The optimum distance from a screen for a golf simulator is 8 feet. However, as long as your have 5 feet and you can be up to 12 feet away and still be comfortable. The setup can vary depending on your space that you have to work with!
Dreaming of your very own golf simulator?
I have been there and was fortunate enough to build a golf simulator in my garage.
Talk about a game changer for my scores and overall satisfaction with the game of golf. I am now able to play golf 365 days a year in the comfort of my home.
I know what you are thinking, but I don’t have 20-30 thousand dollars to build a golf simulator. The great news is that it no longer costs that amount of money.
Golf simulators in the past were for the very wealthy or for commercial settings. Now with the proper space, and around 5-7 thousand dollars you can have one awesome setup in your home.
Think about it, no longer will you have to worry about the rain, snow, cold weather or time of day. Simply turn on your golf simulator and have a blast.
And don’t forget, watch your scores lower both in simulator golf and actual golf as you now have the opportunity to practice 7 days a week. You no longer have to drive to the driving range and spend 20-40 minutes just in drive time.
Now you can step into your garage, basement or somewhere in your house and start getting better.
One of my favorite parts of my golf simulator ist hea access to the course, who wouldn’t want to play Augusta, Pebble Beach, Whistling Straits, or St. Andrews everyday?
There are many questions associated with building a golf simulator and we are here to help!
One of the most common questions we often have relates the space needed.
Update: I have played over 1,000 round of golf on my simulator and still have the original impact screen. 8 feet appears to be a quality number for the longevity of the screen!
Golf Simulator Distance From Screen?
Let’s dive in a little further into this answer and other golf simulator related questions.
Comprehensive Guide to Building A Golf Simulator – Visit Here
Why 8 feet away from the screen?
Most people have some limited space they must operate within when building a residential golf simulator whether in their garage, home or basement.
Some might opt to build an outbuilding, especially designed for their simulator. The 8 feet of distance provides enough clearance to swing a driver and at the same time provide enough safe distance for the golfer and the longevity of the screen.
You will need about 6 feet of distance behind you as well for others in that space, so a total of 15 feet in depth will be very helpful. I have a total of 24 feet from wall to wall, front to back in my garage setup.
What If I am too close or too far?
If you are too close to the screen you could cause undue stress to your impact screen. The high quality, high definition impact screens cost a decent amount of money and you want to ensure you get as much life out of the impact screen as possible.
Also, you want to ensure you have enough space to swing the club and not have the ball fly back at you.
How much total space do I need?
You will need a minimum of 10 feet wide and at least 8.5 feet in ceiling height. Then the 15 total free front to back.
Here a complete overview of the space needed:
What Is Your Current Setup?
We know that the minimum space requirement is 10’ x 8.5’ x 15’, but what is the ideal space? We would recommend 16’ x 10’ x 25’. This would provide plenty of space for multiple players to be in your space and to move about safely and enjoy the game and competition.
I have selected the SkyTrak Launch Monitor as the “brains” of my simulator setup. This versatile launch monitor can be used inside and outside. In a golf simulator setup or simply at the range you can receive key data to help you get better.
Bonus Tip:
With 8 feet of distance from the screen I am able to work on my favorite drill for consistency. It is a start line drill that allows me to practice hitting shots that start right of my target line with the goal of curving the shot back towards the target without crossing over.
I set up the alignment stick by the screen and I hit shots to the right of the alignment stick and see if they draw back towards my target.
One of my favorite shots in the approach shot on #11 at Augusta, I love standing in that fairway setting my TGC software to Auto-RePlay and hit shot after shot with an 8, 9 or pitching wedge to work on my stock shot which is a draw.
The true path to getting better at golf is training like this and my golf simulator allows me to hit realistic shots on some of the most famous golf courses in the world.
Also the ability to gain speed and distance in your game is possible. When you combine the SkyTrak setup with a SuperSpeed Golf Training system you have the perfect laboratory to experiment and gain speed.
Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:
Does life really get better than this?
Recommended Vendor?
Our experience with Rain or Shine Golf has been excellent. They offer many different simulator packages and excellent financing deals. At times they run 0% interest for a length of time that is difficult to beat.
When you take the 5 or 7 grand that you might spend and spread it out to monthly payments the golf simulator becomes a greater reality for most golfers.
What Different Simulators Does Rain or Shine Sell?
- SkyTrak
- FlightScope MEVO
- Foresight GC2
- Uneekor QED
To Check Pricing on these items, check out the package offers here.
Final Thoughts
The golf simulator is a game and life changer. Not only you will find that your golf game gets better, but the chances of enjoying life increase. The opportunity to play golf 365 days a year regardless of the weather or time of day is amazing.
I have spent countless hours improving my game and spending quality time with my family and friends.
One of the questions I often receive is on the accuracy of the simulators and how realistic they are. Check out my comparison of scores that I completed at one point.
Complete Overview on how realistic a golf simulator – Visit Here
| Golf Simulator Score | Relative to Par | 15 Total Rounds | Real Golf Score | Relative to Par |
| 72 | 1 | Round #1 | 76 | 4 |
| 75 | 0 | Round #2 | 78 | 6 |
| 72 | 3 | Round #3 | 74 | 3 |
| 81 | 9 | Round #4 | 71 | 0 |
| 75 | 3 | Round #5 | 70 | -1 |
| 73 | 3 | Round #6 | 71 | 0 |
| 75 | 3 | Round #7 | 72 | 0 |
| 71 | -1 | Round #8 | 73 | 1 |
| 71 | -1 | Round #9 | 72 | 1 |
| 72 | 1 | Round #10 | 74 | 3 |
| 73 | 3 | Round #11 | 74 | 3 |
| 72 | 1 | Round #12 | 74 | 4 |
| 72 | 1 | Round #13 | 72 | 1 |
| 72 | 1 | Round #14 | 73 | 3 |
| 76 | 4 | Round #15 | 73 | 2 |
| 1102 | 31 | 1097 | 30 | |
| 73.47 | 2.07 | 73.13 | 2 |
Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better
What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:
1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor. Here are some options:
Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:
2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed. Here are some options:
Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:
3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier. Here is a series on breaking through:
We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.
4 – Practice Frequently
Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system? It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:
- Is a Golf Simulator Worth It?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator?
- What is the Best Golf Simulator?
- Golf Simulator Accessories?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for under $7000
- Top 11 Reasons to Buy a SkyTrak
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for Under $1000
- Why Build A Golf Simulator?
- What Space is Needed?
- Can A Golf Simulator Improve My Game?
- How Much Does A Golf Simulator Cost?
- Don’t Forget to Check out our 15 best golf swings of all time.