Golf Room - Feedback Needed

[GOLF JRK]

I'm adding a golf room to my basement. The dimensions are 21' W x 20' L x 9'6" H.

I'm attempting to best utilize the 21'W, but I'm unsure how big of a screen I should use. I think 16'W screens are available from Foresight, but I didn't see 1 on par2pro.

What would be the ideal screen for this space in terms of size/quality/manufacturer? A curved screen is not within the budget.

I know that I need a short throw projector and that the Optoma GT1080 and a BenQ model receive good reviews on here. From your experience, would either of these suffice? Would I need 2 projectors.

I'm set on the GC2 as my launch monitor.

Any feedback is appreciated. I'm going to look through previous threads for a scenario like mine.

Thanks!

[mthunt]

My screen is 16x10 and I bought it from par2pro. Look for HQ2 on the site and buy it either in the raw and seem it yourself or buy it custom cut. I also have the Benq1080st. Works great and is 14 feet from the screen.

[psyflyjohn]

I have a BenQ and love it. Sent the Optoma back - not nearly as good as BenQ. You may be limited more by height of the image before reaching your width potential. One sure fire way to determine your screen is to buy the projector and play with it on the wall. You will quickly see your projection parameters. You can then order a piece of blackout material from Amazon to fit the image. BTW, the BenQ makes a very nifty movie projector - and in 3D.

[GOLF JRK]

Thanks for the feedback!

psyflyjohn - The lumens on the BenQ W1080ST are 2000 compared to 2800 on the Optoma GT1080. Did this alter your lighting set-up? Is 2000 lumens bright enough to have ambient light or must the room be pretty dark?

[psyflyjohn]

I believe it has 2200 lumens. My only lighting set-up is the actual reflection from the screen. With all lights off, you get a more realistic, immersive effect. My Tee is pretty close to the screen (about 8 ft), so using the light from the screen is no problem. The BenQ has a variety of connection possibilities and better controls for adjusting color, 4 way keystone, etc. Sometimes I keep a florescent light on also, so my wife can work on the laundry (while I play golf). Life is very good...

[MikeMyers]

Thanks for the feedback!

psyflyjohn - The lumens on the BenQ W1080ST are 2000 compared to 2800 on the Optoma GT1080. Did this alter your lighting set-up? Is 2000 lumens bright enough to have ambient light or must the room be pretty dark?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXpkvXi7db8

[GOLF JRK]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXpkvXi7db8

Thanks for the reply MikeMyers!

I'm starting to think that the 16 foot screen will be too wide for the required throw distance for either projector. I have a support beam running horizontally on the ceiling that dissects the 20 feet. Basically, I'm working with 8 X 21 and 12 X 21 areas with the 9'6" ceiling. I'll need to research projector central and I'm going to discuss with Cory at Par2Pro tomorrow.

Projector throw aside, how far must one stand from a 16 foot screen for the image to feel realistic and not claustrophobic? Would a 14 foot screen be a better options?

Thanks

[mthunt]

My screen is 16 feet wide and my projector is the Benq1080st. It's pefect. It's 14 feet away and I hit from 10 feet away

[GOLF JRK]

My screen is 16 feet wide and my projector is the Benq1080st. It's pefect. It's 14 feet away and I hit from 10 feet away

Thanks mthunt! How low from the ceiling does it hang? I ask because I have a 1 foot steel beam about 7 feet from the screen.

[mthunt]

You want your lens about in line with top of the screen. If you go 16x9, you'll have your projector 14-15 feet away and your image will be 16 feet wide and 9 feet high and your projector will be below the beem.

[GOLF JRK]

You want your lens about in line with top of the screen. If you go 16x9, you'll have your projector 14-15 feet away and your image will be 16 feet wide and 9 feet high and your projector will be below the beem.

I'm learning about all of the specs/capabilities. I don't yet know if I can use the 16 x 9 and mount the BenQ 1080ST 7 feet from the screen and still have the image projected appropriately on a 16 x 9 screen

[mthunt]

Sorry. The BenQ will be 15 feet from the screen but with the lens a foot below the ceiling, the beem 7 feet from the screen 1 foot below the ceiling won't impede the image. That's what I meant to say. The projector will be below the beam.

[boverton]

I have the same beam issue and in the same dilemma. Can you install the projector in front of the beam?

[GOLF JRK]

I'm exploring that option with my builder and Cory. I suspect that I'll have to sacrifice screen size so that the projector can be mounted within the 8 foot side. Alternatively, I may just hit into a net and have the computer hooked up to a large TV that would be mounted on a side wall.

[boverton]

Please PM me and let me know what you decide. I've added a drawing of my room, sounds like we are dealing with the same issue.

[mthunt]

Why can't you put the projector 1 foot below the ceiling?

[psyflyjohn]

Consider putting the projector on the floor, in front of where you hit from. The protect the projector with a slanting board.

[boverton]

I thought about both those options but thought I'd hit it that low. It would be around 8.5 or 9 ft directly above the hitting area and 14 ft back from the screen. And on the floor will make putting difficult won't it?

[mthunt]

How can you have a projector on the floor 14 feet from the screen? You'd need short throw and small screen like a trugolf

[boverton]

I don't know this is new to me. Thanks

[goodmatt78]

I am in the same dilemma. I have a 14X14X9 room. My current plan is to use the optoma GT1080 mounted from an extension of my cage and it will be 6-7 ft from the screen and I will hit from 7-8ft. I like the vertical offset that the benQ doesn't have.

With the BenQ, I will have to mount on the back wall at approx 12ft from front of lens to screen. Mounting height can be anywhere, but will I get shadowing of me while hitting from 7-8ft?

[GOLF JRK]

I think we've found an alternative where the original beam is no longer a problem. By relocating the golf room to the backside of the house, we can utilize a 14'6" wide area that can contain screen. The screen will be smaller than originally thought, but no beam will interfere with the projector mount or ball flight. We just need to revise the drawing and tweak the placement of the rest of the layout, but it should work.