Setting up a home golf simulator is one of the best investments a golfer can make — especially if you're in Canada or the northern US where the season is short and the winters are long. But getting the setup right takes more than just hanging a net and swinging away. The details matter: tee height, mat placement, ball selection, and the right accessories can be the difference between a frustrating experience and one that genuinely improves your game.
This guide walks you through everything you need to know, from the ground up.
Step 1: Choose the Right Net and Impact Screen
Your net or impact screen is the foundation of your simulator setup. It needs to be large enough to catch full-swing shots, durable enough to handle thousands of impacts, and positioned correctly to give your launch monitor accurate data.
For most home setups, a dedicated practice net system is the most practical starting point — especially if you're working with a garage, basement, or spare room. Our Home Golf Simulator & Practice Net System ($100 CAD) is designed specifically for this: it's compact enough for residential spaces, easy to assemble, and built to handle real ball speeds without sagging or shifting mid-session.
Setup tips:
- Position the net at least 8–10 feet from your hitting position to allow for a full follow-through.
- Make sure the net is taut and anchored — a loose net can deflect shots unpredictably and affect your launch monitor readings.
- If you're using a projector and impact screen, ensure the screen is wrinkle-free and centred with your hitting mat.
Step 2: Set Up Your Hitting Mat
Your hitting mat is where you'll spend most of your time, so it's worth getting right. A good mat should simulate real turf feel, protect your joints from the hard surface underneath, and sit flat without curling at the edges.
Mat setup tips:
- Place the mat on a non-slip surface, or use grip tape underneath to prevent shifting during your swing.
- Align the mat so your stance is square to the net — even a few degrees off can throw off your alignment over time.
- If your mat has a tee insert, check that it's centred and flush with the surface before every session.
Step 3: Get Your Tee Height Right
Tee height is one of the most overlooked variables in simulator golf — and one of the most impactful. Too high and you'll hit thin shots that skew your launch data. Too low and you'll be fighting the mat on every driver swing.
The challenge with most simulator tees is that they break, compress, or shift during a session, forcing you to constantly readjust. That's exactly the problem our Golf Simulator Tee Set (SimTee) ($12 CAD) was designed to solve. Made from flexible, unbreakable TPU, the SimTee holds its height shot after shot — so your setup stays consistent from the first swing to the last.
Recommended tee heights by club:
- Driver: 1.5" – 2" (higher for a more upward angle of attack)
- Fairway woods & hybrids: 0.5" – 1"
- Irons: Flush with the mat, or just barely above
With the SimTee set, you get multiple height options so you can dial in the exact height for each club — and stop wasting time replacing broken tees mid-session.
Step 4: Streamline Your Ball Workflow
One thing that surprises new simulator owners is how much time gets lost picking up and re-teeing balls between shots. In a real practice session, that friction adds up — and it breaks your rhythm.
The solution is a ball dispenser. Our Quick Tee Golf Ball Dispenser ($110 CAD) uses a simple toe-pedal mechanism to feed you the next ball without bending down or breaking your stance. It's a small change that makes a big difference in how many quality reps you get per session — and how focused you stay.
Ball selection tips for simulators:
- Use the same ball you play on the course — your launch monitor is calibrated to real ball performance, and switching to range balls will skew your data.
- Avoid scuffed or damaged balls; they can affect spin readings and impact screen longevity.
- Keep a consistent supply of 10–15 balls per session so you're not constantly stopping to retrieve.
Step 5: Calibrate Your Launch Monitor
Once your physical setup is dialled in, take time to properly calibrate your launch monitor before your first real session. Most devices require you to input your height, dominant hand, and club data — and some need to be positioned at a specific distance and angle from the ball.
Calibration tips:
- Follow the manufacturer's placement guidelines exactly — even a few inches off can affect accuracy.
- Hit 10–15 warm-up shots before trusting your data; launch monitors often need a few swings to stabilize.
- Re-calibrate if you move your setup or change your mat position.
Step 6: Control Your Environment
The physical environment of your simulator space affects both your comfort and your data quality. A few things to consider:
- Lighting: Avoid direct light shining toward your launch monitor's camera or sensors. Diffused overhead lighting works best.
- Ceiling height: You need at least 9 feet of clearance for a full driver swing — 10 feet is ideal.
- Temperature: Cold temperatures (common in Canadian garages in winter) can affect ball compression and launch monitor performance. A small space heater can make a real difference.
- Flooring: Hard concrete is tough on your joints over long sessions. An anti-fatigue mat under your hitting area is worth the investment.
The Complete Setup: Everything in One
If you're starting from scratch and want to get everything at once, our Ultimate Golf Practice Bundle ($220 CAD) brings together the key accessories you need for a complete home simulator setup — at a better price than buying separately.
Final Thoughts
A well-set-up home golf simulator is one of the most effective practice tools available to serious golfers. The technology has come a long way, and with the right accessories, you can build a setup that genuinely translates to better performance on the course.
The key is consistency: consistent tee height, consistent ball workflow, and a consistent environment. Get those right, and every session becomes a productive one — whether it's January in Calgary or July in Vancouver.
We're a small team of golfers and makers based in Canada, and everything we build is designed to solve real problems we've run into ourselves. If you have questions about your setup, feel free to reach out — we're always happy to help a fellow golfer get more out of their practice time.