In this guide
An impact screen is the part of a golf simulator that wears out. It takes every strike, it stretches, and eventually the image quality and the noise tell you it is time to replace it. This is how to work out what size you need and which grade to buy.
The two sizes that cover most bays
Simulator screens are sold by finished panel size. Two sizes cover the majority of home and light commercial bays, and both are stocked in a standard and a premium grade.
| Screen size | Imperial | Standard grade | Premium grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 x 3 m | 9'10" x 9'10" | $195 | $235 |
| 3.5 x 3 m | 11'6" x 9'10" | $200 | $320 |
Prices include shipping within the United States. Bungees are sold separately in both cases, so check what you already have before ordering.
Standard or premium: what actually differs
Standard grade
Dense, low-noise, durable impact screen with grommet holes. This is the straightforward replacement for a worn screen in an existing bay.
Premium grade
The same dense low-noise construction plus a ballistic rear blackout layer. The blackout layer stops light passing through from behind the screen, which lifts contrast on the projected image.
When blackout matters
If there is a window, a doorway or a lit room behind your screen, the rear layer is doing real work. In a sealed garage or basement bay the difference is smaller.
Noise
Both grades are built for low noise. Screen noise is mostly a function of density and how the screen is tensioned, so a slack screen will always be louder than a taut one.
Measuring for a replacement
The common mistake is measuring the screen you are taking down. A screen that has taken a season of drivers has stretched, so it will measure larger than the frame opening it was fitted to. Measure the frame.
Frame opening
Measure width and height of the opening the screen spans, edge to edge.
Grommet spacing
Count the grommets and the spacing on your existing frame so the new panel lines up.
Tension allowance
Screens are hung with bungees so they sit slightly smaller than the frame and pull taut. Do not order a panel that exactly fills the opening.
Room clearance
If you are also rebuilding the bay, our enclosure kits include screen, frame and bungees together.
When to replace rather than repair
Small tears and pinholes can be patched. A patch kit includes a black and a white piece and is the sensible first response to a single tear. Replace the panel when you see stretching across the whole face, seam failure at the grommets, or a visible drop in image sharpness that cleaning does not fix.
Protecting the screen you have
Most screen damage happens at the edges and the floor line, where mishits catch the frame rather than the face. Ball return bumpers sit along the bottom and edges of the enclosure in 39, 47 and 59 inch lengths and link together with side velcro, softening strikes that would otherwise hit the frame.
If you are still choosing a projector to pair with a new screen, our guide to projector throw ratios covers how far back the projector needs to sit for a given screen width.
Continue planning your simulator
Use the next guide or go directly to the equipment category that matches the part of the build you are working on.
