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I posted some of my initial pics of the v1 buildout of my SIM in the garage. I'd love to get some advice from the forum and especially long time users on some ideas I have to take it to the next level in v2. To recap, I have about 11' wide x 15' deep area in a 2 car garage that is 22'x22'. As you can see in the pics, I have the area curtained off with blackout curtains and a 10'3"x9'x3' modified All Sports SuperBay. It works out nicely width wise as I am able to wedge my PC next to the bay by all the electrical outlets. I have the screen only 9" or so from the bag of the cage and I hit about 7-8' from the screen, leaving about 6-7' behind me, plenty room for all my clubs to swing.
I've thoroughly enjoyed being out there and playing SIM golf and even more so just practicing, I spend more time in FSX 2020 than TGC 2019 at this point. My biggest gripe is a support beam that limits my headroom to 8'6" down from 9'6" in one spot on the end of my follow-through. This has caused me to not hit driver as I will alter my swing subconsciously (and the fact I've busted up the paint already hitting it a few times, lol). I also have an overhead garage door that needs to be closed to play because it sits right below this same support beam, but the tracks and overhead motor don't interact with my swing at all., Having an overhead garage door does force me to have my projector on the floor next to may stance (don't mind it other than the heat it expels on my ankle). The only other big thing that bothers me is that I still feel like I am in my garage and I want it to feel more like a studio.
Which is where I'd like some feedback. I do realize I am talking to a biased group of people, so expecting support but curious to gotchas or if my plan sounds insane. I've had the thought to wall off this area of my garage to make it is own room and have a doorway (pocket door?) from the interior of the garage. But if I am going to do that, I really don't want to build a room that has an overhead garage door as that will still limit my swing and ruins the studio feel, IMO. So I've thought of installing carriage garage doors that swing out, which will give me much more overhead room by completely eliminating everything over head except the support beam. But, I could flip my setup and have my screen on the garage door side of the room, eliminating the support beam from my swing completely. I can't do this with my current overhead door because it sits too low and narrow (9x7). Downside is that each door is like $2-3k USD just for the door, $1k or so for an automatic opener and who knows how much for installation
. I'd have to do both garage doors as it would look silly to have two different garage doors, so easily $7-8k+ just for the garage doors. Outside that cost, I'd be doing all the other labor and don't think it would be too bad. I'd probably end up needing to put in a mini-split for comfort all year round though.
Do you think doing all that is worth it? I'm very new to having a simulator, so very much in the honeymoon phase. I've always wanted one but never had the space (this is my only option in my house) nor been at home so much to have time to do it. I would assume this wouldn't affect the value of my home, I figure worse case the walls come down and the new owner has some pretty awesome garage doors. I think it could be actually attractive to have a workshop, we've never parked two cars in there because its already too small with the HVAC and water heater being in that area of the garage. I spend a ton of time as is out there now, hitting 200-300 balls a day, I assume having a nice, sleek and temperature controlled enclosed SIM would only drive up my usage and desire to be out there. Would love to hear opinions of those that went all in and how much you end up using it over the years and also if anyone has any alternative mods that I haven't thought of to solve my two biggest issues.
Stay Safe!
I've thoroughly enjoyed being out there and playing SIM golf and even more so just practicing, I spend more time in FSX 2020 than TGC 2019 at this point. My biggest gripe is a support beam that limits my headroom to 8'6" down from 9'6" in one spot on the end of my follow-through. This has caused me to not hit driver as I will alter my swing subconsciously (and the fact I've busted up the paint already hitting it a few times, lol). I also have an overhead garage door that needs to be closed to play because it sits right below this same support beam, but the tracks and overhead motor don't interact with my swing at all., Having an overhead garage door does force me to have my projector on the floor next to may stance (don't mind it other than the heat it expels on my ankle). The only other big thing that bothers me is that I still feel like I am in my garage and I want it to feel more like a studio.
Which is where I'd like some feedback. I do realize I am talking to a biased group of people, so expecting support but curious to gotchas or if my plan sounds insane. I've had the thought to wall off this area of my garage to make it is own room and have a doorway (pocket door?) from the interior of the garage. But if I am going to do that, I really don't want to build a room that has an overhead garage door as that will still limit my swing and ruins the studio feel, IMO. So I've thought of installing carriage garage doors that swing out, which will give me much more overhead room by completely eliminating everything over head except the support beam. But, I could flip my setup and have my screen on the garage door side of the room, eliminating the support beam from my swing completely. I can't do this with my current overhead door because it sits too low and narrow (9x7). Downside is that each door is like $2-3k USD just for the door, $1k or so for an automatic opener and who knows how much for installation
. I'd have to do both garage doors as it would look silly to have two different garage doors, so easily $7-8k+ just for the garage doors. Outside that cost, I'd be doing all the other labor and don't think it would be too bad. I'd probably end up needing to put in a mini-split for comfort all year round though. Do you think doing all that is worth it? I'm very new to having a simulator, so very much in the honeymoon phase. I've always wanted one but never had the space (this is my only option in my house) nor been at home so much to have time to do it. I would assume this wouldn't affect the value of my home, I figure worse case the walls come down and the new owner has some pretty awesome garage doors. I think it could be actually attractive to have a workshop, we've never parked two cars in there because its already too small with the HVAC and water heater being in that area of the garage. I spend a ton of time as is out there now, hitting 200-300 balls a day, I assume having a nice, sleek and temperature controlled enclosed SIM would only drive up my usage and desire to be out there. Would love to hear opinions of those that went all in and how much you end up using it over the years and also if anyone has any alternative mods that I haven't thought of to solve my two biggest issues.
Stay Safe!
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