Dialing In the Right Throw for a Home Golf Sim
I got myself into this whole mess after turning a corner of my garage into a practice area. At first I was just excited to have a mat and a net, nothing fancy. Then a buddy came over, saw what I’d built, and said, “Dude, you’re halfway to a simulator already.”
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I went through something very similar when I built my sim last year. The part that got me wasn’t the mounting itself but understanding how much the throw ratio affects the placement. I assumed I could just eyeball it, but that turned out to be a good way to get a stretched, fuzzy image that didn’t fit the screen at all. What helped me was measuring the width of my screen first, then checking the projector specs to see what range of throw distances it supported. Once you multiply the throw ratio by the screen width, you get a decent idea of where the projector needs to sit so the picture actually fills the screen without weird edges or overspill. I also had to keep in mind how much space I personally needed for a full swing, especially when using my longer clubs. I misjudged that the first time and nearly clipped the unit with the follow-through. When I’m uncertain about the math or just want a quick double-check, I look at the explanation in projector distance because that’s what I use to refresh my memory on the basics. Nothing fancy, just enough to make sure I don’t spend an afternoon mounting and remounting. My biggest suggestion: take your time before committing to the final bolt holes. Even shifting the projector by a foot can make a huge difference in comfort and clarity.