Best Golf Simulator Projectors (2026): Short-Throw Picks by Budget

The projector is the part of a home simulator you look at every shot, and it’s also the part that most often gets bought last and in a hurry. The right one depends on three numbers you can measure before you shop: throw distance (how far from the screen the projector can sit), room light (how many lumens you need), and screen size.

This guide compares five golf simulator projectors sold by specialist retailers, with prices re-checked on October 20, 2026. We haven’t hands-on tested them; specs come from retailer listings and are linked so you can confirm them.

The short version

Prices from the retailer linked for each projector.

Chart drawn by YardageBay from the prices cited on this page.

• Best value laser: Optoma GT2000HDR — 1080p, 3,500 ANSI lumens, 0.496:1 throw.
• Lowest price 1080p short throw: BenQ TH671ST — 1080p, 3,000 lumens.
• Brighter rooms: BenQ AH500ST — 1080p, 4,000 ANSI lumens, 0.5 short throw (per BenQ).
• 4K: BenQ AK700ST — 4K UHD, 4,000 ANSI lumens, 0.69–0.83 throw (zoom).
• Cheapest laser: Optoma ZW350ST — laser, but WXGA resolution (below 1080p).

What matters when choosing a sim projector

Where does it mount? The projector throw calculator turns screen size and throw ratio into a distance, with presets for these projectors.

Throw ratio: can it sit where you need it?

Throw ratio is throw distance divided by image width. A lower number means the projector can sit closer to the screen. In a sim, that matters because a projector mounted far back can end up over your head or behind you, where your swing and shadow get in the way. Rain or Shine Golf says the GT2000HDR’s 0.496:1 ratio puts a 120-inch image at roughly 5–6 feet of throw, and that the BenQ AH500ST fills a 120-inch screen from roughly 5 feet. (Rain or Shine Golf’s AH500ST listing gives a 0.69–0.83 throw ratio, but BenQ’s own AH500ST page lists 0.499, a “0.5 short throw ratio”; we use BenQ’s figure.)

Quick math: throw distance = image width x throw ratio. For a 10 ft wide image, a 0.496:1 projector sits about 5 ft from the screen and a 0.69–0.83:1 projector about 6.9–8.3 ft. Check your mounting point against your ceiling height and room depth, or let the projector throw calculator do it. Retailer rules of thumb like the 120-inch figures above are approximate; mount by the formula and the maker’s own throw calculator.

Lumens: how dark is your room?

A dedicated, blacked-out bay needs fewer lumens than a garage with windows and overhead lights. Rain or Shine Golf describes 3,500 ANSI lumens as “plenty” for most controlled sim rooms and markets 4,000 lumens for rooms with ambient light. Treat these as retailer guidance, not lab measurements.

Resolution and input lag

1080p is the common standard for home sims; 4K costs much more and only helps if your PC and software output 4K. Low input lag keeps the ball flight in step with your swing: the AH500ST is listed with 16 ms in Fast Mode.

Optoma GT2000HDR — best value laser

About $1,199 as of Oct 20, 2026 at Rain or Shine Golf.

A laser light source means no lamp to replace; Rain or Shine Golf lists a 30,000-hour laser engine. With a 0.496:1 throw ratio it’s the shortest-throw option in this group, and 3,500 ANSI lumens suits a room where you control the lighting.

Best for: dedicated sim rooms and basements where you can manage light.

BenQ TH671ST — lowest-price 1080p short throw

About $949 as of Oct 20, 2026 at Shop Indoor Golf.

Shop Indoor Golf describes the TH671ST as a short-throw, 1080p, 3,000-lumen golf simulator projector. It’s the cheapest true-1080p short-throw option in our list. BenQ’s spec sheet fills in the rest: a 0.69–0.83 throw ratio with 1.2x zoom and a lamp light source rated 4,000 hours in Normal mode and up to 15,000 hours in LampSave (BenQ TH671ST specs, checked Oct 20, 2026). Unlike the laser picks here, the lamp will eventually need replacing.

Best for: first builds in dark rooms where every dollar counts.

BenQ AH500ST — best for rooms with some light

About $1,999 as of Oct 20, 2026 (list $2,099) at Rain or Shine Golf.

The AH500ST steps up to 4,000 ANSI lumens with HDR10, BenQ’s auto corner-fit keystone, and 16 ms Fast Mode input lag, per the listing. BenQ’s own page lists a 0.499 throw ratio and a laser light source rated up to 20,000 hours (BenQ AH500ST, checked Oct 20, 2026), so it can sit nearly as close to the screen as the GT2000HDR. Rain or Shine Golf says it suits most home sim rooms with 8- to 10-foot ceilings and 10+ feet of depth.

Best for: garages and multi-purpose rooms that can’t be fully blacked out.

BenQ AK700ST — best 4K

About $2,899 as of Oct 20, 2026 (list $2,999) at Rain or Shine Golf.

A 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) short-throw projector with 4,000 ANSI lumens, HDR10/HLG and a 0.69–0.83 throw ratio with 1.2x zoom, per the listing. The zoom range gives you some flexibility in where you mount it. Shop Indoor Golf says the AK700ST was its best-selling golf simulator projector of 2026, followed by the Optoma ZW350ST and Optoma GT2000HDR (Shop Indoor Golf projectors, checked Oct 20, 2026).

Best for: premium builds where the PC and software already run at 4K.

Optoma ZW350ST — cheapest laser

About $909 as of Oct 20, 2026 (list $1,299) at Shop Indoor Golf.

Shop Indoor Golf describes it as a compact WXGA laser projector and lists 3,600 lumens, a 0.521 fixed short-throw lens and a 30,000-hour laser rating on its projector page (checked Oct 20, 2026). WXGA is a lower resolution than 1080p, so it’s a budget compromise: you get a laser light source but a softer image on a big screen.

Best for: tight budgets that prioritize a lamp-free light source over resolution.

Where to mount it

Most home sims mount a short-throw projector on the ceiling, above and in front of the golfer, angled at the screen. Check three things before drilling:

1. Throw distance for your screen size (use the maker’s calculator).
2. Ceiling height — the projector and mount must stay above your swing. See our ceiling height guide.
3. Shadows — the further forward and higher the projector, the less your body blocks the image.

Pair the projector with the right screen: our impact screen guide covers white versus gray surfaces for bright rooms.

Bottom line

Start with throw ratio and room light, not resolution. For most people the Optoma GT2000HDR is the sensible laser pick; the BenQ TH671ST saves money in a dark room; the BenQ AH500ST earns its price in a garage. Budget the projector into your total with our home simulator cost guide.