Visit BenQ Education Website for education solutions

How Much Does a Golf Simulator Projector Cost in 2024?

  • 2024-11-18
A helpful guide to help you to choose the right golf simulation projector for your budget

If you are thinking about converting a spare bedroom or your basement into St. Andrews or Torrey Pines – you are not alone. According to Forbes, over 6 million Americans hit golf balls on a simulator last year. Golf sim systems use a projector to deliver an immersive experience of nearly any golf course you want.  These projectors can cost from $400 to $4000 depending on the features you want for your room. 

 


Which model is right for your setup – and budget? This article will help you break down how much a good golf simulator projector will cost – including the ones using the latest LED and laser light technology. Here are three key factors to consider:

 

  • Brightness - what to look for and what to avoid
  • Cost difference between lamp, laser, and LED powered golf simulation projectors
  • Color performance
  • What is the right “throw ratio” needed for home golf simulator roomsU
  • How much do higher resolution projectors cost?

Brightness – What to Look for- and Avoid


One of the most common questions when looking into projectors is brightness.  Unlike a TV, the brightness of a projector varies from model to model. Tempted by that “9000 lumen”  projector for $79 on your favorite online site?  Don’t be.   Quality golf simulation projectors use “ANSI lumens”, and 2500 ANSI lumens is a good place to start for a smaller setup while larger installations usually use 4000 - 5500 ANSI lumen projectors. 

 

 

Cost Difference between Lamp, Laser and LED Projectors

Only a few years ago, nearly all golf simulation projectors used mercury lamps.  These models are less expensive to buy but require replacement bulbs over time. Traditional lamp projectors typically cost between $500 - $1000. In 2024, many of these models are being replaced by LED projectors that offer similar brightness – but have much better color performance, longer lamp life, and typically cost between $800 - $1200. The most expensive – and brightest models -are powered by lasers. Laser projectors range between $1500 - $5000 depending on the other factors below.  

Color Performance

Most mercury lamp projectors were not designed for color accuracy. However, the newer projectors in 2024 that use either LED or laser technology now have specified Rec. 709 color accuracy – the same color accuracy standard used in televisions. If you are investing in one of the newer golf simulation course packages, then you will want to look for this specification, especially compared to a traditional classroom or meeting room projector that are only designed for brightness. These may cost a little more – but can properly show the differences between bermuda, poa, and fescue grasses on your screen for maximum realism.

How “Throw Ratio” Helps You Mount Your Projector in the Right Place


For most home golf simulation setups, there is a limited ceiling height and room space, so to get a large and immersive image without having the golfer create a shadow on the screen, you will want to look at a “short throw” projector. This will help you mount the projector in a location that has an unobstructed path to the screen – but far enough away to avoid being hit by your driver. Short throw projectors are more expensive than regular throw projectors but pay for themselves by making them easy to place in your simulation setup. 

 

 

The throw ratio of a projector is found on the specification page, but you can also use tools like the BenQ golf simulation planning tool to see how the different throw ratios on various models will enable you to place your projector in the right spot – without a shadow. Here is an example of how a short throw projector might work when set up in a garage on a small 8-foot-high screen.

 

 

BenQ Short Throw Golf Simulator Projector

How Much Resolution Do I Need?


Selecting the right resolution for your golf simulator is one of the biggest choices for your investment. Why? A home golf simulator projector will display the course on a large impact screen – typically 150 inches or larger.  The larger your screen – the more important resolution is to enable an immersive experience. This is especially important on 4K enabled Foresight, Trackman, and other launch monitors that run GS Pro or E6 software.  Here are the common resolutions you should consider for your golf simulator.

 

4K or UHD resolution


Many of the most popular simulators such as Uneekor, and TruGolf, generate a whopping 8.3 million pixels on the screen – creating the most realistic and immersive experience possible – especially on a larger impact screen.  A true UHD 4K projector can display each one of these on the screen, enabling you to see every detail of the course. The good news – depending on how bright a projector you need, you can get a 4K UHD short throw projector for under $2000, and a 5000-lumen high brightness laser projector for under $5000.

 


One other benefit of the 4K is that it will enable your impact screen to double as an amazing home theater for movies or watching the Masters in true 4K resolution.

WUXGA resolution


This is still a popular resolution for laser projectors used for golf simulators due to its taller aspect ratio and higher resolution than 1080p projectors. Most have 4000 or 5000 lumens of brightness and cost under $4000. This is more than enough brightness for a well-lit room for a golf sim set up with curtains. The main drawback is that it is not a native resolution for TV or movies, so if you are looking at using this as a home theater or TV viewing room, you may want to consider moving up to a 4K UHD resolution.

1080p or Full HD resolution


This is the most popular resolution for monitors and older televisions and displays over 2 million pixels on the screen.   For projectors, there are now advanced LED powered models that starting at $1000 to choose from for golf simulator setups, 4000-lumen laser-powered projectors at this resolution with short throw ratios available run between under $1500 -$2000 depending on the throw ratio and color performance of the projector.

XGA and WXGA resolution

If you have a 1:1 square impact screen, a WXGA or XGA projector might be for you. A short-throw XGA lamp projector is ideal for an Optishot or other inexpensive simulator setup.  The alternative is the new LED projectors with WXGA resolution that can be set up in a 1:1 or 4:3 setup for under $900.     

So How Much Does a Good Golf Simulator Projector Cost?


Compared to the cost of the camera and impact screen, a projector is one of the less expensive components – but can make a big difference in how your simulator looks, plays – and how much the room is used for watching Tin Cup, live or recorded tournaments, and streaming golf content when you are not playing.  Here is a breakdown of the cost and features of models you may want to consider that have the right throw ratios for golf simulation placement and an estimated cost. Note that many of these models may have special pricing or promotions, so check with us or your reseller for the latest price.

  BenQ MX825STH BenQ LW600ST BenQ LH600ST

BenQ LU710

BenQ LU935ST

BenQ LK936ST

 

Brightness

3500 Lumen
2800Lumen
2500 Lumen

4000 Lumen

5500 Lumen

5100 Lumen

 

Resolution

XGA

WXGA
1080P

WUXGA

WUXGA

4K UHD

 

# of Pixels

786K

960K
2.1 Million

2.4 Million

2.4 Million

8.3 Million

 

Lamp Type

Lamp

LED
LED

Laser

Laser

Laser

 

Lamp Life

Up to 10,000 hours

Up to 30,000 hours
Up to 30,000 hours

20,000 hours

20,000 hours

20,000 hours

 

Color Performance

N/A

96% Rec 709
96% Rec 709

92% Rec 709

92% Rec 709

92% Rec 709

 

Est. Street Price

$609

$899
$1099

$1699

$3999

$4899

Want to Talk to a Golf Simulator Projector Expert?

BenQ has trained staff to help you find the perfect golf simulator projector – within your room size and budget. To help you make the best decision, you can reach out to one of our experts to set up anything from a chat to a complete online demo, to help you find the right projector for your needs.