Looking for a garage golf simulator? You’ve come to the right place. Welcome to the ultimate guide on setting up a golf simulator in your garage. We’ll cover the top garage simulators, provide setup ideas, inspiration and photos, as well as answer all the key questions you may have. Like cost, how to build, space needs, and more!
A lot goes into a golf simulator. And we’ve experienced it all. From getting wi-fi to extend to your garage to sourcing all the components needed for the perfect golf simulator. Use the navigation below to jump to the specifc information you’re looking for!
Golf Simulators For Garages
You have two options when it comes to making your ideal garage golf simulator setup. Option one, and our recommended path, is to purchase a golf simulator package. These packages will have everything you need from the launch monitor, software, turf, hitting bay, and more. This will be be the most stress-free route to take.
Option two is a little more DIY. And consists of sourcing all the components yourself. The setup may be a bit more work and hold a lesser quality than the packages, but you will save some money with this option!
Garage Golf Simulator Packages
First we’ll cover the top garage simulator packages you can buy. Here are our top 3 picks:
1. SkyTrak SwingBay Golf Simulator Package
In this package, SkyTrak is paired with the SwingBay Professional Hitting Enclosure. It also comes with the mat, turf to screen covering, projector and enclosure, a gaming laptop for running SkyTrak and any golf simulation software, as well as a ton of important accessories such as a ball tray, extra-long HDMI cable, and more.
Not pictured is the included side netting that attaches to the hitting bay. The side nets extend around 10′ adding some great protection to your car or other items in your garage.
2. SkyTrak Retractable Golf Simulator Package
In this package, SkyTrak is paired with the HomeCourse Retractable Hitting Enclosure. The retractable hitting screen is perfect for garages! As pictured below, the screen is fully retractable allowing you to setup and take down as need.
If you need to make room for other things simply retract the screen, roll up the turf, and return your garage back to it’s original form.
This setup is also slightly smaller than the SwingBay setup. So it works great in smaller garages.
3. SkyTrak Practice Golf Simulator Package
If you are looking to save some money, then this package is the way to go. It forgoes the golf simulator screen and projector for the Net Return Pro Series Net. But you can view your shot on a tv, iPad, or the included Laptop. Our favorite option is to hook up your Laptop to a mounted TV.
This option is budget conscious, space-friendly, and can be moved outdoors on a nice day!
How to Build A Golf Simulator for Your Garage
Would rather go the DIY route? We get it! If you plan on sourcing everything yourself, then here is everything you need to know!
What You Need
1. An Indoor Launch Monitor
Getting yourself a launch monitor that is suited for indoor use is the most important piece of your setup. A launch monitor fit for indoor use does not have a large space requirement. Meaning it doesn’t need to capture the entire flight of the ball to work. The best launch monitors for indoor use are typically photometric. This means that they take a series of super high-speed photos of your ball at impact and use them to simulate your shot.
Here are our top choices for garage launch monitors with golf simulation capabilities:
SkyTrak
SkyTrak is our #1 choice for garage setups. There is a reason why each package we listed above includes SkyTrak. It requires the smallest amount of space of any launch monitor. It’s under $2,000 yet still is extremely accurate. And integrates with all the top golf simulation software providers.
Uneekor QED
The Uneekor QED is our #1 choice for premium garage setups. It costs a bit more than SkyTrak ($7,000). But you get more data, premium accuracy and speed, as well as a few other game improvement features such as it’s Swing Optix system.
FlightScope Mevo+
The FlightScope Mevo+ is a great system and has many perks! The main reason why this isn’t our top choice for setups located in the garage are because of FlightScope’s space requirement. It needs at least 7′ of space behind the ball and 8′ if ball flight. Because of this, we only recommend Mevo+ for large garages.
2. A Screen or Net
You are going to need to hit into something! You can take 1 of 3 routes.
A Hanging Screen
The hanging screen/tarp option will be the most budget-friendly option for your garage. This screen (pictured above) from amazon will run you around $200. The cons are that the dimensions of the screen won’t line up with a standard projection. And the screen won’t be as stirdy as a hitting bay. You will also need something in your ceiling to hang it from.
Hitting Bay
building a golf simulator for garage
There’s the full-on hitting bay route with something like the SwingBay Hitting Enclosure. This will be the best option but also most expensive. It will last for years, provide perfect projection dimensions, as well as be the most protective surrounding (SwingBay also comes with side netting).
The Net and TV Combo
building a golf simulator for garage
The net and tv combo is also a great option for a simple DIY garage golf simulator. The Net Return Pro Series V2 Golf Net is the best net on the market. It is a very high-quality net, but does run on the more expensive side for a DIY setup. You can get a cheaper net from amazon.
With this setup, all you will need is a TV that you can run an HDMI cable to from the device running the golf simulation software. Old TV’s that you are no longer using work great!
A Golf Mat
You are going to need to hit off of something! Feel free to browse our Best Golf Mats Guide. But in short, here are our top recommendations based off of quality, price, and features.
SwingTurf – Best All Around Mat
golf mat for garage golf simulator
The SwingTurf is our most recommended golf mat. It costs $469 which is on the cheaper end of high-quality mats and the more expensive side of low-quality mats. SwingTurf will last a long time, provides a very realistic feel, and is easy on the joints!
ChampKey Pro – Best Budget Option
golf mat for garage golf simulator
The ChampKey Pro is lower-end mat you can get from Amazon. It has great reviews and is under $150. It will most likely wear down faster than SwingTurf, but still a solid budget-friendly option.
Golf Simulation Software
The software you choose is one of the most important aspects of your setup as it will drive a large portion of the experience. There are 3 big players in the golf simulation software market:
WGT (SkyTrak Only)
The most cost-effective choice is WGT. It includes 18 great courses, including Pebble Beach, St. Andrews, and Bethpage Black. WGT’s graphics are photo-realistic, giving the software an extremely realistic sense when used. WGT’s biggest drawback is that it is only compatible with an iPad.
The Golf Club 2019 (Works with SkyTrak, Mevo+, and Uneekor)
Out of all of the software alternatives, Golf Club 2019 has the most golf courses. Over 100,000! TGC 2019 is our favorite software because of the course selection. You can play just about any course imaginable. Including all the most famous courses like Augusta or Pebble Beach. TGC 2019 is only compatible with PC’s.
E6 Connect (Works with SkyTrak, Mevo+, and Uneekor)
E6 stands out in the features category. It has a ton of great practice features, games, challenges, and add-ons. It also has a large community with online events and tournaments. The graphics in E6 are extremely realistic. The downside to E6 is that a lot of the famous courses must be purchased for an additional cost. But E6 Connect can be used on iOs or PC devices.
We typically recommend TGC 2019 in most cases due to it’s ease of use and course selection. It’s in the middle teir in terms of price and is compatible with many launch monitors. We also host our own online events using the software. So if you purchase a launch monitor or golf simulator from us then you can join our events!
Garage Golf Simulator Setup
Answering your most common garage setup questions. There are many questions when it comes to setting up your own simulator in your garage. Here are answers to the top questions we get:
How Much Space Do I Need?
Your garage will need to be at least 10’W x 10’L x 9’H for a smaller mat and net setup.
For a larger setup with a hitting enclosure like SwingBay, you will want an extra 6′ of length to accomodate a projector. For our SkyTrak SwingBay Golf Simulator Package, we recommend a space that is at least 11’W x 16’L x 9’H.
When thinking about your space, it’s helpful to swing your longest club in the area where you will be hitting. You will want to have 100% confidence in making full swings without hesitation.
- Lookout for overhead garage door tracks as they often sit 1-2′ lower than the ceiling
- Think about any cars or other objects that may peridocially be in the garage while you are using the simulator
How Do I Get Wi-Fi in My Garage to Run Golf Simulation Software?
Most golf simulation software programs operate on wi-fi. Some include offline modes in which you can download courses while on wi-fi to be used later offline. But in general, you will have a better experience with access to wi-fi.
If your wi-fi signal doesn’t extend to your garage, get a usb wi-fi extender. These devices enhance the reception and transmission of your signal strength and will help your signal reach your garage. The USB versions can plug right into your computer making it very easy to setup!
Which launch monitor is best for a garage golf simulator setup?
When it comes to a garage setup, space is king. Unless you have a large RV, or 3 car garage, then space will be limited. Especially if you plan on continuing to use your garage for car storage.
So the best launch monitors for a garage golf setup are the ones that take up the least amount of space. Which are SkyTrak and the Foresight Sports GC2. Both of these systems are placed just a few feet in front of the ball, adjacent to the target line. Which allows for the most compact setup.
Launch monitors like the Uneekor QED or EYE XO are mounted on the ceiling. While ceiling mounted setups aren’t always ideal in garages, if you can make it work, then these units will free up some floor space.
Lastly, popular launch monitors such as Trackman, FlightScope Mevo+, and the FlightScope X3 all require around 8′ of space between the unit and the ball down the target line. These units require the most amount of space and aren’t well suited for small to medium sized garages.
How Do I Protect My Car?
Hitting balls next to expensive items may be a great way to test your game under pressure! But let’s be honest, we’re bound to break something if we practice long enough..Cars, grills, cabinets, jetski’s. There’s a lot of stuff we store in our garages that we would be devistated to damage. So if you’re worried about protecting your surroundings, here are our tips:
Invest in side netting. A lot of pre-configured golf simulator packages such as our SkyTrak SwingBay Setup come with protective side netting. So if you go that route you are in the clear.
But if not, we recommend purchasing some generic netting that you can attach to your screen or net, down to your garage wall using hook screws. This netting comes in 10’x10′, 10’x15′ or 10’x20′ lengths. We recommend getting the 10’x20′ and cutting it in half to create two 10’x10′ nets in which you can use for each side of the setup.
Consider getting landing pad turf. One thing people don’t often think about as potentially damaging is bouncing balls. Concrete garage floors are the ideal habitat for some bouncing balls! While they won’t do as much damage as a line drive shank, a bouncing golf ball up into a car door can still cause an unsightly dent.
Setting up some sort of turf landing pad or even carpet below your screen will help the balls to land softly and prevent them from escaping your setup area.
Garage Golf Simulator Ideas and Inspiration
Looking for some ideas for your garage golf simulator setup? Here are some photos and setups to provide you some inspo:
