The Ultimate Indoor Golf Lighting Guide

Proper golf simulator lighting is one of the most important—and often overlooked—factors when building your home or commercial simulator. Lighting directly impacts the performance of your launch monitor, projector visibility, and the overall experience of your setup. This golf simulator lighting guide breaks down what you need to know.

1. Control Natural Light First

If your simulator space has windows or doorways that let in sunlight, it’s essential to block that light out. Install blackout curtains, shades, or doorway drapes to ensure the room stays dark during use. This helps your projector display a brighter, crisper image and keeps lighting conditions consistent for your launch monitor.

2. Clear the Area Between Ball and Screen

Before you build your enclosure, make sure to remove or cap off any overhead lighting, sprinkler heads, or smoke detectors in the 10-foot zone between the hitting area and the impact screen. This area is vulnerable to pop-up wedge shots and needs to be kept clear and protected.

3. Lighting for Launch Monitors

The right lighting for launch monitors ensures accurate ball tracking and swing analysis. Most modern monitors adapt to lighting, but directional, flicker-free LED spotlights (20–30° beam angle) are ideal. We recommend:

• At least two LED spotlights

• Installation on an H-track for easy aiming

• Color temperature of 3000K–4000K for best balance

• DC-powered, flicker-free LEDs to support high-speed cameras

This setup provides optimal golf simulator lighting help for accurate readings and immersive play.

4. Add Adjustable Ambient Lighting

For lighting outside the hitting area, dimmable options work best. Use LED puck lights or flush-mounted can lights in the ceiling, and install dimmer switches to create a flexible lighting atmosphere. Keeping ambient light low helps your projector image pop and keeps focus on the hitting zone.

5. Lighting for Swing Cameras

Swing cameras capture high-frame-rate video—often 120 fps or more—so they need a bright and even light source. Place additional flicker-free LED spotlights in the room’s rear corners, aimed at the golfer from both sides. This ensures the full body and swing motion is well-lit and visible for playback and analysis.

6. COB LED Accent Lighting

Framing your simulator enclosure with COB LED accent lighting adds a sleek, professional look and enhances the simulator’s ambiance. But not all LEDs are created equal.

There are countless LED strip types on the market—choose carefully:

• Ensure the product is UL listed for safety.

• Confirm it is RGBW (allow for multiple colors)

• Purchase an additional low voltage dimmer transformer, light strip controller, and remote control

• Confirm the power requirements are compatible with your setup.

• Opt for dot-less COB (Chip-on-Board) LEDs to avoid the dotted look common with lower-end strips—dot patterns can look cheap and distracting.

• Always install LED strips inside a protective aluminum LED channel to prevent damage from errant golf balls.

  
  

For the best results, have a professional golf simulator installer handle the setup. Done right, COB LED accent lighting elevates the visual appeal of your simulator while keeping it durable and safe.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're building a basic setup or a commercial-grade sim, following this golf simulator lighting guide ensures your equipment performs at its best. Need more golf simulator lighting help? We design and install custom simulators tailored to your space.

Need help with lighting?

Contact us today to get in touch with a golf simulator expert and get personalized guidance for your space.

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