Garmin Approach^® R50 Projector and Screen Guide: Throw Distance, Aspect Ratio and 1080p (UK)

The Garmin Approach® R50 sends a 1080p picture over one HDMI cable, so the projector it needs is a 1080p short-throw model, not a 4K one. For a SimSpace screen 2.3 m high, the BenQ AH500ST in a floor case sits about 2 m from the screen, with its Screen Fill setting matched to the screen's shape so no light spills onto the frame.

The question we get most once an R50 room is planned is about the picture: which projector, how far back, and why the image looks too wide for the screen. The answers below come from Garmin's manual and BenQ's own projector calculator. They assume the room already meets our minimum of 3.0 m wide, 2.7 m high and 4.2 m long. If you have not measured yet, start with our Garmin Approach® R50 room requirements guide. For projectors in general, whatever launch monitor you own, our guides on how to choose a golf simulator projector and whether you need a projector at all go wider. Everything below is specific to the Garmin Approach® R50.

What the Approach^® R50 sends to the projector

The R50 is unusual among launch monitors because it runs the simulator itself. The driving range, practice modes and Home Tee Hero courses are drawn on the unit, shown on its own 10-inch touchscreen, and sent out of its HDMI port to a projector or a screen. There is no PC in between.

That has three consequences for the projector:

• The picture is 1080p. Garmin's Approach® R50 owner's manual gives the HDMI output a maximum of 1080p. A 1080p projector shows every pixel the R50 sends.
• The picture is 16:9. A 1080p signal is 1920 × 1080 pixels, the same wide shape as a television. Golf simulator screens are usually squarer than that, which is why the aspect ratio setting below matters.
• Sound comes down the same cable. The HDMI port carries the game audio as well as the picture, or the R50 can send it to a Bluetooth speaker instead.

Why a 4K projector does not help on its own

A 4K projector fed by an R50 still receives a 1080p picture. It scales that picture up to fill its own panel, but it cannot add detail the R50 never sent. For an R50 room, the money a 4K projector costs over a 1080p one buys nothing you will see on the screen.

There is one exception. The R50 can also act purely as the launch monitor for GSPro running on a Windows PC, connected over Wi-Fi. In that set-up the PC draws the picture, so a 4K-capable PC with a 4K projector gives true 4K course graphics. That is a different room with a different budget, and our Sim Buyer Docs page on running the Garmin Approach® R50 with GSPro in 4K covers what it involves. If you will use the projector for 4K films as well, that is another reason to look at 4K. Otherwise, I recommend 1080p.

The same goes for screens described as "4K". On an impact screen, 4K describes a finer weave that makes the picture look smoother from the mat. It is not a resolution, and it suits a 1080p projector perfectly well.

Short throw, and how far from the screen

An R50 room needs a short-throw projector, one that fills a large screen from close in. That lets it sit in front of the golfer, so your shadow never lands on the picture and the lens is out of the line of the ball.

The BenQ AH500ST in our package has a throw ratio of 0.499. The way to place it on a golf screen is by the screen's height, not its width, because a 16:9 picture sized to the width of a square screen leaves the top and bottom dark. BenQ's own projector calculator gives the AH500ST a lens-to-screen distance of about 2.04 m for a picture 2.3 m high, the height of the SIM 1 to SIM 4 screens, and about 2.48 m for the 2.8 m-high screens on SIM 5 and SIM 6. Our docs page on projector throw ratio shows the working for each size.

On the day, expect to slide the floor case a few centimetres forward or back and use a touch of tilt and keystone to square the picture to the screen. Mark the case's position with tape once the picture sits right.

Why the AH700ST goes on the ceiling

BenQ's AH700ST and AK700ST have a longer throw, roughly 0.69 to 0.83. To fill the same 2.3 m-high screen, BenQ's calculator puts them about 2.8 to 3.4 m back, which is behind the ball. They work in an R50 room, but only mounted overhead, never in a floor case. The AH700ST has one advantage worth knowing about, covered in the sound section below.

Aspect ratio: matching the picture to the screen

Because the R50 sends a 16:9 picture and most SimSpace screens are squarer, the projector has to know the screen's shape. The AH500ST has a Screen Fill setting for this, with 16:9, 16:10, 4:3 and 1:1 options. Set it to the screen's ratio and the projector blanks the parts of the 16:9 frame that would fall off the screen, so the picture fills the screen at full height and no light spills onto the frame or the side panels. The trade-off is that the far left and right edges of the R50's picture are not shown on the squarer screens; the ball flight and the target stay in the middle.

The distances are BenQ's calculator figures for a picture that fills the screen height. The 1 m-deep SIM 0 bay is a special case; ask us for its figures before you plan the room.

Floor case or ceiling

Where the projector goes depends on the ceiling, and on which projector you choose:

The floor case is a vented steel box with an artificial grass top. It sits on the floor in front of the mat with clear turf between the two, and its sloped top sends low shots on towards the screen rather than into the lens. The AH500ST and floor case are also sold together. For the wider choice between ceiling, wall and floor positions, our projector mounting guide and the docs page on ceiling or floor mounting go through each option.

The screen side of the picture

A good projector on a slack screen still gives a poor picture. Three things make the difference in an R50 room:

• A taut screen. On a SimSpace bay the screen fixes to the inner frame with velcro, starting from one corner, and bungee toggles round the poles keep it tight. An even screen gives a flat picture with no ripples across the fairway.
• Space behind it. Leave at least 30 cm between the screen and the wall, and 8 cm either side of the frame. The screen flexes when the ball hits it and needs that room.
• The ball 2.5 m from the screen. That keeps wedges on the screen and puts the floor case comfortably between the mat and the screen.

If you are still choosing between projectors, our list of the best golf simulator projectors compares the BenQ range in more detail.

Sound with an Approach^® R50 projector

The AH500ST has a built-in 10 W mono speaker, and that is where the R50's game sound plays by default, through the HDMI cable. For better sound there are three routes:

• A Bluetooth speaker paired with the R50. The simplest option, and it keeps the projector out of the audio chain.
• An HDMI switch with audio extraction between the R50 and the projector, feeding a soundbar or amplifier. The AH500ST has no ARC or eARC, and its only audio output is a single 3.5 mm mono jack, so taking the sound off before the projector is the clean way to do it.
• The AH700ST, which does have eARC, if you are ceiling-mounting anyway and want sound out over HDMI.

Our docs page on sound and TV in a golf simulator room covers the wiring for each.

The one cable you need

Garmin does not include an HDMI cable with the R50. You need a standard cable rated for at least 1080p, long enough to run from the R50 beside the tee to the projector without crossing the hitting area. Our 10 m HDMI cable reaches in most rooms. Measure the route along the floor edge or the side of the bay before you order.

If you would rather have all of this arrive matched, the Garmin Approach® R50 golf simulator package (projector included) brings the R50, the SimSpace enclosure and screen, the Tee Turf mat, the BenQ AH500ST and its floor case together in one order.

Frequently asked questions

What projector does the Garmin Approach^® R50 need?

A 1080p short-throw projector. The R50's HDMI output tops out at 1080p, and a short throw lets the projector sit in front of you. The BenQ AH500ST, with a 0.499 throw ratio, fits a floor case under ceilings of 2.7 to 3 m.

Is a 4K projector worth it with the Approach^® R50?

Not for the R50's own simulator, because it only sends 1080p. A 4K projector makes sense if you will run GSPro in 4K on a PC, with the R50 as the launch monitor, or want 4K films.

What aspect ratio does the Approach^® R50 output?

16:9, at 1080p. Set the projector's Screen Fill option to your screen's shape, such as 1:1 for a SIM 1 or 4:3 for a SIM 2, so the picture fills the screen height without spilling onto the frame.

How far should the projector be from the screen?

For the AH500ST, about 2.04 m from a 2.3 m-high screen and about 2.48 m from a 2.8 m-high one, per BenQ's calculator. Fine-tune on the day by sliding the floor case.

I recommend keeping an R50 room simple: a 1080p short-throw projector in a floor case, Screen Fill set to the screen's shape, a taut screen with 30 cm behind it, and one good HDMI cable. Spend any extra on the room's sound or wall protection rather than on 4K the R50 cannot use.

Planning a Garmin Approach® R50 setup? Book your free Approach® R50 Discovery Consultation. Tell our sim experts about your space on WhatsApp. We’ll capture your requirements, book a quick call and show you the right R50 setup, with a free 3D design if you’re building a room.