THE ULTIMATE GOLF IMPACT SCREEN GUIDE
CELEBRATING 11 YEARS IN BUSINESS
Spectrum golf has been manufacturing and designing golf impact screens for over 10 years. We are located in the heart of textiles , Central North Carolina. We work with some of the leading golf screen fabricators in the US. We know first hand how screens are developed, designed and manufactured. Most companies just order the material and wait until it arrives. We actually go to the plant where the golf material is made and pick it up. Our material costs are 10-20% less than our competitors since we actually pick the material up and save a fortune on shipping costs. We pass those savings on to you. After you read this and still need help on design or installation, drop us an email. We dont charge for design services. In addition, we offer more than just a cookie cutter screen design . We have made golf impact screens with sleeves, velcro, grommets and sewn in straps. If you design it, we have probably made something very similar.
LETS GET STARTED
GOLF SCREEN MATERIAL
We offer 4 different grades of golf impact screen material. All of these materials are made in US and are polyester. The differences are in the weaving and the yarn.
See the COMPARISON CHART for more info. Golf simulator screens are graded on durability, image quality, bounce back, noise level, wrinkle resistance, and stain resistance. When selecting a golf screen consider the followng questions:
1) Is it more for golf, home theater or both?
2) How often are you going to use it? If often, then durability might be more important
3) Do you have a high club speed where bounce back might be an issue?
4) Do you need a quieter screen ? Your using it at night while others sleep/ watch TV or your neighbor might hear it.
5) Are you going to have a net or panel behind it?
These questions might help you determine the right golf screen for you.
SUPERTEX GOLF SCREEN MATERIAL
Supertex is our entry level golf screen material. Its designed for the average golfer who is going to use their golf simulator a couple of days a week. Strictly residential use. This golf screen material requires a net or panel behind it . For a entry level golf screen, the image quality is very good and can double as home theater. Supertex material is very stiff, so bounce back can be an issue if too close or you have a high swing speed. Can be a little noisy as well. If you are on a tight budget and only play occasionally , the supertex golf screen is for you
POLY BLEND 95 GOLF SCREEN MATERIAL
Our Poly Blend 95 golf screen just arrived in 2021. We worked closely with one of our local golf screen manufacturers to come up with a golf screen that has a little more stretch to it, a coating to prevent stains and still have a great HD image. The Poly Blend 95 checks all the boxes. Poly Blend can be used for residential and commercial applications. Its is a tightly woven polyester golf screen.
1) BOUNCEBACK- The weave and impact resistant polyester used in this screen was designed to allow some stretch when impacted by a golf ball. We tested with a wedge thru a driver and bounce back is minimal
2) STAIN RESISTANT- The polyester material has a smooth coated feel to it. Dirt stains wash off much easier with hot water and a stain spray.
3) WRINKLE RESISTANT- The heavy duty, tight knit impact resistant polyester eliminates most wrinkles in shipping.
4) CLEARER HD IMAGE-Since the golf screen is tightly woven, the image is crisper and clearer than our supertex material.
5) GREAT PRICING- We were able to secure a great price on this new material. Screen will start at under 175 dollars!!
6) DURABILITY- Ball speeds 180 mph+
POLY SPACER GOLF SCREEN MATERIAL
Our new poly spacer material is a 2 layer golf impact screen with a nylon cushion in between. Approx 3mm thick. About twice as thick as our standard poly golf impact screen material. This is the finest golf screen material on the market today. Low bounceback, extremely durable, Great HD image and doesnt require a back pad or panel. We use this golf screen material in all of our commercial applications and with all of our Proseries Golf Enclosures. If there is 1 component in your golf simulator that you want to upgrade, this golf screen material is it.
1) BOUNCEBACK- The weave and impact resistant polyester used in this screen was designed to allow some stretch when impacted by a golf ball. Plus the double padded layer absorbs the impact of the ball We tested with a wedge thru a driver and bounce back is minimal.
2) STAIN RESISTANT- The polyester material has a smooth coated feel to it. Dirt stains wash off much easier with hot water and a stain spray.
3) WRINKLE RESISTANT- The heavy duty, tight knit impact resistant polyester eliminates most wrinkles in shipping. Can be ironed on med heat before insulation.
4) CLEARER HD IMAGE-Since the golf screen is tightly woven, the image is crisp and clear .
5) COMPETITIVE PRICING- Since we buy direct from manufacturer, our pricing cannot be beat.
6) DURABILITY- Ball speeds 180 mph+ . No back panel or net needed.
STANDARD POLY GOLF SCREEN MATERIAL
POLY GOLF SCREEN MATERIAL is the first generation poly screen material. Great durability but has a slight grain to it. Very easy to clean and iron wrinkles out . Twice as durable as our entry level supertex material. This golf screen material was replaced by the Poly Blend Material. We have a very loyal following on this material, so we keep it in stock. Great option if you hit a lot of ball and are not concerned with image quality.
GOLF SCREEN MATERIAL COMPARISON CHART
|
SCREEN MATERIAL |
SUPERTEX |
POLY |
POLY BLEND 95 |
POLY SPACER |
|
SCREEN MATERIAL |
POLYESTER |
POLYESTER |
POLYESTER |
POLYESTER |
|
CONSTRUCTION |
SINGLE LAYER |
SINGLE LAYER |
SINGLE LAYER |
TRIPLE LAYER |
|
IMAGE QUALITY |
MEDIUM |
LOW |
MEDIUM |
HIGH |
|
DURABILITY |
MEDIUM |
MED-HIGH |
HIGH |
HIGH |
|
STAIN RESISTANT |
LOW |
HIGH |
HIGH |
MEDIUM |
|
WRINKLE RESISTANT |
LOW |
MEDIUM |
HIGH |
HIGH |
|
BALL SPEED/DRIVER |
120-130 |
130-150 |
140-180 |
180+ |
|
BACK PANEL? |
YES |
YES |
YES |
RECOMMENDED |
|
BOUNCEBACK |
MEDIUM |
MEDIUM |
LOW |
LOW |
|
MATERIAL WIDTHS |
120" |
120" |
120" |
120" |
|
TARGET USER |
RESIDENTIAL/ BEGINNER/SENIORS KIDS |
RESIDENTIAL BETTER GOLFERS |
RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL HIGH USAGE/HOME THEATER |
COMMERCIAL GRADE/ BEST ON MARKET |
|
MADE? |
USA |
USA |
USA |
USA |
|
CUSTOM? |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
|
COST |
$ |
$$ |
$$ |
$$$ |
GOLF SCREEN TIPS .
Most golf screens come folded in a box. When you open it, it will have creases on the folds. We have been asked if we can ship the screens rolled up. Its hard to ship a 8-9 ft long rolled up golf screen. 1) you can lay the golf screen flat on the floor and iron the creases on medium heat , then install. 2) Once the golf screen is hung, the wrinkles will disappear overtime.
GOLF SCREEN CLEANING.
No matter how new and clean your balls, clubs and mat are, the golf screen will get stained. Most golf screens will clean up by following the right process. Always use a clean white towel to clean your golf screen. Soak the towel in hot water and pat the stain. If it does not come out, use a SHOUT STAIN SPRAY or a TIDE STAIN STICK. Let it soak in for a minute, then pat with the same hot clean towel. You might have to repeat a few times. Keep in mind that some stains wont come out. Hitting a golf ball into them at over 100mph will leave a mark eventually. Repeat cleaning should lessen the mark over time. Always use new unmarked balls on your golf screen.
GOLF SCREEN WEAR and TEAR
We are constantly asked "How long will my golf screen last? " That is the million dollar question. We have seen screens last 5 plus years and we have had customers buy a new screen every year. What are the factors that determine this?
1) Rate of Use.
2) Distance from Screen Hitting 10 ft from screen is better than hitting 8 ft from screen
3) Ball speed The harder you hit the ball, the more you compress the screen
4) Ball Spin Rate. Ive seen high spin wedges wear out a screen before a driver with low spin. If you have a high spin rate, buy the poly spacer.
4) Setup and Back Protection. Make sure you have a net, pad or panel behind your golf screen
6) Screen Tightness. You should be able to take your finger and compress the screen 3-4 inches. Dont overtighten screen. Also keep the bottom loose
BEST PIECE OF ADVICEON BUYING A GOLF SCREEN- If you are building a golf simulator, there are 2 components you want to buy the best and spend the most money on. The Golf Screen and the Hitting Mat. Think about it, those are the 2 components are you are striking everytime you swing the club 70-100 times a round. If you can afford the poly spacer material, BUY IT. You will not regret it.
ASPECT RATIO ON GOLF SCREENS
This is one of the biggest misconception on purchasing a golf impact screen. A customer will tell us they want a 4:3 aspect ratio golf screen or they want a 16:10 screen. Some companies even make exact 4: 3 or 16: 10 aspect ratio screens. Back to the example , lets say you have 10 ft of space for a golf screen. A 120" screen in perfect 4:3 ratio would be 120 x 90. A perfect 120" golf screen with 16:10 ratio is 120 x 75. If you have room for a 120 x 108 screen, why would you make the screen smaller ( 120 x 90 ) just to have a perfect 4:3 ratio? Makes no sense. Follow these rules:
1) Always get the largest golf screen that will fit in your space regardless of aspect ratio. That gives you the biggest hitting area.
2) 99 times out of a 100, you will have white space on top/bottom or sides.
3) Most projectors can change aspect ratio under settings. That means you can go from 4:3 to 16:10 with 1 click
4) Most golf simulator software is 4:3 ratio.
5) 12 x 9 is the perfect 4:3 ratio screen .
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GOLF SCREEN MATERIAL CONSTRUCTION
Golf screen material is one of the few fabrics that are made in 120" widths. Most material is knitted in 50-54" widths. A knitting machine can be 10,12-15 ft wide and have 1000's of threads being knitted at the same time . These machines will run hours at a time in order to make 100's of yards. of golf screen material. The threads are under tension as they are knitted. It is common for a thread to break. When this happens, the machine will continue to knit despite a broken thread. There is typically a operator that examines the thread periodically. When they catch it , they can repair it and move on. But there might be a gap where the thread wasn't repaired. This will cause a line in the golf screen fabric. It can be a few inches or a few feet. This is known as a defect . Sometimes the manufacturer will mark the location of the defect in the roll. Industry standard for these defects are approx 1 per 10 yds ( 30 ft ) of material . When we see them, we cut them out of the roll. Another minor issue is stains on the fabric. These machines are lubricated with a lot of moving parts and oil can seep its way on to the golf screen material as well. As with any textile plant, dust and fibers get into everything. The golf screen material has to go through several processes that can potential create marks and stains on the material. We do our best to cut all these defects out.
GOLF SCREEN CONSTRUCTION
The biggest question is how do I install my golf screen? Most golf simulator companies sell two versions of their golf screens
1) raw material
2) hemmed with grommets
Spectrum Golf was the one who invented the sleeve system in their golf screens. We wanted to install the golf screen with a way to adjust the tension and create a nice smooth stair edge around the perimeter. Also grommets in screens eventually rip and tear. Our system uses a pvc pipe into a sleeve in the golf screen . A 3/4 adjustable strap goes through a slit in the sleeve and attaches to frame. All the tension from pulling the screen tight is on the pvc in the sleeve. Plus its adjustable. You cant adjust a ball bungee. In addition, the pvc creates a nice smooth picture frame look on the edges. In 10 years , we never had a strap rip or tear the golf screen fabric. We use this golf screen design in our standard screen, and notched screen.
Standard Golf Screen- Has sleeves on all 4 sides that stop 3" from the end. Designed to go into a 4 sided frame. Frame needs to be 8-12" larger than the screen.
Notched Golf Screen -Has a 3.5" knotch on each corner. Sleeves go all the way thru each side. Designed to wrap around our 14" deep screen frame. Limited to 105 in hieght and we can do any length.
HANGING GOLF SCREEN - Has sleeves on top/bottom to hold a pipe or conduit. Hemmed on sides. We can also sew in adjustable straps on the sides . Designed to hang.
Other Golf Screen Designs. We also make a 2" hemmed screen that is designed for grommets and Ve lcro. We make a golf screen with sewn in panels and pads. We make golf screens for Trugolf and Sports Screen as well. If you can design it , we can make it.
GOLF SCREEN PADDING
It is important to have some type of pad or panel behind your golf impact screen. The only golf screen that does not need padding is our poly spacer material. Netting, backout panels ( with grommets ) and our cover HD golf screen pads are the best options to make your golf screen last. We also make a variety of screen pads that border the perimeter of the golf screen
GOLF SCREEN INSTALLATION AND DESIGN
There are many ways to install your golf screen. You can build a frame, golf cage, use angled irons, and hanging it to name a few. All have their strengths and weaknesses. Fill out our request form and we can provide you the best solution for your application. Email us at OPTISHOTGOLFSIMLATOR@GMAIL.COM.
Here are a few questions to get you started
1) What are your dimensions?
2) What system are you going to use. Some require a minimum distance ball to screen
3) Do you want side/top protection to catch shanks
4) Is it a permanent setup or is it going to be temporary.
5) How do you want the projector installed? Ceiling, Frame, Floor ?
6) Is your Ceiling sloped or vaulted?
7) Are there doors, windows, garage door opener, frame, duct work that might get in the way?
8) Do you have lights /ceiling fans on ceiling?
9) Are you more interested in playing golf or using it as a movie screen?
10) Is noise level important?
11) are you going to build the frame your self or do you want a golf frame kit?