Sim Space & Ceiling-Height Planner

Ceiling height kills more garage sims than budget does — I nearly bought a unit and screen my own garage couldn't swing under. So before you spend a dollar, put your room into this planner. Enter your ceiling height, room width and depth, whether you swing right- or left-handed, and whether you'll hit driver or just irons — and it tells you, in plain English, whether the space works: swing-clearance and ball-flight flags, a recommended enclosure size, and how far back the mat and screen should sit. It's geometry, not gear — no products, no review claims.

The single biggest number. A full swing arc is taller than people expect.

You need clearance on your lead and trail side, and room to centre the bay or offset it for your handedness.

Depth gives the ball room to rise toward the screen and room for the projector throw and standoff.

Decides which side of the bay needs the most clearance — or, for a shared bay, that both sides do.

Driver needs the most ceiling and the most ball-flight room. An irons-only bay can live in a lower room.

How this works
  • Swing clearance checks whether the ceiling can take a full swing for the club you chose. A driver swing needs more headroom than an iron swing, and taller players need more again — the planner uses standard full-swing arc rules of thumb, with driver as the demanding case.
  • Ball-flight clearance is separate from swing clearance: even if you can swing, the launched ball needs vertical and forward room to rise toward the screen, or every shot slams into the bottom of the impact screen. Shallow, low rooms fail this even when the swing fits.
  • Enclosure size is recommended from your width and depth — a wider, deeper room can take a full-size bay; a tight room points to a compact bay or a net-only setup.
  • Mat & screen distance guidance: how far the hitting mat should sit from the screen so the ball has room to fly and the projector has its throw and standoff.
  • Handedness sets which side needs the most lateral clearance; a shared bay needs it on both sides and a bit more width overall.

These are standard full-swing clearance rules of thumb, not measurements of any specific enclosure or unit. Always make a full, committed swing in the exact spot you'll hit from and check the clubhead clearance at the top and finish yourself, and confirm a specific enclosure's and projector's published space requirements before you buy.

Affiliate note: our guides earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Full disclosure. Specs and space requirements are verified against manufacturer details — no hands-on testing claims.