Free tool
Sim Space Planner
Answer four quick questions about your room and goals and we will map them to a spec profile worth shopping for. We describe the kind of gear that fits your situation: launch monitor type, enclosure and screen approach, hitting mat, and space and safety needs. We do not name a single product here. The goal is to send you looking for the right category of gear.
How it works
How this tool works
A simulator build is constrained by the room before it is constrained by money, so the planner asks about the ceiling and the floor space first. Ceiling height at the hitting position decides whether a full swing with a driver is possible at all; width and depth decide whether a launch monitor that sits behind the ball, one that sits beside it, or a compact overhead unit is the right class, and whether an enclosure fits or a net has to do.
Your goal shapes the technology: practice and game improvement want accurate club data, while entertainment and playing courses with friends want a good screen, forgiving software and a reliable ball read. Budget then allocates across the four lines, and it does so with the space and safety line first, because a ricochet off an undersized enclosure ends the project. The result describes classes and spec ranges, not products.
Reading the result
How to read your result
The space and safety line is the go or no-go. If it flags the ceiling, that is the first thing to solve, with a shorter driver, a lower tee or a different room, before any gear is bought. Everything else in the profile assumes a swing that clears the ceiling.
The launch monitor line is where the money goes, and the profile says which class fits your goal and room, such as radar behind the ball needing depth versus photometric beside the ball needing width. The enclosure and mat lines are sized to the monitor class, since some units need a specific hitting position and lighting.
FAQ
Questions people ask
How much ceiling height do I need?+
Nine feet is the practical minimum for most adults with a driver, ten is comfortable, and eight and a half works only for shorter players or irons. Measure at the hitting position and swing a driver slowly there before buying anything.
Radar or camera launch monitor?+
Radar units sit behind the ball and want eight feet or more of ball flight, so they suit deeper rooms and outdoor practice. Camera units sit beside or above the ball and work in short rooms but want consistent lighting and ball placement. Room depth usually decides.
Do I need an impact screen or is a net enough?+
A net is enough for practice with a launch monitor and a tablet. Playing courses on a projected screen is what most people mean by a simulator, and that needs an enclosure, a screen and a short-throw projector, roughly doubling the budget.
What about the hitting mat?+
Treat the mat as essential rather than an accessory. A thin mat on concrete causes wrist and elbow injuries over time, and some launch monitors need the ball at a particular height. The profile sizes the mat class to your monitor.