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Projectors & mounting
How bright does a golf simulator projector need to be?
Tom Hayward, founder of OpenGolfer · Last reviewed · 3 min read
The short answer
BenQ puts the typical minimum at 3,000 lumens for screens 8 to 9 feet tall, and 4,000 to 6,000 lumens for taller screens or rooms with more light. Our packages use the 4,000-lumen BenQ AH500ST laser. Control the light in the room too: no projector can make black.
Lumens: how much light
A lumen is a measure of how much light a projector puts out. ANSI lumens are measured to a set standard, so they're the figure to compare. If a term is new, the glossary explains it.
BenQ's guidance for golf is:
- 3,000 lumens is the typical minimum, with a short-throw lens, for screens about 8 to 9 feet (2.4 to 2.7m) tall.
- 4,000 to 6,000 lumens from a laser projector for screens 9 feet (2.7m) tall or more, or for rooms with more ambient light.
SimSpace screens are 2.3m high in SIM 0 to SIM 4 and 2.8m high in SIM 5 and SIM 6. The BenQ AH500ST in our packages is 4,000 ANSI lumens, which is the bottom of BenQ's higher band, so it covers both heights. The Optoma ZW350ST is 3,600 lumens by Optoma's figure.
Ambient light matters as much as lumens
Ambient light is any light in the room that isn't from the projector: windows, a door left open, ceiling lights. A projector can't make black. Black is just the screen with no light on it, so any other light landing on the screen turns the dark parts grey and the picture looks washed out. More lumens help, but they don't fix a bright room on their own.
- Block windows and gaps round the garage door where you can.
- Keep lights off the screen and out of the projector's path. BenQ suggests track lighting to the side of the hitting area, or focused Par 38 LED bulbs.
- Keep enough light on the hitting area. Most launch monitors need to see the ball, so a pitch-dark bay can cost you readings. Launch monitor placement and lighting covers each unit.
- If the room can't be darkened, look at a grey high-contrast screen such as the SimSpace UltraMAX, which is made for brighter rooms.
Contrast
Contrast ratio compares the brightest white a projector can show with its darkest black. The AH500ST is listed at 3,000,000:1 measured full-on/full-off (FOFO), which compares an all-white picture with an all-black one. The ZW350ST is listed at 300,000:1, and 2,000,000:1 dynamic. Makers measure contrast in different ways, so the figures don't compare directly across brands. In a simulator room the ambient light usually limits contrast more than the projector does.
Laser or lamp
Both projectors we sell use a laser light source rather than a lamp. A lamp is a bulb that has to be replaced during the projector's life; a laser is sealed in. BenQ rates the AH500ST's laser for 20,000 hours in normal mode and 38,000 hours in ECO mode. Optoma rates the ZW350ST's for 30,000 hours, built for continuous use with no routine lamp changes. At four hours a night, 20,000 hours is more than 13 years.
Native resolution and screen shape
Native resolution is the number of pixels on the projector's chip, and its shape is the chip's aspect ratio.
- The BenQ AH500ST is 1080p, 1920 × 1080 pixels, a 16:9 chip.
- The Optoma ZW350ST is WXGA, 1280 × 800 pixels, a 16:10 chip.
When the screen is squarer than the chip, the projector uses only part of it. On a 4:3 screen the BenQ uses 1440 × 1080 pixels and the Optoma 1067 × 800, so the BenQ puts close to twice as many pixels on the same screen. The table on this page gives each shape. The BenQ's Screen Fill setting switches between 1:1, 4:3, 16:9 and 16:10; the Optoma lists 4:3 and 16:9 as compatible shapes alongside its native 16:10. What screen size and aspect ratio do I need? shows the shape of each SimSpace screen.
Input lag
Input lag is the delay between the computer sending a frame and it appearing on screen. BenQ lists the AH500ST at 16.7ms at 1080p 120Hz and 33.4ms at 1080p 60Hz. Optoma doesn't publish a figure for the ZW350ST.
Which I'd choose
For most rooms I'd use the BenQ AH500ST: 4,000 lumens, a sealed laser and nearly twice the pixels on a golf-shaped screen. The Optoma is a sensible lower-cost choice for a room you can keep dark, if you're happy with a WXGA picture. Which projector and throw ratio do I need? covers where each one sits.
The two projectors we sell, by the makers' figures
| Spec | BenQ AH500ST | Optoma ZW350ST |
|---|---|---|
| Brightness | 4,000 ANSI lumens | 3,600 lumens |
| Contrast | 3,000,000:1 (FOFO) | 300,000:1; 2,000,000:1 dynamic |
| Light source and life | Laser, 20,000h normal, 38,000h ECO | Laser, 30,000h |
| Native resolution | 1920 × 1080 (1080p), 16:9 | 1280 × 800 (WXGA), 16:10 |
| Pixels used on a 1:1 screen | 1080 × 1080 | 800 × 800 |
| Pixels used on a 4:3 screen | 1440 × 1080 | 1067 × 800 |
| Pixels used on a 16:10 screen | 1728 × 1080 | 1280 × 800 |
| Input lag | 16.7ms at 120Hz; 33.4ms at 60Hz | Not published |
| Noise (normal / eco or max / min) | 35 / 32 dB | 34 / 27 dB |
| Price | £1,780 | £1,199.99 with floor case |
Contrast is measured differently by each maker, so the two figures don't compare directly. The BenQ is in every SimSpace room package with a floor case.
Best practice
- Control the light firstBlock windows and keep lights off the screen. A darker room does more for the picture than extra lumens.
- Light the hitting area from the sideLaunch monitors need to see the ball. Track lights or focused LEDs to the side keep the hitting area lit and the screen dark.
- Compare ANSI lumensANSI lumens are measured to a standard. Treat other brightness figures with care when comparing brands.
- Match the shape to keep pixelsSet Screen Fill to the screen's shape so the picture uses as much of the chip as that shape allows.
Gotchas to avoid
- Comparing contrast across brandsFOFO, dynamic and other contrast figures are measured differently. They can't be ranked against each other.
- Spotlights over the screenLight landing on the screen greys out the dark parts of the picture. BenQ advises keeping lights out of the projection path.
- A pitch-black bayTurning every light off can leave the launch monitor struggling to see the ball. Keep some light on the hitting area.
- Counting chip pixels, not screen pixelsOn a square screen the BenQ uses 1080 × 1080 and the Optoma 800 × 800. Compare what lands on your screen.
Our recommendation
4,000 lumens from a laser, in a room where you can control the light. For most rooms that's the BenQ AH500ST.
- If the room has windows you can't fully block
- The BenQ AH500ST with a grey high-contrast screen such as the UltraMAX.
- If you have a SIM 5 or SIM 6 with a 2.8m-high screen
- The BenQ AH500ST, which sits in BenQ's 4,000 to 6,000 lumen band for taller screens.
- If the room is dark and the budget tight
- The Optoma ZW350ST, accepting a WXGA picture.
- If you'll also watch sport in daylight
- The BenQ, plus blackout blinds; daylight on the screen is the bigger problem.
For your room we'd pick…
For most roomsBenQ AH500ST Golf Simulator Projector4,000 ANSI lumens, laser rated for 20,000 hours, 1080p, and 16.7ms input lag at 120Hz.£1,780
For a dark room on a budgetOptoma ZW350ST Short Throw Projector + Floor Mounted Case Bundle Golf Simulator Projector3,600 lumens, laser rated for 30,000 hours, WXGA, with a floor case.£1,199.99
For a room with daylightSimSpace UltraMAX Golf Enclosure — High-Contrast Grey ScreenA SimSpace enclosure with a grey high-contrast screen, for rooms you can't fully darken.from£1,499.99
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Questions people ask
Is 3,000 lumens enough for a golf simulator?
BenQ gives 3,000 lumens as the typical minimum for screens 8 to 9 feet tall in a light-controlled room. For a 2.8m-high screen or a room with daylight it suggests 4,000 to 6,000. Our packages use 4,000.
Do I need a 4K projector?
No. Both projectors we sell are below 4K: the BenQ AH500ST is 1080p and the Optoma ZW350ST is WXGA. On a golf screen the BenQ puts 1440 × 1080 pixels on a 4:3 picture, which looks sharp from the hitting position.
Will the laser need replacing?
Not in normal use. BenQ rates the AH500ST's laser at 20,000 hours, or 38,000 in ECO mode, and Optoma rates the ZW350ST's at 30,000 hours. There's no lamp to change.
Why does my picture look washed out?
Usually light in the room. A projector can't make black, so any light on the screen turns dark areas grey. Darken windows, move lights off the screen, and check the projector isn't in an eco mode.
Can I play with the lights off?
Keep some light on the hitting area. Most launch monitors need to see the ball. Light the area from the side so it doesn't reach the screen.
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