Golf Simulator Impact Screens

For golfers who struggle during the days when they are unable to get outside for a tee off or golfing experience, a golf simulator can be the best answer. Many people use golf simulators to hone their skills or even play against others. A golfing simulator isn’t just a computerized game such as the one you would find on game consoles, it’s an advanced technology that utilizes computerized real golf course models. It offers swings analysis and other features things like 4K 3D graphics, radar sensors, and cameras in addition to golf simulator screens.

People can set up their golf simulators in homes or even workplaces where they play. A good golf simulator needs to have a great impact screen to offer the best experience. When setting up a home golf simulator, one of the challenging decisions you have to make is to choose the right simulator screen. There are many things you need to consider when choosing impact screens for golf simulators. From the material to the size to the price to the technology used to manufacture the screen, you need to make sure you get a quality product that lasts longer, displays crispy undistorted images, and fits properly in the space.

Here we look at the features that you should look for in a golf simulator impact screen, the materials, specifications, and cost of the screens.

                

What Features are important for a Golf Simulator Impact Screen?

If you want to achieve the realism of playing golf in a virtual environment using the simulators you need to invest in a good screen. In choosing a simulator impact screen, there are features you need to consider so that you have a good experience while you play golf using the simulator. The screen material is one of the important features to consider. A quality impact screen should be designed from materials that can last longer and are firm enough to withstand the impact. Depending on the golfer, you may find that some materials cannot stand the speed of the golf ball.

Some people have reported that their screen got holes after a few shots. The materials should also project well and be able to minimize bounce back. Besides, you need to choose a golf impact screen made for high definition imagery. It should provide clear, vivid, and crisp images.

The quality of images you get on the screen help determine how you are able to immerse yourself in the game. Since you want to have an indoor golf simulator that allows the entire family to enjoy – even the ones who aren’t interested in the game, you should make sure you look at all the elements that make a great screen. When you choose the right golf simulator screen and pair it with high-quality projections, it can transform your indoor golf simulator into a great home theatre.

The golf simulator screen should also be large enough so that you can be able to clearly see the details of the images. Of course, you need to have sufficient space. The wider you go with the screen size, the more it makes the game enjoyable. Your virtual golf environment will seem realistic and almost like real. It also allows you to position yourself further from the impact screen, something that helps ensure the longevity of your screen. This is because you’re not shooting at a close range. So the size of the screen is an important factor to consider.

When you determine the space you want to use in your home to set up the golf simulator screen, you can decide what size to go with. You also want to look at the aspect ratio that you intend to protect.

Take, for example, if you want to have a widescreen that gives you an aspect ratio of 16:9, you can get a screen that’s of a rectangular shape. It will help reduce the black space that is found around a projected image. Similarly, if you want a 4:3 experience, you want to get an impact screen that features a square shape. A majority of simulator impact screens are made for 4:3 projections. The simulator screen largely determines the height and width of a similar setup.

Also, consider having a screen that is movable depending on your situation. See if you can be able to retract the screen and move it to a new location or for storage.  

Materials for different Impact Screens

When you’re hitting a golf ball to speeds of 100 plus mph onto your golf screen, it is important you make sure the material is durable and that it can take the impact of the ball. There are different materials used to make simulator gold screens including polyester, supertex, and poly spacer.

Polyester mesh fabrics tend to offer an excellent choice of fabric for simulator impact screens. This is because polyester is made using a powerful synthetic resin that is often used to create fibers utilized in industrial textiles. Polyester mesh fabrics are suitable for people who hit a lot of balls. Poly has a slight grain in it and the image isn’t very crisp as you find with supertex. However, the bounce back is a bit better because polyester golf screen material has a little stretch to it. So if you consider yourself a person who has a higher swing speed, it would be best if you consider polyester screens.

With supertex, it is the commonest material used in home golf simulators. It offers outstanding HD images. It’s also durable.  Another material is the poly spacer which is relatively new in the market. This material has a 3mm thickness as well as a nylon cushion found in between the layers of polyester. You may think of this impact screen as a quilt. When you look at it, it is about 2 times thicker than the standard polyester impact screen you would find in the market. It, therefore, combines screen qualities like low sound, durability, and minimum bounce back along with great HD image to give a golfer a great golf simulator playing experience. The material is also extremely durable; however, it is quite pricier. This is considered the best golf impact screen you can use today.

Specifications to Look For In an Impact Screen

In impact screens there are two specifications you need to look at – aspect ratio and screen size- these two go together. If you want an aspect ratio of 4:3, which is the most common for indoor home golf simulators, it goes with a screen size of 12ft width and 9 ft height.

On the other hand, if you want the 16:9 aspect ratio, you will want to choose a screen size of 16ft width and 9ft height. Usually, the latter is wider but maintains the same height. Mostly, height restrictions are limited by an individual’s ability to be able to swing a club; however, most find 9ft to be the minimum comfortable ceiling height.

The Cost of Each Type of Impact Screen

The cost of golf simulator impact screens varies depending on the material, the size, and where you are purchasing it from. The prices can range from anywhere between $250 and well over $1000. Of the common materials used, supertex is relatively cheaper than polyester mesh fabric and poly spacer. The poly spacer is pricier because it brings in many features that enhance the experience of the golfer. In most cases, when it comes to impact screens, what you may is what you get. You may see screens advertised to be cheap and use materials like polyester fabrics, however, they don’t last for long. The manufacturer of the impact screens comes into play when you want to determine the quality of the product. Select a screen that is made by top brands in the industry so that you are guaranteed a quality product.

What Are the Major Impact Screen Brands?

There are many golf impact screen brands you may find in the market. When choosing impact screen brands, ensure you look at the kind of materials they use and how it performs. Also, look at the technology they employ in manufacturing the materials. Among the sellers or brands of golf simulator impact screens are ProScreens, Spectrum Golf, Carl’s Golf, and Golf Green. Depending on the impact screen you want, you can get them from these brands. You can also find the screens on Amazon. You may want to read the reviews of users to see what they say about the screens they have bought and used. It will help you determine if they perform well or not.  

Conclusion

An ideal screen should ensure minimal bounce back, good quality image projection with high contrast, brightness, high image resolution, and minimal graininess. The screen should also be quiet, you don’t want to hit a ball and it hits the screen, only to release a lot of noise that can distract other people around. Again, the screen should have minimal puckering or the indentation from ball impact. It should also last longer – longevity and durability. Besides, the screen needs to be smooth to maximize resolution and thus reduce graininess. A bright screen improves color contrast while ensuring brightness. A flat screen reduces image distortion – this can be achieved with the right mounting.