Newbie - Basement Build Help

[ZJBogey]

Newbie here. I luckily came across this site as I've been obsessed with building out a sim area in my unfinished basement. I'm looking at a budget of around $2.5-3K (not including the SkyTrak and software subscriptions). I could use some advice for all the gurus here!

I am considering the Carls Enclosure Kit (5 ft depth) with the 10.5 ft x 8ft Preferred Screen and a SkyTrak. I should have plenty of space with a wall length of 16 feet to put the sim up against. I have 9 ft ceilings and since it is unfinished, just the wood joist/beams. No issues with full driver swings. I plan on having the hitting area 10 ft from the screen. The maximum total area is approximately 16 ft wide by 16 ft long. Looking at projectors, I am having information overload.

• Do I place the projector directly above the hitting area? If I went with a short throw, that goes above but in-front of the hitting area? If I went with the 10 ft depth enclosure kit, how does that work with the projector? I cant get Projector Central to work for more specs. I would like to be around $500-700 cost-wise here.
• I plan on adding a tarp/netting to the right side for shanks/mishits and will secure that by running a cable above. Any advice on how to run the netting with a cable? It doesn't have to be retractable. Essentially what I'm thinking instead of the full 10 ft depth enclosure, I would have 5ft depth on the left, and then the 5ft depth on the right with an additional 4-5ft.
• There is also a steal support pole and beam to the right (not in the way) going up to the ceiling that I'll pad with memory foam/blanket (or other suggestions) just to be safe from bounce backs.
• I'll also add netting to the ceiling from the screen to the hitting area. Would netting or a tarp be better?
• For a mat right now I have a Fiberbuilt Practice station I got from Costco for now, but will likely upgrade to a larger mat in the future.
• For the flooring, I plan to use interlocking fitness mats I already have and then put down a green grass rug as well for a landing area.
• I'll build a elevated box in the future for putting but that will be a different phase.

I've attached a mockup as an example.

Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[Burtgolf]

As far as your projector goes I would use this projector central link to search the whole database that matches your needs. I entered 10 feet throw distance (your hitting area distance) and 192 inch (16 feet) wide screen then sorted by price and there were 13 results withing your $700 price and if you include discontinued models then its tons more. To narrow it more you would need to know other features you want such as aspect ratio are you doing a 4:3 or a 16:9 and since you have 16:9 area I would HIGHLY recommend you choose that but to each their own my setup is only 12 wide so I use a 4:3 works fine for me

https://www.projectorcentral.com/projectors.cfm

I would also make sure you check each one that your interested in and compare them with the calculator as some will not have zoom and others will, some will have multiple aspect ratios and others not.

The only thing I would caution you on is with the 16 feet total length of the room I would probably want my hitting area around 8 feet from the screen instead of 10, this will allow for 7 feet of clearance in your back swing. (And a highly recommended projector on this forum)

Screen to wall = 1 foot minimum
Screen to hitting area = 8 feet
Hitting area to back wall = 7 feet for total of 16 feet Depth/Length

I need a minimum of 5 1/2 feet in my back swing when I reach P2 (Club parallel to the ground) and that extra foot and half would allow for not having to think about the club clearing whatever is behind you. Which would then change my projector choices to those that have 192 inch wide throw at 8 feet from the screen and for that projector most folks on here will tell you to spend the extra $49 bucks over your $700 budget and get the Optoma GT1080DarBee as it is perfect 16:9 aspect ratio for 192 wide from 8 feet throw distance (I personally don't have this one as I went with a BenQ that maintained a higher brightness where I could still use in a well lit room, such as my garage with the garage doors open on a hot sunny day).

[mthunt]

• Do I place the projector directly above the hitting area? If I went with a short throw, that goes above but in-front of the hitting area? If I went with the 10 ft depth enclosure kit, how does that work with the projector? I cant get Projector Central to work for more specs. I would like to be around $500-700 cost-wise here.

It depends on the projector but at 9 feet you want it farther back. Every projector is different.

• I plan on adding a tarp/netting to the right side for shanks/mishits and will secure that by running a cable above. Any advice on how to run the netting with a cable? It doesn't have to be retractable. Essentially what I'm thinking instead of the full 10 ft depth enclosure, I would have 5ft depth on the left, and then the 5ft depth on the right with an additional 4-5ft.

Heavy Curtains on a rod will do fine

• There is also a steal support pole and beam to the right (not in the way) going up to the ceiling that I'll pad with memory foam/blanket (or other suggestions) just to be safe from bounce backs.

You can use the padding that goes on floors. Better to be safe here.

• I'll also add netting to the ceiling from the screen to the hitting area. Would netting or a tarp be better?

You can add padding to the ceiling or make foam baffles. At 9 feet you'll hit the ceiling but ball will be heading toward the screen so no biggy.

• For a mat right now I have a Fiberbuilt Practice station I got from Costco for now, but will likely upgrade to a larger mat in the future.
• For the flooring, I plan to use interlocking fitness mats I already have and then put down a green grass rug as well for a landing area.
• I'll build a elevated box in the future for putting but that will be a different phase.