In this guide
Throw ratio is the one projector specification that decides whether a machine physically fits your room. It is a single number, the maths takes ten seconds, and getting it wrong is the most common reason a simulator build stalls after the projector arrives.
The One Calculation
Throw distance = screen width × throw ratio. A 0.5:1 projector filling a 12ft screen sits 6ft from it. A 1.5:1 projector filling the same screen sits 18ft back. That is the whole formula — everything else is consequence.
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| Throw ratio | 10ft wide screen | 12ft wide screen | 14ft wide screen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5:1 | 5ft | 6ft | 7ft |
| 0.6:1 | 6ft | 7ft 2in | 8ft 5in |
| 0.8:1 | 8ft | 9ft 7in | 11ft 2in |
| 1.0:1 | 10ft | 12ft | 14ft |
| 1.2:1 | 12ft | 14ft 5in | 16ft 10in |
| 1.5:1 | 15ft | 18ft | 21ft |
| 2.0:1 | 20ft | 24ft | 28ft |
Read down the column for your screen width and you have the distance each class of projector needs. If the number is larger than the space between your screen and your back wall, that projector does not fit — no amount of keystone correction changes the geometry.
What We Stock, By Class
We carry 49 projectors with a fixed, published throw ratio, spread across three classes.
Scroll across to compare all details.
| Class | Ratio | We stock | Distance for a 10ft screen | Price range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra short-throw | under 0.6:1 | 14 | 4ft 10in – 5ft 10in | $909 – $6,859 |
| Short-throw | 0.6:1 – 0.99:1 | 18 | 6ft – 10ft 10in | $949 – $15,439 |
| Standard throw | 1.0:1 and longer | 17 | 10ft – 21ft 10in | $499 – $4,499 |
Ultra short-throw · 0.5:1
Optoma GT2000HDR
$1,199
Best for: Tight rooms where the projector has to sit close to the screen and shadow is the main worry.
- Fills a 12ft screen from roughly 6ft
- Short enough to mount well forward of the golfer
- Laser light source, no lamp to replace
- A popular starting point for a first golf bay
Short-throw · 0.69–0.83:1
BenQ AH700ST
$2,299
Best for: The default choice for most home simulator rooms — clear of the swing without needing a long bay.
- Zoom range gives you freedom in where you mount it
- Fills a 12ft screen from roughly 8ft 3in to 10ft
- Clears the golfer overhead and forward
- Golf-simulator specified by the manufacturer
Standard throw · 1.13–1.46:1
BenQ TK700
$1,499
Best for: Long rooms and rear-shelf mounts, where depth is not the constraint and you want 4K for the money.
- Needs real distance — a 12ft screen wants 13ft 7in or more
- True 4K resolution at a mid-range price
- Best suited to a commercial bay or a long garage
- Check shadow: at this distance the projector often sits behind the golfer
The Things The Ratio Does Not Tell You
Throw ratio answers "does it fit". It says nothing about whether the picture will be any good, and there are four specifications that matter alongside it.
Shadow
The shorter the throw, the further forward the projector sits and the less of your swing ends up on the screen. This, not image quality, is why golf bays favour short throw.
Zoom range
A range such as 0.69–0.83:1 is a mounting window. A single figure is a fixed lens: it fills one image size from one distance, and that is that.
Lens shift
Lets you offset the image vertically without tilting the projector. Useful when the only ceiling joist is not where the geometry wants the lens.
Brightness
Separate from throw entirely. A short-throw projector in a lit room still needs the lumens; throw ratio only decides where it lives.
Screen flatness
A steep short-throw angle exaggerates any ripple in an impact screen. The tighter the throw, the more a properly tensioned screen matters.
No-lens models
9 of our large-venue projectors ship without a lens at all, so their throw ratio depends on which one you fit. Their pages list the options.
Our Verdict
Measure the distance from your impact screen to the wall behind you, then multiply your screen width by 0.5 and by 0.8. If your measurement falls between those two numbers, a short-throw projector fits and you should buy one. If it is shorter, you want ultra short-throw. If it is much longer, standard throw becomes an option and usually buys you more resolution for the money. Every projector page here carries a calculator that checks the fit against your own measurements before you commit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I work out the throw distance I need?
Multiply your screen width by the projector's throw ratio. A 0.5:1 projector on a 12ft screen needs to sit 6ft from it; a 1.5:1 projector needs 18ft. Every projector page on this site has a calculator that does it for you and tells you whether your room works.
What throw ratio is best for a golf simulator?
Between about 0.5:1 and 0.8:1 for most rooms. That puts the projector far enough forward to clear the golfer's swing and overhead, but close enough that a typical 12–16ft bay still fits. Ultra short-throw is better again for very tight rooms, and costs more.
Will a standard-throw projector work in a golf bay?
Only if the room is long. At 1.5:1 a 12ft screen needs the lens 18ft back, which is beyond most home bays, and the projector then sits behind the golfer where it casts a shadow on every swing. Standard throw suits a long commercial room or a rear-shelf mount.
Does a zoom range change the throw ratio?
Yes — that is what the range means. A 0.69–0.83:1 projector can fill the same screen from anywhere in that window, which gives you some freedom in where you mount it. A single figure such as 0.50:1 is a fixed lens with no adjustment.
Why do some projectors have no throw ratio listed?
Large-venue models ship without a lens, so the throw ratio depends entirely on which lens you fit. We stock 9 of these; their product pages list the compatible lenses and what each one does.
Does a shorter throw mean a worse image?
Not inherently. Brightness, resolution and contrast are separate specifications. What a very short throw does demand is a flat, well-tensioned screen, because a steep projection angle exaggerates any ripple in the impact screen.
Need help applying this to your space? Ask SimGolfer about your setup.
CHECK THE FIT BEFORE YOU BUY
Use your own screen width and mounting position
Throw ratio only becomes useful when it is applied to the screen you plan to use. Enter your measurements in the calculator, then check the result against the full room layout.
Use the projector calculator Check your room Compare golf simulator projectors
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.
