Movie night

A golf simulator by day. A home theatre by night.

The same projector, screen and room that give you a driving range at home can be a full home theatre. Here are our recommendations for doing it well, including the one upgrade that keeps ball marks off your movie.

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Two approaches

Watch on the impact screen, or add a drop-down movie screen

Both work. The right choice depends on how much you care about picture quality and how hard you hit.

Option 1

Use the impact screen as-is

Simple and free: point the projector at your impact screen and press play. Impact screens are made to absorb golf balls, so the fabric is textured and, over time, picks up ball marks and scuffs. Casual viewing looks fine. Critical viewing, dark scenes and 4K detail will show the difference.

No extra equipment or cost
Good enough for sports, gaming and casual movies
Picture softens as the screen wears
Ball marks and dust show in bright scenes

Option 2, recommended

Add a drop-down projector screen

Mount a motorized retractable movie screen in front of the impact screen, tucked into the ceiling or behind the enclosure valance. In golf mode it is hidden. For movie night it drops down over the impact screen and you get a pristine white surface with no ball marks to worry about.

True cinema surface, hidden when you golf
Never worry about ball marks or texture
Needs a projector with auto-focus or lens memory, because the projection distance changes
Size the screen to your projector throw and your enclosure width

Recommended setup

What to put in the room

Projector

4K with HDR is worth it at this screen size. If you add a drop-down screen, auto-focus or lens memory is a must so the picture snaps sharp on either surface. Aim for 3,000 lumens or more, a low-noise fan, and a mount position that works for both screens.

Sound

An AV receiver with 5.1 or 7.1 speakers, or a Dolby Atmos soundbar and subwoofer. In-wall or in-ceiling speakers keep everything out of the swing zone and look clean. Put the subwoofer behind or beside the seating, not near the mat.

Seating

A sectional or recliners behind the turf for movie night, and bean bags or soft chairs on the turf for the kids. A large rug over the turf in front of the couch turns the space into a living room in seconds.

Lighting and control

Dimmable lights, blackout blinds on any windows, and a universal remote or smart-home scenes for golf mode and movie mode: lights down, screen down, receiver on the right input, projector focused.

Sources

Streaming, discs and consoles

Run everything into the receiver or an HDMI switch so one cable goes to the projector: an Apple TV, Roku or Fire TV for streaming, a 4K Blu-ray player if you collect discs, and any game console. Your simulator PC can stream too, so you may not need a separate box at all.

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