The impact screen is important… not only because it displays the projected image but also because it tackles the impact of the golf balls that strike it.
As it affects your overall simulator experience, it’s necessary to make sure that it’s working perfectly, and for that, you must hang it in a balanced way.
Don’t know how to do that? No worries! Because you’ll learn everything on how to hang golf impact screens after going through this conclusive guide.
Let’s dive into it.
Things to Consider Before Hanging a Golf Impact Screen
Before you start looking for ways to hang your golf impact screen from the ceiling, focusing on the core purposes that an impact screen serves can help figure out the right solution for you.
Unable to grasp the idea? Just go through these points and you’ll have a clear understanding.
Display Image
Every golfer wants their golf impact screen to display a sharp, crisp, and vibrant image of the projection to amplify their golfing experience, but this doesn’t just happen by purchasing a good-quality impact screen.
You need to hang it properly with no sign of puckering so that the projected image doesn’t get disrupted by the ridges present on it.
However, you can only stretch it to a certain limit while hanging because the tauter it becomes, the more bounceback it produces, and obviously, we don’t want that!
Bounceback
If you hit a golf ball at 180 mph, what happens after it strikes a hard surface? Simple physics! It comes back at almost the same speed, and that can be detrimental.
Although the bounceback mainly depends on your impact screen’s material, it also involves how you hang it to the ceiling.
An impact screen that is stretched beyond the limit is unable to deform when the golf ball strikes, which reduces its ability to absorb the ball’s kinetic energy and stop it there.
So make sure that there’s enough margin left for the impact screen to completely deform to efficiently tackle the bounceback.
Noise Reduction
When a golf ball strikes an impact screen, it produces a blaring sound, which you may neglect occasionally, but for a regular golfer, that’s a serious concern.
This goes side by side with the bounceback because hitting a hard surface produces a louder sound compared to a relaxed surface.
As you optimize your impact screen for the bounceback, noise reduction comes as a bonus!
Overall Look
The last thing to contemplate while hanging your golf impact screen is its overall look because aesthetics matter in everything we do in our life.
Having sharp borders around the impact screen, avoiding screen puckering and a dark black enclosure, can be the optimal solution for giving a catchy look to your golf simulator setup.
Best Ways to Hang Your Golf Impact Screen From the Ceiling
Using Bungees
Every third golfer you encounter will recommend you to use ball bungee cords for hanging your golf impact screen from the ceiling because of their reliability and economical price.
Initially used in conjunction with grommets, these bungee cords allow you to create a bit of wobbly attachment between the impact screen and the enclosure frame.
Get the idea in this YouTube video by GARAGE GOLF TV:
The major benefit of bungees is their ability to adjust impact screen tension, which can be altered at any time just by loosening or tightening the threads.
This technique can be effectively helpful in improving image quality, tackling the bounceback, and dealing with screen puckering.
Another advantage that comes with bungees is their compatibility with almost every impact screen as most manufacturers provide impact screens with pre-installed grommets which can be acquired without hassle.
As for its drawbacks, there aren’t any in particular, but the threads tend to slack after some practicing sessions, and calibrating them at times can be irritating for some golfers.
Using Zip Ties
Although zip ties aren’t as popular as normal bungees, they’re very effective in achieving the level of adjusting impact screen tension that isn’t possible with using bungees.
You can tune them to varying degrees in one direction for regulating your impact screen tension. However, if they get too tight, your only option is to cut and replace them with new ones.
This may sound ludicrous, but it’s no big deal as these ties come at an economical price that you won’t mind paying twice.
Made with industrial-grade plastic material, zip ties are strong enough to take the weight of an impact screen without bother, which makes them completely dependable.
Just like the bungee cords, zip ties are also compatible with every impact screen that comes with pre-installed grommets.
Many golfers on the Golf Simulator Forum who’ve used zip ties to hang their impact screen seem to recommend it. Look at this quick conversation:
So how do you guys attach a screen that has grommets to the floor for a taught look? I’ve seen several people recommend draping the screen at the bottom. It would seem that the grommets would show if I were to drape the screen. Any ideas on how to attach my screen? Thanks!
GolfHacker
Why attach it? I got a taunt look by filling flexible tubing with sand and using zip-ties to attach the tubing to the grommets. Why drill into the floor when you don’t have to. I will take a picture if you want to show you how it looks.
discodanman45
I zip tied a chain link fence top pole to the grommets in the bottom of my screen. It allows the bottom of the screen to move back a couple inches at impact, but always come back to rest against my stance platform
Jeff Tilley
Using Retractable Screens
If you want a taste of advancement in your golf impact screen, there’s no better option than getting a retractable screen.
Similar to the projector screens that can be rolled out and rolled in using a remote or a button, these impact screens are best suited to places like garages that are normally multipurpose.
The coolest thing about these impact screens is that you don’t need to worry about screen puckering or tension as it comes with a proper fitting by default.
However, the bottom of the screen remains free, which has concerned some golfers:
For those that are running retractable screens, how are you guys securing the bottom of the screen?
gohandbz8
Mine is floating. GungHoGolf will have a pocket and the bottom and I used piece of EMT to slide in the pocket to give the screen some weight at the bottom.
preludesam
go to gunghogolf.com and look how they used a covered wire shelf. I did this in garage setup to cover the bottom of the screen (and the EMT in the pocket) and it works great…
wildcatfan9698
When it comes to fitting, you can either buy one that comes with its own mounting kit or go for a DIY project. It’s all up to you.
Before you decide to DIY, watch this YouTube video from The Lawn Engineer:
Using Velcro Straps
Velcro straps are often used as easy solutions for connecting various items of frequent use, and many golfers have used them to hang golf impact screens to enclosures.
Don’t believe me? Have a look at this conversation from the Golf Simulator Forum:
Can you attach Velcro to your impact screen with 3m glue for you edging???
Golfer1204
I’m going to go out on the limb and say Yes. I actually used small strips of double sided carpet tape to put 3 4 inch strips of velcro on the sides of my screen. I use the velcro to keep the black curtains on the side of my screen in place so that my screen has a nice framed look. I’m sure the glue would work but might be overkill…
gene438
You can, but it won’t like pull the screen tight enough to prevent sagging. If you’re just using it for edging though, it should be ok.
tlhammond5
I’ve got Velcro round the top and sides of mine – but it’s sewn in and has eyelets through it. I use ball bungees through the eyelets to hold the screen in place, and attach my side curtains / too net to the Velcro strips. It saves balls being able to escape!!
p3eps
Made with high-quality polypropylene, these straps provide great durability; however, you’ll need to apply a significant amount of straps to hold the impact screen depending on its size and weight.
In addition, using metal piping for the enclosure instead of PVC tends to perform better with velcro straps as PVC is prone to shatter on high-speed hits.
For those who have a golf impact screen without grommets on it, using velcro straps can help, but you have to cut holes through your screen, which I don’t suggest in any condition.
Overall, these straps are a good option, but you need to be cautious while using them.
How Not to Hang Your Golf Impact Screen
Now that we’ve discussed optimal ways to hang golf impact screens, you should also be aware of what not to do because if you step on the wrong path, things may get ugly for you.
The first thing to remember is not to hang your impact screen directly from the ceiling or wall because then you’re more likely to experience ridges and puckering in your impact screen.
This will further disturb the image and destroy your overall golfing experience. Also, you won’t have any protection for the side walls in your room which are prone to damage with the ball bouncing back.
In addition, if you don’t hang it properly, the impact screen is less likely to stay and will eventually tear down out of the ceiling.
So I’d suggest you get a proper golf impact screen enclosure for hanging purposes, but if you still want to try the alternative, I’ll be keen to know if it worked.
How to Avoid Common Problems
For those who’ve hung their impact screens right but still face some common issues, here are some quick tips.
Every impact screen comes with a user manual from its manufacturer, and some of them have certain restrictions, including setup methods and impact screen distances. So before you hang your impact screen, it’s wise to read the manual.
For optimal ball interaction with the impact screen, make sure to evenly space the bungees or zip ties from each other and the wall.
If your shots strike a specific area on the impact screen, it may tend to wear out. In such cases, reposition it by taking it down and flipping it over from top to bottom or left to right. Using this small hack provides longevity to your impact screen.
Best Overall Impact Screen & Enclosure: SwingBay Golf Simulator Screen & Enclosure
Pros
- Smooth and crisp display
- Premium build
- Takes impacts of up to 250 mph
- Blackout sides and upper walls
- Protects impact screen from external light
Cons
- Highly priced
For more impact screen options, hop into this link.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you protect the top of your golf impact screen?
Whether you’re using a metal or a PVC frame or enclosure, the top of the golf impact screen is always prone to strikes, and the most suitable way to secure it would be by applying foam pipe insulation.
How do you protect the sides of your golf impact screen?
The sides of the golf impact screen mustn’t be left uncovered because the ties holding it can be damaged upon taking a hi form golf ball. Applying foam insulation panels can be an optimal solution to this.
How do you protect the bottom of your golf impact screen?
Most golfers let their impact screen hang low at the bottom for improved bounceback and soundproofing while others don’t. Whatever the case, adding a border and foam padding to cover up the grommets will be a preferable choice.
Conclusion
Hanging the golf impact screen is an important choice, and it must be made properly because a small negligence can cause issues such as improper bounceback, image distortion, and much more, ruining your overall golfing experience.
But now that you’ve gone through this article, I can safely say that there’s no need to panic as I’ve summed up everything about the subject matter.
If you still have any queries on how to hang your golf impact screen, hop into the comment section.
Happy golfing!