Golf Simulator Projector and Lighting for a Garage Bay: Throw Distance, Mounting and Washout
The projector question is really a placement question: where can the lens sit so it fills the screen without getting hit by a ball? Throw ratio answers that.
Throw ratio in one line
Lens-to-screen distance = throw ratio x image width. The lower the throw ratio, the closer to the screen the projector can sit. The Indoor Golf Shop calls a throw ratio under about 1.0 "short throw" and notes that zoom lenses give a range of distances (SIG).
When a 16:9 projector fills the height of a 4:3 screen, the projected image is wider than the screen, and that's the width to use. Example for a SIG10 screen (7'7" tall): 7'7" x 16/9 = 13.5 ft wide, so a 0.496 throw lens sits about 6'8" away. That matches The Indoor Golf Shop's table.
Lens-to-screen distances for SIG screens
| Projector | Throw ratio | SIG8 | SIG10 | SIG12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optoma GT2000HDR | 0.50 | 6'8" * | 6'8" * | 7'7" * |
| Optoma ZW350ST | 0.52 | 6'4" * | 6'4" * | 7'2" * |
| BenQ AH500ST | 0.50 | 6'9" * | 6'9" * | 7'8" * |
| BenQ AK700ST / AH700ST / TK710STi | 0.69–0.83 | 9'4"–11'2" | 9'4"–11'2" | 10'6"–12'8" |
| BenQ AK800ST | 0.69–0.84 | 9'5"–11'3" | 9'5"–11'3" | 10'7"–12'9" |
| BenQ LK936ST / AK900ST | 0.81–0.89 / 0.82–0.89 | 10'11"–12'0" | 10'11"–12'0" | 12'4"–13'7" |
| Optoma ZK521ST-B | 0.79 | 10'8" | 10'8" | 12'1" |
* = with the ball 10 ft from the screen, the lens would sit in front of the golfer; The Indoor Golf Shop advises "caution due to the risk of errant shots." Table excerpted from The Indoor Golf Shop placement calculator, which sources throw data from the makers via ProjectorCentral.
Floor, ceiling in front, or ceiling behind
- Ultra-short-ish (about 0.5) lenses end up ahead of the tee. PlayBetter and SkyTrak floor-mount the projector in their 8 ft studios, and SkyTrak includes a protective floor mount for it (SkyTrak, PlayBetter). Their bigger studios ceiling-mount.
- Zoom lenses around 0.69–0.83 can reach behind the golfer. The Indoor Golf Shop says to set the AK700ST "toward the far end of that range so it sits behind the golfer" (SIG).
- Watch the ceiling-mount launch monitor. Ceiling units also hang near the tee, so plan both mounts together.
- Keystone helps, but plan straight. The AK700ST lists ±30° vertical, horizontal and rotation keystone (BenQ); the ZW350ST lists ±15° and four-corner correction (Optoma).
Spec sheet comparison
| BenQ AK700ST | Optoma GT2000HDR | Optoma ZW350ST | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brightness | 4,000 ANSI lumens | 3,500 lumens | 3,600 lumens |
| Resolution | 4K UHD | 1080p | WXGA 1280x800 |
| Native aspect | 16:9 (screen fill 16:9, 16:10, 4:3, 1:1) | 16:9 | 16:10 |
| Throw ratio | 0.69–0.83 (1.2x zoom) | 0.496:1 | 0.521:1 fixed |
| Light source life | 20,000 hrs laser | Laser | 30,000 hrs laser |
| Power | 212 W typical | 98–139 W | 98–139 W |
| Operating temp | 0–40°C | 0–40°C | 0–40°C |
| Price read 2026-11-12 | $2,899.00 SIG10 add-on | $1,199.00 SIG10 add-on | Sold in PlayBetter/SkyTrak packages; standalone price not checked |
Sources: BenQ US: AK700ST specifications · Optoma: GT2000HDR datasheet (PDF) · Optoma USA: ZW350ST specifications · The Indoor Golf Shop: SIG10 enclosure and add-on prices
Other SIG10 add-on prices: BenQ AH700ST (1080p, 4,000 lumens) $2,299.00, Optoma GT2400HDR (4,200 lumens) $1,299.00, Optoma ZW351ST-B (3,600 lumens) $899.00 (SIG).
Lighting: keep light off the screen
- Optoma's brightness claims come with a caveat: "With no direct sunlight or lights directed on screen" (Optoma). Aim bay lights at the floor and the golfer, not the screen.
- Garage door windows and side windows are the usual culprit. SIG's blackout screen addresses "screen washout in bright rooms" (SIG); Carl's uses light-absorbing BlackStop fabric (Carl's).
- Camera launch monitors bring their own light. SkyTrak lists an infrared LED array as the ST MAX light source (SkyTrak). Bushnell says other launch monitors can be "finicky about lighting" and its Launch Pro isn't; that's Bushnell's claim, not our test (Bushnell).
In a cold garage
All three projectors above are rated for 0°C (32°F) and up. Warm the room before you power on; see the cold-garage guide.