Since the first golf simulator was developed in the late 1970s by golf coach Dave Peltz, golf simulators have evolved from training aids into an experience enjoyed by golf enthusiasts worldwide, regardless of skill level.

Driven by significant advancements in technology, golf simulators have expanded beyond the commercial market and become feasible for the individual who wants to create their own home setup. Choosing the right impact screen and enclosure for your personal golf simulator is as important as selecting the ideal projector, as these components collectively define the overall quality of the simulation experience.

The Critical Role of the Impact Screen

The impact screen plays a dual role: it must endure the constant barrage of golf balls while providing a clear and vivid display of the virtual course with good color accuracy. The quality of that screen directly influences both the simulator's longevity and your experience. There is a myriad of options to choose from, and understanding the materials, construction, size, and design is essential to making the right choice for your golf sim.

"Everything has to work together as a system," says Bob Wudeck of BenQ America's commercial projector division, who is a golf enthusiast himself. "So, when the golf ball hits it, the premium screens will absorb the impact of the shock and then basically return the ball to the floor without it bouncing back at you. Then, as best as possible, not mark up the screen." The screen must be both durable and visually precise, balancing physical resilience with high-quality display characteristics to produce the desired results within that system.

Impact Screen Materials, Construction, and Grade

There are some basic elements to look for when selecting an impact screen, such as a tight-weave fabric and multiple layers, but the materials, construction, and grade you choose will depend on your needs and the frequency of use. Some will require only the budget-friendly basic grade, while others will need top-of-the-line. To determine this, you'll need to know a few things about how these screens are constructed.

Screen Materials

There are several screen materials used in impact screens, such as polyester, nylon, and polyester-vinyl composite, with the differences lying in durability and image quality. Polyester mesh is a popular choice for its strong, tightly woven fabric that resists tearing when struck by a golf ball and ability to provide better image quality.

Constructions

In addition to tight weaving, coatings can be applied to the screen to improve characteristics. There are UV-resistant coatings, anti-static coatings, and coatings for gain or reflectivity.

• UV-Resistant Coatings: This type of coating prevents the screen material from fading due to light exposure and are best for outdoor use.
• Anti-Static Coatings: This kind of coating reduces the accumulation of dust on the screen's surface.
• Reflectivity and Gain Coatings: These coatings improve the reflectivity or gain of the impact screen, helping with image brightness and contrast.

Should you choose a screen with a coating, your specific requirements must be taken into account, so you choose the one that delivers the premium experience you are after.

Impact screens come with reinforced edges made of thicker material to prevent fraying or tearing. Grommets or hooks for hanging the screen are placed here, and these areas may even have webbing.

Good impact screens will have multiple layers, such as a front layer for image projection, and a back layer to absorb impacts. Some may have a layer within the middle to reduce noise and further absorb the force of the golf ball's impact. They may have a baffling system within or behind the screen, using layers of netting or padding, to lessen the energy of the ball upon impact.

Grades

Each grade of impact screen is designed to meet specific needs, from casual home use to intensive use in home and commercial environments. Their price points reflect their performance and build quality. When selecting an impact screen, it is essential to consider its estimated frequency of use, the quality of the projected image desired or required, and, of course, the overall budget.

The most affordable options are entry-level impact screens, or basic grade, often made from basic polyester or lighter mesh fabrics. They are designed for occasional use. If used heavily, these screens will be susceptible to wear-and-tear faster than higher grade screens and will need to be replaced sooner than their premium counterparts. Basic grade impact screens are acceptable for casual use, and while they may not provide the sharpest image or color accuracy, they are suitable for beginners or budget-conscious players.

Mid-grade or commercial grade impact screens are typically constructed of a higher-quality polyester or polyester-vinyl blend, which offers more durability than basic grade. These screens are designed for regular use and have better resistance to impact and stretching over time. They may even feature a backing layer for noise reduction. Commercial grade impact screens offer a balance between cost and performance, and their improved clarity make them suitable for more serious enthusiasts or light commercial use.

High-grade or professional grade impact screens use high-density polyester, nylon, or specialized proprietary fabrics. These screens can withstand the continuous impact of golf balls seen in commercial environments and in advanced home setups that see heavy usage. Generally the most premium-priced screens, they usually feature multiple layers or special coatings to significantly reduce the sound of impact and provide excellent projection quality with high color fidelity and sharpness, making them right for high-end simulators.

Like home theater screens, impact screens can be customized. Custom screens will vary widely based on the materials used. Unique composites tailored to specific needs like outdoor use, projection optimization for 4K resolution, extreme durability, and advanced sound absorption are some options that may be available to you when you customize.

But, which grade to choose? When it comes to selecting an impact screen, Wudek states a premium screen is the way to go "if you want something that's immersive and an experience," but that it's not necessary for all players. "If you're using this to focus on your mechanics and are not that interested in playing a [virtual] course, then it's easier to go and down step, and maybe not get the most premium system."

Mounting Options and Installation Considerations

There are a variety of options when it comes to mounting your impact screen, from the DIY approach to retractable screen systems, enclosure kits, and hiring out for custom golf sim design services. Most impact screens come with those grommets or eyelets that are attachment points for bungee fixings to pull the screen taut when secured to hooks or anchors affixed to the walls or ceiling of your simulation space. This bungee method allows for easy adjustment of the screen tension, and fast removal should you need to move or replace the screen. If you don't want to attach to the wall directly, you can secure it to a frame of your choosing or build your own frame using materials sourced online or at a nearby megastore.

Matt Gates from Golf Simulators Direct speaks to the most DIY method, saying, "I think the best way to mount a screen yourself is to build a frame by screwing metal tracking into the wall, and then using zip ties or bungee cords to attach the screen to the frame. This will hold the screen nicely in place, and also keep a nice amount of tension on the screen with just a small amount of give for when a ball is hit into the screen." Gates goes on to say, "If building a frame is too much of a project, then the screen could be hung from wall or ceiling mounts, but it won't have as much tension keeping it in place when the screen takes a hit from a golf ball."

Like motorized screens for home theater, a retractable golf simulator impact screen lets you hide the screen when it's not in use, which is useful for multipurpose spaces. These screens may feature a motorized mechanism and a weight bar at the bottom of the screen to hold it tight enough for impact and reduced bounceback of golf balls. The Sport Screen manufactures retractable impact screens, and their listings feature a graphic detailing the room requirements for each of their models.

Ceiling suspension is another option for environments where wall space is limited, securing to the ceiling from a weighted frame. This method is not retractable, and the strength of the ceiling materials must be considered, as these screens are quite heavy. It may not be an option for some spaces.

Enclosure kits are the easiest way to get everything you need to build your enclosure, screen included. Plenty of quality options exist, such as the enclosure kits from Carl's Place. This is also a DIY method, but much friendlier to those who do not have carpentry skills. If you'd prefer to have a professional install your system, Carl's Place also has custom design services, linked in the resources section of this article.

If you are installing the screen yourself, it is essential not to overstretch the material. This will lead to undesired, excessive bounceback of the ball. Hung too loosely, the impact screen will have reduced projection quality due to wrinkles or puckering. Even tension between the four corners and each side will negate these issues.

Before installation, it is important to consider your space. What size screen is best for your environment? You want to make sure it will not only fit, but also provide you with the immersive experience you're looking for. Before, it was common for impact screens to have a 4:3 aspect ratio. Now, it is more common to choose a 16:9 setup, and this also opens the option to have your golf sim serve a dual purpose for family movie night. You can still get 4:3 screens and even 1:1 square screens, and in some cases, that may be the best for your setup.

The Advantages of Using an Enclosure

Golf simulator enclosures provide an immersive experience by optimizing acoustics and lighting conditions within a dedicated golfing space, which yields more realistic gameplay, precise ball tracking, and better color accuracy.

Gates from Golf Simulators Direct notes four advantages to utilizing an enclosure:

• The top and side barriers of an enclosure can help to contain errant golf balls as they bounce off the screen and also contain some outright mishits, which is important for maximum safety.
• A golf enclosure provides structure and framing for the screen.
• Some people will use the enclosure top as a convenient place to hang a golf projector mount.
• Depending on the setup, an enclosure can help keep out some ambient light from the screen.

On that last point, it is necessary to have some lighting in a golf sim room besides the light coming from the projector so that the sensor can track your swing and the ball properly. An enclosure allows for more controlled lighting, blocking out much of the ambient light from affecting the projected image. And not just light from the sides and top, as some nicer enclosures also have a back valence that will cover the back of the screen and stop light from coming in from behind the screen if the enclosure is backing up to any light sources.

When choosing a golf simulator enclosure, consider how much space you have to work with. Measure the height, width, and depth of your room and look for the largest enclosure that fits within those parameters. You'll want a durable material like nylon for the enclosure, and likely side barrier netting and net extensions for that extra protection.

Leading Impact Screen and Enclosure Providers

There are many impact screen and enclosure providers to choose from, ranging from entry-level pricing to premium priced kits.

Top of mind for any golf simulation aficionado is Carl's Place. They have a wide range of both impact screens and enclosures, including the $999.95 DIY Golf Simulator Enclosure Kit with Impact Screen and the $2,979.95 Pro Golf Simulator Enclosure Kit with Impact Screen. Carl's Place also has a Built-In Room Kit that allows those who are handy at home renovation projects to create a dedicated golf simulator space that looks like it was built seamlessly into the room.

Elite Screens, a well-known screen manufacturer for home entertainment and home cinema projectors, has ISF-certified screens like their Swingbay screens, in either a $2,673, 10 by 10 foot or $3,052, 13 by 10 foot model, available from reseller ProjectorScreen.com. Elite also has a portable impact screen and enclosure, the $,1468.50 GolfSim Portable ImpactWhite 350, which has a folding frame design for an on-the-go experience. Another reseller, PSSAV, sells more modestly priced options from Elite Screens, starting at $376.50.

TopShelf Golf has four options for complete systems, ranging from $5,849 to $17,399. They offer extensive DIY options: the $1,999 PerfectBay Golf Simulator Enclosure, the $1,999 HomeCourse Pro 180 Retractable Enclosure, and The Net Return Simulator Series Golf Net and Screen for $1,995.

TruGolf, a high-end golf sim company, sells complete systems that include not only the impact screen, frame, and enclosure, but the projector, sensors, and tee-box. Their starter system is $13,500, with options for more professional setups like the $18,000 TruGolf Max, $24,000 TruGolf Max + Technology, and $29,000 TruGolf Max + 4K system.

OptiShot Golf offers affordable enclosures and impact screens, like their OptiShot Pro Bay Kit with multiple size options, starting at $1,840. They have a retractable screen enclosure called the Homecourse Pro Screen that includes the impact screen, ceiling mount kit, and enclosure for $1,999. Their Multi-Media Bundle is an a la carte, customizable bundle that includes their Pro Bay enclosure, a projector in HD or 4K, a projector floor or ceiling mount, and a hitting mat; prices start at $4,400.

Golf Simulators Direct offers standard impact screens and retractable impact screens, enclosures, kits, side netting, wall padding, and add-ons from a variety of retailers, like Carl's Place and The SportScreen.

Golf Simulator Design Resources

Our curated list of resources to help with designing your ultimate golf simulator:

• The Golf Sim Planner from BenQ: An excellent resource for visual aid in designing your perfect golf simulator space within the room of your choice.
• The Ultimate Golf Room Checklist from Carl's Place: A checklist that includes everything you need to create your golf simulation room.
• Build Your Own Golf Simulator Tool from Carl's Place: A tool that helps you choose and design your whole golf sim setup.
• Golf Simulator Room Design Services from Carl's Place: Professional designers to help you with the look and logistics of your golf simulator space.
• Golf Simulator Quiz from Rain or Shine Golf: A quiz that runs through what you're looking for in a golf simulator and your space, then suggests products sold on their website.
• How to Choose a Projector for a Golf Simulator from Projector Central: Our article detailing everything you need to know before choosing your projector for your golf simulator, with links to additional resources.

Crafting Your Ultimate Golf Simulator Experience

Within a golf simulator setup, the screen and enclosure are as equally important as the projector you select. Everything works as a system, and all elements culminate to produce the entire experience. From absorbing the force of a golf ball to delivering lifelike visuals, the impact screen must be both durable and provide a crisp display of the projected virtual course.

Understanding the materials, constructions, grades, and mounting options available sets you up to make an informed decision that will yield desirable results for your golf simulator. Whether you choose to go DIY, select a turnkey solution, or hire design services, knowing what to look and ask for will go a long way in determining the impact screen and enclosure that's right for you.