Custom Residential Golf Simulators on Long Island: How to Plan One Right.

Why a custom simulator, not a kit

Off-the-shelf simulator kits are designed to fit a generic room. A custom simulator is designed around your room, your swing and the way you want to use the space. That means the enclosure fits the walls, the projector is placed so it never casts a shadow, the lighting and sound are tuned for the room, and the whole experience starts with a single button.

Step one: the space

The room decides almost everything else, so we start there.

• Ceiling height. This is the most common limit. Swing a driver at full speed, and add a comfortable margin above the highest point of the club. Many players need around nine to ten feet, though taller golfers need more.
• Width. You need room to swing freely, plus space for left-handed players if anyone in the house hits from the other side. A centered hitting position keeps everyone safe.
• Depth. The distance from the hitting area to the screen, plus room behind the golfer for the launch monitor and for people to watch, sets the depth.

On Long Island, the usual candidates are finished basements, garages, bonus rooms above garages and pool houses. Each has trade-offs: basements may have limited ceiling height or soffits, while garages need insulation and climate control to be comfortable all winter.

Step two: the launch monitor

The launch monitor measures ball speed, launch angle, spin and club data. The two main technologies are camera-based (photometric) units, which can be mounted overhead or on the floor, and radar units, which usually sit behind the golfer and need more depth. Camera-based overhead units keep the floor clear and work equally well for left- and right-handed players. We help you choose based on your room, your game and how you plan to use it.

Step three: the enclosure and screen

A quality impact screen absorbs the ball quietly, holds a sharp projected image and stands up to years of drives. Around it, the enclosure protects walls and ceilings and frames the image. Custom enclosures can be built into the architecture of the room so the simulator looks like a finished space rather than a piece of equipment. We build these with our partner Carl's Place, which specializes in enclosures and impact screens.

Step four: projection, lighting and sound

• Projector placement. A short-throw projector mounted overhead throws a bright, full image onto the screen without casting your shadow.
• Lighting. Bright, even light helps camera-based launch monitors read the ball, while the screen area needs to stay dark for contrast. Separate lighting zones and scenes solve both.
• Sound. Speakers behind or around the screen make the course feel real, and acoustic treatment keeps impact noise contained.
• Comfort. Turf, a hitting mat that is kind to your wrists, seating for guests and good ventilation all make it a room people actually use.

Step five: one-touch control

The best simulator rooms start with one button. A single "Play" scene can turn on the projector and simulator software, set the lights, lower the shades and bring up the audio. That is where a simulator benefits from being part of a larger home automation system, whether that is Control4, Savant or Lutron HomeWorks.

Golf simulators across Long Island

Most Long Island courses slow down by November and stay quiet until spring, so serious players from Garden City to the Hamptons are turning basements, garages and pool houses into year-round practice rooms. We design simulators for homes throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties, and we coordinate with your builder or architect when the simulator is part of a new build or renovation.

Beyond golf

The same screen and projector can double as a home theater or a place to watch the game. With the right audio and lighting design, a simulator room becomes the most-used room in the house year-round.

Planning your simulator

We visit the space, measure the ceiling and room carefully, talk through how you play and who will use the room, and design the simulator, lighting, audio and controls as one project. Aurora Automated Technologies designs and installs custom residential golf simulators across Nassau and Suffolk counties, New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Frequently asked questions