8 feet too narrow?

[arl16]

I finally ordered my SkyTrak this week and am starting to plan out my garage. I've got a bumpout in the back corner of my garage that is ~ 8 feet wide. I could stand outside of the bumpout, giving myself plenty of room to hit into it (although it wouldn't work for visiting lefties), but I'm wondering if 8 feet is going to make the picture too small. 4x3 means only 6 feet high (which I guess doesn't have to start at the ground), but still seems like it might be too small.

I could do it out in the middle and go 12x9, but it would take over the garage. Just wondering if anyone's gone as small as 8 feet and been relatively satisfied.

Thanks!

[arl16]

Nobody's gone this narrow?

[andygg1986]

I don't think I have ever seen anyone with a setup that narrow, but more because you can't swing in that size space. It sounds like you have plenty of room to swing, just have a narrower area that the ball is flying into. Most people say that bigger is better when it comes to the screens just because it is more immersive, but keeping it out of the way would probably make it worth the compromise. I would set it up though so that you are hitting a straight shot as close to the center of your screen as possible. That way any misses should still be caught by the sides of the screen. The combination of a smaller screen and hitting on an offset line could mean some mishit balls ricocheting off the sides.

[3on3putt]

How much hitting depth are you gaining or losing by using the bumpout area vs. not using it?

Also, what else is the garage being used for? Would not using the bumpout be a real hassle for storing other stuff? I guess it's all relative to your needs for the garage.

I don't think 6 feet high is too small. As you mentioned, you can start the image slightly off the floor so the top of the image will actually be well over 6 feet high. How far away would your hitting spot be? If you're only about 8 feet away, it's still going to feel plenty big.

My image is only 6.75 feet high (9 feet wide in a 4:3 ratio). I certainly don't feel like it's too small. My image starts off the floor so the top of it is well over 7 feet high.

You could always start out by using the bumpout as your starter build and then upgrade in the future if you decide you want something bigger.

[Golfser]

My enclosure is 8 feet wide and it works fine.

[Wormburner]

I have a 9 foot area I hit into and it is a 8 foot visible screen. My swing area is 12 ft. Works fine for me

[GungHoGolf]

Can you swing driver with 6 ft ball to wall behind you? If so, how tall are you? I'm 6'3" and need just over 7 ft ball-to-wall.

[Wormburner]

Yes, I move the ball slightly toward the far right edge of my CCE mat so I probably get another six to eight inches and my room in more like 12'5" in width. That being said I can hit a driver. I give lessons a lot and no one has hit it yet! I have had 6'2" golfers in there, I am 5'5'' so no issues for me of course.

[Celeras]

8 feet is fine for the screen/picture but definitely not the hitting area (i know you said you have slightly more room outside the bump). I would suggest you give yourself the most space you can and put the enclosure where it needs to be for that space. Sounds like youre trying to do vice-versa.

[jpotas]

I have 6'2" from the wall to my back to the red dot when hitting. I am 6' tall. I do have a couple scuff marks from friends just barely touching the wall with their drivers, I draw the ball a lot so I swing inside out for sure and have not hit the wall. The room is 10' wide in the hitting area but then jogs out 12' wide. Total length is 24'.

Hope this helps.

[AndoCalrissian]

I hit into an 8'X8' screen which allows for about a 6' vertical image (about a foot gap at top and bottom of the screen), and while it bothered me a bit at first, I no longer even think about it. My swing area is about 11' wide (right side of enclosure to wall behind me). This allows me to hit to the center of the screen, or just right of center as you can tell by the wear.

[arl16]

Thanks for the responses guys!

I guess a layout pic would be easier to understand - yes, I've got plenty of room behind where I'd be hitting. (Won't work for lefties though).

My other idea was to go parallel to the garage door, which would obviously give me plenty of room to go almost as big as I want - I've got 11 foot ceilings. But anyone else in the room would be either up against the garage door, or against the opposite wall where trash cans, (and of course the beer fridge are), and the entire garage is basically taken, and the back bump-out kinda wasted (other than some storage).

The pics and opinions are helpful. Knowing others have done 8 ft makes me feel better about it. I think I'm going into the corner.

Thanks guys! (Now if SkyTrak would hurry up and ship my unit! Ordered 10/26. Still waiting...)