Gear guide · Projectors
The best golf simulator projectors
The projector is the part people buy last and regret most. Here's how I'd pick one: throw ratio first, then brightness, then resolution.
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My picks
- Best on a budget: Optoma ZW350ST ($909). A short-throw laser with a 0.52 ratio that sits close to the screen. It's the projector Rain or Shine puts in its SwingBay packages. Sellers disagree on its resolution (1080p vs 1280×800), so check the spec sheet if that matters to you.
- Best 1080p for small rooms: BenQ AH500ST ($1,999). 4,000 lumens and a fixed 0.50 throw, so it fills a big screen from close up.
- Best 4K: BenQ AK700ST ($2,899). 4,000 lumens, laser, and BenQ's Auto Screen Fit for 4:3 and 1:1 golf screens. It's the 4K projector I saw most often in packages.
- Best for big, bright rooms: BenQ LK936ST ($4,899). 5,100 lumens and the only model here with optical lens shift, which keeps the image sharp when you can't mount it dead-center.
Popular simulator projectors compared
Specs from the makers and ProjectorCentral; prices from Rain or Shine and Shop Indoor Golf on Oct 27, 2026.
| Model | Resolution / native | Lumens | Throw ratio | Light source | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optoma ZW350ST | WXGA (1280×800) / 16:10 | 3,600 ISO | 0.52 | Laser | $909 |
| BenQ TH671ST | 1080p / 16:9 | 3,000 | 0.69–0.83 | Lamp | $949 |
| Optoma GT2000HDR | 1080p / 16:9 | 3,500 | 0.50 | Laser | $1,199 |
| BenQ AH500ST | 1080p / 16:9 | 4,000 | 0.50 | Laser | $1,999 |
| BenQ TK710STi | 4K UHD / 16:9 | 3,200 | 0.69–0.83 | Laser | $2,199 |
| BenQ AK700ST | 4K UHD / 16:9 | 4,000 | 0.69–0.83 | Laser | $2,899 |
| BenQ AK800ST | 4K / 16:9 | 5,000 | 0.69–0.84 | Laser | $3,999 |
| BenQ LK936ST | 4K UHD / 16:9 | 5,100 | 0.81–0.89 | Laser + lens shift | $4,899 |
The BenQ TK700STi was discontinued in April 2025; the TK710STi replaces it.
Throw ratio and distance
Throw distance = throw ratio × image width. Short throw (about 0.4–1.0) is the default for home simulators. Standard throw needs 10–15 ft and suits rooms 20+ ft deep. Ultra-short-throw projectors sit right by the screen, in the path of your shots (Carl's Place).
A catch: if you crop a 16:9 projector to fill a 4:3 golf screen, the throw distance goes up. BenQ's formula for that case is distance = throw ratio × image height ÷ 0.5625. My worked example: a 9 ft tall 4:3 screen with an AK700ST needs the projector about 11–13 ft away; with a 0.50 ratio model, about 8 ft.
How bright it needs to be
Sources cluster around 3,000–4,000 lumens. Rain or Shine's bands: dark basement 2,500–3,000; garage with some light 3,000–3,600; living room with daylight 3,600–4,000+. Lasers last about 20,000 hours against 4,000–6,000 for lamps (BenQ), which matters if the simulator gets daily use.
Aspect ratio and mounting
4:3 is the most common golf screen shape and suits narrow rooms. Shop Indoor Golf recommends matching the projector's native ratio to the screen, because cropping loses pixels. Most people ceiling-mount the projector a few feet behind the tee (BenQ says 2–3 ft, Carl's Place about 4 ft). Too low or too far back causes shadows, and owners have clipped projectors on wedge follow-throughs.
Shadows
One forum owner put it simply: a 9 ft ceiling with a 6 ft golfer and a projector behind them is "likely going to cast a pretty big shadow". A short-throw unit mounted just forward of the hitter avoids it. Plan the mount with your room size.Questions people ask
What projector do I need for a golf simulator?
A short-throw projector (throw ratio about 0.4–1.0) with roughly 3,000–4,000 lumens suits most home simulators. Popular choices run from the Optoma ZW350ST ($909) to the BenQ AK700ST ($2,899).
How far should a golf simulator projector be from the screen?
Throw distance = throw ratio × image width. A 10 ft wide image at a 0.5 throw ratio needs the projector about 5 ft from the screen (Rain or Shine's example).
How many lumens for a golf simulator?
Most guidance lands at 3,000–4,000 lumens. Rain or Shine suggests 2,500–3,000 for a dark basement and 3,600–4,000+ for a room with daylight.
Keep reading
Sources
Every number on this page comes from one of these 11 pages. We checked them on Oct 27, 2026. Prices change often, so confirm before you buy.
- 1.Carl's Place: Choosing a projector · carlofet.com
- 2.Rain or Shine: Projector buyer's guide · rainorshinegolf.com
- 3.Rain or Shine: projector prices · rainorshinegolf.com
- 4.Shop Indoor Golf: projector prices · shopindoorgolf.com
- 5.Shop Indoor Golf: Aspect ratio guide · shopindoorgolf.com
- 6.BenQ: Golf simulator projector buying guide · benq.com
- 7.BenQ AK700ST specs · benq.com
- 8.ProjectorCentral: Optoma ZW350ST · projectorcentral.com
- 9.ProjectorCentral: BenQ AH500ST · projectorcentral.com
- 10.ProjectorCentral: BenQ LK936ST · projectorcentral.com
- 11.Golf Simulator Forum: shadows · golfsimulatorforum.com
About the author
Nouman SabirFounder & Editor
Nouman Sabir founded Carry & Spin and edits every page. Nouman reads the makers' manuals and plan pages, retailer listings and owner forums, works out what each setup really costs, and keeps every claim linked to its source. Nouman is a researcher, not a golf pro, and says so.
Expert review panel: PGA professionals and launch monitor testers who advise on the technical side of these guides.
