Golf Simulator Room - Design Ideas

Homes. Businesses. Sheds. The ultimate guide for ideas on where to put a golf simulator. Check out this list of design ideas for inspiration.

If you've been trying to find out if you have the space for a golf simulator, you probably do. You might need to declutter a bit, and you'll definitely need to measure your space to make sure everything will fit properly.

Here are some golf room ideas to help you start thinking a little more creatively and make your indoor golf dreams come true.

At Carl’s Place, we see, hear and read about a lot of the places people have set up a golf simulator or two (or 10). Let's dive into some of the most common spaces for a golf simulator.

CARL'S GOLF SIMULATOR OPTIONS

Before introducing all the different spaces and design ideas for a golf simulator setup, we wanted to make sure you were aware of the different options Carl has to help you reach your indoor golf dreams.

Note that all enclosure and screen options come with standard sizes, but can likely be customized to perfectly fit your specific space. 

DIY AND PRO ENCLOSURE

Carl's DIY Enclosure product is the perfect freestanding option for home golf simulators. The black enclosure surround itself is made of a nylon material and can be completed with any of Carl's three impact screens: the Standard, Preferred or Premium. 

The enclosure and impact screen hang from a sturdy 1" EMT frame, which can be bought from Carl or sourced locally to save money.

Carl's Pro Enclosure is made for higher end homes and commercial simulator setups. The enclosure surround is made out of a sleek black fabric, and all Pro Enclosures come with a Premium Impact Screen to finish off the professional look.

Pro Enclosures use a 2" EMT frame, and also can be bought from Carl or sourced locally. The larger frame is even sturdier, more durable, allows electronics to be mounted on it.

BUILT-IN GOLF SIMULATOR

If you have a designated room or area that you want to permanently convert into a golf simulator room with a wall-to-wall impact screen, then Carl's Built-In Golf Simulator options are perfect for you.

Carl’s Built-In Golf Room Kit allows both home and commercial users to transform almost any room into a fully immersive golf simulator paradise. You can have your turf seamlessly lead up to the impact screen without a bottom border, creating a visually cohesive space.

Standard features may include a Carl’s Place Premium Impact Screen, a built-in impact screen mounting kit, and golf simulator blackout panels with mounting hardware.

The Carl's Built-In Golf Room Kit is especially suited for golfers with carpentry or handyman skills. Building something as stunning as this requires time and effort. It is designed for rooms with straight, even 2x4 wood framed walls without trim boards. If possible, using plywood on the walls and ceilings can simplify the installation process.

If your space differs from these specifications, be prepared to customize the setup to fit your specific surroundings.

Carl’s Built-In Screen seamlessly fits and installs in your room without the need for any pipes. It includes corner cable anchors, pulley wheels, cables, releasable zip ties, and starter panels or hook and fastener tape for easy setup.

The built-in impact screen offers flexibility in achieving the perfect balance between ball bounceback and a taut screen for optimal image quality. Crafted in Milton, Wisconsin, these screens are designed for durability and longevity.

Carl's golf room panels serve as an enclosure by darkening and softening walls and ceilings. Made with an inner core, foam padding, and fabric casing, they easily attach to shield walls and ceilings from stray shots. Carl's Golf Room Curtains are also an option for wall/side protection. 

More info on DIY vs. Pro vs. Built-In

COMMON GOLF SIMULATOR SPACES

GARAGE GOLF SIMULATOR

Having a golf simulator in a garage is undoubtedly the most popular place, and for good reasons.

The first reason is quite simple: space. Most garages tend to provide a larger open space than any room in a house. Sure, you might have to sacrifice a car spot or two, but it’s worth it.

Ideally, for a single golfer, you’ll want at least 8 feet of width, 18 feet of depth, and 10 feet of ceiling height. If you want multiple golfers to use your golf simulator at the same time with a central hitting area, then you’ll want 14 feet or more.

It all depends, though. Some shorter golfers or ones with flatter swings could get away with less height, while golfers with more upright swings could get away with less width. Be sure to take some practice swings in your area before any decisions are made. During your practice swings, make sure you have enough space to comfortably swing where any wall or ceiling won’t affect your approach or thought process.

A garage also provides more flexibility for a retractable setup that might include a roll-up screen or curtains. Although Carl’s Place does not offer such a setup, many golfers have created one themselves so that they can still pull in a car when they are not golfing.

Typically, keeping your golf simulator in your garage will help keep the noise down on the inside of the house, especially if you’re using a detached garage.

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BASEMENT GOLF SIMULATOR

The basement is a very common location for a golf simulator as well.

Many people simply have more unused space downstairs, whether it’s a finished basement with some extra space or an unfinished basement and you're looking for ideas for making the most of the space. Most of the main or upper level rooms are occupied by kids or work-from-home desks, so the basement is the next easiest place to go.

How often do you see a pool or ping pong table gathering dust and just clogging up space in a basement? Replace those antiquated forms of entertainment with a new-age golf simulator.

Check out this awesome space where a pool table once existed. The swap was easy and made complete sense, especially with the bar (beverage cart) nearby.

Another great basement area would be in a work out room. After all, it's quite easy to break a sweat playing on a golf simulator.

NOTE: Many basements do not have a lot of ceiling height, so be sure to get a couple test swings in before making any decisions.

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OFFICE/EXTRA BEDROOM

Although it might be sad sending your kids off to college or to the real world, it might be one of the biggest blessings in disguise if you’re looking for a space for your golf simulator.

Next time the kiddo stops home, you can show them how awesome of a “remodel” you did on their old bedroom by adding a Carl’s Place DIY Enclosure and other golf sim products to it. Just make sure you have a different spot for them to sleep, otherwise they might need to snuggle up with mommy and daddy like the good ol’ days.

ALTERNATE HOME GOLF SIMULATOR ROOM LOCATIONS

If you live in super cold, snowy winters and value having a garage spot for your car, and also don’t have any extra bedrooms or office space for a golf simulator, maybe these more outside-the-box thoughts will help spark some golf room ideas for you.

How about that sunroom you dreamt of using often when you bought your house, but it’s just sitting there unused for most of the year? Carl’s Place customer Cody showed us how he, despite limited space, transformed his sunroom into a golf simulator.

Are you asking yourself, "Do I have room for a golf simulator?" Fear not, here's how to measure your space for a golf simulator.

What if you absolutely can’t find any room on any level for your home golf simulator room? Do you have a large storage shed on your property that you could use? Or how about adding an extra room to your house?

We’ve even spoken with a customer who lived in a loft apartment above an aircraft hangar, and he was looking to put a simulator in the unused space below his apartment.

If there is a will, there is a way.

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GOLF SIMULATOR SHED

Some people have an extra shed just sitting empty on their property. Others have gone out of their way to build a shed for the specific reason of making it a golf simulator room. Maybe the shed on your property is an extra storage area that needs to be cleaned out, or it’s being used as a chicken coop.

Whatever the circumstances, if you need specifics on converting your shed to you a golf simulator, you're in the right place.

Now’s the best time to get working on turning that shed into the best man cave you’ve ever had.

Keep in mind that we suggest having at least 14 feet of width so that both righties and lefties can play without many adjustments. Depth is a little trickier; We suggest the impact screen be a foot off the wall, and the golfer be hitting from 10-12 feet. Add in 7' as an ideal space to swing and you’re up to 18+ feet of depth. If you want more room for your friends and family to be able to sit and watch, add another 5-10 feet.

Lastly, for height, 10 feet is going to be ideal. Some players can get away with shorter ceilings, but if you're tall or have a higher backswing or follow through, you could be in trouble at less than 10 feet.

You certainly can get away with putting a golf simulator in a smaller room, but you will have to measure your space well and be extra careful. We just want you to have plenty of room to swing comfortably and safely work on your game.

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GOLF SIMS IN SHIPPING CONTAINERS

Over the last few years, there has been a lot of hullabaloo over the use of shipping containers in different buildings. Many people are excited to buy a couple of shipping containers to just recycle them and make them into their homes.

Instead of building an indoor golf shed from scratch in the backyard, you could just purchase and convert a shipping container. Keep the neighbors happy by painting the outside and outfit the inside using a DIY Golf Enclosure Kit! Between the standard and custom size golf enclosure sizes available, your golf simulator storage container will soon be a reality.

According to www.falconstructures.com, some common shipping container sizes include a 20-foot long “high cube,” which is slightly confusing. It’s not actually 20 feet high like it might sound, but the model, at 9.5 feet, is just a bit taller than other models. The 9.5 foot height should work for many golfers, but might be a tight squeeze for taller players or those who have more upright swings.

One thing to note: the common width for a shipping container is about 8 feet. That will not be wide enough to have a central hitting area for both right and left handers, meaning it will be much more difficult to have it work well for both. If it’s going to be just you or you know all the players will be just righty or just lefty, you can make it work.

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HOME ADDITION

Many of our Custom Design Service customers have had some cool and unique designs as part of their golf simulator floor plan. However, the most unique golf simulator floor plan we’ve been asked to design was a luxury golf simulator room addition for a golf simulator ON TOP OF A HOUSE.

Don’t have room for a golf simulator in your house, sure, just add a third-floor room to the top of your house. No big deal. I mean, look at that beautiful view from your virtual golf course.

Nate, a customer service representative who helped on this project, said of course not everybody can afford this type of new construction.

“But it worked out really well for this customer, and I think overall the design turned out great also,” Nate said.

For others who might have some space to add on a room to the existing level(s) of your house, that is always an option. Or, maybe you have an unused room, such as a sunroom, that you could fashion into your golf paradise. 

No matter where you decide to place your golf sim, just make sure you’re not hitting into a golf net or enclosure directly next to anything of value. Even the pros shank a shot every once in a while. You never know when you will do the same!

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GOLF SIM IN THE ATTIC

Your attic can be one of the most forgotten empty areas of your house. As you age, maybe your attic gets filled with a bunch of junk, but if you get to it early enough, it might just be that perfect spot for your golf simulator man cave.

Trust us, you won’t forget about your golf simulator in your attic like you would those old picture albums or holiday decorations.

Things to keep in mind with your attic: make sure you have pitched ceilings and ample room (see suggestions above), and make sure you’re not going to fall through the floor into your bedroom a la Clark Griswold in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. That will not help you convince your partner that a custom indoor golf simulator is a great investment.

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COMMERCIAL GOLF SIMULATOR LOCATIONS

The commercial indoor golf industry has taken off. Facilities you might be used to seeing only in big cities are starting to pop up in your smaller town. And if those facilities haven’t started to pop up, maybe you’ve found a golf simulator at a different business. They’re kind of all over the place.

INDOOR GOLF BUSINESS

We’ve helped several customers bulk order Carl’s Place Pro Enclosures to start up an indoor golf business such as Smash Factor.

Pro enclosures are definitely not a necessity for a commercial setup, but they do tend to work better for a few reasons:

• Size: They can be custom made taller, wider and deeper than a DIY enclosure.

• Durability: The frame is made out 2” Electrical Metallic Tubing (instead of 1”) and the Premium impact screen that comes with a pro is our top option.

• Mounting: The larger enclosure frame can bear the weight of any electronics - launch monitor or projector - mounted to it.

• Aesthetics: Our Pro enclosures, with the smooth, black knit walls and Premium screen, have that professional look. Hence the name, Pro enclosure.

You can set up an indoor golf business in many different ways. You could aim for a target market of just serious golfers and have trained coaches helping people improve in your hitting bays, or you could have a more relaxed environment and invite everyone in to have some fun and/or get better.

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GOLF SIMULATOR AT A GOLF COURSE

It just makes too much sense.

What better way to appeal to your customers and members than adding an indoor golfing option for the off-season and inclement weather days.

Offer up tee times just like you would on a normal summer day, or schedule out lessons with the golfers trying to improve.

John Allen with The 1912 Club in Pennsylvania told us how having a golf simulator at his course helps grow and keep the golf course business relevant year-round.

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GOLF SIMULATOR AT WORK

As much as a golf simulator at a golf course makes sense, you might think a golf simulator at your employer doesn’t make sense, at all. It would distract you from being productive, right?

Maybe not. Carl’s Place Human Resources Specialist Ashley explained how having a golf simulator at a previous job actually increased production and morale.

We’ve even heard of a golf simulator at a dentist’s office. While it might be hard to connect the dots between teeth and golf, it’s not hard to connect golf games with employee and client happiness.

Speaking of businesses dealing with a lot of clients in the office, a golf simulator would fit well in a loan, investment or realty office. Instead of sitting around having boring meetings with your clientele, you can invite them over for a quick round of golf, and talk a little business in between the fun.

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GOLF SIMULATOR IN A BAR OR RESTAURANT

Similar to a home basement, bars and restaurants are known to have different games to entertain customers such as pool, darts, video game slots and so on.

Instead of watching those areas not be used, replace them with a golf simulator. You can draw people in with the golf aspect and then when they smell your delicious food and see your ice cold beverages, they won’t be able to say no.

Or, you could open up a full on golf simulator business AND restaurant like Blind Shot Social Club in Madison, Wis. The vibes at Blind Shot are fantastic. Come in for the golf and grab a bite to eat, or come in for a great meal with a side of hitting a few golf balls. 

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GOLF SIMULATOR AT A PRACTICE FACILITY FOR A GOLF TEAM

We’ve helped many high school and college golf teams reimagine and upgrade their practice facilities, including the UW-La Crosse women's golf team. After all, how are teams supposed to stay sharp in the offseason when the weather outside is a bit frightful?

We’ve also installed 10 hitting bays at a boarding school for their students to both practice on and use in gym class. The staff says the project was for the students, but they were pretty giddy themselves.

At the boarding school, they repurposed an old basement gym and, at times, storage area into a beautiful indoor golf facility.

While we’re on the topic of practice facilities … many driving ranges are becoming more than just a place you can go to hit off a hard golf mat or torn up grassy area. Some are starting to transform into more of a legit practice area with simulators, where you can practice year round and get club and ball data that will help you improve.

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GOLF SIMULATOR IN AN APARTMENT OR CONDO COMPLEX

Another area golf simulators are becoming more and more popular are as an amenity in apartment and condominium complexes. Sure, we all love our granite countertops, spacious floor plans and workout area as an amenity, but why not a golf simulator?

After all, if you are living in an apartment or condo, you might not have your own yard to go out and get in some chipping practice. Having a golf sim in your complex would alleviate that, while also allowing you to practice ALL your clubs. You could even offer to host a family or friend get together with more entertainment options!

OTHER COMMERCIAL GOLF SIMULATOR IDEAS

• Car Dealership: Lots of space in the show room to set one up. Have a customer tee off on a par 3 and if they get it within 5 feet, they win a prize or money off their purchase!

   

• Air BNB or rental properties: Golf trips are becoming more and more popular. If you own a rental property in a popular golfing area, add a golf sim to your property so whoever rents it out isn’t missing out on golf on inclement weather days. Plus, it provides good nighttime entertainment, and keeps your rental property more relevant in the winter months.

   

• Sports Arena: Just ask the Milwaukee Brewers, who teamed up with X-Golf to bring golf simulators to American Family Field

   

• Campgrounds: They could always use more entertainment options when the kids get bored, especially on those rainy days. But when you get sick of going to the playground, or are too sunburnt to go back to the lake, take a day off and hit the links indoors.

   

• In a mobile trailer: check out how Dryvebox is bringing golf to the people!

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GOLF SIMULATOR ROOM DESIGN IDEAS

Once you find a location for your home or commercial setup, then comes the fun part: golf simulator room design! If you’re on a tight budget, you might be more limited in your ability to custom design your area, but if you can fit a “heckler zone” and some of these other suggestions into your budget, you won’t be disappointed!

THE VIEW FROM THE OUTSIDE

“We had one customer who actually made a ‘window’ in their wall that acted like a little bar table or counter top as well, so people could technically sit outside the room and look in while someone was golfing,” Jesse said. “All sorts of creative golf room ideas come from customers. Sometimes it even leads to suggestions for the actual product itself, which helps us as a company continue to evolve and add new items to our lineup.”

THE HECKLER ZONE

Zach, a customer service specialist who is part of the custom sim design team at Carl’s Place, said he personally likes when they’ve been able to design a separate, elevated seating area. Carl's Custom Sim Design Service can help you with your golf simulator room layout, and can make custom golf simulators to fit your space. 

“I think these just give the most immersive feel, and look to be more user friendly especially when using with multiple people,” Zach said. “Since not everyone can play at once it is nice to incorporate some seating, and still be able to view the screen while not being in the way. That also makes it an easy transition into a theater type room.”

Nate agreed with Zach.

“I think my favorite part is the separation between the golfing zone and the bar area or heckler zone, as one customer called it,” Nate said. “Instead of everyone being in one space, there's a clear line of separation between the areas.”

Jesse added that it’s typically easier to help people who have house plans with a golf simulator so they can have a designated space for their setup. However, he said trying to get an old bedroom or basement to work for a golf sim can be interesting as well.

“(A golf simulator) wasn’t the original intention for the room, so we have to think through it a little more thoroughly and sometimes be a little creative with the room design,” Jesse said. “It definitely leads to a more satisfying result when it is all finished.”

No matter where you plan to put a golf simulator, we can help customize a golf simulator room for you. 

 

Already have a golf simulator room design you love? Share your set up and we might feature yours in our articles.