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Enclosures & impact screens
How do I look after an impact screen, and how long does it last?
Tom Hayward, founder of OpenGolfer · Last reviewed · 3 min read
The short answer
Use new, clean balls, keep the screen firm but not drum-tight, leave 30cm clear behind it and hit the middle. That is most of it. Screens wear with use, and no maker promises a number of balls. Replace one when the fabric breaks down, with light showing through, not at the first ball marks.
Why screens wear
Every shot stretches the fabric where the ball lands. Over time the fibres in the hitting area break down, the surface goes fuzzy and the picture there gets softer. That is normal use, not a fault, and how quickly it happens depends on how often you play and how you hit. GolfBays says a screen should take hundreds or thousands of balls with proper care; SimSpace says wear depends on how often you play and your skill level. Neither gives a number, and I don't either. If a term is new, the glossary explains it.
Balls
- Use new, clean balls with no scuffs, scratches, pen marks or printed designs. Marks on the ball transfer to the screen.
- Premium balls are harder on screens, not kinder. GolfBays has seen extra wear from Pro V1, Chrome Soft and TP5, which spin more and are softer.
- Keep your clubs clean too; grass and dirt from the face end up on the screen.
Tension: firm, not drum-tight
Tension is how tightly the screen is pulled across its frame. SimSpace puts the trade-off simply: a tighter screen gives more bounce-back but wears less, and a looser one gives less bounce-back but may wear faster. GolfBays warns that too tight puts the strain through the eyelets, the metal rings round the edge, which can pull out. I aim for the middle: push your hand into the centre of the screen and it should give about 25cm.
How the screen fixes
- SimSpace enclosures: the screen fixes to the inner velcro strips, starting at one corner, then the bungee toggles on its back go round the poles to take out the slack.
- A screen on a frame you've built: fix the top and sides with bungees and let the bottom hang loose, with a 5 to 7.5cm gap between the screen and the frame on the left and right.
Space behind the screen
Leave at least 30cm clear behind the screen. SimSpace says 30 to 40cm from any wall. A screen with nothing behind it to give against sends the ball back harder and wears faster. If the screen is near masonry, or you want it quieter, a foam backing layer behind it absorbs energy. For SimSpace enclosures the 30cm is on top of the enclosure's depth.
Where you hit
Set the ball about 2.5m from the screen and aim for its middle. Hitting the centre spreads the wear where the screen is built to take it; edges and the frame are not. If one area wears first, GolfBays suggests moving your hitting position, rotating the screen or flipping a double-sided one. A SimBox enclosure screen can't be rotated.
Creases and cleaning
- Fold lines from delivery don't affect the picture once the screen is up, and gravity flattens them over a few days to a few weeks. Unpack the screen as soon as it arrives.
- For a stubborn crease, GolfBays suggests a steamer on a low setting, tested on a hidden area first; SimSpace suggests a clothes iron on a very low setting on the back of the screen.
- To clean, SimSpace recommends a carpet shampooer or a reliable cleaner. Don't let a wet screen air-dry, because it leaves water stains: dry it with a fan or a hairdryer on low.
When to replace it
Ball marks and a whiter patch in the hitting area are cosmetic. The screen needs replacing when the fibres are broken: the surface goes fuzzy, a soft spot won't tension flat, or you can see pinpricks of light through the weave. To check, stand behind the screen with the hitting side lit and the back dark. Replace it before a thin patch becomes a hole.
Replacement screens we sell
- SimSpace enclosures, SIM 1 to SIM 6: the UltraMAX grey replacement screen, cut for the toggles and velcro, so it swaps in without tools.
- GolfBays SimBox: the Lite, PRO+ and Close-Knit Baffle screens cut for the SimBox.
- A frame you've built: any loose screen, such as the SimSpace Platinum or the GolfBays PRO+. Which impact screen should I choose? compares them.
- Spare bungee cords, in packs of 20, for re-tensioning.
SimSpace doesn't sell spare enclosure poles, because of the shipping cost. If a pole is damaged, tell us and we'll look at it with you.
Screen care checklist
| Task | How often | How |
|---|---|---|
| Check the balls | Every session | New, clean, unmarked balls only; retire scuffed or marked ones |
| Hand test the tension | Monthly | Push the centre; it should give about 25cm. Take up slack at the toggles or bungees |
| Check the gap behind | Monthly | At least 30cm clear, nothing stored behind the screen |
| Dust the face | Monthly | A dry microfibre cloth over the whole screen |
| Light test for wear | Every three months | Light the hitting side, darken the back, look for pinpricks of light |
| Deep clean | When marked | Carpet shampooer or a reliable cleaner; dry with a fan or hairdryer on low, never air-dry |
| Creases | First few weeks | Let gravity flatten them; steamer or iron on very low, on the back, if needed |
Frequencies are our own routine, from our screen care guide. Fixing, tension, ball and cleaning advice comes from GolfBays and SimSpace.
Best practice
- Use new, clean ballsNo scuffs, pen marks or printed designs. Keep a separate bucket for the simulator so range balls never reach the screen.
- Pass the 25cm hand testPush the middle of the screen: it should give about 25cm. Firm, not drum-tight, balances bounce-back against wear.
- Keep 30cm clear behindNothing stored behind the screen, and never a wall touching it. Add a foam backing layer near masonry or for less noise.
- Aim for the middleCentred shots spread wear where the screen is built to take it. Move your hitting spot if one area wears first.
- Dry it, never air-dryAfter cleaning, use a fan or a hairdryer on low. Air-drying leaves water stains on the face.
Gotchas to avoid
- Premium ballsPro V1, Chrome Soft and TP5 are harder on screens because they spin more and are softer. GolfBays has seen extra wear from them.
- Over-tighteningA drum-tight screen puts the strain through the eyelets, which can pull out, and the screen can split along the tension lines.
- Ironing the frontIf you use an iron on a crease, set it very low and use it on the back of the screen only, after testing a hidden area.
- Fitting a loose screen to a SimSpace bayLoose screens are not cut for the enclosure toggles. Use the replacement screen made for your SIM size.
Our recommendation
Clean balls, the 25cm hand test and 30cm behind the screen do most of the work. I'd replace a screen for broken fibres, not ball marks.
- If you see pinpricks of light through the screen
- Replace it before the thin patch becomes a hole.
- If the screen is near a wall or noise matters
- Add a foam backing layer behind it.
- If one patch is wearing first
- Move your hitting spot, or flip a double-sided screen.
- If your SimSpace screen is worn out
- The UltraMAX grey replacement for your SIM size.
For your screen we'd pick…
To replace a SimSpace screenSimSpace UltraMAX Grey Replacement Enclosure ScreensCut for SIM 1 to SIM 6 with the toggles and velcro in place; swaps in without tools.from£599.99
To protect the screen and the wallFoam Layer Backing Screen For Golf Simulator Impact ScreenSits behind the screen to absorb energy and reduce noise.£189
For re-tensioningGolfBays Bungee Cords (Pack of 20)A pack of 20 spare bungee cords, with a carry bag.£19.99
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Questions people ask
How many balls will my impact screen last?
No maker gives a number. GolfBays says hundreds or thousands with proper care, and SimSpace says it depends on how often you play and your skill level. Clean balls, correct tension and centred strikes all extend it.
Can I use my Pro V1s on the simulator?
You can, but GolfBays has seen extra screen wear from Pro V1, Chrome Soft and TP5. A box of new, clean, firmer balls kept just for the simulator is kinder to the screen.
My new screen has creases. Will they show?
Fold lines from delivery should not affect the picture once the screen is up, and they drop out over a few days to a few weeks. For a stubborn one, use a steamer or an iron on a very low setting, on the back.
Is a worn screen covered by the warranty?
Wear from balls is normal use, not a fault, so plan for a replacement screen at some point. A fault in the stitching or fixings is different, and we will look at it with you.
Can I rotate my screen to spread the wear?
On a screen you have fixed to your own frame, often yes, and a double-sided screen can be flipped. GolfBays says a SimBox enclosure screen cannot be rotated.
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