$10k Budget | Golf Simulator Room Challenge Series

How much does a golf simulator cost? At Carl’s Place, we believe that an indoor golf setup is within reach of almost any budget. 

Have you been looking for a great golf simulator, but you think a $5,000 budget is not enough money but $20,000 is way too much?

Having trouble figuring out what you can get, say, for less than $10,000? We challenged several members of our Carl’s Place team to make those tough decisions for you and build their dream golf simulator while staying under $10K. 

All three team members were able to stay under the threshold, leaving them plenty of room to add accessories or upgrade their computer. They agreed that getting a Carl’s Place DIY Enclosure with a Premium golf impact screen was a great start, but that’s where the similarities ended.

Two opted to stick with the more budget friendly SkyTrak launch monitor, while one went for the upgrade to the Uneekor QED bundle. 

Below are the rest of their choices and the reasoning behind them.

Best Golf Simulator Under $8,000

Tim, Carl’s Place Product Specialist

• Carl’s Place DIY Enclosure 9x12x5 feet with Premium golf impact screen: Sticking with the DIY at this price point allows you to go bigger. This will give you more golf screen to hit into and overall just a more comfortable indoor golfing experience since you won’t feel quite as cramped. A 10-foot depth provides protection for any shanks that might go astray. Premium really is the best impact screen on the market. It is going to give the best image quality available and will reduce the noise of the ball impacting the screen. 
• SkyTrak launch monitor, Tee Off Software Package with metal case: The Skytrak is a great launch monitor that provides accurate feedback and is portable so you can take it with you to the range. The metal case gives you protection in case you have a miss-hit that impacts the unit.  The Tee off package gives you access to different online competitions, access to some additional courses, and the ability to add E6 Connect or TGC.
• TGC 2019 software: 100,000-plus course options available to choose from, a one time payment, and a realistic golfing experience. 
• BenQ LU710 projector: This is the golf simulator projector we use in our showroom at Carl’s Place.  It has a great image quality, and the fact that it is a laser projector means you don’t need to worry about replacing bulbs.
  
  Total bundle cost: around $5,500 before bundle discount

• Fiberbuilt Player Preferred Series Studio Center Hitting Golf Mat 10×4 feet: This is a large hitting mat for the area, but if you have both left and right handed golfers it will be worth it. Having a center hitting strip means you won’t need to reposition the mat after every shot. The Fiberbuilt mats are hands down the highest quality and most comfortable that I have hit off of. See Pricing

• Accessories

  • Carl’s Place foam inserts for the perimeter of the DIY screen: I have experienced balls ricocheting back at me after hitting a pipe, and it is not fun. Getting the optional foam is a great way to help minimize this risk. Contact Customer Service for pricing.

  • Golf club holder: It makes the experience so much better when your clubs are easier to get to. With a holder, you are not struggling to find them in the bag and get them out, and makes it easier to replace them. Around $100

• Total cost: around $7,500

Ashley, Carl’s Place Customer Service Representative

• Carl’s Place DIY Enclosure 10x13x5-foot with Premium screen bundled with SkyTrak launch monitor: Make your enclosure as large as you can to feel more comfortable in your environment, and the Premium impact screen is great for watching movies as well. 
• SkyTrak Tee Off Software and metal case: This launch monitor is portable, comes with a case, and is very accurate for a lower price point. Software is sufficient enough for you to just work on your swing. 
• BenQ LU710 golf simulator projector: Adjusts to 4:3 aspect ratio of my impact screen and enclosure, has high lumens and good contrast ratio. 
• TrueStrike Single Hitting Mat: The gel section helps me avoid sore wrists and it comes with a ball tray to keep the balls close, organized and ready to go. 
  
  Total bundle cost: around $6,500 before bundle discount

• Accessories:

  • Control box: because I’m lazy. About $300

  • Foam padding inserts from Carl’s Place to cushion frame around screen for errant shots. Contact Customer Service for pricing.

  • Seating and tables for guests.

• Total cost: around $7,000 not including furniture costs. 

Best Golf Simulator for Around $10,000

Zach, Carl’s Place Customer Service Representative

• Carl’s Place DIY Enclosure 9x12x5 feet with Premium golf impact screen: The Premium screen has the best 4K image quality and is great for dual use as a theater screen. 
• Uneekor QED launch monitor bundled with enclosure, screen and TGC 2019 software: The QED is fantastic because it mounts overhead and does not have to be moved to switch between left- and right-handed golfers.
  Total bundle cost: about $9,125 after bundle discount
• Optoma GT2000HDR projector: A great short-throw projector made for gaming, so it works great with golf simulator software. $1,200
• Fiberbuilt Performance Tee Box Square. $499
• Total cost: around $11,000
  
  Head to our learning center for all of our golf simulator resources, or have us design your simulator room for you!

Note: Prices might have changed since the publication of this article in 2021.