7 (m) wide and 2.3 (m) tall. My projector is floor mounted approximately 90” from the screen and the LW500ST has an 0.72-0.87 short throw ratio with 1.2x Zoom providing you additional adjustments if required. I use my touchscreen monitor speakers because my projector is covered with a floor protector, but for those looking for an audio solution, the BenQ LW500ST has speakers that are more than sufficient for a golf simulator.
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The BenQ LW500ST is a good projector for video projection rooms. It has a 20,000 to 1 contrast ratio and over 1 billion display colours. It covers 98% of the Rec. 709 colour gamut. The BenQ LW500ST has more than met my expectations. It has proven to be a good fit for small to mid-sized rooms used for golf simulation. The short throw projection allows me to stand in front of the projector without casting a shadow. The brightness is only rated at 2000 lumens concerned me at first but the LED Technology it performs as good or better than most rated at 3000 lumens. Overall, the projector is a key component of my simulator experience and is easy to adjust even with my non-standard simulator space.
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