Ground-Up Build // Reccomendation and Advice

[devildog1205]

Hi All. Long time lurker here; located in North Alabama. After several years of contemplation, I've finally decided to pull the trigger on building a new Golf Sim Room addition onto my existing workshop. I’m posting the build in hopes that I can leverage information, lessons learned and recommendations from the awesome community here. My plan is to list a complete status below of the progress, design, planned materials and include progress photos along the way so others can benefit in the future hopefully.

There are very few things below that are “inflexible”, I’m open to any suggestions or comments you might have regarding material usage, hardware, suppliers or general layout. Anything that will facilitate a more functional or cost effective final product. I’m open to it all.

*Project Status*- Semi-Finalized Design, accepting contractor bids for foundation, floor, framing, and roof.

Room Size and Usage: Final interior dimensions: 22’L x 13’W w/10’ flat ceiling. No windows. (1) 3’ man door. Room to be dedicated for golf sim, practice sessions and local multi-user rounds with friends.

Architecture: Raised floating wood floor, 2x4 wood stud frame. Walls, floor and ceiling roll insulated. Finished drywall on walls and ceiling. Painted dark Grey/Blue.

Flooring: Sub-Floor will be a ¾” OSB/Plywood. Options for flooring: Carpet, Wood Plank Tile, Green Turf….? Padding under green turf?

Lighting: Plan is to only install recessed can lighting on ceiling to retain 10’ ceiling height as much as possible. Initial thought is to have can lights throughout room on dimmer switch. Then a single can light over hitting mat on separate dimmer. Thoughts?

Screen: Will have room for 10’ or 12’ wide. Thoughts? Projector ratio implications? Make/Model of a specific screen you like?

Hitting Bay: Open to any Enclosure options you have here. Is 5 foot deep acceptable, to avoid errant shanks from leaving the hitting area? Side Barriers? Netting?

Projector: Short Throw Make/Model recommendations? Pref is to ceiling mount. Is 3000 Lumen sufficient to create a bright image on screen? Want to ensure projector ratio matches output on laptop/pc vid card.

Hitting Mat: Landing pad at screen? I like the thought of a hitting mat that has enough room for both right and left handed hitters, with a hitting strip in the middle than can be removed/replaced when worn out. Thoughts or experience with specific mats?

Launch Monitor: SkyTrak/Mevo+ is my price point here. Any experience or recommendation?

Desktop or Laptop: I’m open to either. What video card make/models have worked well for you, with the projector you’re using?

Sim Software: Would like have the ability to driving range practice, skills challenges, play a round myself and play multi-player rounds with friends/family. Game Improvement Plan? The Golf Club? E6?

Audio: Wireless speakers? Are they needed? Maybe a small 2.1 system, using the audio card output from computer. Thoughts or recommendations?

Thanks for any input or feedback you can provide.

[GungHoGolf]

Quick thoughts:

Room dimensions are something you won't be able to change in the future. If you can stretch the width to 15', you'll be much happier in the future, as that will allow you to hit with the ball centered to the screen, and support RH/LH play from the same ball position. Will also allow you to widen the screen to 14.5' or so, which will be much more immersive than only 10-12 ft wide. Nobody regrets going bigger when they can, up to 16x9'.

Both SkyTrak and Mevo+ will work well for you. Mevo+ would get the nod for RH/LH player support or if you plan to also use it outdoors. SkyTrak more accurate with putting and short chipping. Full comparison: https://gunghogolf.com/articles/skytrak-vs-mevo-plus

Desktop PC with at least a GTX 1060 gpu better than laptop if you don't need it to be portable. Compare other gpus to the 1060 here: https://gpu.userbenchmark.com/Compar...6GB/4037vs3639

Sim software comparison of the top two contenders: https://gunghogolf.com/articles/tgc2019-vs-e6connect

Projector: my favorite for best price-to-performance is the BenQ TH671ST. Have like-new refurbs in stock: https://store.gunghogolf.com/BenQ-TH...hed-p255287242. Regarding lumens: the best way to get a bright, contrasty image is to control the ambient light in the room (i.e., keep ambient light off the screen). Ceiling-mounted on the screen center line is best place for the projector.

Audio: a 2.1 home theater system will definitely be better than using the projector's or the computer's speaker. I like the Bose CineMate GS ii, widely available on eBay at good prices. Two small L/R speakers and a subwoofer you can place anywhere.

Hitting mat: the Fiberbuilt 9x4 center hitting would work great: https://store.gunghogolf.com/Fiberbu...x-4-p192533506

Screen enclosure: can save a bunch of money building your own (https://gunghogolf.com/articles/diy-...reen-enclosure), or if room allows, can mount screen to walls and ceiling directly. 3 feet of enclosure depth is plenty if screen is of sufficient width.

[devildog1205]

Ron. I really appreciate all the feedback here, and the reference links provided for comparison. Very useful. The 15’ wide room suggestion was great. I’m already pricing out 16’ lumber for the floor joists, so I may just use them as is and have the interior space be around 15’ in width (drywall to drywall).

Can you recommend a 14.5’ screen make/model? Provider? I’m interested to understand the cost delta from a 12’ screen. Thanks again! Huge help.

[kirkemg]

how exactly do you mean mount the screen directly to the walls/ceiling. dont think i've seen that around here

[JayJo13]

Agree with everything Ron says above, especially the screen size. If you're dedicating a room for a golf sim you should absolutely maximize the screen size.

[GungHoGolf]

Can you recommend a 14.5’ screen make/model? Provider? I’m interested to understand the cost delta from a 12’ screen. Thanks again! Huge help.

If you build your own enclosure, or just use direct attachment of screen to wall (with angle iron, tarp clips, and ball bungees), the cost differential from 12 to 14.5 is minimal... just 3 extra feet of screen material. I like using raw screen because it allows you to be flexible in the size of the screen, and also to buy 2 or 4' extra and fold it over on one side, then shift it by 2' when the center section starts to wear out. Doing this allows you to extend the life of your screen 2X or 3X without buying a new screen.

I have excellent raw screen material in stock at https://store.gunghogolf.com/Birdie-...oot-p209953422

[3on3putt]

Agree with everything that Ron said.


--- As has been mentioned, 13 feet wide means you'll probably need to be offset a touch. Not a huge deal, but it does limit your launch monitor options somewhat if you plan to have any lefties in there, along with requiring two separate hitting areas.

--- Software ... I always vote for TGC2019 over E6. Just far more more value from a price standpoint. Tons of driving ranges (see the thread about finding the hidden practice facilities) and I think the level of detail in the graphics is better and physics include environmental effects. It does lack ability to play scramble and best ball mode if that's something you care about. But I would say that's the only advantage that E6 has over it.

--- Launch monitor ... you have the depth for a Mevo+, and it's better for both righty and lefty play.

--- Computer ... a desktop gets you more bang for your buck. Dollar for dollar it's the better value. You don't need a monitor as you can just use the image on your projector screen.

--- Enclosure ... something on the side is needed, whether it's some netting from the enclosure or some padding on the walls. 5 feet is fine. Mine is only 2.5 feet deep and I hit from 7 feet away and it catches every shank just fine (lol). I recommend building your own. It'll save you a ton of money and it's not rocket science to connect metal pipes together.

--- Screen .... go as big as you can. If you go 12 wide by 10 high, you can run a 4:3 aspect ratio for an image that's 12 wide and 9 high. That's pretty solid.

Good luck!

[devildog1205]

Thank you! More great input. A few questions.

- With the Mevo+ and a 14.5’W screen. What is the needed distance from screen to hitting position, and hitting position to Mevo+?

- Again on a 14.5’W screen, what is the needed screen height to display a 16:9 ratio projector? This question will likely announce my math skills. 😁

[3on3putt]

I do not own a Mevo so I'm not sure of the exact requirements. But I believe it's something like 8 feet from screen to ball and then 6 feet from ball to Mevo or something. I'll let an actual Mevo owner speak on that.

As far as the screen height ... a 16:9 aspect ratio could give you an image that is 14.5 wide by 8.1 feet high. So a screen that is 14.5 wide by 9 feet tall would work well. You'd have 11 inches of blank space to use either above or below your image (or a mix of both). Unless you're able to customize the exact size of your screen.

[GoldenSim]

I agree with the above comments, in particular the room / screen width. Also with the comments re audio - good audio improves the immersion experience.

The only element I that has not been answered in detail is the lighting (referenced by Ron re ambient lighting to help the projector). In my sim I split the lighting into three "banks", all on dimmer switches. One above the hitting area, one between the hitting area and screen, and one behind the hitting area (where people hang out). This enables me to have the lights nearest the screen off during sim play (which gives the best contrast and the best picture and therefore best immersion/experience), brighter above the hitting area, and then dimmed where people sit behind the hitting area (it's surprising how much dimming these lights also helps the image quality). I can then turn all the banks up if I am doing practice and using video where the cameras need better lighting, but I'm less worried about the sim immersion when practicing. The difference in cost (hardware and wiring) is minimal for the flexibility it offers.

Good luck - sounds like a great build and well planned

[GoldenSim]

Hi Brettster - thanks for the props. I think any additional size you can add to your room will be appreciated. Other than heating the space, the more room the better - I think everyone agrees on that! The only reason for the electric baseboards was convenience. As you may have seen, the room is built inside my main workshop, which I am currently insulating and then will be heating, so the need for heat in the sim room will be minimal. I'm not familiar with the minisplit, but I'm sure there are lots better options than electric baseboards! I think the sub floor is a great plan, for many reasons. It sounds like you're going to have a great space!

[Brettster]

devildog1205 - awesome... I'm going to pick one up too, how much did you end up paying for Mr. Cool? Do you also have a Mr. Cool for your other one,

[devildog1205]

It was $750 after BF 5% off and previous customer 3% discount. Free shipping. Yes, both of mine are Mr Cool.

[jdieter]

Doing almost identical build inside my polebarn. 16’x22’x10’, with sleepers on concrete floor
Will use Menards best grade turf(don’t remember name, appx. $4.50/sq.ft.) for stance mat and putting surface.
Bought oversized raw edge screen so I can rotate it past primary impact area when wear shows. Will hang screen temporarily to find best 16:9 size and distance for BengQ HD671ST projector and then cut out carpet surface and floor for Fiberbuilt hitting insert. All this will also be relative to the
Mevo+ distance recommendations, which is currently sketchy with all the issues around putting and wedge play data accuracy. I’ve read everything from 3’ to 7’ to get repeatable/reliable results.

[devildog1205]

What size screen are you using with the 16:9 ratio? Did you mount it direct to wall or on a frame? Curious what caused you to choose the M+ over other monitors. Seems it takes up about 16’ of room from screen to monitor. I have slight concerns about it getting damaged being around other objects (furniture) and people walking within 8’ behind the hitting location.

[chicub15]

One thing to be wary of if going with the Mevo+ is interference... most metal and/or spinning objects will cause interference... I would suggest that you consider the Uneekor QED as an alternative... word has it that Uneekor will be selling some certified pre-owned units after the first of the year.

[GungHoGolf]

FWIW, I haven't heard of anyone having interference problems from stationary metal objects. I use the Mevo+ with a double-wall steel garage door behind the impact screen, a screen enclosure made of 1" steel conduit, and various metal objects around the periphery of the studio, and it's been quite accurate.

[jdieter]

Devil dog, I chose the Mevo+ for the ability to accommodate L & R handed golfers and it’s price point. Figured I could always sell it if I want to upgrade or keep it for range use. I bought Carl’s preferred raw edged screen, don’t remember size but it was their next to largest raw edged screen. It is oversized for my room but plan to use tarp clips to rotate it from wear and being oversize will allow optimizing the image size/projector placement by setting it up temporarily before building a frame and defining the hitting mat location.