New Simulator

[Slappy]

Okay guys, I have read through hundreds of posts on your site and am excited to be a part of it.

I'm getting ready to do a simulator in my garage for practice through the winter and rainy days for myself and my daughter. The space I have available is roughly 11hx12wx13d.

I'm not sure if I will put up a cage I already have (it's 9hx12wx12d) and put a white canvas/sheet on the back side for projection, or just put a screen in front of my back wall. The area I'd be hitting towards has walls on 3 sides, so errant shots won't be flying all over the garage QUESTION 1 - Should I use the cage or leave the space more open? I was thinking the cage, but I'm afraid it will too 'closed in' feeling with it.

Next, I'm trying to figure out a projector. I love the idea of the short throw on the ground in front of hitting mat like they show at golfsimulatorguys.com, but I think $ is going to prevent that. QUESTION 2 - Any recs on a lower cost option for a projector? I am thinking a regular projector about 12' back from screen with me set up just in front of it...put it up high and angle down to try and avoid shadows.

I'm going to build a stance platform to set the optishot into it, and plan to get some better turf for the top to make it a level hitting surface. I have ordered the optishot, got it new with shipping for 215!! QUESTION 3 - I have to order the Mac upgrade already, as I will run it off a MacBook Air... is it worth getting the OptiShot 2 upgrade for the extra $99? I'm thinking if I get the mac upgrade, optishot 2 upgrade, and my optishot I'll be all-in for a total of basically 350 and have a mac-ready optishot 2.

Thank you guys in advance. Looking forward to the responses!!! Great site and am looking forward to being part of it.

[Slappy]

I can get this projector for $350, thoughts?
Product Features

Portable design
Weighs 6 lbs. for convenient transport to conferences and meetings.
DLP and Brilliant Color technologies
Produce sharp, detailed images. PC-3D-ready to ensure future media content can be displayed (3D glasses required, not included).
1600 x 1200 XGA resolution
More than 1 billion colors to reproduce lifelike images.
±15° vertical keystone correction
For distortion-free images.
3000 lumens of brightness and 15000:1 contrast ratio
For bright images and noticeable contrast between white and black for excellent color saturation.
25" - 300" viewable screen size (diagonal)
For use with small or large groups. Features 3.3' - 32.8' projector distance and a 1.6:1 - 1.92:1 throw ratio range to reproduce wide images in their correct proportions.
Supports SDTV, EDTV and HDTV signals
Including 480i, 480p, 576i, 720p, 1080i and 1080p through NTSC, PAL and SECAM.
Computer compatible
Including UXGA, SXGA+, SXGA, XGA, SVGA, VGA resized, PC and Mac for a variety of compatibility options.
Image zoom
For setting versatility.
190W UHP lamp
Provides approximately 6,000 hours of lamp life in standard mode or 4,500 hours in boost mode.
Inputs
Include HDMI, VGA (2), S-video, audio, composite video and RS-232C for a variety of connecting options.

[wbond]

I suggest you get the model number of the projector you are looking at and plug in into projectorcentral. It will give image size based on your throw distance as well as the allowable ambient lighting amount.

I think the decision between cage and open needs to be based on who will be swinging and the likelihood of the ball flying around, even with three walls.

I use a regular projector about 15' from screen mounted about 10' off the ground and angled slightly down. I stand about 8.5" from net and I have no shadow.

I would get the optishot 2 just so you can be able to calibrate the clubs, i do think this has made an improvement in the readings. How much is hard to tell, but it is noticeable.

[AJA]

About the "errant shots won't be flying all over the garage" - If there is anything in the way that a golf ball can bounce off of, it will.

You should be extra careful when hitting real golf balls indoors. The issue is not so much that they will fly off somewhere. The real issue is that if there is even the remotest possibility of a golf ball hitting something solid, something that it can come off of at high velocity, there is a very real danger of serious injury.

Use your "cage" to reduce the chance of balls rebounding and think out every possible scenario where a golf ball could errantly hit something else and dangerously fly back. Better safe than sorry.