What Are the Best Projectors for the Garmin Approach R10 in a Home Golf Simulator?

If you choose to start using the E6 software available for the Garmin Approach R10 in your home simulator, then you may want to look at a larger screen with a wide aspect ratio to enjoy the stunning graphics and amazing realism available when playing a course.  These screens require a brighter projector since they are about double the size of most home theater screens.   The easiest projector to mount and use is the new $1899 BenQ AH700ST projector.  This projector will easily light up a 13-foot wide screen and has advanced software that will automatically set up the projector to completely fill your screen even if you don’t mount it exactly right.  This also has a short throw ratio that enables you to mount the projector behind the hitting area – but without creating a distracting shadow on the screen.   If you have a larger screen, consider the ceiling-mounted short-throw laser projector like the BenQ LU935ST.   This 5500 lumen model can be mounted as close as 13 feet away and it has excellent color accuracy for a projector under $3000.

According to a national survey of golf simulator buyers, over 85% would like to use their simulator setup for home entertainment such as watching TV or movies.  Once you have a PC connected to your Garmin Approach R10, a few clicks of your mouse can enable you to either watch the Masters live in 4K resolution or your favorite family movie on a truly giant screen.   Plus, playing golf at 4K resolution on the E6 platform is simply stunning.   These setups use a widescreen 16:9 impact screen so the screen is narrower than the other two choices.   For a smaller screen such as 13’ wide and 7.5’ tall, you can use the $1999 BenQ TK710STi which is a 3200-lumen laser powered short throw 4K projector in a room with less light.  If you have a bigger screen or want a brighter room, you would want to use the popular $4899 LK936ST short throw 4K laser projector.  

If you are looking for a golf projector that fits your budget, there are many good choices – and some that may not be as good.  Besides brightness, one of the most important elements in a golf simulator projector is color accuracy.   Why?  Traditional high brightness projectors designed to show PowerPoint slides in classrooms are not designed to render the complex greens of realistic grass and subtle khaki of bunker sand like projectors made for home theaters.    Televisions, home theater projectors, and golf simulator projectors all use an industry-standard color accuracy specification called Rec.709 to ensure that the Green Bay Packer helmet looks right on your TV, and the rich green Bent grass greens at Torrey Pines.   Nearly every BenQ golf simulator projector is specified with a Rec. 709 percentage so you can be sure your new simulator doesn’t look like you are playing Wii Golf.   Here is a comparison of some of the models mentioned in this article.