Work backwards from your impact screen width using Distance = Throw Ratio × Screen Width. For a common 10-foot-wide (120 inch) screen:

• 0.5:1 ratio: 60 inches (5 ft) from the screen
• 0.69:1 ratio (BenQ TH671ST class): ~83 inches (7 ft)
• 0.8:1 ratio: 96 inches (8 ft)

The golfer typically hits from 10-14 feet back, so a short throw mounted 5-8 feet from the screen sits safely in front of the hitting position - shadows never cross the image. In a bay only 10-12 feet deep, prefer ratios at the lower end (0.5:1-0.7:1) so there's room behind the projector for the swing.

Depends on how much light you can control:

• Dark, dedicated sim room: 2,500-3,000 lumens
• Typical garage bay (some ambient light): 3,000-3,800 lumens - the class the BenQ TH671ST (3,000), Optoma GT2000HDR (3,500), and Optoma GT1080HDRx (3,800) occupy
• Commercial bay with overhead lighting: 4,000-5,000+ lumens, like the BenQ LK936ST (5,100)

Impact screens absorb more light than proper projection screens, so when in doubt, buy brighter. Beware no-name projectors quoting "lux" or inflated "LED lumens" - compare ANSI/ISO lumen ratings from established brands.

1080p is enough for most home sims. You view the screen from 10-14 feet at the hitting position, where a 1080p image on a 10-foot screen still looks clean - and the ~$900 short throw class leaves budget for the launch monitor, which affects your experience far more than resolution.

4K earns its price when:

• You run GSPro with high-resolution course files and want maximum realism
• The bay doubles as a movie/gaming room (the BenQ TK710STi adds HDR and a 4ms game mode)
• It's a commercial bay where image quality sells sessions

Spend priority for a sim: correct throw ratio first, lumens second, laser light source third, resolution fourth.

Ceiling mount, above and slightly behind the hitting position. That keeps the projector out of the swing arc, out of the ball's flight line, and out of everyone's way. With a short throw ratio the mount lands roughly 5-8 feet from the screen for a 10-foot image.

Floor mounting puts the projector where mishits land. If your ceiling is too low or you rent, floor-mount setups exist, but use a protective enclosure and place it as far from the target line as the throw geometry allows.

Mounting checklist: confirm ceiling height clears your driver swing (roughly 9-10 ft for most golfers), run HDMI before finishing the ceiling, and verify the projector's vertical offset and keystone range against your screen height before drilling.

You can, but it's the harder path. UST projectors (0.19:1-0.4:1 ratios) sit at the base of the screen - directly in the zone where balls drop after hitting the impact screen. Builders who go UST use a protective housing or recess the projector into the floor, which adds cost and complexity.

The upside: zero shadow risk and nothing mounted overhead. The downside: impact risk, image geometry that's very sensitive to screen flatness (impact screens flex by design), and generally higher prices for comparable brightness.

For most home bays, a ceiling-mounted short throw is the simpler, cheaper, safer choice. If UST still fits your room best, compare models on our ultra short throw projectors page.