Ceiling Height For a Golf Simulator — (and The Minimum Height Needed)
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Patrick Corley
- 10/21/2023
For many golfers, going to the driving range to work on their game in the offseason is not an option. The next best thing is a DIY simulator experience allowing them to hit golf balls inside year-round.
One of the first things people think about is how much ceiling height they will need to put a golf simulator in their basement, spare room, or garage.
The Tell Me More Golf Team will talk about the proper ceiling height, space needed, and other factors you’ll need to install a golf simulator properly. That way, you can work on your golf game inside, year-round.
Minimum Ceiling Height For Your Simulator
The minimum ceiling height required for your golf simulator is around 8’6” feet for golfers 5’8” or less. It’s important to remember when you’re taking measurements to remember to subtract the thickness of the hitting mat from your total floor-to-ceiling measurement.
Golfers 5’8” to 6’ should look for a minimum ceiling height of 9’ to ensure they have enough room to take a complete backswing and follow through without feeling like they could hit the ceiling.
For golfers from 6’ to 6’4”: a 9’6” ceiling height is recommended.
This height gives them added ceiling clearance for swinging their longer clubs like drivers and fairway woods.
You want to ensure that you and your friends have enough room to make full swings with their longest clubs comfortably. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to work on your golf game by spending time hitting clubs without the worry of hitting the ceiling.
Most golfers would be better suited to working on hitting their long and mid-irons, pitching and chipping then wailing away with their driver into the net.
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What Is The Ideal Garage Ceiling Height For a Golf Simulator?
The ideal garage ceiling height for a golf simulator is 10 feet. You want to make comfortable swings without worrying about hitting the ceiling with your club head.
A 10-foot ceiling will mean that most golfers up to 6’5” can comfortably swing every club in their bag.
Garages typically start with ceilings as low as 7 feet at the garage door plus another 14 inches, which makes them a shade over 8 feet tall inside. This lower height will make installing a golf simulator in a standard-sized garage a tight fit for most golfers.
For golfers 6 feet tall or less, a 9-foot ceiling should provide plenty of clearance to take full swings without worrying about the club head hitting the ceiling on the backswing or the follow-through.
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Other Room Dimensions To Measure
In addition to the height, you’ll also need to measure the room’s width and length for your home golf simulator setup.
The minimum space required to set up most golf simulators is 10’ W x 10’ L x 8.5H.
The height and width measurements are essential to provide enough room for the swing arc to swing the club comfortably.
One important thing to remember is to consider the thickness of the hitting mat and padding when taking floor-to-ceiling measurements. Many high-quality mats can be several inches thick when you factor in the turf and the padding underneath.
Length is significant because you’ll need to install the hitting net with enough room behind it that balls hit into the net or don’t come in contact with the wall behind it.
Don’t forget about width when you’re taking your measurements because just as many golfers can feel cramped by a low ceiling, they can feel the same thing with walls and things on either side.
Anyone who has ever hit golf balls on a crowded driving range where the stalls are very close together knows that feeling of having someone or something too close while you are swinging golf clubs.
How To Use A Golf Simulator With a Low Ceiling
The best way for golfers to use a golf simulator with a low ceiling is to practice with shorter golf clubs like their irons and wedges. That way, they can take a full backswing and follow through without worrying about hitting the ceiling.
Golfers might be unable to hit their drivers or fairway woods if their room size doesn’t have enough space. However, they can still work on their golf game by hitting irons and wedges or choking down on their clubs.
You’ll begin to ingrain a better, more natural swing by working on hitting your scoring clubs. And the simulator will give you instant feedback on what you’re doing right and wrong. This focus can allow you to practice with a purpose that, in the long run, is only going to help your golf game.
Playing simulated rounds on golf courses with less than a driver is a great way to work on your golf game from both a strategy and shot-making capacity. You’ll have to compensate for what you lose in distance with creativity and course management.
Another option for using a golf simulator with a low ceiling is to change their swing from a more up and down vertical swing to an around their body, flatter style golf swing.
Minimum Ceiling Height For Golf Swing (Different Heights)
A golfer will need to consider their height to find the minimum ceiling height for their swing in their golf simulator room.
It’s important to remember to factor in the thickness of the hitting mat and the padding underneath when you’re measuring the floor to the ceiling distance.
Minimum Ceiling Height by Height of Golfer:
- 5’4” – 8’6”
- 5’8” – 8’6”
- 6’ – 9’
- 6’4” – 9’6”
- 6’5” + – 10’
Height isn’t the only consideration for determining the minimum height for a ceiling when installing a golf launch monitor.
A shorter golfer with a more vertical swing may end up with the clubhead higher on their backswing than a taller golfer with a flatter swing.
When in doubt, it’s always better to have too much ceiling room than not enough room when planning to do your DIY golf simulator installation.
FAQ Section
How high should the ceiling be for an indoor golf simulator?
The ideal height for an indoor golf simulator is 10 feet. A 10-foot high ceiling should give most golfers up to 6’5” tall plenty of ceiling clearance so they can swing the club freely without hitting it during their swing.
Most major indoor golf simulators or launch monitors like WGT, Skytrak, Trackman, GC Quad, Optishot, FlightScope Mevo, My Golf Simulator, and Garmin will have the recommended space requirements listed in the table of contents of their user manuals.
Is an 8-foot ceiling too low for a golf simulator?
For most golfers, an 8-foot ceiling will be too low for a golf simulator if they want to hit every club in their back. However, shorter golfers or golfers with flatter swings may be able to still swing the club without hitting the ceiling.
Also, golfers can always hit less than driver or fairway woods or choke down on clubs to swing in a room with an 8-foot ceiling.
How tall should a golf simulator screen be?
A golf simulator should be tall enough to conform to the aspect ratio of the projected image with no area of the screen wasted. For example, 16:9 is a standard aspect ratio, meaning the screen size would be 16 feet wide and 9 feet in height.
You’ll have a better golf simulation experience with the correct aspect ratio because the images on the screen won’t be distorted or clipped. Distortion and clipping are common issues with screens that are too tall or too wide.
Can I use a golf simulator with a 9-foot ceiling?
Most golfers under 6 feet in height should be able to use a golf simulator with a 9-foot ceiling, take a full backswing, and follow through comfortably without worrying about hitting the ceiling.
However, because people have different body types and swings, it’s best to take some practice swings with shorter clubs. That way, you can ensure that 9’ is enough clearance to swing the club without worrying about hitting the ceiling.
Conclusion: Research by Tellmemoregolf.com
One of the first things many golfers worry about when installing a golf simulator is if they have enough ceiling height. While standard 9’ ceilings can be high enough, a 10’ ceiling is recommended when considering other factors like the height of golfers and the thickness of the hitting mat and padding underneath.
The length and width of the room are also significant. The length measurement is important for getting accurate readings and projections onto the screen and ensuring enough room behind the impact screen or net. Hence, golf balls hit the screen and don’t contact the wall behind them.
Width is also important because you want to give golfers of all sizes enough room to set up the ball comfortably and naturally.
If you have a lower ceiling, you can hit shorter clubs, choke down on your clubs, or flatten your swing to accommodate the lower ceiling height.
Setting up a DIY golf simulator isn’t hard. But, first, you need to research, get accurate measurements, and refer to the recommended specifications for the simulator to use them safely and correctly.
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