White or Gray: Choosing the Right Golf Screen for Maximum Contrast

If you’ve ever tried to watch a projected image in a bright room, you know the struggle: colors fade, blacks turn gray, and everything starts to look a little...meh. That same problem shows up in golf simulators - especially anywhere with extra overhead or natural light.

Traditionally, golf impact screens have been white, which works great in dark rooms with full light control. But when ambient light enters the chat, a white screen might partially wash out your entire sim experience.

That’s where Carl's expertise in both theater and golf simulator projection materials allowed him to develop the best gray impact screen.

By absorbing more ambient light and reflecting less stray glare, a gray screen can deepen contrast, sharpen details, and enhance color vibrancy, even in bright environments. It’s a smart solution for golfers who want the clearest picture possible without turning their sim space into a cave; after all, you want to practice how you play outside, and it's pretty difficult to play in the dark.

Let’s break down when a gray screen might be the right choice for your setup—and when sticking with white still makes sense.

What Is A Gray Golf Impact Screen?

A gray impact screen is a golf simulator screen made with gray-colored projection material that’s designed to improve image quality—specifically in environments with ambient light (like overhead lights or natural light from windows).

Gray screen material does two main things:

• Boosts contrast – The gray surface helps absorb stray light, so dark areas in your projected image stay dark. That means black actually looks black, not washed-out gray.
  Enhances color vibrancy – With deeper blacks and reduced glare, colors appear more vivid and lifelike, especially in bright rooms.
• Carl’s new High-Contrast Gray Impact Screen is rooted in projection screen tech from our time in the home theater world. It's specifically designed to improve image quality—especially in rooms where you don’t have full control over lighting.

Why Gray?

One issue with traditional white screens: they reflect all light, not just the image from your projector. So if your room has overhead lights, windows, or just general ambient light, the picture can look washed out.

Enter the gray impact screen. It’s formulated to:

• Deepen black levels for better contrast
• Enhance color vibrancy even in well-lit rooms
• Maintain image sharpness and detail under tough lighting conditions

This makes it an excellent choice for:

• Home simulators with mixed lighting
• Commercial setups like golf bars, teaching studios, or entertainment venues
• Multi-use rooms where turning off all the lights isn’t practical

When to Stick with a White Impact Screen

Of course, gray isn’t always better. If your golf simulator is in a dedicated space with full light control, a white impact screen might still be your best bet.

Here’s why:

• White screens maximize brightness, which can be helpful if your projector isn’t especially high-lumen
• They produce natural-looking whites, important for realistic visuals, especially in darker rooms
• White screens have been the standard for years, and they still look fantastic when conditions are right

Ideal for:

• Home theater-style golf simulators with blackout curtains or controlled lighting
• Low-light environments where contrast isn’t a major concern
• Users who already have a high-end projector calibrated for white screens

Carl’s Premium Screens - Now Better Than Ever

This isn’t just about color. The launch of Carl’s High-Contrast Gray Impact Screen coincides with us honing our Premium impact screen material - available in both White and (soon) Gray. After testing hundreds of formulations, we’ve landed on a screen that balances:

• Durability to handle full-speed golf shots
• Image quality for a cinematic simulation experience
• Longevity, even in commercial environments

Whether you're building a DIY setup in your garage or outfitting a commercial sim studio, the new High-Contrast Gray Impact Screen gives you another tool in your kit to make sure your visuals are as dialed as your swing.

Final Thought

White screens aren’t obsolete, and gray screens aren’t magic … but choosing the right one can elevate your sim experience from “pretty good” to “jaw-dropping.” It all comes down to your space, your lighting, and your visual standards. Luckily, Carl’s Place will soon give you high-performance options for both.