Sim Floor Plans: 20 Layouts for Every Room
20 Designs for Every Room
Twenty layouts with dimensions for garage, basement, shed, small room, commercial, outdoor. Plus Ace's pick. Dimensions that work in real homes.
The Short Answer
Twenty layouts with dimensions for garage, basement, shed, small room, commercial, outdoor. Plus Ace's pick. Dimensions that work in real homes.
Garage Layouts (5)
1. Standard Single-Car Garage — 12x22 Feet
Room: 12 feet wide x 22 feet deep x 9-10 foot ceilings
This is the most common single-car garage in America built after 1980. It’s tight but it works.
22'
+--------------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | |
| | | 12'
| [M] |
| | |
| [O] [SCR] |
| |
+--------------------+Legend: [S]=Screen, [M]=Mat, [O]=Projector, [SCR]=Computer table
Equipment placement: Screen goes on the back wall (the 12-foot wall). Hitting mat centered 8 feet from the screen. Projector ceiling-mounted 10 feet back behind the hitting position.
The squeeze: You’ve got 3 feet on each side of the mat. That’s enough for a side table and a mini fridge, but not enough for a putting green or a couch. This is a pure hitting room. No lounging.
Clearance: 12 feet wide means a standard 8x8 screen fits with 2 feet of frame on each side. If you want a 9-foot screen, you’ll have 18 inches of side frame — tight but doable.
Ceiling check: Most single-car garages have 9-foot trusses. You’ll clear a driver if you stand at 6 feet tall or shorter. Over 6’2“, tee the ball lower and swing smooth.
2. Two-Car Garage — 20x22 Feet (Centered Build)
Room: 20 feet wide x 22 feet deep x 9-10 foot ceilings
This is it. The best room in the house. If you have a two-car garage, stop reading and go measure it right now. 90% of you will find these exact dimensions.
22'
+----------------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | |
| [FRIDGE] |
| | | 20'
| [M] |
| | |
| [O] [SOFA] |
| [STORAGE] |
+----------------------+Equipment placement: Screen centered on the 20-foot back wall. Mat 8 feet from screen, dead center. Room on both sides for a sofa (left) and a mini-fridge/bar cart (right). This is a lounge-and-hit setup.
Why it’s my favorite: 20 feet of width gives you options. You can go 10x10 screen with 5 feet of frame/side space on each side. Center-just everything. Then you’ve still got room for a couch, a cooler, and a place to sit between shots. This is the “I’m never leaving” layout.
The projector mount: Center ceiling mount. Short-throw projector. 12-14 feet from the screen. Perfect throw ratio. Zero lens shift needed. See the best projector guide for short-throw models that work at this distance.
3. Two-Car Garage — 22x24 Feet (With Workshop)
Room: 22 feet wide x 24 feet deep x 10-foot ceilings
You have the extra-deep garage. Maybe it was designed for a truck. Maybe you got lucky.
24'
+--------------------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | |
| [M] 22' | 22'
| | |
| [O] [WORKBENCH] |
| [SOFA] [TOOLS] |
+--------------------------+Equipment placement: Screen on the left 12 feet of the back wall. Hitting mat offset left. Workbench area on the right 10 feet. This is a split-use room.
The advantage: 24 feet of depth means you can put the screen on the back wall and still have 12 feet behind the hitting zone for a couch, a bar, and your workshop tools. No compromises. You can build a birdhouse and then hit birdies.
4. Tandem Garage — 10x30 Feet
Room: 10 feet wide x 30 feet deep x 8-9 foot ceilings
Tandem garages are the unsung heroes of simulator builds. They’re narrow but absurdly deep — exactly what you need. Check the garage vs basement vs shed comparison for room-by-room guidance.
30'
+------------------------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | | 10'
| [M] |
| | |
| [O] [PUTTING] |
| [CLUBS] [GREEN] |
+------------------------------+Equipment placement: Screen on the far back wall. Mat 8 feet from screen. The remaining 20+ feet behind the mat is your lounge, your putting green, your gear storage. You have more room back here than most guys have in their whole setup.
The width challenge: 10 feet is the minimum comfortable width for an 8x8 screen. You’ll have 1 foot of frame on each side. That’s it. No side tables. No buddy standing next to you. This is a solo golf setup. But it works beautifully.
5. Two-Car Garage (One Car Parked) — 12x20 Feet (Offset)
Room: 22 feet wide x 20 feet deep (using 12 of the 22 feet)
You can’t give up the whole garage. The wife said one car stays inside. Fine.
20'
+-------------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | | 12'
| [M] [CAR] |
| | |
| [O] [CAR] |
+-------------------+Equipment placement: Use 12 feet of the garage width. Screen on the back wall, offset to one side. Mat centered in your 12-foot zone. The remaining 10 feet is the car zone. This works if you center the screen on your playing area, not on the whole wall.
The divider: Buy a curtain track. Heavy black curtain. It separates the sim from the car. Makes it feel like its own room when you’re playing. Makes your wife happy because she doesn’t see golf stuff when she opens the garage door. See the divorce-proof build guide for more spousal-approval tactics.
Basement Layouts (5)
6. Standard Finished Basement — 14x20 Feet
Room: 14 feet wide x 20 feet deep x 8-foot ceilings
Eight-foot basement ceilings. I hear from guys every day who think this kills their sim dream. It doesn’t. You just can’t swing driver. Here’s the full basement setup guide and 8-foot ceiling guide — both cover the ceiling hack in detail.
20'
+--------------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | |
| | | 14'
| [M] |
| | |
| [O] |
| [COUCH] [BAR] |
+--------------------+Equipment placement: Screen centered on the 14-foot wall. Mat 8 feet from screen. Short-throw projector ceiling-mounted. Sofa and bar on either side behind the hitting zone.
The ceiling hack: Swing irons only for driver-length players over 6 feet. Or dig the floor. But here’s the thing — most basement sim owners swing irons and hit wedges 80% of the time anyway. A 7-iron simulator session is still a simulator session. You’re not training for the Tour. You’re having fun.
If you’re under 5’10“? Swing your driver. You’ll clear an 8-foot ceiling no problem.
7. Walkout Basement — 16x24 Feet (L-Shaped)
Room: 16x24 main area + L-extension for bar
You have an L-shaped basement. This is the best-case scenario because you can separate the hitting zone from the chill zone.
24'
+----------------------------+
| |
| [S] | 16'
| | |
| [M] |
| | |
| [O] [BAR] |
| [TV] |
+----------------------------+Equipment placement: The long 24-foot wall is your hitting axis. Screen at one end. Mat 8 feet forward. The L-extension (off to the right) becomes the bar and TV area.
Why L-shapes win: The bar is around the corner from the hitting zone. Nobody gets hit by a stray club. The TV for the bar area can be on the wall perpendicular to the screen. You can watch the game while someone else plays. This is the ultimate entertainment layout.
8. Basement Corner Pocket — 12x18 Feet
Room: 12 feet wide x 18 feet deep x 7.5 foot ceiling (with duct work)
You thought you were stuck with a weird corner under the ductwork. You’re not. This is a working layout.
18'
+-----------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | |
| | | 12'
| [M] |
| | |
| [O] |
| [DUCT] |
+-----------------+Equipment placement: Screen on the 12-foot wall. Mat forward 8 feet. Projector ceiling-mount if you have the height, otherwise floor-mount behind the mat on a low stand.
The duct problem: If ductwork runs through the middle, your projector placement is the biggest issue. Solution: side-mount the projector on a shelf at 5 feet high, or use a floor-mounted ultra-short-throw projector that sits right below the screen. Both work.
9. Large Basement — 20x30 Feet (Dedicated Room)
Room: 20 feet wide x 30 feet deep x 9-foot ceilings
You won the basement lottery. This is a full golf studio.
30'
+--------------------------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | |
| [M] 20' | 20'
| | |
| [O] |
| [PUTTING] [BAR] [COUCH] [TV] |
+--------------------------------+Equipment placement: 20-foot back wall takes a 10x10 screen easily. Mat centered. The remaining 20+ feet behind the mat is a full lounge. Putting green on one side. Bar on the other. Couch in the middle.
You can do anything here. Multiple seating zones. A full wet bar. A pool table if you want. This room doesn’t need my advice — it needs you to stop waiting and start building.
10. Under-The-Stairs Basement — 10x16 Feet
Room: 10 feet wide x 16 feet deep x 7-8 foot ceiling (sloped)
You have that weird space under a staircase. The one you’ve been using for Christmas decorations. Convert it.
16'
+--------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | |
| | | 10'
| [M] |
| | |
| [O] |
| [STORAGE] |
+--------------+Equipment placement: Screen on the 10-foot wall. This is a short room — 16 feet deep means the mat sits 7-8 feet from the screen. Use a radar-based launch monitor (Garmin R10 or Mevo+) because they need less distance behind the hitter than camera-based units.
The sloped ceiling: Align your swing path with the highest part of the ceiling. If the slope runs left-to-right, stand where the ceiling peaks. You’ll get driver clearance on that side and only hit irons from the lower side.
Shed Layouts (3)
11. Standard Shed — 12x16 Feet
Room: 12 feet wide x 16 feet deep x 8-foot ceilings
A Tuff Shed or similar. This is the budget king of sim rooms. Costs $3-5K for the shell.
16'
+--------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | |
| | | 12'
| [M] |
| | |
| [O] [DOOR]|
+--------------+Equipment placement: Screen on the 12-foot back wall. Mat 7 feet from the screen (tight). This is 16 feet deep — hitting zone takes 7, mat takes 5, behind-mat takes 4. You’re standing basically at the door.
The tradeoff: 16 feet is the minimum depth that works. You can’t put a couch behind you. You’re hitting, stepping back to a stool, and hitting again. But it’s a shed. It’s your space. It doesn’t have to be a living room.
Takeaway: This is the cheapest way to get a dedicated golf room. $4K for the shed, $3K for the sim gear, $1K for electric and insulation. Total: $8K and you have a golf studio in your backyard.
12. Premium Studio Shed — 14x20 Feet
Room: 14 feet wide x 20 feet deep x 9-foot ceilings
You went with a nicer shed. Amish-built. Cedar siding. Electricity pre-wired. This is the “I’m serious about this” shed.
20'
+-------------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | |
| | | 14'
| [M] |
| | |
| [O] |
| [BENCH] [MINI-BAR]|
+-------------------+Equipment placement: Screen centered on the 14-foot wall. Mat 8 feet from screen. Side benches or a mini-bar on either side behind the hitting zone. You’ve got 10 feet behind the mat — enough for a small couch or a couple bar stools.
Ceiling: 9 feet means full driver swings for anyone under 6’4“. This is the spec I’d choose.
13. Mini Shed — 10x14 Feet
Room: 10 feet wide x 14 feet deep x 8-foot ceilings
You’ve seen the 8x10 sheds at Home Depot. 10x14 is the smallest I’d go.
14'
+-----------+
| |
| [S] |
| | | 10'
| [M] |
| | |
| [O] [D] |
+-----------+Equipment placement: Screen on the 10-foot wall. Mat 6.5 feet from the screen. This is the tightest possible setup. Screen-to-ball distance is critical. You’ll only swing irons. No driver.
14 feet deep means: 6.5 feet ball-to-screen, 5 feet mat depth, 2.5 feet behind the mat. You’re touching the back wall when you address the ball. It’s a cage, not a studio. But it works for practice. See the room-depth compatibility matrix for which launch monitors work at this depth.
Small Room Layouts (3)
14. Spare Bedroom — 10x12 Feet
Room: 10 feet wide x 12 feet deep x 8-foot ceilings
The spare bedroom. You’re hitting into a net, not a screen. Accept this now.
12'
+-----------+
| |
| [S/NET] |
| | | 10'
| [M] |
| | |
| [O] [BED]|
+-----------+Equipment placement: Net across the 10-foot wall. Mat 6 feet from the net. You’re using a radar-based launch monitor (R10 or MLM2Pro) on a tripod behind you, or a camera unit (SkyTrak+ or Eye Mini) on a side table next to the mat.
12 feet deep is the problem. There’s no room behind you. You open the door, step onto the mat, hit balls, step off, and leave. This is a practice station, not a hangout. But it’s better than not having a sim.
15. Bonus Room (Over Garage) — 14x16 Feet
Room: 14 feet wide x 16 feet deep x variable ceiling (often 7-8 feet at edges, higher in center)
Bonus rooms are the wild card. They’re big but the ceiling is often sloped.
16'
+--------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | | 14'
| | |
| [M] |
| | |
| [T] [O] |
+--------------+Equipment placement: Screen on the 14-foot wall. Mat 7-8 feet from the screen. TV on the side wall for watching sports between shots. Projector on a low ceiling-mount or a rolling cart.
The sloped ceiling trick: If the ceiling peaks in the center, put the hitting mat there. You’ll have 9+ feet of clearance at the apex. The screen sits at the lower end — that’s fine, the screen just needs to catch the ball.
16. Home Office — 10x14 Feet
Room: 10 feet wide x 14 feet deep x 8-foot ceilings
The WFH setup. Your office is also your sim. You have a murphy bed situation — but with a golf simulator.
14'
+-----------+
| |
| [S/RET] |
| | | 10'
| [M] |
| | |
| [DESK] [O]|
+-----------+Equipment placement: Retractable screen or drop-down net in front of the window. Mat rolls out from under the desk. Projector on a rolling cart or mounted on the opposite wall. The desk stays. The sim comes out when work ends.
The workflow: 5 PM hits. You push your keyboard aside, roll a mat out, flip the screen down, and start hitting. 6 PM you put it all away and the room is an office again. This is for the guy who works from home and needs a sanity break at 4:47 PM every day.
Commercial / Multi-Bay Layouts (2)
17. Two-Bay Side-by-Side — 20x30 Feet
Room: 20 feet wide x 30 feet deep x 10-foot ceilings
Two sims in one room. Commercial or high-end home. Room for friends.
30'
+--------------------------------+
| |
| [S1] [S2] |
| | | |
| | | 20' | 20'
| [M1] [M2] |
| | | |
| [O1] [O2] |
| [BAR] [SEATING]|
+--------------------------------+Equipment placement: Two screens, each 9x10, on the 20-foot back wall. 2 feet between them. Each bay is 9 feet wide. Hitting mats 8 feet from their respective screens. Bar in the back-center. Seating on either side.
The spacing: Each bay needs 9 feet minimum width. 20 feet gives two 9-foot bays with 2 feet of center divider. The 30-foot depth gives plenty of room for the bar and lounge behind the hitting zone.
18. Single Premium Commercial Bay — 14x24 Feet
Room: 14 feet wide x 24 feet deep x 10-foot ceilings
The premium single bay. This is the layout I’d spec if I were building a sim lounge or a golf retail space.
24'
+------------------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | | 14'
| [M] |
| | |
| [O] |
| [BAR] [TABLE] [COUCH] |
+------------------------+Equipment placement: 14x10 screen centered on the 14-foot wall. Mat 8-9 feet from the screen. The 24-foot depth splits into 9 feet for the hitting zone and 15 feet for a full bar-and-lounge area.
14 feet of width lets two people stand side-by-side comfortably. Instructor and student. Or two friends taking turns. The 10-foot ceiling clears any swing.
Outdoor / Patio Layouts (2)
19. Covered Patio — 12x16 Feet
Room: 12 feet wide x 16 feet deep x 8-foot ceiling (roof)
You have a covered patio, carport, or awning. This works if you enclose it.
16'
+--------------+
| |
| [S] |
| | | 12'
| | |
| [M] |
| | |
| [O] [N/S] |
+--------------+Equipment placement: Screen on the 12-foot wall, protected from weather. Mat 7 feet forward. Projector mounted under the covered area. Use netting on the sides and top to catch errant balls.
The weather factor: The screen and projector stay dry. You, the hitter, are at the edge of coverage. You’ll get some mist but not soaked. Use a weather-resistant hitting mat. Store the launch monitor inside when not in use.
20. Full Backyard Cage — 14x20 Feet
Room: 14 feet wide x 20 feet deep x 10-foot ceilings (open air, framed with pipe and netting)
No roof? No problem. Build a cage.
20'
+----------------------+
| | |
| | |
| [S] | | 14'
| | CAGE |
| | NETTING |
| [M] |
| | |
| | |
+----------------------+Equipment placement: Full cage enclosure. Screen at the back. Mat 9 feet from screen (gives you room for driver). Side netting and ceiling netting. Projector… this is trickier.
Projector option: You can try an outdoor-rated projector in a weatherproof housing, or skip it and use a bright iPad or a TV behind a weather shield. Most outdoor builds I’ve seen use a TV in a covered area rather than a projector. The sun is the enemy of projected images.
Best part: You can hit real balls into a real screen. No ball restrictions. No worrying about ceiling damage. Just pure golf.
The Layout You Should Build
If you’ve read this far and you’re still not sure:
Build Layout #2 (Two-Car Garage, Centered).
It’s the most common room. It’s the most forgiving dimensions. It has space for a couch, a bar, and a 10x10 screen. I’ve built four garages in the last two years. Every single one ended up being some version of this layout.
You already have the room. You just needed the plan.
Now stop reading. Go measure your space. Find your layout. Hit the buy button.
And when you build it, build it for the guy who’s going to use it — which is you, late at night, when everyone else is asleep.
For the complete construction walkthrough, see the DIY build guide. For bar, seating, and lighting design, the game room guide takes it from here. For exact projector placement — throw distance, ceiling mount vs floor mount, and shadow elimination — the projector placement guide walks through the full installation sequence.