Optimum ball hitting location for room dimensions

[Dans1981]

My home studio is a good size and i'm trying to work out the optimum hitting ball location. I use a GC Quad.

My room (and screen) is 14 ft wide (4.5 metres) and depth is 15 ft (4.8 metres) to end of eagle turf area, but goes back a further 19 ft (6 metres) into a gym area. I have plenty height. Hence, I have plenty of space to play with. I've read about immersive experience and making sure i am not too far back, but likewise i dont want to be too close. Foresight (and various other simulator providers using camera tech) seem to suggest 8-9 feet from screen to ball however I sceptical and wonder if this is to widen how many customers have the right size room.

I've read that 10-12 ft may be best. Hence, I am stuck somewhere between 8 and 12 feet for ideal ball placement.

I'd appreciate some feedback on this?

[jasonreg]

8-10 feet sems to be the sweet spot for most though some with radar launch monitors need/want more 'observed' ball flight - for the Quad you are not restricted by this. The further back you go, to higher probability you will hit shots over your screen which may or may not be a concern depending on your set-up. For me, I hit from 9 feet +/- and and very pleased with the results. All (properly hit) shots impact my screen. My two cents.

[Ronsc1985]

7-10 is usually best unless you have a radar based launch monitor, Any further back caused higher lofted clubs to hit higher up on the screen and thus the ball bounces more since it will be dropping from a greater height.

As to immersion I personally think that is nonsense. You are hitting balls in a room. It is not green grass golf and no amount of video resolution, surround etc. will change that. Accept your sim for what is i.e. a video game simulation which will measure ball flight parameters.

[Brettster]

As to immersion I personally think that is nonsense. You are hitting balls in a room. It is not green grass golf and no amount of video resolution, surround etc. will change that.

Thanks Ronsc1985 for ruining my impression of "Immersion", which I believe to be more important than what many think... especially when you consider that you can line-up and get depth-of-field perception to hit chip-shots and putts - making your golf practice and training that much more effective. It's in the eye of the beholder!

Accept your sim for what is i.e. a video game simulation which will measure ball flight parameters.

I disagree... it's a little more sophisticated than a 'video game' as it is also projecting the ball-flight of balls that are 'real' and hit with full force... There's no other video game like it that I know of, and that's why I would not 'compare it' or say it is a 'video game simulation', it's not.

[Ronsc1985]

Thanks Ronsc1985 for ruining my impression of "Immersion", which I believe to be more important than what many think... especially when you consider that you can line-up and get depth-of-field perception to hit chip-shots and putts - making your golf practice and training that much more effective. It's in the eye of the beholder!



I disagree... it's a little more sophisticated than a 'video game' as it is also projecting the ball-flight of balls that are 'real' and hit with full force... There's no other video game like it that I know of, and that's why I would not 'compare it' or say it is a 'video game simulation', it's not.

First it's a two dimensional representation of a 3 dimension space. If you find this realistic fine with me. A curved screen may be better but i've never used one.

As to video simulations that are more realistic try a high end race car sim. They usually have a surround three screen video projection along with servo movement of the driver seat, G force application to the steering wheel. etc.. Some flight sims have similar features.Those two are not inexpensive but then neither is a Foresight Quad or a Trackman. By the time you add in a computer, decent projector etc they get up there in the investment required.

[jasonreg]

Call it what you want, and not to prolong the debate, but I do feel you get a better overall 'experience' with a larger/taller screen/image, better resolution, brighter image and being a bit closer to the screen. I call it immersive, but call it what you will - I would rather hit from 9 feet than 12. Of course it is not like real life, but no harm in trying to get as close as you can. YMMV

[Brettster]

Ronsc1985 - I'm agreeing with you that the distance back from the screen should be 7'-10', that's exactly right - as I keep ending up with balls back behind my screen when I was adjusting my hitting position even a tiny bit and using lofted wedges. I just wish I could go higher on my 7' screen height to prevent that.

I see your point about video simulations - but notice that you did call them video simulations and not 'video games', so maybe that would be a better term.

That still does not relieve us from talking about 'Immersion':

“Immersion is a process of temporarily expanding consciousness into areas of the unconscious—something like hypnosis, but retaining consciousness as one does in lucid dreaming states.”

and..

People who experience immersion tend to only consider choices that make sense in the context of the imaginary world.

Which I could see applying to our Golf Simulators as 'aiming using the screen as a guide' instead of the aiming stick.

Then there is talk about Spatial Presence (aka Immersion), from here:
https://www.psychologyofgames.com/20...n-video-games/

Here's what Psychologists say about it:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/b...game-immersion

and the way the Gaming Community sees it:

https://www.gamedesigning.org/learn/game-immersion/

And jasonreg

but I do feel you get a better overall 'experience' with a larger/taller screen/image, better resolution, brighter image and being a bit closer to the screen. I call it immersive, but call it what you will - I would rather hit from 9 feet than 12. Of course it is not like real life, but no harm in trying to get as close as you can. YMMV

I do agree completely on that too - get a larger/taller screen, and hit from 9'-10' and it's still 'immersive'. That's for sure... I'm just out of space, unless I start inching my screen up, but I have to find a place to mount it and my sill board around the top of my walls is at around 7' (it's a Garden Shed - remember).

Thanks for the healthy discussion...