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Can I put a golf simulator in my garage?
Tom Hayward, founder of OpenGolfer · Last reviewed · 3 min read
The short answer
Usually, yes, if it clears 3.0m wide, 2.7m to the lowest point overhead and 4.2m long. Measure under the garage door runners, not just to the ceiling. Then deal with the floor, the cold and the power: lay a mat base, bring the launch monitor indoors between sessions, and fit sockets at the bay.
The short test
A garage works well for a simulator when three numbers clear our minimum: 3.0m wide, 2.7m to the lowest thing overhead, and 4.2m long. Measure at the narrowest and lowest points where the bay will stand, not in the middle of the floor. If any number is short, a sim isn't the right buy for that garage. A garden cage, a launch monitor to take to the range, or a putting setup will serve you better. Will a golf simulator fit my room? walks through the measuring.
Single or double garage
Many councils now ask for new single garages to be at least 3.0m wide and 6.0m long inside, the size recommended in the government's Manual for Streets. Monmouthshire's garage guidance is one example, and it asks for 5.5m by 6.0m for a double. Older garages can be smaller, so measure yours rather than assume.
- A single garage at 3.0m by 6.0m meets our width minimum with nothing to spare. A SIM 1 enclosure needs 2.86m of wall: its 2.7m outer frame plus 8cm each side. One pier, a fuse box or a shelf in the wrong place takes the room under. The length is generous: 6.0m covers a camera launch monitor (4.2m), a FlightScope Mevo Gen2 (5.2m) and a Full Swing KIT (5.85m).
- A double garage at 5.5m wide takes the wider bays. A SIM 3 needs 3.86m of wall and a SIM 4 needs 4.26m, and the rest of the width stays free for storage. Left- and right-handed players sharing the bay need the ball in the middle, and that's where extra width pays off.
I wouldn't plan on a car and a simulator sharing a single garage. The enclosure stays up between sessions, so treat the garage as the golf room.
The door is often the lowest point
Up-and-over doors run back into the garage on ceiling runners, and roller doors sit in a box above the opening. Both can hang well below the ceiling, and Monmouthshire's guidance notes that an up-and-over mechanism can take 50mm or more out of the door opening itself. Measure under the runners, the door motor and any light fittings.
- SimSpace SIM 1 to SIM 4 enclosures are 2.5m high inside and need 2.6m to stand.
- Swinging a driver needs 2.7m, and 3m or more is ideal.
- SIM 5 and SIM 6 are 3m high, so they need 3.1m.
If the runners sit lower than that where you'll swing, the usual fix is a roller door or a pair of side-hinged doors, which clears the ceiling. That's a job for a garage door fitter, before the simulator arrives. The gap round the door also lets in cold air and low winter sun, and sunlight on a camera launch monitor causes misreads, so fit brush seals or a door cover.
The floor
Garage floors are hard, cold and rarely level. Four steps sort most of it:
- Check the floor where the mat and launch monitor will go with a spirit level.
- Lay foam underlay or a rubber base under the hitting mat. Our SimSpace packages include a rubber base.
- Set the launch monitor level with the top of the mat. Garmin says the R50 allows for uneven surfaces, so it doesn't need levelling. FlightScope allows the Mevo Gen2's hitting surface to be no more than 76mm above the floor the radar sits on.
- Cover painted or polished concrete where a camera can see it. Garmin and NVisage both warn about reflective surfaces in the camera's view.
Cold and damp
An unheated garage can fall below the temperatures the electronics are rated for, and damp air is harder on kit than cold. The table on this page gives each maker's figures. In summary:
- The Garmin R50 runs from -10°C to 55°C.
- FlightScope rates the Mevo Gen2 at 0°C to 40°C and 30% to 70% relative humidity.
- Square Golf and the BenQ AH500ST projector in our packages are rated 0°C to 40°C.
- Foresight says not to use the GC3 where humidity is high, and to store it somewhere dry.
What I'd do: bring the launch monitor and any laptop indoors between sessions, warm the garage before you play, and let kit that has come in from the cold reach room temperature before switching it on, so moisture doesn't condense on it. If the garage gets damp, a dehumidifier protects the screen, mat and projector as well.
Power
The bay needs mains power for the projector, the launch monitor's charger and a PC if you use one. Sockets near the back of the bay keep leads off the hitting area. If the garage needs a new circuit, that's notifiable work under Part P of the building regulations. A registered electrician can self-certify it; otherwise it goes through building control.
Putting a simulator in a garage you still call a garage doesn't normally need planning permission. Converting it into a habitable room, with new walls, windows or insulation, normally needs building regulations approval. Do I need planning permission for a golf simulator room? has the detail, and lighting and noise each have their own page.
Will the kit cope with a cold garage?
| Item | Operating temperature | Humidity and storage | Maker source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin Approach R50 | -10°C to 55°C | Store in a cool, dry place; may overheat and not turn on above its range | Garmin owner's manual |
| FlightScope Mevo Gen2 | 0°C to 40°C (recommended) | 30% to 70% relative humidity; storage -10°C to 55°C | FlightScope user manual |
| Square Golf | 0°C to 40°C | Not stated | Square Golf user manual |
| Foresight GC3 | Not stated | Not where humidity is high; store dry and dust-free | Foresight GC3 user manual |
| Uneekor EYE MINI LITE | Not stated | Storage no colder than -6°C, no warmer than 43°C | Uneekor manual |
| NVisage NEO-E | -10°C to 45°C (14°F to 113°F) | Not in extreme heat, humidity or dust | NVisage user manual |
| BenQ AH500ST projector | 0°C to 40°C | Not stated | BenQ specification sheet |
NVisage gives Fahrenheit only; the Celsius conversion is mine. "Not stated" means the maker's manual gives no figure. Below 0°C, only the R50 and NEO-E are rated to run.
Best practice
- Measure under the runnersTake the height at the lowest point over the bay and your swing: door runners, motor, lights and beams. You need 2.7m to swing a driver.
- Size the bay to the narrowest wallMeasure between piers, fuse boxes and shelving. A SIM 1 needs 2.86m of clear wall; wider bays need more.
- Bring the electronics indoorsStore the launch monitor and laptop in the house between sessions, and let cold kit warm to room temperature before switching on.
- Cushion and cover the floorA rubber base or foam underlay under the mat protects your joints, stops the mat creeping and hides shiny concrete from the camera.
- Seal the doorBrush seals or a door cover keep out draughts and the low sun that makes camera launch monitors misread.
Gotchas to avoid
- A 3.0m single garage is exactly the minimumAt 3.0m wide, any pier, meter cupboard or shelf takes the wall under the 2.86m a SIM 1 needs.
- Door runners below 2.7mThe ceiling may be fine while the up-and-over door runners are not. Change the door before buying the simulator.
- Damp is harder on kit than coldFlightScope rates the Mevo Gen2 to 70% humidity, and Foresight says no high humidity for the GC3. Use a dehumidifier in a damp garage.
- Extension leads across the bayLeads on the hitting area trip you and get hit. Fit sockets at the back of the bay; a new circuit is notifiable under Part P.
Our recommendation
A garage is a good simulator room once it clears 3.0 x 2.7 x 4.2m under the door runners. Fix the door, floor and power first; keep electronics indoors.
- If your single garage is 3.0m wide inside
- A SIM 1 fits with nothing to spare. Measure every pier and fitting before you order.
- If you have a double garage
- Choose a SIM 3 or SIM 4 for a wider picture and room for left- and right-handers.
- If the garage is unheated and goes below 0°C
- A Garmin R50 is rated to -10°C. Still bring it indoors between sessions.
- If the door runners are under 2.7m where you swing
- Change to a roller or side-hinged door first, or choose a garden cage instead.
Garage-friendly picks
Least fussy in a garageGarmin Approach R50 Home Golf Simulator Package - Complete Setup, UKCamera unit beside the ball, so it fits a 4.2m room, allows for uneven floors and is rated to -10°C.from£7,199
Radar for a 6m garageFlightScope Mevo Gen2 Home Golf Simulator Package for Garage - Complete Setup, UKNeeds 5.2m of length, which a 6.0m garage gives, and doesn't use a camera, so low sun under the door matters less.from£4,099
Under the mat on concreteGolf Simulator Turf UnderlayFive 1m x 1m interlocking foam tiles, 20mm thick, to cushion and insulate a cold concrete floor.£85
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Questions people ask
Is a single garage big enough for a golf simulator?
It can be. Many councils ask for new single garages to be 3.0m by 6.0m inside, which meets our 3.0m width minimum exactly and gives plenty of length. A SIM 1 enclosure needs 2.86m of clear wall, so measure between piers and fittings. Older or narrower garages often fall short.
What ceiling height do I need in a garage?
At least 2.7m to the lowest point over the bay and your swing, and 3m or more is ideal. Measure under the door runners, motor and lights. SIM 1 to SIM 4 enclosures are 2.5m high and need 2.6m just to stand.
Can I leave the simulator in a cold garage over winter?
The enclosure, screen and mat can stay. Bring the launch monitor and any laptop indoors. Most launch monitors and the BenQ projector are rated from 0°C; the Garmin R50 runs down to -10°C. Keep damp down with a dehumidifier.
Does my garage floor need to be level?
The mat and launch monitor need to sit level with each other. Check with a spirit level and pack the unit to match the top of the mat. Garmin says the R50 allows for uneven surfaces; FlightScope allows the Mevo Gen2 up to 76mm below the hitting surface.
Do I need an electrician?
Only if you need new sockets on a new circuit. A new circuit is notifiable under Part P: a registered electrician can self-certify it, or it goes through building control. Plugging into existing sockets needs nothing.
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