New garage build complete (w/ pics)

[rdeyer]

Launch monitor: Skytrak
Sim: TGC 2019
Impact screen: Carl's premium (124"w x 120"h)
Screen roller: Sportscreen
Projector: Optoma gt1080HRD short throw
Side curtains: Black out shades from Amazon and piping from Home Depot
Computer: i7 processor, 16gb ram, nvidia GTX 1070 graphics card
Landing turf: from eBay
Hitting mat: SwingTurf (from Rain or Shine)
Overhead spot lights: from Amazon
Garage door opener: Chamberlain RJ020

I'm finally finished and can play sim rounds in my garage! The setup needed to be retractrable in case I want to park cars when it snows (i'm in Michigan), hence the Sportscreen roller and the side curtains that can pull back. I also needed to leave some extra space outside of the side curtains so my family can have their bikes and other summer stuff out. My garage height is 9'4" and I'm able to comfortably swing driver (I'm 6' tall). Overall budget was a little over $6k.

The computer is located in my office which is adjacent to the garage, so I have a 20' HDMI running from the garage to that. The projector is covered in a wire basket I got from Target with the front cut out for the projector lens to shine.

The projected image is 124"w x 93"h (4:3 aspect ratio). The side curtains are angled out intentionally so its wider in the swinging area so you don't hit the curtains on your follow thru.

The ceiling protection is acoustic foam, attached to plywood (there are 2x4's attached to keep it rigid), and mounted with clips to the ceiling. I painted the entire ceiling black and also took down my traditional center track garage door opener and replaced it with a side mount unit to free up overhead space.

Fun bonus is this makes for a great movie theater for my kids. They can open up the garage door and invite the neighbor kids to join too.

[Adrenaline]

Looks good! How do you like the mat and how are the curtains working out?

[rdeyer]

The curtains do a nice job keeping balls deflected at a weird angle off the screen in my bay. I haven't hit them directly with a ball but I think they would hold up to it. They probably do more appearance wise just to give you an enclosed feel.

I love the hitting mat. I don't have anything to compare it to admittedly though. I liked that it was marketed as easier on the joints than CCE but was still dense enough to hold a tee and let you know when you hit fat. I haven't seen any wear on the mat yet. It feels great hitting through it with an iron.

[Treyc321]

Looks awesome!!

Did you have someone replace the opener or DIY?

[rdeyer]

I hired someone to put in the side mount garage opener. I don't think it looked that difficult to DIY but I had enough work for this project that I didn't mind giving up that responsibility.

[Instron4204]

Nice work Sir. With regards to the Sportscreen, how did you end up fastening the impact screen to it? (using velcro?). How is the bounce back from ball? Looks like you placed something on the bottom of the screen wrapped with foam insulation. Was that the included metal poles or the plastic poles? Sorry for all the questions, I am looking to do the exact same Sportscreen setup. Thanks.

[rdeyer]

TL;DR I used a 1/2"x10' copper grounding rod wrapped in foam pipe insulation at the bottom and the top of the impact screen is attached with velcro directly to the roller.

I originally tried using the metal pipe supplied with the Sportscreen, wrapped with foam pipe insulation. That surface area ended up being fairly big and I was finding myself occasionally hitting a low burner shot that would strike it cleanly. The foam insulation doesn't take off enough of the edge. After launching one off the pipe and back at my face I quickly decided that had to be reworked. I tried the plastic pole next that was supplied with the Sportscreen, wrapped in foam pipe insulation. That addressed the bounce back issue but I found it to be a little flimsy and lacking weight. So what I was looking for was an object that was small in diameter, very rigid, and heavy. I ended up finding that a copper grounding rod checked all those boxes perfectly. Copper grounding rods are very easy to find at Home Depot or Lowes in 1/2"x8', but I wanted 10'. I did some digging online and found a local hardware store was willing to get one shipped to them and I could pick it up from their store. That setup has completely fixed the problem and I haven't been able to produce a bad bounce back yet.

The impact screen is only attached at the top to the roller with velcro. I bought a screen tall enough that it can wrapped around the roller a couple times and still go to the ground which gives it a great hold. I tried to velcro the sides and bottom but it proved impossible (and not necessary) because the impact screen and sportscreen roll up at different diameters so one is always pulling away from the other. I've had no issues with the impact screen hanging loosely down. It looks good in my opinion and it probably helps in general with bounce back. I have a Carl's premium screen which also helps deaden the shots well. Most of my shots hit the screen and only come back a few feet, well short of my hitting mat.

[Treyc321]

How did you connect the rail for the side curtains?

[rdeyer]

The curtain rails connects to the ceiling via a flange piece.

[Wild-turkey]

Very nicely done! I have a very similar setup. Can you post a link or brand for the curtains that you bought on Amazon? I’m looking for something similar. Are they the Lemomo 52”x84”?

[rdeyer]

They are made by Nicetown. The link is https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0816FK396/. I got the W12.5' x L9' ones.

[Wild-turkey]

Thank you!

[bigwill29]

Carl's make a 124" wide screen? I thought they were 120". Only ask because I'd prefer that same setup for my sportscreen since it would be the appropriate width.

[rdeyer]

They will custom make that width if you call and ask. The sportscreen backing was 124" wide which is why I wanted that specific width.

[Alex.Morgan]

Very nice!

[nickfisher47]

Looks amazing! I am having the hardest time lighting my hitting area in my sim - I bought 2 lights that didn’t do the trick. Yours looks great, can I ask what you used?

[rdeyer]

Thanks! They are $30 on Amazon and work great. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XLLKBWH/

[Brettster]

Awesome rdeyer! One nice lighting system for $30, I'm probably going to buy them and give them a try in my space. At 500 Lumens each, I think that will be just enough to not effect my VCAM/HCAMs on my ProTee unit.

Maybe someone with a ProTee installed can chime in? I've been hoping for something like this - to give me enough light behind the hitting area to lighten the back of the room enough so I don't feel like I'm swinging in the dark.

Also, thanks for the pic of the kids watching Disney - I can only hope to get my family interested in sitting out in my Sim to watch a movie.

[Hacker1]

Looks great, out of interest how far back from the screen do you hit from?

[rdeyer]

From ball to screen is a little over 9 feet

[Hacker1]

thanks that's about how far i'm planning to set mine up

[kolky]

This looks great! Very similar to what I want to do in my garage. What did you use for the landing area and how thick is it. It looks thin which would be nice for being lighter but also want something that will stop balls from bouncing around.

[rdeyer]

I used some relatively inexpensive stuff from eBay. It's 2 separate pieces I put together. The thickness is around an inch I believe. My main goals were to reduce the bouncing around of balls and make it easy to roll up and store away since my setup is retractable. For those purposes that stuff is good. If I had a more permanent setup I definitely would have built a platform and put down turf you can putt on.

[GullLakeMi]

I used 1", 2'x2' interlocking gym mat's from Amazon. Then covered it with grass carpet from Home Depot. I also put a slight incline in the 2 feet towards the screen so balls tend to roll back to hitting area.

[chrisward3]

Did you have to tilt the projector up at all to mitigate the vertical offset with the ceiling height?

im putting together a similar setup, and want to go with an Optoma projector, but the 17” vertical offset at 8’ back would interfere with the enclosure roof. Any details or measurements about the projector placement would be helpful!

[rdeyer]

The project mount I used is https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01014CD0O/. That only comes down 6" from the ceiling. The combination of a tilt and adjusting the vertical keystone in the menu settings, got my image looking solid on the screen.

[jcrrdavidson]

Did you buy the the 2 foot extension for the Sportscreen?

[rdeyer]

No. I have 9'4" ceilings and the sportscreen comes down all the way to the ground with a little left on the roller.