How the math works
BenQ defines throw ratio as throw distance ÷ image width, so distance = image width × throw ratio. A 0.5 projector puts a 10 ft wide image 5 ft from the lens. The catch for golf is aspect ratio. Every projector we track is natively 16:9, while Rain or Shine Golf notes that most simulator screens are 4:3. To fill a taller 4:3 screen, the projector must make an image as tall as the screen, so the full 16:9 picture it's projecting is wider than the screen and the sides are switched off with the projector's screen-type or auto-fit setting. That's why the calculator works from the height for 4:3 and 16:10 screens: the distance is throw ratio × (screen height × 16 ÷ 9).
Zoom lenses give a range. The BenQ TH671ST and AH700ST (0.69–0.83) can sit anywhere in that window, which makes mounting easier; fixed short-throw lenses (about 0.5) need one exact spot.
| Projector | Throw ratio | Brightness | Distance for a 10 ft wide image | Typical price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optoma GT1080HDR short-throw 1080p projector, 3,800 lumens The long-running budget sim projector: 695 ratings, low input lag and a 100-inch image from just over 3 ft. | 0.5 | 3,800 lm | 5.0 ft | ~$799 | Check price |
| BenQ TH671ST short-throw 1080p projector, 3,000 lumens A zoom-lens short thrower (0.69–0.83) that gives more freedom in where you mount it; 4.7 stars from 682 ratings. | 0.69–0.83 | 3,000 lm | 6.9 ft–8.3 ft | ~$849 | Check price |
| Optoma GT2300HDR short-throw laser projector, 3,600 lumens A laser light source (no lamp swaps) with a 0.49 throw ratio, sold by Amazon. This is the projector named in SkyTrak's Studio listing. | 0.49 | 3,600 lm | 4.9 ft | ~$1,099 | Check price |
| Optoma GT2400HDR short-throw laser projector, 4,200 lumens The brighter step up for garages and rooms with some daylight; 0.496 throw, laser, sold by Amazon. | 0.496 | 4,200 lm | 5.0 ft | ~$1,299 | Check price |
| BenQ AH500ST golf simulation short-throw laser projector BenQ's golf-specific laser model with a 0.499 throw ratio, Golf Mode and 2D keystone of ±30° for off-center mounting. | 0.499 | 4,000 lm | 5.0 ft | ~$1,999 | Check price |
| BenQ AH700ST golf simulator laser projector with ceiling mount, 4,000 lumens Auto Screen Fit sizes the image to 16:9, 16:10, 4:3 or 1:1 screens, with autofocus and a 0.69–0.83 zoom for mounting above and behind you. | 0.69–0.83 | 4,000 lm | 6.9 ft–8.3 ft | ~$2,299 | Check price |
A worked example
A 10 ft wide 4:3 screen is 7.5 ft tall. To make a 16:9 image 7.5 ft tall, the full projected width is 13.3 ft, so a 0.5 throw projector such as the Optoma GT2300HDR (0.49) sits about 6.5 ft from the screen (open this example). With the ball 10 ft from the screen, that's about 3.5 ft in front of the ball: ceiling-mount it high enough to stay out of the ball's path. The same screen with a BenQ AH700ST at 0.69–0.83 puts the lens 9.2–11.1 ft back, roughly above the tee, where a low mount could catch your shadow or your backswing. Rain or Shine Golf puts a typical projector about 6–8 ft from the screen.
Next: check the whole room in the room size checker, compare screens in theimpact screen and enclosure guide, or readthe best golf simulator projectors.