Bringing the Golf Green to Life

LevelUp Golf is a state-of-the-art golf facility in Frisco, Texas that provides golfers with a unique experience focused on helping them improve their skills. While golf simulation has grown dramatically in recent years, LevelUp wanted to cater to serious golfers. In a competitive market, LevelUp Golf sought to differentiate itself by offering a superior golf simulation experience that helps golfers improve their swing. This called for a projector not found in out-of-the-box golf-sim systems. One that delivers a picture that isn’t just bright but true to life, so players felt like they were on a golf course and able to refine their techniques and enhance their overall performance. To achieve that mission, LevelUp Golf chose the leader in color-accurate golf-sim projectors — BenQ.

LevelUp Golf owner and director of instruction Ryan Hixon is serious about golfing. He’s golfed since he was nine, played his own qualifiers, and caddied and coached for over 10 years, helping players coming out of college with leading PGA rankings. LevelUp Golf is an extension of what he teaches — working with your natural capabilities to level up your game and master the craft. 

As part of his golfing experience, he’s played on his fair share of golf simulators, so he knows what a system takes to really match the quality needed for skill improvement. An off the shelf golf sim system with an unvetted projector wouldn’t cut it. 

“I wanted to build a facility for the players to be able to get better, not just have fun beating balls and have no idea what’s going on with their game,” said Hixson. “Other golf-sim venues are more about golf as entertainment, so they tend to look cartoonish and unrealistic. It’s hard to get your head in the game that way. I wanted my guests to feel comfortable and ensure they didn't suffer from simulator syndrome, where they hold back because it doesn’t look real.”

To make the experience feel realistic, the projector needed to provide a bright, color accurate image. Unlike the typical golf-sim facility, LevelUp is flooded with natural light. A high-brightness projector would ensure the image wouldn’t wash out. But brightness alone wouldn’t meet LevelUp’s criteria. That would take color accuracy. 

Color accuracy ensures golfers feel they are actually playing on the green. This is especially important on newer golf simulators that use advanced 4K software such as GS Pro, where the software provides amazing realism that can display minute details like morning fog, pond reflections, and landscaping. The projector also had to be easy to install and configure to fit LevelUp Golf’s custom bay size.

Working with a technology consultant, Hixson evaluated multiple projectors in a shootout. The 4K UHD BenQ LK936ST golf sim laser projector won out. Specifically crafted for highly accurate golf sim, it boasts features for the price not found in other golf sim projectors. It’s certainly bright enough — even in rooms with natural light — with 5,100 ANSI lumens. But what set it apart from other projectors in the shootout was its amazing color accuracy, which boast 92% of the Rec. 709 color gamut. By using Rec.709, an industry-wide standard for color reproduction, it delivers realistic simulation — producing all the details created in the software. It also features an exclusive golf color mode. With a touch of the Golf Mode button, the projector references the natural blue skies and realistic green grass from the software, immersing golfers in the world's most celebrated courses. 

The BenQ laser projector also means golfers can start playing right away, with no need for a lamp to warm up or cool down, and it features a filter-free IP5X-rated sealed optical engine. This design makes it impervious to dust that can quickly compromise its performance and at the same time eliminates the hassle of climbing a ladder to clean and change filters required by other projectors.

The BenQ LK936ST projector helped LevelUp succeed in its mission. In the year since opening, players appreciate the lifelike visuals and immersive atmosphere, allowing them to focus on improving their skills. 

“The BenQ projector really aligned with what I was trying to achieve — something different from your run-of-the-mill golf sim,” said Hixson. “It’s a critical piece of my members’ practice and of my business.”

One unexpected benefit of BenQ that delighted Hixson was the company support and responsiveness. When one bay projector went down, Hixson needed to get it back up and running as soon as possible.

“Having even one bay go down for any length of time means a loss in revenue,” said Hixson. “I got in touch with BenQ and they sent me another projector overnight. I was able to get back to full operation right away.”

Members can see their practice pay off in improvements out on the green with a picture that looks as real as possible. With the BenQ LK936ST, LevelUp created the perfect space for golfers to level up.