Golf simulator room dimensions come down to three numbers: how much depth the launch monitor and the screen eat, how much width your swing needs, and how much height you have above the hitting spot. Depth is the one that usually kills a plan, because the monitor sits behind or beside the ball and the ball still needs clear flight before it hits the screen.
This guide pulls the published setup distances from the makers (Garmin, Rapsodo, FlightScope, Bushnell, SkyTrak), turns them into a depth table you can hold a tape measure against, and gives you a simple way to size width and height for your own swing. It is written for a garage, basement or spare room and a budget somewhere between $500 and $15,000.
Plan for about 14 to 17 ft of room depth if you use a behind-the-ball radar monitor such as the Garmin R10, Rapsodo MLM2PRO or FlightScope Mevo Gen2, because their makers ask for 6 to 9 ft behind the ball plus at least 8 ft of ball flight to the screen. Bushnell publishes a 13 ft deep by 6 ft wide minimum for its net bundle and 18 x 12 x 9 ft for a full simulator. Width and height depend on your swing, so measure them with a test swing before you spend anything.
Depth: the number that decides everything
Depth is the sum of three things: the distance from the monitor to the ball, the distance from the ball to the screen, and a little slack. For radar monitors that sit behind the ball, the maker tells you the first two. Garmin says 6 to 8 ft behind the tee and at least 8 ft from the tee to the net. Rapsodo says 6.5 to 8.5 ft behind the ball and 8 ft to the net. FlightScope says 7 to 9 ft from sensor to tee and a minimum of 8 ft of flight.
Notice the pattern. Every radar maker we checked lands at 14 to 17 ft before you add a screen and a wall. FlightScope's Mevo+ page also says full-swing use is better with 13 ft of ball flight, which pushes the total toward 20 to 22 ft. The ball needs room to show the radar a real flight, and the radar needs room to see it.
Camera-based monitors that sit beside the ball trade that depth for width. Bushnell's minimum is 13 ft deep but only 6 ft wide for a net bundle, and 18 ft deep by 12 ft wide by 9 ft high for a full simulator with projector.
Room depth by launch monitor: the table we computed
We added the makers' behind-the-ball distance and their minimum ball-to-screen distance. The comfortable column adds a 2 ft allowance of our own for a screen that bulges on impact and for walking around. That 2 ft is a planning assumption, not a maker number.
| Launch monitor | Behind ball (ft) | Ball to screen, min (ft) | Minimum depth (ft) | Comfortable depth (ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin Approach R10 | 6-8 | 8 | 14-16 | 18 |
| Rapsodo MLM2PRO | 6.5-8.5 | 8 | 14.5-16.5 | 18.5 |
| FlightScope Mevo Gen2 | 7-9 | 8 | 15-17 | 19 |
| FlightScope Mevo+ (13 ft flight) | 7-9 | 13 | 20-22 | 24 |
| Bushnell Launch Pro (net bundle) | not published | not published | 13 (maker minimum) | 14 (maker recommended) |
| Bushnell Launch Pro (full simulator) | not published | not published | 18 (maker recommended) | 18 |
Formula: minimum depth = distance behind ball + minimum ball-to-screen distance. Comfortable depth = the larger behind-ball figure + minimum ball-to-screen + 2 ft allowance. Source figures are the makers' published setup distances.
The takeaway: a 16 ft deep garage handles an R10 or MLM2PRO on paper but leaves you at the bottom of the range, while the Mevo+ at full-swing flight needs a room 4 ft longer. If your room is 15 ft deep, the R10 is the only radar here whose low end fits with margin to spare.
Width: sizing it to your swing, not a chart
No launch monitor maker publishes a width that fits every golfer. Bushnell's minimum is 6 ft wide for a net and 12 ft for its full simulator. SkyTrak's studios run 8, 10, 12 and 13 ft wide, and SkyTrak adds extra width if you want more than one player.
Two things drive your number. The first is your swing arc: your arms, the club and your follow-through sweep a wider area than your stance. The second is handedness. Behind-the-ball radar units sit on the target line and work for both left-handed and right-handed golfers. Side-mounted camera units need to sit on one side of the ball, so a left-hander should mirror the layout and keep clear floor on both sides. Check your monitor's manual for which side it needs.
Measure it this way. Take a slow full swing with your driver while a friend marks the far points of the club head on the floor with painter's tape. Measure from tape mark to tape mark. Add 1 ft each side for the net or screen frame and your own error. If the result is more than the room's width, shorten the club or use a narrower bay such as a Bushnell-style 6 ft net.
Height: use the ceiling guide, then test
Height is the most personal dimension, and the makers barely publish it. Bushnell lists 7 ft for its entry net bundle and 9 ft for the full simulator. SkyTrak lists 7 ft 5 in for its smallest studio, 8 ft 6 in for the 10 and 12 ft studios and 10 ft for the 13 ft deep studio. The overhead Uneekor EYE XO needs its sensor at 9 to 10 ft.
Those numbers are a floor for the equipment, not for your swing. A tall golfer with a driver needs more than a short golfer with a wedge. Our ceiling height guide has a worst-case table by golfer height and a 10 minute test swing routine. Run it before you order a screen or enclosure.
How we chose
We started with the five monitors most readers ask about for a home bay and kept only those where a maker, not a reseller, gave a setup distance or room size. Garmin's user manual, Rapsodo's FAQ and product page, FlightScope's Mevo Gen2 and Mevo+ pages, Bushnell's buyer's guide and SkyTrak's space page supplied every distance in the table. Where a maker published nothing, such as a ball-to-screen figure for Bushnell or a ceiling number for FlightScope, we left the cell marked as not published instead of borrowing a reseller's number.
Prices come from manufacturer pages and common sale levels. All five are sold on Amazon.com. This is a researched buying guide based on specs and manufacturer documentation, not a firsthand product test.
Who should not build here, and what to do if the room is short
Skip the full simulator plan if your room is under 13 ft deep. Even Bushnell's net bundle minimum is 13 ft, and every radar maker above asks for 14 ft or more. In that case buy a net and a camera-based unit for practice only, or move the build to a longer space such as the garage bay.
Skip a driver in a room whose ceiling or width forces you to shorten your swing. A partial swing teaches a habit you do not want. Practice with irons and wedges, or choose a wider space.
Call a pro if your plan involves mounting a projector or screen frame to joists, cutting into walls or drilling into a concrete slab, or running power near a garage door track. An electrician and a carpenter cost less than a repaired ceiling. See our small space guide and garage guide for compact builds.
Garmin Approach R10
It asks for the least depth of any monitor with a published setup rule: 6 to 8 ft behind the tee and at least 8 ft from tee to net, so 14 to 16 ft total. It also costs about $600, so a room that turns out too tight is a cheap mistake. Its limit is that Garmin's own numbers cover net use, not a full-length projector layout.
Check today's price →Quick comparison
| Product | Best for | Key detail | Price class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin Approach R10 | Tightest depth budget | 6-8 ft behind tee, tee at least 8 ft from net: 14-16 ft total | $$$ · Premium |
| Rapsodo MLM2PRO | Budget sim with club data | 6.5-8.5 ft behind ball, 8 ft to net: 14.5-16.5 ft total | $$$ · Premium |
| FlightScope Mevo Gen2 | Radar with free E6 courses | 7-9 ft sensor to tee, 8 ft minimum flight: 15-17 ft total | $$$ · Premium |
| Bushnell Launch Pro | Shorter, narrower net bays | Maker minimum 13 ft deep x 6 ft wide for net bundle | $$$$ · High-end |
| SkyTrak+ | Packaged studio footprint | Studio sizes from 8 x 7 ft 5 in x 4 ft to 13 x 10 x 10 ft | $$$$ · High-end |
Launch monitors that fit the room you actually have
Garmin Approach R10Best for tight depth
Garmin's user manual says to place the device on the ground 6 to 8 ft behind the tee and keep the tee at least 8 ft from the net when playing indoors. That gives 14 to 16 ft of depth with nothing else added. Garmin also says a longer distance can improve accuracy. Its list price is about $600, which is the lowest here by a wide margin, so it is the safest first test of whether a room works.
Check price & availability →Rapsodo MLM2PROBest sim value per foot
Rapsodo states a little more than 14 ft total indoors: 8 ft from ball to net and another 6.5 to 8.5 ft behind the ball. The unit's sale price on rapsodo.com was $549.99 against $699.99 list. Taller golfers may need more distance to capture their whole swing on video, according to Rapsodo's FAQ. Compared with the R10 it asks for half a foot more depth at the top of its range.
Check price & availability →FlightScope Mevo Gen2Best radar for longer rooms
FlightScope lists 7 to 9 ft from sensor to tee and a minimum 8 ft of ball flight for limited indoor use, so 15 to 17 ft total. The unit is 1.1 lb, 6.9 x 1.2 x 5.6 in, tracks 20 parameters and includes 8 E6 Connect courses with no recurring fee. Its sale price was $1,149 against $1,299 list. It asks for about a foot more depth than the Garmin or Rapsodo at the low end.
Check price & availability →Bushnell Launch ProBest for narrow rooms
Bushnell's buyer's guide gives a minimum of 13 ft deep and 6 ft wide for the net bundle, a recommended 14 x 6 x 7 ft, and 18 x 12 x 9 ft for the premium full simulator. The unit is 5 x 6 x 12 in and 5 lb with a 7 x 10 in hitting zone. It is the only monitor here with a published width minimum of 6 ft, which makes it useful when your room is long but narrow.
Check price & availability →SkyTrak+Best packaged studio sizes
SkyTrak lists four studio sizes: Studio 8 at 8 ft wide, 7 ft 5 in high and 4 ft deep; Studios 10 and 12 at 10 and 12 ft wide, 8 ft 6 in high and 5 ft 4 in deep; and Studio 13 Deep at 13 ft wide, 10 ft high and 10 ft deep. SkyTrak tells you to take practice swings in the intended space before you buy. The monitor lists at $2,995 and sells for less during promotions.
Check price & availability →Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum room size for a golf simulator?
Bushnell publishes 13 ft deep by 6 ft wide for its Launch Pro net bundle. SkyTrak's smallest studio is 8 ft wide, 7 ft 5 in high and 4 ft deep, and SkyTrak says to test your swing in the space first. For radar monitors, plan 14 to 17 ft of depth.
How deep does a golf simulator room need to be?
For behind-the-ball radar, add the maker's distance behind the ball (6 to 9 ft) to the minimum ball-to-screen distance (8 ft). That gives 14 to 17 ft depending on the model. Mevo+ full-swing use needs 13 ft of ball flight, which pushes it to 20 to 22 ft.
How wide should a golf simulator room be?
No maker gives one number. Bushnell lists 6 ft for a net bundle and 12 ft for a full simulator. Measure your own swing arc with a slow driver swing and add about 1 ft each side.
Can I fit a golf simulator in a 10x10 room?
Only for limited use. A 10 ft depth is below every minimum in our table, including Bushnell's 13 ft net bundle. A 10 ft wide, 15 to 17 ft deep room is a better target.
Does left-handed versus right-handed change the room?
Radar monitors sitting behind the ball work for both. Side-mounted camera monitors need clear floor on the correct side for your hand, so leave space on both sides or check the manual before you place the unit.
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