Golf simulator buyer's guide by budget
What each budget level gets you, what to buy first, and how your room narrows the choices.
Updated October 16, 2026 · Independent guide · Affiliate disclosure
A home simulator is a set of parts: a launch monitor, somewhere to hit (a mat), something to hit into (a net or an impact screen in an enclosure), and something to show the shot (a phone, tablet, TV or projector), often run by a PC and simulator software. Your budget decides how many of those parts you buy now. Your room decides which ones will work. [1] [7]
We don't print prices. They change too often, and a stale price is worse than none. Check current prices at the retailer before you buy.
Step 1: measure before you spend anything
Rain or Shine Golf's advice is to pick the room first and then the launch monitor that suits it, because doing it the other way round is how people end up with a device they can't mount properly [1]. Run your numbers through the room calculator first.
Budget tiers
| Tier | Typical parts | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice-first (lowest cost) | Portable launch monitor, hitting mat, hitting net. Shots show on a phone or tablet. | Feedback on swing and distance, garages and multi-use rooms. | No big-screen course play. A net still needs a safe gap behind it. |
| Full simulator kit (mid) | Enclosure with impact screen, short-throw projector, mat, launch monitor, PC or tablet, software. | Playing courses on a big screen in a dedicated space. | The enclosure's own minimum room size [7], projector throw distance [8], and recurring software or membership fees. |
| Built-in / premium | A screen and padding built into the room, an overhead or high-end launch monitor, and a premium projector and audio. | Dedicated rooms, the biggest image, a clean floor. | Overhead units need ceiling height [5] [2]. Finish the electrical and framing before the walls close [1]. |
What to buy first, in order
- Launch monitor. Match the type to your room. Radar units need depth behind you, overhead units need ceiling height, and camera units beside the ball need neither [1]. See radar vs photometric.
- Hitting mat. A good mat protects your joints, your clubs and your floor. SkyTrak specifically calls a quality mat important for how long you can play [7].
- Net or enclosure plus screen. Size it to your room using the maker's minimum room sizes. SkyTrak, for example, lists 11 ft wide by 16 ft deep by 9 ft high as the minimum room for its 10 ft studio [7].
- Projector. Choose it by throw ratio, not just brightness. Throw ratio = distance ÷ image width [8].
- PC and software. Check the software's system requirements. Trackman, for example, publishes specific Windows and graphics-card requirements for its simulator software [10].
Where people overspend
- Buying the screen before checking the projector. The screen size and the throw distance together set the throw ratio you need [8].
- Buying a stock screen that nearly fits. Rain or Shine recommends building the screen to your opening instead [1].
- Buying a radar unit for a shallow room. In a shallow room, radar is the wrong tool no matter how good it is [1].
Where to shop
Specialist retailers will size a room for you before you buy. These two publish room-planning guides we cite on this site:
- The Indoor Golf Shop affiliate: screens, launch monitors, mats and enclosures.
- Rain or Shine Golf affiliate: enclosures, built-in screen kits and a room design service [1].
Sources
Numbers on this page come from these published sources, which we checked in October 2026. Makers update their specs, so confirm the details for your exact model.
- Rain or Shine Golf, "How to Measure Your Space for a Golf Simulator"
- Carl's Place, "Measuring Your Space For An Indoor Golf Simulator"
- Trackman Help Center, "TMiO Simulator Setup"
- SkyTrak, "Plan Your Space" (studio sizes and minimum rooms)
- BenQ, "Measure Ideal Screen Size and Projection Distance for Your Golf Simulator" (Sep 15, 2026)
- Trackman, Golf Simulator Technical Specifications