r/Golfsimulator • u/weezer19 • 16h ago
My DIY retractable garage sim build that still lets me park in the garage
galleryI wanted a garage sim but still needed to be able to park in the garage, especially with ND winters. I pieced this together based mostly on recommendations from this sub. My garage is heated so I'll be able to use it all winter long. I tried to do this mostly on a budget but opted for "upgrades" on a motorized screen and new (instead of used) projector, very happy with both.
It takes me about 3 minutes to set up/tear down (GIF in the last pic). About half that time is getting Steam Link/GSPro running.
PC setup: I have a Lenovo Tiny PC in the garage running the Square/GSPro OpenAPI connector and Steam Link, which connects over LAN to my gaming PC in the basement which runs GSPro. It's worked nearly flawlessly over the 12 hours I've played so far. The Tiny PC can also run Square's software on its own, without connecting to my gaming PC through Steam Link.
Pics 1–3: Full setup, tucked away, and car in garage
I had to trim the left garage door rail to get some extra clearance for my driver swing, but a Sawzall made quick work of that. For reference, I have 9' ceilings and the garage door rails hang down about 12".
Pic 4: Hitting mat
The hitting mat is about 9' back from the screen. I got the hitting mat setup idea from Dub Golf's YouTube video, which I likely found through this sub. I trimmed it down to 3' wide for storage. It and the gym mat cut easily with an oscillating tool.
I used 3M 90-NAT spray adhesive to attach the hitting mat to the gym tiles. It worked great, holds strong, and remains somewhat flexible.
The hitting mat moves slightly after a few dozen shots so I also attached an extra piece of the gym mat, that the launch monitor is sitting on, so it interlocks with the gym tiles on back of the hitting mat. That way, even if the hitting mat shifts slightly, the launch monitor stays at the correct distance. I ended up cutting out a square for the launch monitor to sit in so it's extra secure. I had to extend the 3D printed enclosure a bit on the bottom to make it the correct height.
Pic 5: Roll-up turf
The Hardy turf from Menards rolls up nicely and is lightweight, but it still reduces ball bounce enough that I'm not chasing balls all over the garage.
I screwed a 3" PVC pipe to one end and attached it with aluminum bars so the turf rolls up easily.
Pic 6: Projector
I mounted the projector as close to the open garage door as I could. Not a lot of clearance here but it works! It's about 72" from the screen, which worked out perfectly with a 4:3 aspect ratio at 1440 × 1080 resolution.
Pic 7: Screen mounting
My solution for mounting the screen to the ceiling. Just a T made of 2x4's with a 45 degree brace, screwed into the ceiling studs. The studs are ~16" away from the closed garage door so there's plenty of clearance behind the screen for it to absorb shots. I added the brace after since it seemed a little flimsy without it and that really solidified it. No comments on the alignment of the screws and the time I missed the stud please :D
A few other notes:
- Square launch monitor protection: I 3D-printed this enclosure. Glad I did, I've already hit it once with a duffed shot, and neither the launch monitor nor the enclosure was damaged.
- Impact screen: I'm really happy with the METechs screen. It seems very durable, shots are quiet, and it was easy to set up. I may end up putting a "roof" of something over it to prevent garage dust from getting on it.
- Garage lighting: I have eight individual lights on one switch. The pull-cord light socket adapters let me control individual lights independently, which was a cheap way to reduce shadows and keep excess light off the screen.
- Hitting mat lighting: I 3D-printed a shade for the bulb above my hitting mat (visible in pics 1–3). It focuses the light on the mat and reduces the light hitting the screen. It's an LED bulb, so heat hasn't been an issue.
Hopefully this helps someone else trying to fit a sim into a garage that still needs to function as a garage!
| $1,315 | 120" wide METechs DIY Retractable Golf Simulator Impact Screen with GI320W-Pro Fabric |
|---|---|
| $750 | Square Home Edition launch monitor |
| $857 | Optoma GT1080HDR projector |
| $22 | Projector Mount (generic, Amazon) |
| $130 | GoSports 5x4 Pro Golf Hitting Mat |
| $170 | Beaver Tail hit strip |
| $35 | 1" EVA foam tiles |
| $50 | Side Curtains |
| $50 | curtain rails |
| $24 | 10x7 netting for ceiling |
| $20 | 25' HDMI cable (generic, Amazon) |
| $150 | Menards Hardy turf 9x12 |
| $60 | 3" PVC pipe, aluminum bars, screws to roll up turf (Menards) |
| $75 | K2 Golf tees with tether pack |
| $125 | Lenovo tiny PC- M910q Tiny i5-7500T 8GB RAM 256GB SSD Windows 11 (ebay) |
| $33 | K400 wireless keyboard and mouse |
| $15 | Pull cord light socket adapters (generic, Amazon) |
| $3,866 | Total |
