Not Much Love for Floor Mounting?

[Skyking]

Put the Carl’s DIY enclosure together today and played around with the projector. LOTS to learn. Anyway, I’m a lefty, everyone else isn’t and I only have12’ of width to work with. Was reading posts that it’s pretty universal ceiling mounts are the way to go. Not much about floor mounts and was just wondering what’s up. Seems like that’d be the easiest way to go. Already had the fiberbuilt mat and was thinking of just butting another mat against it and mounting overhead. Just a little nervous about it and was thinking a floor mount would be much less risky. Just build a little cover and call it a day.

Thanks in advance!

[3on3putt]

To me, a floor mount just seems too clunky and in the way. I guess if you're slightly offset and the projector is centered it may be okay because you'd be hitting to the side of it. But I don't think I'd want to hit with that thing right in front of the ball. I feel like it would be in my head during my follow through. And for putting and short chips it would be directly impeding the ball if it's positioned right down the target line. When you go to scoop up balls near the screen you'll always be having to step over and around it. I also think the projector might struggle to get enough air circulation when it's on the floor and could run a bit hot. Plus you're having to deal with cords running off to the side.

Mounting on the ceiling is a pain in the butt but you do it once and it's out of sight out of mind. Just my 2 cents.

[Stetson]

I intend to hang mine because I want to put a putting cup directly in front of the hitting area to putt into during sim play. A projector would make that impossible.

[CBWag]

I'm in planning mode and had considered a cup right in line with hitting area near screen but that only makes sense for puts of that length. If you have the cup at 8 feet, and have a 16 foot put, what do you do?

[3on3putt]

I also have a putting mat that extends from the hitting mat to the screen. There's a hole in the mat but I have not yet installed an actual cup. For putts of that length, yeah it's kinda cool to actually try to hole the putt. But if it's a longer putt and you have to ram it past then it's just decoration really.

[Will]

Having a putting area directly in front of the hitting area really changed the feel of sim golf. I started off with just shaggy artificial grass in front of the hitting area. Putting felt like wasted time on the sim. Adding a 3x10 putting area changed the game and allows you to see speed and direction. A putting area was essential for my experience. I put cups close to the screen. They aren't necessary but sometimes it's nice to make a putt even when you miss it on the game. Also, a target will confirm the data on screen.

[richerod]

Unless it is absolutely not feasible ceiling mounting is the absolute way to go. Floor projecting in front of hitting area should be a last resort if all else fails.

[Skyking]

Okay fellas...got it. Maybe because I never had or wanted kids and was more of a loner, I go in my golf shed, even when I was using a TV and the outside world completely disappears. I’m just so locked in that having something in front of me or whatever wouldn’t be a problem. I know I am somewhat unique in that respect and on the spectrum somewhere.

Just turned on the AC In the shed and will go out shortly, do some organizing and take a real hard look at the ceiling and projector situation. A big part of the issue is having a 12’ but in reality 11’ foot wide shed and with both left (99% of the time) and right handed golfers, putting it on the ceiling may not be a perfect solution. Went out real quick to measure the ceiling height. Just shy of 10’. It’s the Dutch barn shape ceiling so the 45° angles getting to top are much lower.

May even look at wall mounting but there doesn’t seem to be much love for that either.

[3on3putt]

I'm assuming that with only 12 feet of width that neither the righties or the lefties will be hitting from center? So you'll have one hitting area for yourself and another for the righties?

If that's the case, then yes, a ceiling mount can complicate things. The ideal spot for a ceiling mount is directly over the ball or closer to the screen but right down the target line in line with the ball. And if you can be hitting from the center, then that's perfect because you can center the projector to the screen and have it right over the ball.

But if you center the projector to the screen but then are having both righties and lefties hit offset, the projector may come into the range of the follow-through for one or the other (or both) depending on how high it is. You might be okay if you can mount the projector very close to the ceiling (so it's not hanging down at all or at least very minimally). But then you have to make sure to get a projector with the right vertical offset so the image will fit your screen.

What launch monitor are you using?

[Skyking]

Yep..exactly right 3on3. Just went out and sat in the shed contemplating. I do have 2 mats. One is the nice Fiberbuilt with the separate 1’ strip for hitting off of. Bought another brand when I worked at Golfsmith back in the day. Pretty nice as well but not Fiberbuilt quality. I could butt those two against the 1’ strip and just hit from the center. I have to go out and confirm but I believe this one foot strip sets up above the mats so that’s kind of awkward. Also hitting from the center gives less wall clearance than hitting from one side or the other using the one mat. I have Skytrak so the unit will have to be moved between shots. The unit was placed against the perfectly square mat when I was heading into the Net Return and worked great.
I noticed in the build video on YouTube from Carl’s Place they have an optional projector mount for the top of the enclosure. You or anyone else here ever considered that?

[3on3putt]

That is certainly an option. If you get an ultra short throw projector that you can mount like 4 feet from the screen then it should be safely out of the way of everyone's follow-through. Especially if you can mount it as close to the ceiling as possible.

[Skyking]

I have a 1080GT Darbee. Called Carl’s Place earlier and they said #1 that mount doesn’t work on the enclosure I got #2 she’d only sold a couple of those projector mounts in the 7 years she’s been there and #3 if you get a mount for the enclosure the projector would have to be the perfect throw ratio as you said.

Oh well... when the wife takes a work break I’m gonna have her take a few very slow practice swings with the center strip, then just the one mat hitting from the right side to see the projector clearance.

[JMyersDNP]

I've also been considering floor mounting my unit (just ordered - GT1080HDR). We just moved into our new house build (we did not finish the basement). I will be putting my simulator in a different area then the family room, which eventually I'd like to use my projector for "movie" nights. Figured it would be easier to do that then removing from a ceiling mount.

[Skyking]

Was pondering where to mount the projector and realized that roof brace from the 2 x 4 might work. Had the wife stand on the ladder and hold the projector upside down so I could stand on the mat and confirm no shadow. In the picture I'm actually standing right in front of the screen. The projector just had the grid pattern and I didn't see my shadow unless I raised my arm well above my head so... That'll be so easy. Just buy a $39 mount from Amazon and screw it to the 2 x 4. The one I'm looking at swivels 360° and tilts +\- 35°. I think the Optoma manual says no more than 15° or lamp life is diminished and could damage projector. Wonder if that's really a big deal?

[3on3putt]

How far away is that roof brace from the screen? And does the throw ratio of the projector allow for it at that distance?

[Skyking]

Yeah...I know. I think the projector will be close to the limit at 10 1/2-11'. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait until next weekend to find out. Amazon would deliver the mount tomorrow but I wouldn't have time to install and tweak it. This really sucks but I've got to go. Hum...you mentioning that, I may take the projector and play with it some from different distances. I still don't have all the remote buttons and menus down pat yet.

[mitchbeerwatch]

I have my “floor mounted” (I put it in quotes cause I think it’s funny that’s called a mounting). I have to hit offset cause I’m in a 11’ space but with the EH460ST it sits off to the side and it’s not in the way of my stance at all. I don’t think I’d like it in front but the position I have it in works great. I’m gonna get a box eventually to protect it from my kids swinging like crazy people but with a real golfer I’ve never been worried.

[JoseM81]

Here's my setup. You will definitely need a cover to avoid the projector being damaged.

[mitchbeerwatch]

What projector do you have that you are that close and still get such a large image? I would love the details on what projector and how far back it is ... looks to be about 3-4 ft away from the screen?

[JoseM81]

ViewSonic PS501W 3400 Lumens WXGA. $550. It's not the very best quality but it's good enough for me. The Carl's enclosure is 8'x12'x5' so the projector is around 6-7 ft away.