Golf simulator garden rooms are basically your own personal clubhouse. It’s a standalone building in your garden designed from the ground up for golf. You get all the benefits of a high-tech golf simulator setup—playing world-class courses, getting instant feedback on your swing—without sacrificing a spare bedroom or dealing with a dusty garage. It’s your escape, just a few steps from your back door.
Why a Garden Room Beats the Garage or Spare Room
You might be wondering why you wouldn’t just use the garage or a basement. I thought the same thing. But a dedicated garden room for golf is a complete game-changer.
First, there’s space. A proper golf swing needs room. You need height, width, and depth. Most garages have low ceilings, clutter, and cars that need to be moved. Spare rooms have light fixtures, ceiling fans, and worried-looking wives. A garden room is built specifically for this. You can design it with a high pitched roof to allow for a full driver swing without fear. You have wide walls for the screen and no corners to worry about.
Then there’s the peace of mind. This is a huge one for me. Hitting golf balls inside your house is nerve-wracking. Even with a premium impact screen, there’s always that tiny voice in your head wondering if a mishit is going to skip off the frame and into the drywall. In a garden room, the entire space is built for impact. It’s a contained environment. You can swing freely and focus entirely on your game, not on the potential for property damage.
Finally, it’s about separation. I love golf, but I also love my family. Having a golf simulator garden room creates a perfect boundary. When I’m in the house, I’m present. When I walk down the garden to my golf room, it’s my time to focus, practice, or unwind with friends. It doesn’t take over a part of the home. It’s its own thing, and that makes the time I spend there feel more valuable and focused.
Key Things to Consider for Your Backyard Golf Simulator Setup
Building a golf simulator garden room isn’t quite as simple as buying a shed from a garden center. There are some important factors to get right from the start.
Space and Dimensions: This is the most critical step. You need to measure not just the floor space for the mat, but the height. You need enough room for the tallest person using it to take a full swing with a driver without the clubhead touching the ceiling. A good minimum is about 10 feet wide, 15 feet deep, and 9 to 10 feet high. Always add a little extra to your initial plan.
Foundations and Flooring: You need a solid, level base. A concrete slab is the best foundation for a permanent golf simulator building. For the floor inside, you’ll want something durable and easy to clean. Many people opt for rubber gym flooring tiles underneath their hitting mat. This provides a little cushioning and protects the subfloor.
Power, Lighting, and Internet: You’ll need a power supply run to the building. Think about what you’ll need: power for the projector, the computer, the launch monitor, maybe a heater or fan, and some lights. Speaking of lights, you’ll want to avoid any glare on the screen. Recessed LED spotlights or lights directed at the walls, not the screen, work best. A strong Wi-Fi signal is also crucial for running the simulator software and playing courses online, so you might need a Wi-Fi extender.
Insulation and Climate Control: If you want to use your golf room year-round, insulation is non-negotiable. Proper insulation in the walls, roof, and floor will keep it warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Then, you can add a simple split-unit air conditioner and heater to maintain a perfect temperature no matter the weather outside. This turns it from a seasonal space into a true year-round golf sanctuary.
Choosing Your Golf Simulator Equipment
Once the garden room shell is built, you get to fill it with the fun stuff. The core components are the same as any indoor setup:
- The Hitting Mat: Get the best quality mat you can afford. This is what you’re swinging off hundreds of times, so it needs to be kind to your joints and feel realistic.
- The Launch Monitor: This is the brain. For a permanent outdoor building, you have more flexibility. You can opt for a more professional-grade camera-based system like a SkyTrak+ or a Foresight Sports GC3, as you have controlled lighting and plenty of space for it to work optimally.
- The Impact Screen and Enclosure: This is your target. A high-quality, durable impact screen is a must. It’s paired with a rigid frame and protective netting around it to safely contain every shot.
- The Projector and Software: A short-throw projector is essential to avoid casting shadows. The software, like The Golf Club or E6 Connect, is what brings the famous golf courses to life on your screen.
The Final Verdict on Golf Simulator Garden Rooms
Investing in a golf simulator garden room is a significant step. But for me, it was worth every penny. It didn’t just improve my golf game through consistent practice; it gave me a place to unwind that was entirely my own.
It’s become the ultimate social spot. My friends come over for weekly virtual rounds. We have a couple of beers, play a course we’ll never get to visit in real life, and forget about the world for a few hours. It’s a genuine hub for fun.
If you have the space in your garden and the desire to play more golf, I can’t recommend it enough. It solves all the problems of indoor simulators while adding huge benefits of its own. It’s your personal golf club, open 24/7, 365 days a year, right there in your backyard. It’s the perfect solution for any golfer looking to seriously upgrade their practice and their play.
Check out Hamilton Garden Rooms to make your year round golfing dreams come true.