As any gamer would attest, the difference between a top-shelf experience and a mediocre one is the graphic imagery. The same could be said for simulator golf. Vibrant colour, high pixel density and minimal lag time are what enhance enjoyment.
In a major innovation, consumer electronics giant BenQ is the world’s first manufacturer to launch a projector specifically catering for simulator golf – the new ACE Series.
BenQ’s newest golf projector is the AK700ST, which features glaring brightness, life-like colour accuracy and ultra-low latency (lag time). The AK700ST has 4,000-ANSI lumens 4K resolution with 8.3 million distinct pixels, which capture every detail of the golf-course topography – from the hues of the fairway grass to the contours of the putting surfaces.
Features of the AK700ST projector that would appeal to golfers include:
• 4000 AL laser light source for glaring brightness
• Optimal Short Throw Ratio that is ideal for small spaces and unobstructed swings
• Intuitive 1.2x motorised zoom for easy adjustments
• One-key Automatic Screen Fit for switching between golf and cinema modes in less than 10 seconds
• One-key quick focus for simple manual fine-tuning
• 3-D keystone correction and corner fit for optimal image alignment
• Default golf mode
• USB-C interface compatible with PC, Mac and mobile devices
Building what golfers want
BenQ is an acronym for Bringing Enjoyment ‘N’ Quality to life. BenQ manufactures and sells more than a million projectors per year worldwide under the BenQ brand. The Taiwan-based manufacturer is represented in more than 130 countries and has annual group revenue of more than $US25 billion.
BenQ entered the golf-simulator market with knowledge the 4K projector market is one of the fastest-growing industry segments. It undertook an extensive survey to find out what golf-simulator customers wanted in a projector. The top three considerations were:
1. Easy setup: Given that projectors previously tended to be more complicated and difficult to install.
2. Realistic and immersive colour: For the course to mimic on screen what it looks like in real life.
3. Low maintenance: Being able to continue using their golf simulator without buying expensive projector lamps or cleaning projector filters.
Assembling a golf simulator in the home or garage can range from anywhere from $6,000 to more than $100,000 depending upon the choice of launch monitor, projector, hitting mat and simulator-bay enclosure. However, the projector is the missing piece of the puzzle for those seeking an ultra-realistic golf experience.
BenQ has a range of 11 projectors catering for simulator golf. They range in price from $1,549 for an entry-level projector up to $9,000 for the benchmark AK700ST.
“If you’re spending $20,000, $30,000, $40,000, $50,000, $100,000 on a golf sim setup, you don’t want to skimp on the projector because it’s the last link in the chain,” says BenQ Australia managing director Martin Moelle. “If you’ve spent all this money to invest in the perfect setup but the image quality is poor, then you haven’t succeeded in creating something that’s going to deliver what you want.”
Booming ‘Sim Theatre’ trend
This year’s launch of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TMRW Golf League (TGL) appears to have further legitimised simulated indoor golf, which has become a major driver of golf’s increased participation. Moelle says enquiries about how to install home golf simulators have increased since the broadcast of TGL. Golf simulators have become a substantial part of the growing Australian golf market with more than 2,000 launch monitors estimated to be sold this year.
As a result, BenQ’s launch of the AK700ST projector comes at a time when the sport’s popularity is at an all-time high. BenQ has already supplied golf-sim projectors to several pubs and clubs. Melbourne Greyhounds installed a LK936ST projector at its Broadmeadows club where it regularly holds a nearest-the-pin competition.
Moelle is bullish about the future growth of home simulator golf. Australians are relatively time poor, he says, citing how a return trip to play at a metropolitan course (with post-round drinks) can exceed six hours, whereas a round of simulator golf can be played in less than 30 minutes.
Installing a BenQ projector at home
BenQ’s Golf Simulator Survey revealed 71 percent of users want golf simulator rooms for more than just playing or practising golf. Hence a key feature of its projectors is how they allow for effortless switching from golf mode to movies, gaming and streaming.
“You can hook up your streaming service like YouTube, Netflix or Amazon Prime, your device through to the projector,” Moelle says. “Thanks to a 4K projector, that room is no longer just dedicated to the golf sim. It’s a multi-purpose room that becomes an entertainment room because
these projectors are capable of delivering cinematic movie quality.”
End-users need to decide whether they’re going to set up the projector themselves or if they’re going to get someone to install it for them. BenQ has partnered with all the major golf-simulator installers in Australia, and they regularly introduce golfers to the best partner across the country to create the ideal golf sim for their needs.
Critical factors to be considered include:
• What is the right mounting distance from the screen?
• How to adjust the projector’s aspect ratio to fit the hitting enclosure?
• Where should the projector be mounted so the image is centred on the screen?
• What amount of offset is required for the projector?
“Many Australians have that DIY skill set,” adds Moelle. “Enthusiasts are generally contacting us because they’ve searched ‘Projector… golf simulator’ and we always come up as the top web result.
“They say, ‘I’ve got a four-metre distance to the screen. I want a 150-inch screen. Which projector can I get?’ And then we have an online calculator that can measure the optimum projector setup.”
Visit benq.com/en-au/business/campaign/indoor-golf-simulator-projector.html, phone (02) 8988 6500 or e-mail: BQauSales@BenQ.com
