Projector Options for an OptiShot Golf Simulator

If you are looking at a quality home golf simulator, the OptiShot is an extremely popular option for golfers who are on a limited budget. The $399 OptiShot enables you to practice and play using an impact screen and a projector to provide a simple – yet immersive – playing area.  While you can get a basic projector included with the “Golf in a Box” packages, you can often save money or significantly upgrade the quality of your projector by purchasing it separately, especially if you want to have your space double as a home entertainment area.  Here is what you want to look for:

1. A projector with a lens that enables effective placement for your playing space

2. The right aspect ratio and resolution that is best for your impact screen

3. A bright enough projector to enable you to play with the lights on in the room

4. Whether you want a traditional lamp projector or maintenance free laser projector

An OptiShot system allows you to convert nearly any room to an indoor playing area, but most DYI golfers have lots of questions on where and how to mount the projector. For home setups, there are three basic projector placements that are used – and each requires a different type of projector lens so you can keep the projector away from your driver.

Floor mounting – short throw lens

The first option is a floor-mounted system, where the projector is placed in a protective enclosure on the floor. The best projectors for this type of setup are short-throw models with a throw ratio between 0.5 and 1.0. This allows you to fill the screen without placing the projector too close to the hitting area. The BenQ AH500ST is a 0.5 short-throw projector that can be mounted 9.8 ft from an 8 ft-tall screen.

Ceiling mount or cart – brighter laser projectors with lens shift

If you are looking for a widescreen setup or want to use your playing area for home entertainment, a ceiling mount enables you to significantly upgrade your resolution and image quality.  The most exciting options are the new laser projectors which generate brighter images, dramatic color, unsurpassed realism, and turn on in just seconds.   The best projectors have lens shift that enable you to move the projector to the side of the playing area while still showing a stunning image. 

While TV’s and monitors typically come in only 1080p or 4K, selecting the right aspect ratio and 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.  The larger your screen – the more important resolution is to enable an immersive experience. 

Most affordable - 4:3 aspect ratio

If you are space-constrained or on a tight budget, a square screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio is an easy and affordable way to start playing courses. BenQ golf projectors feature Auto Screen Fit or Screen Fill, making it easy to set up a 4:3 aspect ratio without compromising image quality.

More versatile – widescreen Aspect Ratio

For Optishot customers looking to the more advanced Ball Flight system, you will probably be looking to get a higher resolution system to provide a more immersive experience.   With a widescreen hitting bay such as Optishots 12 foot bay – you can have a more realistic and immersive experience. 

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

A 3000-lumen projector is a solid choice for an entry-level home golf simulator. Brighter projectors in the 4000 to 5000 lumens range are becoming increasingly popular for home setups, especially as laser models have become more affordable in recent years. Many also offer higher-resolution DLP chipsets and additional installation flexibility, such as lens shift.

It is also worth keeping in mind that traditional lamp projectors gradually lose brightness over time. Laser projectors generally maintain brightness more consistently, so after a year or two of regular use, the difference in on-screen brightness can become more noticeable.

BenQ introduced the first laser projector in 2011, and a laser projector is an affordable option for your OptiShot simulator setup.   Is it worth the extra cost for your home simulator?   Here are the key differences between a lamp and a laser projector for golf simulators for you to consider.

Your impact screen size and amount ambient light

A 3000 lumen projector does a good job on a smaller screen with some ambient light in the room, but for larger screens, a 4000 or 5000 lumen projector may be needed to show a bright and vibrant image in a normally lit room.   According to the projector analyst company Futuresource, nearly 75% of 5000 lumen projectors sold in North American use lasers instead of lamps as their light source.  While they are more expensive up front, they can be less expensive in the long run. 

Instant on/off

One of the biggest advantages of a laser projector is that it on instantly – just like your TV.  Traditional lamps require a warm-up period and the more powerful the lamp, the longer it takes.   Laser projectors are ideal when you just want to drop in and hit a quick bucket of balls.  Laser projectors also don’t need extended cool downs to cool the lamp, so there is less risk of overheating if the power goes out when you are using the projector.

They stay brighter longer

A 5000 lumen lamp that is rated for 3000 hours of life will only be displaying 2500 lumen at the end of its life before it’s replaced.   By contrast – a laser projector with a 20,000 hour life will look much brighter than a lamp projector after the same 3000 hours.   Of course, over time the laser will eventually lose brightness – but it takes much longer than a typical high brightness lamp.

Replacement lamp Costs

While projectors with traditional lamps are less expensive to purchase– the cost of replacement lamps – and the hassle of installing them – is something to consider.  Higher lumen 5000-lumen golf simulator projectors that use regular lamps have shorter lamp life and are more expensive to replace than traditional home theater lamps.  For example – one popular golf simulation 5000 lumen projector model has a replacement lamp cost of $350 - which adds up to $1400 over the life of the projector.   While laser projectors have a higher initial cost - they are rated for 20,000 hours – which is a lot of hassle-free course time.  

If you want to go beyond the generic projector for your simulator, here are a number of good alternatives at a variety of price points and mounting positions.

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.