What Are the Best Projectors for a Garage Golf Simulator?

Golf simulator owners often list the garage as one of the most popular locations for their playing area. Whether it's setting up a dedicated simulator in a single bay or creating a parking space that can be converted into a golf sim, getting the right projector for your setup can be a challenge. So, what makes a great golf sim projector for the garage – and which ones do you want to avoid? Here are five key features to look for in a garage golf simulator projector.

• Toughness – can it handle the heat/cold/dirt in a garage?
• How easy it is to set up a Show Throw Lens?
• Offset – what does it mean and why is it important in a garage simulator?
• How to tell if it is a colour-accurate model for realistic courses?
• Brightness-how bright does it have to be?

Keep in mind that when you are using your garage for golf simulation, the right projector can enable your impact screen to double as a giant 3.4 m (11 ft) wide television – perfect for watching The Open, so the ability to use it as a television or movie projector may be important to you. 

Let’s look at the options around each factor.

Garages can be a hostile place for projectors. They get dirty, are colder and hotter than the rest of the house, and typically don’t have humidity control. Not all projectors can handle this, so here are three things that determine if a projector is tough enough to live in a garage. 

• Sealed Light Engine to keep dust out of the projector. Many classroom and conference room projectors still use paper filters – where a dusty environment can void the warranty.
• Ability to operate in above-average heat or below-cold environments. For example, the new BenQ LH820ST can be used in temperatures up to 40°C, and as low as 0°C.
• Can handle high humidity and freezing temperatures. Look for a model that can handle up to 90% relative humidity and can be stored in a garage – even if the temperature drops to -20°C. 

Unless your garage ceiling is higher than average, a “short throw” projector lens is the easiest way that will fill the entire screen without the risk of creating a shadow on the screen when you are hitting.  Short-throw lenses are more expensive but make mounting a projector in the ceiling much easier. 

There are different short-throw lenses that will enable you to mount the projector in a safe place. For example, the BenQ LH820ST has a throw ratio of 0.5 – which can fill a 3.7 m (12 ft) wide screen from just 1.8 m (6 ft) away – which will be safely above the hitting area. Other models such as the LU935ST are designed with a 0.81 throw ratio to go a little farther back – and are good for bigger screens where you can create a 4.3 m (14 ft) wide screen from just 3.7 m (12 ft) away. A normal throw projector would need to be mounted about 1.5 m (5 ft) or farther back and could create a shadow with a standard ceiling.

For a garage golf simulator, the projector image must cover the entire impact screen down to the floor – but not be blocked by the enclosure. Most classroom or conference room projectors are not designed for this, so they may require a lot of tilting and correction to make it work. The best golf simulation projectors have specific offsets to get the image under the top wall of the enclosure – while extending the image all the way to the floor. For example, the BenQ LH820ST combines a shorter throw (.50 ratio) lens with a 9° offset that gently bends the picture down to the floor while enabling the projector to be mounted closer to the screen. The BenQ LK954ST has a neutral offset – since it is farther back and has lens shift capability.

One important aspect of a golf simulation projector is colour accuracy. Why? Many high-brightness projectors are designed to show spreadsheets and PowerPoint slides where a bright image is more important than the shade of green in a pie chart. Using one of these models can result in fairway grass having a glowing radioactive look instead of the muted dark greens of a classic links fairway. A projector that has a “Rec. 709” colour specification at or above 90%, will have realistic colour for a garage golf setup to show off your courses the way they are designed to look on the screen.

A typical home theatre projector has 100% Rec. 709 colour accuracy – but usually is about 2000 lumens, while a conference room or classroom projector is brighter – 4000 – 5000 lumens, but often has no Rec. 709 colour accuracy specifications. For a garage golf simulator projector – look for a projector that has both brightness – and Rec. 709 colour accuracy. The table below has several options for you to choose from at different resolutions and price points.

If you are looking for a projector that fits your budget and works in your garage, then check out the table below for some popular models that might be right for you. All these models use laser light instead of a traditional mercury based lamp, which is being discontinued in 130+ countries in a few years.

BenQ has trained staff to help you find the perfect golf simulator projector – within your room size and budget. To help you make the best decision, you can reach out to one of our experts to set up anything from a chat to a complete online demo, to help you find the right projector for your needs.