Golf Sim/Movie Theater - Retractable movie screen or retractable impact screen?

[BillyBaroo1980]

Hey Forum -

First time poster - I know this topic has been covered, but I haven't found a ton of responses/opinions/suggestions. Currently designing a sim/theater in our basement - should be ample room to have seating behind the hitting area. Total area raw is going to be around 16' wide x 10' high x 30' long. So finished may come in some - but ceilings will remain around 10'.

I've read that in order to have the best cinematic experience, two screens would be "ideal". This will not be a DIY build - I'm in talks with a couple reputable golf sim designers in my area. Both have said their impact screen is good enough to show movies - but like many of you I'm trying to get the best experience possible to justify the sim/theater combo.

My original thought was to have a retractable impact screen (motorized) - and a set movie screen behind - - projector with lens memory to instantly convert to the movie screen size.

Anyone have experience with this setup? Or conversely a motorized movie screen that would be in front of the impact screen? I would think a specialized screen in back of the impact screen - with a dark back wall would likely be best.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated. Happy to share more info - but this is still very preliminary.

Thanks again -

[Willnus]

Hi there.

Not something I have experience with tbh...
I have a separate cinema and Golf Sim, although I do often use the golf sim screen for showing sport, and the impact screen works just fine.

My only input though would be, you will need a void behind the impact screen for it to flex when you hit the ball, so I would assume having the cinema screen behind it, on the back wall, would make most sense, with the motorized impact screen in front of it. Otherwise, when you bring the Cinema screen down, you are going to have something like 50cm of void behind it. Sounds like your room is big enough anyway, but maybe that's a waste of space you don't need...

[Dax]

My thoughts would be to have the motorized projection screen. The reason for suggesting this is if you do the movie screen in front of impact screen would not be ideal do to the fact that you really want a theatre room to be dark and having a white hitting screen behind your movie screen would negate this.

[BillyBaroo1980]

Thank you both for the responses - my lean was to have the motorized impact screen (possibly Gungho Golf) and a fixed movie screen set behind on the wall about 1 foot from impact screen. This is about a year away - so maybe tech/screens will change and I can pivot. Again - thanks for your thoughts!

[gobble]

My experience after having built something like a $30k home theater room in my old house, complete with an acoustically transparent screen, in-wall James Loudspeakers, full acoustic treatment professionally designed, sound isolation, high end components, etc. is that we rarely ever used it. It was an (almost) complete waste of time and money. Nobody ever slowed down to get the whole family together to watch a movie and THEY DON"T MAKE GOOD MOVIES ANYMORE. I pretty much just used the room to watch concert type DVD's.

Save the extra money and just use your impact screen for movies.

[BillyBaroo1980]

My experience after having built something like a $30k home theater room in my old house, complete with an acoustically transparent screen, in-wall James Loudspeakers, full acoustic treatment professionally designed, sound isolation, high end components, etc. is that we rarely ever used it. It was an (almost) complete waste of time and money. Nobody ever slowed down to get the whole family together to watch a movie and THEY DON"T MAKE GOOD MOVIES ANYMORE. I pretty much just used the room to watch concert type DVD's.

Save the extra money and just use your impact screen for movies.

Point taken! We have 2 kids that are excited about the movie theater concept - so I'm guessing it will be used - but yeah I hear you. Cost may steer us to the single screen anyways. Appreciate the input.

[Olaf]

I used this one in front of my impact screen.

https://www.amazon.ca/Inch-Projector-Screen-Outdoor-YF2009/dp/B075CGZLJT/ref=sr_1_5?crid=15EUCPBQJBF89&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.KuxaKICmPwJVRHkfQ0puonT5Cgk_vRjfJc7FEFQxjK-n2qn66l3vfm2aWB1EAB6KiFgMMy6lsuUbphaBFce_UvsOoU3TXrznTBjYOvhLXHFw5MGj5Ixc4piqJBiAv0uEWrMQvq1G_DHxRbW6WgfEXAIZvxuyPFriY-EJeMLch4CIp7TYg1hEOM2_pFyj08INWYY4MSOYwv9g-KyCDC-mhhZpPLlTNnBlwsRv5RdDIDx-b_hk5QgEX7o8louPvfzq8ZRS3tXBNoszmv5vWc-HChFN8_LTUsdD8ZO7WT8KMyk.QIbQejxXySjISkXY3vFeScwsrnzJjzjIOG_I8qBcW1s&dib_tag=se&keywords=180%22+projector+screen&qid=1733103656&sprefix=180+projector+screen%2Caps%2C142&sr=8-5

Canadian $

I have had it for 5 years, no damage and work well for movies, though I think it is time to re-strech the front screen :-)

That being said my impact screen is an archery baffle (you can see the bottom sticking out), i choose that because it was much cheaper and can stop an arrow (but not from a crossbow, i tried.... :-( )

[Jmaceachern]

I am looking into the same idea with a dual SIM/Movie theater. I am looking at 16x10 as well thinking of doing. 16:9 for both with a Benq 936 on a dual purpose curved screen. Also in preliminary stage, about a year out. My room is larger so very difficult to position speakers for optimal home theater sound.

[Olaf]

I have my speakers behind the screen, left, center and and right. I have 20" of space behinf the screen. The speakers on the left and right have never been hit and the center speaker is small and on the floor not problems either.

[mthunt]

Hey Forum -

First time poster - I know this topic has been covered, but I haven't found a ton of responses/opinions/suggestions. Currently designing a sim/theater in our basement - should be ample room to have seating behind the hitting area. Total area raw is going to be around 16' wide x 10' high x 30' long. So finished may come in some - but ceilings will remain around 10'.

I've read that in order to have the best cinematic experience, two screens would be "ideal". This will not be a DIY build - I'm in talks with a couple reputable golf sim designers in my area. Both have said their impact screen is good enough to show movies - but like many of you I'm trying to get the best experience possible to justify the sim/theater combo.

My original thought was to have a retractable impact screen (motorized) - and a set movie screen behind - - projector with lens memory to instantly convert to the movie screen size.

Anyone have experience with this setup? Or conversely a motorized movie screen that would be in front of the impact screen? I would think a specialized screen in back of the impact screen - with a dark back wall would likely be best.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated. Happy to share more info - but this is still very preliminary.

Thanks again -

Put the movie screen on the motor in front.