Best Home Golf Simulator Studios: 10 Killer Builds Starting at $3K

By now, you’ve almost certainly tried a golf simulator. And, even more likely than that, you’ve dreamed of owning your own.

Not long ago, a home golf simulator felt like a pipe dream. Now, it’s becoming an increasingly common reality for more and more golfers.

Why?

First, it’s because today’s golf launch monitors are incredibly accurate and capable of producing shot data so good that it can be used to play very realistic simulator golf.

And second, it’s because the affordability of these products has gotten to the point where you now have multiple options for legitimately great golf launch monitors that start at less than $1,000.

So, yeah, these golf simulator dreams are in reach for a lot of us.

The problem, maybe even more than cost, becomes option overload. There are so many variables and so many questions to answer. How much space do I need? What gear is required? Will I need a computer? A projector? What will it all cost?

It’s a lot to consider. And if you start poking around the internet, you’re likely to confuse yourself even further.

That’s why I’ve put together this guide. To help you cut through the noise and find the perfect turnkey simulator setup. I’ll break down what’s included, what’s not, and the best options at every budget.

Before we go any further, the main thing I want to impress upon you is this: You can have a golf simulator in your home. All you need is the budget and the space.

Building a simulator studio isn’t the overwhelming project you may have made it out to be. I’m going to walk you through every step.

What Is a Golf Simulator?

A golf simulator lets you play full rounds of golf indoors using real golf clubs and real golf balls.

You can even play simulated versions of real courses, complete with accurate yardages, hazards, elevation changes, and green contours. You can also practice on virtual driving ranges, play mini-games and challenges, or compete online with other sim golfers.

Here’s what makes up a complete golf simulator setup.

What Do I Need for a Golf Simulator Studio?

The main component of a golf simulator is a golf launch monitor. This is the device that reads the golf shots to capture data like how far the ball carried and rolled out and in which direction it was traveling and curving. Different golf launch monitors are capable of recording different data metrics, and some are more accurate than others. Think of the golf launch monitor as the brains of your simulator setup.

Next is your simulator software. This is what turns data into visuals, taking the shot info. from your launch monitor and rendering it on a virtual course or range.

Say you are playing a simulated version of Pebble Beach’s iconic Par 3 number 7. You would hit your approximately 100-yard tee shot, and the golf launch monitor would read your swing and contact to determine where the ball was headed. With that information, the simulator software would show your ball flying through the air towards the Pacific Ocean and (hopefully) landing on the green before rolling out towards the hole.

In order to run your simulator software, you of course need some kind of computer. Some golf launch monitors and sim software packages work with mobile devices like a phone or tablet. Others require a more robust computer with a powerful processor.

Most turnkey golf simulator packages include everything you’ll need, except the computer. That is the one component you’ll need to buy separately.

You might already own a computer that works. If not, your launch monitor and software choice will help determine what specs you need.

For reference, I use an Acer Predator Helios 300 with 16GB RAM, a 1TB SSD, Intel i7 processor, and GeForce RTX 3070 graphics. It handles everything flawlessly and costs around $1,000.

For the full experience, you’ll want a projector and impact screen to see your shots play out in front of you, just like out on the real golf course. Your software sends data to the projector, which displays the simulated course on the screen you hit into.

Then you’re going to need some kind of enclosure to corral the golf ball after it hits the screen and to protect your surroundings from wayward shots. All of that is also included in the below turnkey simulator packages.

And of course, you’re going to need a hitting mat off of which you’ll hit your shots. You guessed it. That’s also included.

You also have the more affordable option of building a sim studio without a projector, impact screen or enclosure. You could instead pair a golf launch monitor with a hitting net.

You won’t see the ball flying in front of you for the ultimate realistic simulator golf experience, but you can instead watch that action on a computer, tablet, or phone set to the side. If you go this route, you’ve got the chance to play simulator golf at home for just $1,000.

How Much Space Do I Need for an Indoor Golf Simulator Setup?

To hit golf shots indoors with complete comfort and confidence and to be able to accommodate both left- and right-handed golfers as well as tall golfers all with one setup, we recommend a space that is at least:

• 10 feet high
• 15 feet wide (if you’re playing with both righties and lefties)
• 16 feet deep (a camera-based golf launch monitor requires considerably less room than this)

Now, you certainly can get away with less room than this. Camera-based golf launch monitors, for example, sit next to the golfer rather than behind them the way that radar-based units do.

That means that if you choose a camera-based device like the SkyTrak+, you don’t need a full 16 feet of room depth.

Then there’s the matter of golfer height and swing plane. A tall golfer with a steep swing is going to need higher ceilings than a shorter golfer with a shallower swing. Some setups work with ceilings under 9 feet. It really depends on your situation.

Just be careful not to put a hole in your ceiling — I speak from experience here.

Those space recommendations are by no means set in stone. Depending on your individual variables and which package you choose, you may very well be able to have a perfectly functional simulator setup with considerably less space.

Alright, are you ready to find your turnkey golf simulator solution? Let’s do this!

10 Great Turnkey Golf Simulator Studios Starting at $3,000

So we’ve walked through all that goes into building a golf simulator studio. And if it sounds like a lot, it’s because it is.

But PlayBetter.com — my go-to for my golf tech and equipment needs and the place that I recommend because of their competitive pricing and unparalleled customer service — has made all of this super simple. They’ve created turnkey packages that bundle different golf launch monitors with everything you need (except the computer) to assemble a home golf simulator studio.

Key 2025 Update: Huge news! PlayBetter now sells Carl’s Place sim enclosures and impact screens. Why is this huge news? Because Carl’s Place makes the bar-none best, highest-quality, most-professional-looking sim setups on the market. Their screens install the flattest and with the fewest wrinkles. Their enclosures assemble the easiest and block out all ambient light. They’re just simply better than what you’re going to find with competing options.

And because PlayBetter already sold all of the best golf launch monitors and hitting mats available, by adding the Carl’s Place products, including projectors, we’ve now got a perfect turnkey simulator studio marriage. With one click, you can get the absolute best setup (minus the computer) for whatever your budget. And I’m going to show you your best options.

When you buy one of these packages, you’ll receive a few boxes along with the instructions for assembly. As for how long it will take you to put together, that of course depends on your handiness as well as the package that you choose. In almost every case, this is something you can expect to accomplish with one solid day’s effort at the most, ideally with two people.

Like I said, if you’ve got the space and the budget, having a home golf simulator studio isn’t nearly as difficult as you may fear.

As you’ll see, there are a lot of ways to customize your simulator studio setup. You can mix and match most any golf launch monitor with different sized enclosures and impact screens, different hitting mats, and different projectors. While the below recommendations are some of my favorite combinations, PlayBetter has a package that includes just about every mix-and-match option you can dream up.

For these recommendations, I’m going to stick with the enclosure/impact screen/projector variety. As I said, you can do this cheaper by going with a net and no projector. But the setups that we all dream of include watching the simulated ball fly in front of us on the big screen, so that’s what we’re going to recommend here.

NOTE: I can’t stress enough that the below turnkey options are not your only choices. In every one of these cases, you can choose a package configuration for less money than the section heading I’ve listed, and you can also upgrade for better components and a higher price. You’ve always got options.

And, of course, you don’t have to choose a Carl’s Place enclosure. There are other choices. But my recommendation for the best experience is a Carl’s Place setup. I think you’ll be pleased with that decision.

On that same note, you can buy any of the below packages without the hitting mat, projector, and piping required to assemble the enclosure. So, as I said, you can do this for less than the price stated in each section header.

Think of the below options as true turnkey setups that include everything (except the computer) that you’ll need. In some cases, you can consider these dream setups. Once again, you can play with the configurations to find the right combination that works for your budget.

Affiliate Disclosure: This is the point of the article where I need to make it clear that I’m an affiliate of PlayBetter. If you buy one of the packages included in this post, I’ll get a commission. 

That said, I only work with brands I truly love and trust – and I’ve had a wonderful experience with them. More importantly, my allegiance is to you, the golfer. All I care about is helping you find the right product for your needs, so if you have any questions – definitely drop a comment.

Best Golf Simulator for $3,000: Garmin Approach R10 with Carl’s Place DIY Enclosure Package

If I was building a golf simulator studio on a budget but I still wanted incredible accuracy and lifelike gameplay, this is where I’d start.

As you’re well aware by now, the Garmin Approach R10 is the device that started the whole affordable-but-accurate golf launch monitor craze. And even after numerous copycat competitors, it’s still holding strong a few years later.

If you’ve got enough room depth to accommodate this radar launch monitor, you can have an incredibly professional-looking-and-feeling sim studio for $3,128.89. For that price, you’re getting:

• The Garmin Approach R10
• An 8′ x 8′ Carl’s Place enclosure
• A standard impact screen
• The pipe framing kit needed to assemble the enclosure
• A 4′ x 5′ HotShot hitting mat
• A BenQ TH671ST projector

This is how you do big-time golf simulation without a devastating price tag.

NOTE: I’m not going to make this same point with each package on this list, but you’ll notice that you can get started with an R10/Carl’s Place setup for as little as $1,449.94. But at that price, you’re not getting the hitting mat, assembly pipes, and projector. Because I think those are all essential to a dream sim studio, I’m grouping these packages (i.e. Best Under $3,000, etc.) based on the price of what I think is an ideal package configuration.

Best Golf Simulator Under $3,500: Square Golf Launch Monitor with Carl’s Place DIY Enclosure Package

It used to be that if you were tight on space and needed an optical or camera-based golf launch monitor that set up to the side of the ball, you were looking at spending a lot more money. Not too long ago, radar devices were your only options for under $1,000.

That all changed with the Square. This little launch monitor has been a major market disruptor. It’s a photometric device that delivers both ball and club data with no annual subscriptions. And the native sim software features a pay-by-hole model that’s going to be attractive to the right kind of user.

So, for a total price of $3,378.89, you can get the Square and all of the same Carl’s Place enclosure pieces listed in the Garmin R10 package above. That’s a very competitive price for a very serious indoor simulator build.

Best Golf Simulator for $4,000: Rapsodo MLM2PRO with Carl’s Place DIY Enclosure Package

There is no golf launch monitor under $1,000 that’s more accurate than the Rapsodo MLM2PRO. And now that the company just announced they are adding the Club Path and Angle of Attack club data metrics to their already impressive array of ball data metrics, the best just got even better.

So, if you’re ready to go a bit more serious with your setup, why not pair the Rapsodo MLM2PRO with all of the already-discussed Carl’s Place DIY Enclosure components plus the upgrade to a Fiberbuilt hitting mat.

Fiberbuilt makes the best hitting mats, period. Not only are the mats more durable and easier on your wrists and elbows, but the club-turf interaction is also much more realistic. And that means that the resulting shot data is also more accurate.

So, combine the dead-on accuracy of the MLM2PRO with the upgraded accuracy of a Fiberbuilt mat, and this package – still for only $4,086.89 – could be perfect for serious sim golfers who aren’t quite ready to step into the super pricey territory.

Best Golf Simulator Under $5,500: FlightScope Mevo+ with Carl’s Place DIY Enclosure Package

Alright, now we’re really getting into a nice setup.

My go-to launch monitor for a few years running now has been the FlightScope Mevo+.

To me, no other launch monitor comes anywhere close to delivering the same combination of value, accuracy, data, and simulation software compatibility. It’s a standout for so many reasons.

Is it the absolute best launch monitor available? No. But for the money, I think it delivers more than any other product.

So, for this setup, if it’s me, I’m definitely upgrading to the Fiberbuilt mat. If we keep everything else constant — the same Carl’s Place 8′ x 8′ DIY enclosure, same impact screen, same BenQ projector, and same piping kit for assembly — we’re looking at a $5,461.90 package that is going to more than deliver on simulator dreams promises.

Just note: This is another radar launch monitor and it’s a bit of a space hog. So, you’re going to need a minimum of 16 feet of room depth though more is preferable.

If you’ve got the space, I think this might be the sweet spot of golf simulator packages.

Best Golf Simulator Under $7,500: SkyTrak+ with Carl’s Place Pro Enclosure Package

I’m not crazy about the SkyTrak+ as an outdoor launch monitor option because of its limited functionality reading shots hit off of natural grass.

But you know where I absolutely love the SkyTrak+?

Indoors! I’ve said before that I think the overall SkyTrak+ platform, including its ever-expanding software suite might be the most fun and intuitive to use of any option out there.

So, when it comes to a launch monitor perfect for a fixed simulator studio, the SkyTrak+ deserves a place high up on the list.

For this package, we’re upgrading to the Carl’s Place Pro Enclosure, which is the bigger brother to the DIY Enclosure we’ve included with the packages before this one. With the Pro Enclosure, you get a better version of each enclosure component. The impact screen is a more premium quality. The frame is more robust. And the entire thing is larger.

In other words, if you really want to enhance your sim studio look and feel, going Pro is the move. And the SkyTrak+ definitely deserves the pro treatment.

NOTE: As is the case with each and every one of these launch monitor/Carl’s Place enclosure packages, you have the option to mix and match as you see fit.

Want to save some money and pair the SkyTrak+ (or any of these launch monitors) with a DIY enclosure? Not a problem. And for the right user, it’ll be a good idea.

Want to save some cash and go with the HotShot hitting mat instead of the more premium Fiberbuilt? While I totally think you’re going to love and appreciate the Fiberbuilt, it’s not like the HotShot is a bad option.

Or maybe your budget and space can support even bigger and better? The Carl’s Place Pro enclosures go as big as 10′ x 15.5′ x 15′. And Fiberbuilt hitting mats go up to 4′ x 10′. You’ve also got options for even better projectors.

The point is that these packages that I’m listing in this post aren’t your only options for these products. They’re just the ones that strike me as pairings that I’m really confident will be totally awesome.

Best Golf Simulator Package Under $10,000: Bushnell Launch Pro (Ball Data Only) with Carl’s Place Pro Enclosure

While club data is great, the fact of the matter is a lot of golfers don’t need it.

Especially for recreational indoor golfers who want to play virtual rounds on really cool sim courses, ball data gets the job done just fine.

And there’s a huge opportunity right now for as long as it lasts. Bushnell and Foresight Sports announced that they are discontinuing the Launch Pro, which is odd considering how popular it’s been.

They’ve replaced it with an indoor-only LPi and a revamped Foresight GC3 and GC3S lineup, but none of those updated options give you the choice to choose (and pay for) only ball data.

So, for as long as they last, you can get a ball-data only Bushnell Launch Pro. and save serious coin. 

My advice as for what to do with that savings if you’ve got the budget? Make a badass sim studio. For $9.603.94, you could pair a ball-data Launch Pro with a huge 15-foot deep, 10′ x 15.5′ Carl’s Place Pro Enclosure with the premium screen, plus the piping, a HotShot golf mat and a BenQ 7H671ST projector.

Let the good times roll.

Best Golf Simulator Under $12,000: Uneekor Eye Mini Lite with Carl’s Place Curved Enclosure

Once we cross past the $10K mark, we start to get into the really pro-level setup potential.

And if that’s where you’re headed, you might be best off saving money on the launch monitor without sacrificing any data.

What I mean is that, with an option like the Uneekor Eye Mini Lite, you can get all the ball and club data you want.

But because there’s no built-in screen or battery, the launch monitor is limited to indoor use and costs less. But if you’ve got a maxed out indoor simulator studio, you probably don’t care about taking your launch monitor outdoors.

So, for $12,000, you can mix and match yourself into quite the sim package build to go with your Eye Mini Lite. I like going with a 15-foot deep, 10′ x 15′ enclosure with a curved screen, a 4′ x 8′ Fiberbuilt mat, and a BenQ TK710STi 4K projector for a total of $11,556.45.

Best Golf Simulator Under $15,000: Garmin Approach R50 with Carl’s Place Curved Enclosure

The R50’s built-in 10-inch screen gets all of the attention, and rightfully so. It’s beautiful.

But a piece that a lot of people are overlooking is the fact that the R50 can connect directly to a projector with just a single HDMI cable. From there, if you wanted to use the built-in Garmin Home Tee Hero sim software, you wouldn’t need any other connection to be up and running.

That awesome convenience aside, this is just a killer launch monitor that’s going to bring the data, the accuracy, the convenience, and the fun.

There are so many ways you could go with the R50 and a Carl’s Place enclosure You certainly don’t have to spend anywhere close to $15,000. But if you did, you could go all the way up to a package that included:

• Garmin Approach R50 launch monitor
• 9′ x 14′ x 15′ enclosure
• Curved screen with premium material
• 4′ x 8′ Fiberbuilt Tee Box mat
• LG ProBeam BU 53RG Projector

If you pull that off, you’re in for a lot of fun.

Best Golf Simulator for $20,000: Foresight GCQuad with Carl’s Place DIY Enclosure

The truth of the matter is that if you were rocking a top-of-the-line Foresight GCQuad in your sim space, you’d likely also choose to upgrade to the Carl’s Place Pro or Curved enclosure options.

But that won’t be the case for everyone. For serious players who want the very best launch monitor that they can also take outdoors but who still want to keep their overall indoor studio build budget at $20,000, I think this is a great way to do it.

For $20,020.90 at PlayBetter, you could put together a package that includes:

• Foresight GCQuad launch monitor
• 8′ x 8′ Carl’s Place DIY Enclosure
• Upgraded premium impact screen
• Pipe framing kit
• 4′ x 9′ Fiberbuilt Grass Series studio mat
• BenQ TH671ST projector

Yes, you can choose a configuration that’s even more premium than this. And, obviously, you can always choose a different launch monitor than this to bring your overall cost way down. But this combination would constitute a dream setup in anyone’s book.

Best Golf Simulator Under $25,000: Foresight Falcon with Carl’s Place Curved Enclosure

If you really want a truly professional-looking and feeling simulator studio, like what you’d find at a commercial operation, an overhead, out-of-the-way golf launch monitor is the way to go.

And the Foresight Falcon is the perfect choice. It’s essentially a GCQuad hanging from the ceiling. That means the absolute best data accuracy and most realistic simulator experience.

For just under $25K, you can put together a package that includes:

• Foresight Falcon launch monitor
• 9 ‘ x 14′ x 10’ Carls Place Curved Enclosure with premium screen
• Pipe framing kit
• 4′ x 8′ Fiberbuilt Performance Turf Series mat
• LG ProBeam BU53RG projector

Warning: You put this kind of package together, and you might never leave your house again.

Is 2025 the Year for Your Golf Simulator Studio?

I’m starting to look at it this way: If you’re really into golf and you have high enough ceilings, it’s not a matter of if you’ll get an indoor golf simulator, it’s only a matter of when.

The word is out. There’s a hell of a lot of fun to be had playing simulator golf.

And if you live somewhere with winters, you’re probably that much closer to making this the year you build your dream setup.

Look, the choices on this list aren’t the only ones. But these are 10 really solid options for turnkey sim golf solutions. The best part of these packages is that assembly isn’t as intense as you may fear. It’ll take a bit of work, but nothing that somebody reasonably handy (ideally with a friend) can’t tackle.

So, is 2025 going to be the year your simulator golf dreams come true?

This page contains affiliate links. This means that if you click a link and buy one of the products on this page, I may receive a commission (at no extra cost to you!) This doesn’t affect our opinions or our reviews. Everything we do is to benefit you as the reader, so all of our reviews are as honest and unbiased as possible.

Recent Updates:

July 2nd, 2025: Total update of the post for Summer 2025. Simplified by removing dozens of links. Updated pricing. Updated recommendations. Switched to our current favorite sim build options from Carl’s Place.