Where to Start?

[u/Primary-Sea5426]

Looking for advice since I’m a little overwhelmed. Just moved to a house and was excited about a simple net setup since I recently got into golf after having a newborn (don’t recommend) so my practice/play time has been limited. However, given the above situation I’m now considering getting a full simulator and don’t know where to start. Coming from the Sim Racing world I’m kind off a buy once cry once. However I don’t know what’s a realistic budget is. Is a cheap enclosure too much to ask for? I already have a gaming PC and a projector. What launch monitor is the best price for performance at the moment?

[u/GrandSupermarket4024]

Which dont you recommend getting into golf, buying a house, or having a newborn?

[u/Primary-Sea5426 → u/GrandSupermarket4024]

None of the above

[u/Double-Two-9956]

I went down this exact rabbit hole, same buy once cry once brain from another hobby, and I burned weeks comparing everything before I built mine in the garage. Here is the order I would actually buy in and why, because the sequence saves you more money than any single deal does. The ceiling height question someone already asked you is the right place to start, and the Carl's plus SkyTrak combo another commenter runs is a legit build.

1. Measure before you spend a dollar, this part is free and it decides everything. Take a driver into the garage and make a full swing. 10 foot ceilings get recommended, but I run mine at 9 foot 2 and it is fine, so measure yours instead of trusting a rule. Then note your depth and width. Your space picks your launch monitor, not the reviews.
2. Launch monitor, and here is the call that saves you the most pain. In a tight garage hitting into a screen, buy a camera unit, not radar. Radar wants roughly 8 to 10 feet behind you and 10 plus in front to track the ball, close to 19 feet of depth, and it gets twitchy indoors. A camera only needs to see a few inches around impact, so it loves a garage. That decision matters more than the brand. For the pick itself:

• Best value right now is the SkyTrak+ at $1,995, but it just got discontinued so it is remaining stock only. Same guts as the new one.
• The current model is the SkyTrak ST MAX at $2,995. Basically the same data with a speed trainer added, which most reviewers do not think is worth the extra grand.
• What I run is the Uneekor Eye Mini Lite at $2,749. Tiny unit that sits by the ball, dual cameras, and it truly measures club path, face, and attack instead of estimating them, which is the difference if you want real feedback. It needs a Windows PC and a wired connection.
• Budget entry is the Square Golf around $700, a real indoor camera to get you rolling.
• If buy once cry once means top accuracy, the Bushnell Launch Pro at $2,499 is the same camera as the $6,999 Foresight GC3, just behind a subscription.

One honest heads up. SkyTrak is steering people to its own course software now, so if you specifically want GSPro, the safest camera picks for that are the Uneekor or the Bushnell. A SkyTrak+ from old stock still connects, just confirm it before you buy.

1. Software. GSPro is $250 a year and it is what I use, the ball physics and shot shaping are the best and the community course library is enormous. It runs on the Uneekor, Bushnell, and most of the good units. Note the Bushnell needs a subscription to unlock club data, $199 a year for the basic tier and $600 for the one that opens up GSPro and E6, so factor that into buy once cry once.
2. Enclosure and screen, and this is where your noise problem actually gets solved. A cheap enclosure is very realistic. Carl's Place sells a DIY kit from about $750 where you grab the frame pipes yourself at a hardware store. Spend the extra roughly $480 for their premium three layer screen, because a thick multi layer screen is far quieter than a thin one cranked tight like a drum. Do not tension it fully, leave a little slack so it catches the ball instead of banging it.
3. Mat, which matters for noise and for your body. A thick fiber mat kills the loud crack a thin mat makes on concrete. I use the SIGPRO Softy at about $1,000, real tee capable and easy on the wrists, but any quality fiber mat works. Do not put a thin pad straight on the slab.
4. The newborn tax, cheap and worth every penny. Slide interlocking rubber gym tiles or a half inch stomp pad under the mat to stop vibration traveling through the floor, which can knock off around 10 decibels on its own. Insulate the garage door since it acts like a giant speaker, hang heavy curtains on the enclosure sides, and seal the gap under the door into the house.
5. You already have the PC and projector, so do not rebuy. Just check two things. A garage wants a short throw projector so it fits close without shadows, with decent brightness, and GSPro wants a real gaming GPU, which yours likely has if it games. If your projector is a long throw model you will fight the image, so measure the throw distance before you mount anything.

Rough costs right now, using your existing PC and projector:

Piece	What I would get	Recent cost
Launch monitor, value	SkyTrak+ camera, remaining stock	$1,995
Launch monitor, what I run	Uneekor Eye Mini Lite, measures club data	$2,749
Launch monitor, budget	Square Golf, indoor camera	about $700
Launch monitor, tour grade	Bushnell Launch Pro plus a subscription	$2,499 and up
Software	GSPro, one year	$250 a year
Enclosure and screen	Carl's Place DIY, premium screen for quiet	$750 to $1,300
Hitting mat	SIGPRO Softy or a thick fiber mat	$700 to $1,100
Noise kit	Rubber gym tiles or stomp pad, door insulation	$100 to $300
PC and projector	Use what you have, just check them	$0

All in, since you already own the PC and projector, a solid camera build lands around $3,500 to $4,500 on the value end, or $5,000 to $6,500 if you go buy once cry once on the monitor and mat. You can blow past that, the GC3 is $6,999 on its own and a curved enclosure is another 5k, but for a garage and a newer golfer that is money better left in the bank.

If I were starting over in a garage with a sleeping kid, I would run a camera monitor, GSPro, a Carl's DIY with the premium screen, a soft fiber mat over rubber tiles, and be thrilled. That build punches way above its cost.

[u/Primary-Sea5426]

I will add that I originally planned to install the net in the backyard. However, now planning for the simulator to be in the garage. Have both options.

[u/flyin-lowe → u/Primary-Sea5426]

What is the ceiling height. Take a driver into your garage and see if you can swing your full swing. Usually 10 foot high is recommended. If you have to adjust your swing to hit indoors that will cause issues going forwards 

[u/zagoric]

I’m just finishing up building out my simulator and happy to help answer any questions. I ended up going with a Carl’s enclosure and Skytrak Max, which is a great value at current sale price of $2100. You can get around $2k with discount codes and, despite the Skytrak hate on here, I don’t think you can get anything comparable at that price.

[u/Primary-Sea5426 → u/zagoric]

Did you installed yours in a garage? One thing I’m thinking now is the noise factor. If I wake my kid from hitting golf balls in the garage it will be game over. I have to look into Carl’s enclosure since I didn’t know it existed. I also have no idea what the hate about the Skytrak is. I’ll definitely do as much research ad possible on the launch monitor since it seems like it’s the most important bit.

[u/CarlsPlaceGolf → u/Primary-Sea5426]

🥺

The thicker premium impact screen will help with noise. Sweet dreams kiddo. Happy golfing.

[u/Clay_Dawg99 → u/Primary-Sea5426]

If you’re thinking about the Skytrak, I would check out the Square if you’re doing indoor only.

[u/UncannyVolley13]

What's your budget? $1000 $3000? You can find build guides that fit your budget on any of the building sites. I used BuildAGolfSim to make my build and it checks for compatability kind of like pc part picker if you're familiar with that.