What Is the Best Projector for a Trackman iO Launch Monitor?

The Trackman iO enables you to set up a golf simulator anywhere you have enough room to swing a club. But if you want to hit closer to the screen – you’ll need a short throw projector provide a picture that fills your screen without creating a shadow from the golfer.  The farther back the projector – the harder it is to avoid a shadow.  This review of the Trackman iO is a good example of how close you can get to the screen without a shadow. For example, to set up a Trackman iO launch monitor on a 10 foot tall impact screen, the chart below gives you an idea of how far back you need to mount the projector on four different projectors models to completely fill the screen.  Keep in mind -the shorter the distance – the less chance of shadows.

With the huge flexibility that the Trackman iO offers, let’s take a closer look at what projectors will work best based on what type of screen and space you are planning to install.

The Trackman iO is ideal for a home golf simulator where you don’t have a lot of room.  If you have enough room to swing the club – you can create an amazing simulator in unused spaces like a garage, basement, or corner of the family room. For smaller spaces – the hottest trend is the square 1:1 screen enclosure. These range from 8 to 10 feet tall – and the square shape of the screen and enclosure enables you to have a taller screen without using too much of the wall. For impact screens ten feet wide or smaller, the latest $899 BenQ LW600 uses 4LED technology and a short throw lens to enable you to mount the unit behind your Trackman iO from around 10 feet away.  This projector will create a fantastic Rec. 709 color-accurate picture and features a special golf mode designed for Trackman simulator software. The lamp lasts up to 30,000 hours – and doesn’t require filter washing or cleaning like the generic projectors.  After you mount it – you simply press a couple of buttons on the menu to change to 1:1 screen mode –then use the advanced keystone correction and corner fit technology to fine tune your image and start golfing.

A 4:3 aspect ratio enclosure has more screen area than a 1:1 screen to enable you to see more of the hole. The Trackman iO software is very realistic so you will need a color accurate projector to showcase the difference between the native grass and the fairway at on courses like Royal Troon. For a 10-foot tall 4:3 impact screen, the new AH700ST is an excellent match with the Trackman iO launch monitor. Just set up your projector around 10 feet back and press a button on the remote and the projector will use its integrated camera to determine the size and shape of your screen, then make all the adjustments needed to fill your screen right to the edge without any distortion or squishing the image.  All in about six seconds. It takes all the hard work out of configuring and installing a projector – while still maintaining the high pixel density of a 1080p projector.

A 16:10 enclosure for Trackman iO gives you a tall and wide screen. While many classroom projectors that are sold with packages use native WUXGA 16:10 resolution, you may want to consider a dedicated golf simulator projector as an alternative. The most popular short throw model for widescreen is the 5500 lumen BenQ LU935ST short throw projector that enables you to mount the projector just behind the hitting area where it won’t create shadows or get hit with a bad shot.  You can fill up a 10x16 foot screen from ceiling to floor with the projector only 13 feet away from the screen.  This makes it incredibly easy to install yourself, and with lens shift, and other corrections, you don’t have to worry about mounting the projector in exactly the right spot.   This projector has higher color accuracy than any generic projector in its class – and is sealed so you never have to clean the filter. It’s a little more expensive than a classroom or meeting room projector, but if you want to create the best golf simulator experience with your Trackman iO launch monitor – then you may want to consider a higher resolution SimTheater projector.

Now you can get a projector for your Trackman iO launch monitor designed for both high resolution golf simulator software as well as showing golf movies on a large impact screen.  The LK936ST uses the same short throw lens as the LU935ST -but has true UHD 4K technology which displays over 8.3 million pixels – nearly four times a 16:10 WUXGA projector.  The projector also supports HDR and other AV features such as pass-through audio, so when you flip your simulator to a computer or Blu-Ray player, it will render your movies, games, and video streams with perfect clarity and color. This projector can be setup with a 4:3 or 16:10 enclosure using the screen fill technology, but when you have a 16:9 aspect ratio, it enables you to have the most immersive experience possible when playing golf – as well as watching events like the Ryders Cup or the Masters.

So, if you are looking to get the most out of the ceiling mounted Trackman iO launch monitor, remember that the projector will take you and your game to over 250 championship courses in the Trackman library. Each of these projectors below has Rec. 709 color accuracy, golf mode, and screen fill so you can use them with multiple types of enclosures. The table will show the pixel density for each projector on a midsize impact screen. The higher the density, the more detail you can see on the course regardless of the aspect ratio.

The Trackman iO is a breakthrough ceiling mounted launch monitor that offers tremendous flexibility in your space setup. While you may be able to find a less expensive generic lamp or laser projector in a pre-built package, choosing your projector is like picking out a new driver or set of irons – cheaper isn’t always better.    Having a true purpose-built golf sim projector that can properly fill your screen and avoid shadows and help you see every detail in the saddle shape green with the Pacific in background at Spanish Bay #8.