How much room do you need for a golf simulator bay?
Room size is the one thing you can't fix after you've signed the lease. Get it wrong and every customer feels it, every session.
These are the rules of thumb we work to. Every launch monitor and building is different, so check your exact setup with your supplier before you commit. But if a room fails these, think hard.
Width: the one people get wrong
Width is about safety and comfort as much as fitting the screen. Golfers swing, step back and stand next to each other, and left- and right-handers need room on both sides.
- Around 4.5m wide is where a commercial bay starts to feel comfortable.
- Under about 4.3m it starts to feel cramped, especially once you've added wall padding.
- Allow for padding on the side walls. It takes width away, roughly 0.2m once both sides are done.
A wider room can also make the kit simpler. Some launch monitor setups need two units to cover left- and right-handers in a narrow bay. With enough width, one well-placed unit can often do the job, which saves money on every bay.
Depth: hitting position to screen
Too close and the ball comes back at the golfer. Too far and the room gets long and the projection gets harder. Around 2.8m from hitting position to screen is a good starting point. Then allow space behind the screen, typically 300 to 400mm, and room behind the golfer for the seating and the person waiting to play.
Height: the swing, not the ceiling tiles
A full driver swing needs about 3m of clear height at the hitting position. Check under beams, lights, ducts and sprinkler heads, not just the ceiling. A tall golfer with a driver will find the lowest point.
Questions to settle before you sign
- Is the clear width at least 4.5m after padding, at the hitting position?
- Is there about 3m of clear height where people swing, under everything hanging from the ceiling?
- Will the layout work for left-handers? Roughly 1 in 12 golfers are.
- Where will the kit live, and can you get to it without going behind the screen?
- Is there a fire exit route that works with the bays in place?
- Can the building be heated or cooled sensibly for long opening hours?
Plan for running it, not just building it
Most of a sim venue's life is spent running, not being built. Think about how you'll get to the kit when it needs a restart, how customers will get in when you're not there, and what it costs to keep each room warm. Our guide to running an unmanned venue covers the rest.
From operators who run one
We built and run Bunkerbay. BAYi is what we use to run it day to day. Book a 20-minute video demo and see it working.