Golf simulators are a great way to jazz up a rec room or have a home theater pull double duty for sports fans on a project. Toward that end, it’s another way integrators can sell projection systems, and BenQ just announced its latest model aimed at golf simulator applications, the LH600ST short-throw projector.

Not only that, but BenQ is also aiding installers for such projects by rolling out a new free 3D Golf Simulation Room Planner. According to BenQ, the golf simulator tool makes it easy to calculate and check room dynamics for “almost any golf-sim setup – including 1:1.”

“Realistic golf-sim setups require two things: color accuracy and an aspect ratio that fills the screen without distortion,” notes Bob Wudeck, senior director of business development at BenQ. “We’ve built the LH600ST to provide golf enthusiasts with a projector that will fit almost any golf-sim setup without sacrificing any of the image details.

“The result is the ability to support a golf simulator studio using any aspect ratio and that fits nearly anywhere,” he adds. “We also felt that as the BenQ family of golf-sim projectors continues to grow and be the trusted projector manufacturer for golfers, it was time to put our projector and golf-sim expertise into a free room planner. It takes all the guesswork out of creating these niche spaces.”

Some dealers are already capitalizing on golf’s popularity by featuring simulator spaces in their showrooms and winning over customers with these rooms. Buying groups have even gotten in on the game by adding all-in-one systems from golf simulator specialist vendors.

The Future of Digital Lighting & Control

As a custom integrator, lighting is in demand. Effective communication, education and showcasing the value proposition of LED light fixtures in conjunction with integrative control systems are the keys to overcoming challenges and closing sales in this specialized market. Join us as we discuss the future of digital lighting and control with David Warfel from Light Can Help You and Patrick Laidlaw and Mark Moody from AiSPIRE. Register Now! 

Short-throw BenQ Projector Includes Exclusive ‘Golf Mode’

The BenQ LH600ST (MSRP $1,099) employs a 4LED light engine and can be placed about 10 feet from the screen — safely away from the hitting area — while delivering lifelike images from ceiling to floor.

With BenQ’s proprietary Screen Fill feature, the projector can easily switch from native resolution to best match the desired aspect ratio of the impact screen with maximized pixel counts while avoiding image distortion, the company explains. Dealers and owners can do that with just a few clicks in the on-screen menu, BenQ adds.

Figuring out where to put the screen and enclosure is one of the biggest challenges for golf simulation setups, especially if there’s not a lot of extra room, the company notes.  The latest enclosures and screens are now available in a 1:1 aspect ratio and are ideal for use in garages, basements, and multipurpose entertainment rooms in the home.

“This format enables enthusiasts to have a tall enclosure that can handle wedge shots but doesn’t use a lot of wall space. The BenQ LH600ST is the perfect projector companion for a 1:1 screen and enclosure,” the company claims.

Like other projectors in the BenQ golf-sim family, the 1080p LH600ST incorporates the company’s Golf Mode. BenQ says it collaborated with color experts to develop this exclusive mode, which optimizes the colors found on the golf course such as natural reproductions of blue skies, green grass, and sand bunkers.

The LH600ST’s 4LED light source delivers 95% Rec. 709 coverage, the industry-wide standard for color reproduction in HD video and movies, the company adds, to render images of what the course designer intended.

With 0.69-0.83 throw ratios, the LH600ST can project a 164-inch image outside the swing zone and without shadows, which makes it ideal for golf simulator installations in garages or other environments with limited space. It also has installation-friendly features for greater flexibility and projection alignment.

Additionally, to offset the trapezoid effect that can occur when a projector is installed or placed off-center, the LH600ST includes a 2D keystone correction range of up to ±30 degrees on both the horizontal and vertical axis. A Corner Fit control adjustment enables the proper image alignment.

Free 3D Golf Simulator Planner Assists Room Design

The 3D Golf Simulation Room Planner makes it easy for users and installers to build out a golf-sim space with their chosen BenQ projector, the company says.

Users can plug in the golfer height, launch monitor placement, room size, image size, and BenQ projector model such as the LH600ST. “The program will output all the necessary calculations and room drawings to look at the space from any angle for the perfect golf space,” according to the company.

Sweetening the customer’s space and creating even more of a gaming feel to it, BenQ and GSPro Golf Designer Tekbud have developed a special golf simulator game, Course Of The Dead. It incorporates fun stuff such as tee-offs from towers, zombies, animations, bombs, and more. The companies plan more upcoming golf course designs as well.

• Page 1