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Well, my basement simulator has been done for a few weeks. Thanks for all the advice on this site, and especially to Charlie over at Gungho Golf. He answered a bunch of questions that helped a lot. For those people that it may help, here’s a brain dump of my build…
My Main Challenge: Room Height
My basement is just 8’3” tall, I’m 6’ tall, and my hitting mat is 1.5" thick. So, I really don't have much to work with. It's so low, I almost didn't do this build. After a lot of experimentation though, I realized I can comfortably swing my irons in this space, and I can hit my woods (not my driver), if I choke up on them.
Occasionally I find myself not fully following through on my swing, but generally, it works really well. That said, I already have a couple of dings on the dry wall ceiling.
The long term answer for me is to make some adjustments to the ceiling joists and drywall where I follow through. I think if I just raise a 3x3 foot section of the ceiling by about 6 inches then I'll have plenty of room. That was going to cost a lot of money though, so that will have to wait until another time. In the short term, I'm thinking I'll just remove the section of drywall and replace it with some foam. That way when my follow-through does accidentally touch the ceiling, it won't cause any damage. So far though, even with the dry wall in place, things work pretty well.
FWIW... I considered lowering the floor as well, but again, decided it was too much money and effort.
Room Size
My room is about 13 feet wide and about 16 feet deep. The center of my hitting strip is 10 feet from the screen. Bounce back has not been a problem (see exception below about ricochets.). My projector is mounted on the ceiling and is about 1.5 feet directly above and behind where the ball sits. That location was recommended by Gungho, and it works great. Doesn't come into play or vision at all.
Enclosure
I followed the instructions on the Gunghogolf.com web site. These were great. My enclosure is about 8’1” tall, and about 12” wide. I have about one foot on the side of the enclosure to the wall, but only a couple inches above it. Since there is little space for the cloth on the top to stretch, if I hit a lob wedge, I can hit the ceiling, so I put some thin styrofoam sheets and bubble wrap on top of the enclosure to help absorb impact. It still bounces off, but not dangerously.
My suggested tweaks to the Gungho plan…
I got the BenQ TH671ST from Gungho. This was my biggest worry. I spent a lot of time thinking about throw distance (which I had never heard of) and brightness of ambient lighting, but ultimately I worried too much. I used this site (https://www.projectorcentral.com/pro...ulator-pro.cfm) to calculate things and I was worried that my project would be too dim, but I have seen no problems. Even though my projector is positioned a little further back than suggested by the site, the brightness is fine. I even can leave my basement lights on with no issues. I also purchased a projector mount from Gungho. I strongly recommend that. It makes aligning the projector really easy.
Screen
I bought the screen material from Gungho. Since my screen size is unusual (about 8’ by 12’) I was worried how the image would fit. That ended up not being a problem. I was able to configure a custom screen size on my PC that matched up perfect. This link from this forum helped a lot with that (Link).
Hitting surface
I bought a pre-built mat and hitting strip from Gungho. I bought the five-foot layout and set-it up only for right handers, since my closest friends and I are all right-handed. We were installing new carpeting in our basement, so I had them leave an open space exactly where the mat should go. This saved me the additional height of the carpet and padding. (The hitting surface is about 1/2 inch higher than the carpet, but it's fine.)
Launch Monitor
I bought the SkyTrak. Since I plan on only using it inside, it seemed like the best option. So far, I’m pleased with it. It connect to your wireless network so you don’t need to have it connected to anything. You do have to charge it ever so often. I was told when fully charged it lasts 6 Hours.
There is a set-up utility with Skytrak to get it aligned. Most of the readings seem pretty good, but I tend to slice when I'm on the course, and the Skytrak doesn't show me slicing as much. Not sure why at this point.
I tend not to use the putting with the simulator. I've used putting at other simulators and never liked the experience, so I haven't even tried that with my set-up. I just configure the software to be a 2 foot putt if I hit the surface and a 1 foot putt if I'm inside of 6 inches from the pin.
Software
Initially, I was just going to just use the Skytrak software, but it became clear when I talked to Gungho that the features of that software are limited, so I bought The Golf Course 2019. TGC2019 is pretty good. I think usability could be improved a bit, but overall it’s really nice. Using TGC2019 also requires a $99 annual purchase of the Skytrak software too.
Computer
I learned that you don't want to skimp on this if you want a nice experience. Unfortunately, a computer with a faster processor and fast graphics card costs a lot. I lucked out when I found a used computer on Amazon. A new computer would have been close to $2000. I less than half of that. It came with 90 day warranty from Amazon. I also bought a wireless mouse, wireless keyboard and a small mobile table. Having the keyboard nearby on the table works great, since I can interact easily with the software as I play (for example, move the target with the cursor keys). I also bought a monitor with the computer, but other than during computer set-up, I really don’t need it. The projector by itself is fine. The monitor is now in a closet.
Even with a fast computer and graphics card, expect about a 3 second delay from when you strike the ball until when the simulator projects the ball being hit. After that delay, everything behaves exactly as you would expect. Smooth graphics and appropriate speed. (I noticed when watching YouTube videos of others with simulators, they have the same delay.)
Prepping physical space
We were doing a basement renovation, so it was easy to have the construction folks put the power and lighting right where I needed it. Not sure how much work or cost that would have been if I had to make the changes directly to the space myself (e.g. replacing drywall, doing electrical work). I can say that I spent many hours measuring things out so I could give the construction folks clear instructions.
Costs (not exact)…
Projector… $750
Projector Mount... $190
Computer/keyboard/mouse/table … $1000. (Used computer)
TGC2019 Software … $900
Skytrak Software ... $100 (annual)
Impact Screen... $580
Black Canvas... $330
Enclosure Piping and Connectors … ~$200
Clips, Styrofoam Wrap, Misc ... ~$200
Hitting Matt .. $400
Lighting …. $150
Launch Monitor … $2000
Launch Monitor Case ... $160
So total is roughly around $7000.
When I started, I had hoped for the cost to be closer to $4000. A cheaper launch monitor could have saved $1000. Not having a projector (and just using computer screen) would have saved another $1000. Using the Skytrak software and not TGC2019 would have saved another $1000. Making my own hitting surface could have saved a few hundred bucks. But all of those things make the experience better, so I chose to spend more.
Is it worth it?
Time will tell. I can play 18 holes in about 30 minutes if I turn off putting. So I find that 3 or 4 nights a week I sneak down for a quick round. I also hit balls before I head to the course. If I keep using it at this rate, then it’s definitely worth it. If usage drops though, that may not be true. One good sign... I had my friends over today for a round while it was raining. We ordered a pizza and had a great time. They all loved it. They was to use it when I travel.
I may have forgotten something, but that's most of what I remember. I'll try to check back later in case someone has questions.
Hope this helps someone as they plan out their sim.
My Main Challenge: Room Height
My basement is just 8’3” tall, I’m 6’ tall, and my hitting mat is 1.5" thick. So, I really don't have much to work with. It's so low, I almost didn't do this build. After a lot of experimentation though, I realized I can comfortably swing my irons in this space, and I can hit my woods (not my driver), if I choke up on them.
Occasionally I find myself not fully following through on my swing, but generally, it works really well. That said, I already have a couple of dings on the dry wall ceiling.
The long term answer for me is to make some adjustments to the ceiling joists and drywall where I follow through. I think if I just raise a 3x3 foot section of the ceiling by about 6 inches then I'll have plenty of room. That was going to cost a lot of money though, so that will have to wait until another time. In the short term, I'm thinking I'll just remove the section of drywall and replace it with some foam. That way when my follow-through does accidentally touch the ceiling, it won't cause any damage. So far though, even with the dry wall in place, things work pretty well.
FWIW... I considered lowering the floor as well, but again, decided it was too much money and effort.
Room Size
My room is about 13 feet wide and about 16 feet deep. The center of my hitting strip is 10 feet from the screen. Bounce back has not been a problem (see exception below about ricochets.). My projector is mounted on the ceiling and is about 1.5 feet directly above and behind where the ball sits. That location was recommended by Gungho, and it works great. Doesn't come into play or vision at all.
Enclosure
I followed the instructions on the Gunghogolf.com web site. These were great. My enclosure is about 8’1” tall, and about 12” wide. I have about one foot on the side of the enclosure to the wall, but only a couple inches above it. Since there is little space for the cloth on the top to stretch, if I hit a lob wedge, I can hit the ceiling, so I put some thin styrofoam sheets and bubble wrap on top of the enclosure to help absorb impact. It still bounces off, but not dangerously.
My suggested tweaks to the Gungho plan…
- I bought about twice as many clips as the recommended to make sure things were fastened down well. My enclosure is a little bigger than normal though (I wanted to make sure shanks didn't bounce around the basement).
- I have found that I can get some ricochets when I hit one of the screws on the pipes. You need to find a way to cover these. I use some cloth on the bottom bar that works well, but haven’t figured out a good fix for the top bar, so a rare ricochet is still possible there.
- I have found a covering is needed for the left and right edges of the screen to cover up the tarp clips. I have purchased some large black noodles to do this and plan to zip tie them to each post. The are about 3 inches in diameter, so I think that should work.
I got the BenQ TH671ST from Gungho. This was my biggest worry. I spent a lot of time thinking about throw distance (which I had never heard of) and brightness of ambient lighting, but ultimately I worried too much. I used this site (https://www.projectorcentral.com/pro...ulator-pro.cfm) to calculate things and I was worried that my project would be too dim, but I have seen no problems. Even though my projector is positioned a little further back than suggested by the site, the brightness is fine. I even can leave my basement lights on with no issues. I also purchased a projector mount from Gungho. I strongly recommend that. It makes aligning the projector really easy.
Screen
I bought the screen material from Gungho. Since my screen size is unusual (about 8’ by 12’) I was worried how the image would fit. That ended up not being a problem. I was able to configure a custom screen size on my PC that matched up perfect. This link from this forum helped a lot with that (Link).
Hitting surface
I bought a pre-built mat and hitting strip from Gungho. I bought the five-foot layout and set-it up only for right handers, since my closest friends and I are all right-handed. We were installing new carpeting in our basement, so I had them leave an open space exactly where the mat should go. This saved me the additional height of the carpet and padding. (The hitting surface is about 1/2 inch higher than the carpet, but it's fine.)
Launch Monitor
I bought the SkyTrak. Since I plan on only using it inside, it seemed like the best option. So far, I’m pleased with it. It connect to your wireless network so you don’t need to have it connected to anything. You do have to charge it ever so often. I was told when fully charged it lasts 6 Hours.
There is a set-up utility with Skytrak to get it aligned. Most of the readings seem pretty good, but I tend to slice when I'm on the course, and the Skytrak doesn't show me slicing as much. Not sure why at this point.
I tend not to use the putting with the simulator. I've used putting at other simulators and never liked the experience, so I haven't even tried that with my set-up. I just configure the software to be a 2 foot putt if I hit the surface and a 1 foot putt if I'm inside of 6 inches from the pin.
Software
Initially, I was just going to just use the Skytrak software, but it became clear when I talked to Gungho that the features of that software are limited, so I bought The Golf Course 2019. TGC2019 is pretty good. I think usability could be improved a bit, but overall it’s really nice. Using TGC2019 also requires a $99 annual purchase of the Skytrak software too.
Computer
I learned that you don't want to skimp on this if you want a nice experience. Unfortunately, a computer with a faster processor and fast graphics card costs a lot. I lucked out when I found a used computer on Amazon. A new computer would have been close to $2000. I less than half of that. It came with 90 day warranty from Amazon. I also bought a wireless mouse, wireless keyboard and a small mobile table. Having the keyboard nearby on the table works great, since I can interact easily with the software as I play (for example, move the target with the cursor keys). I also bought a monitor with the computer, but other than during computer set-up, I really don’t need it. The projector by itself is fine. The monitor is now in a closet.
Even with a fast computer and graphics card, expect about a 3 second delay from when you strike the ball until when the simulator projects the ball being hit. After that delay, everything behaves exactly as you would expect. Smooth graphics and appropriate speed. (I noticed when watching YouTube videos of others with simulators, they have the same delay.)
Prepping physical space
We were doing a basement renovation, so it was easy to have the construction folks put the power and lighting right where I needed it. Not sure how much work or cost that would have been if I had to make the changes directly to the space myself (e.g. replacing drywall, doing electrical work). I can say that I spent many hours measuring things out so I could give the construction folks clear instructions.
Costs (not exact)…
Projector… $750
Projector Mount... $190
Computer/keyboard/mouse/table … $1000. (Used computer)
TGC2019 Software … $900
Skytrak Software ... $100 (annual)
Impact Screen... $580
Black Canvas... $330
Enclosure Piping and Connectors … ~$200
Clips, Styrofoam Wrap, Misc ... ~$200
Hitting Matt .. $400
Lighting …. $150
Launch Monitor … $2000
Launch Monitor Case ... $160
So total is roughly around $7000.
When I started, I had hoped for the cost to be closer to $4000. A cheaper launch monitor could have saved $1000. Not having a projector (and just using computer screen) would have saved another $1000. Using the Skytrak software and not TGC2019 would have saved another $1000. Making my own hitting surface could have saved a few hundred bucks. But all of those things make the experience better, so I chose to spend more.
Is it worth it?
Time will tell. I can play 18 holes in about 30 minutes if I turn off putting. So I find that 3 or 4 nights a week I sneak down for a quick round. I also hit balls before I head to the course. If I keep using it at this rate, then it’s definitely worth it. If usage drops though, that may not be true. One good sign... I had my friends over today for a round while it was raining. We ordered a pizza and had a great time. They all loved it. They was to use it when I travel.
I may have forgotten something, but that's most of what I remember. I'll try to check back later in case someone has questions.
Hope this helps someone as they plan out their sim.
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