Golf Simulator Enclosure and Impact Screen Buying Guide: Sizes, Buffers and Real Frame Dimensions
The enclosure is the frame and fabric around the impact screen. It sets your room width, takes a big bite of your height, and decides how big a picture you get. Size it to the room first, then think about features.
Fit rules from the makers
- Height: leave at least 2–3 in between frame and ceiling. Carl's Place says closer to 6–7 in makes its Curved kit much easier to install (Carl's sizing guide).
- Width: subtract 4–6 in from the wall-to-wall width (2–3 in per side) (Carl's).
- Behind the screen: 9–12 in from the wall (The Indoor Golf Shop) or 12–16 in (Carl's). Carl's DIY frame needs at least 8.25 in for its rear fitting and the Pro frame 9.5 in (Carl's).
- Minimum sensible size: Carl's says that for most customers it doesn't recommend going smaller than 96 in high or 100 in wide (Carl's).
- Aspect ratio: for the same width, a 4:3 screen is taller than a 16:9 screen, so it needs more height (SIG).
Real frame and screen sizes
The Indoor Golf Shop (SIG)
| Model | Aspect | Frame W x H x D | Screen image W x H |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIG8 | 1:1 | 8'4" x 8'4" x 5'0" | 7'7" x 7'7" |
| SIG10 | 4:3 | 10'10" x 8'4" x 5'0" | 10'1" x 7'7" |
| SIG12 | 4:3 | 12'2" x 9'4" x 5'0" | 11'5" x 8'7" |
Sources: The Indoor Golf Shop: Simulator placement calculator and reference tables (updated 2026-11-10)
SIG10 price: $1,499.99 (shown against $1,999.99), including the SIGPRO Premium screen, push-pin poles and connectors, foam padding, surround and ball bungees. Add-ons on the same page: SIGPRO Premier 4K gray screen +$310, side barrier netting $399.99, blackout screen $524.99, landing pad mat $899.99 (SIG10 page). View SIG10 at The Indoor Golf Shop
Carl's Place DIY enclosure kit
| Listing size | Aspect | Outer H x W (in) | Screen H x W (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.7 x 10 | 4:3 | 95.8 x 124.8 | 83.1 x 110.8 |
| 7.7 x 13 | 16:9 | 95.8 x 163.3 | 84.0 x 149.3 |
| 8 x 8 | 1:1 | 100 x 100 | 86.0 x 86.0 |
| 8 x 10.5 | 4:3 | 100 x 130.3 | 87.2 x 116.3 |
| 8.5 x 11.5 | 4:3 | 107.5 x 140.3 | 94.7 x 126.3 |
| 9 x 12 | 4:3 | 112 x 146.3 | 99.2 x 132.3 |
All six frames are 59.125 in deep (screen to front of frame), and 67.375 in footprint depth including the rear fitting. Carl's notes the listing size is "a simplified name" and to check the actual outer dimensions. Features listed: BlackStop light-absorbing fabric, a floor-to-turf borderless screen, and "fast 1 hour assembly" (Carl's spec sheet). Prices: DIY kit from $999.95, Pro kit from $3,409.95, Curved kit from $4,894.95 (Carl's). Carl's also builds custom sizes. View Carl's DIY kit
PlayBetter SimStudio (sold in packages)
| Size | W x H x D |
|---|---|
| SimStudio8 | 8' x 7.5' x 4' |
| SimStudio10 | 10' x 8'6" x 5'4" |
| SimStudio12 | 12' x 8'6" x 5'4" |
| SimStudio13 Deep | 13' x 10' x 10' |
The 8 ft studio uses a floor-mounted projector; 10, 12 and 13 use a ceiling mount (PlayBetter). SkyTrak's studios list nearly the same dimensions; its 8 ft studio is 7'5" tall (SkyTrak). We didn't find the screen image size published on the pages we read, so our calculator skips projector math for these.
Safety details worth paying for
Garmin's manual lists the basics for any indoor setup: free space behind the net or screen, a net or screen "high enough and extended enough" for high-lofted and errant shots, and padding on nets and frames to cut ricochet (Garmin manual). Side netting and foam padding are the cheap insurance. Carl's puts it bluntly: "We really don't want you to have golf balls ricocheting directly back at your head" (Carl's).
How to choose
- Find the widest frame that fits: wall-to-wall width minus 6 in.
- Check its height against your ceiling minus 3 in.
- Prefer the largest screen that fits, then check the projector can fill it from a safe spot (see the projector guide).
- Budget for side netting if your walls are close or you share the bay with beginners.