Use Carl's Place Builder: Step-by-Step
A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Your Place builder checks compatibility, calculates throw, builds 3D room. How to use every step and which defaults to override.
The Short Answer
Your Place builder checks compatibility, calculates throw, builds 3D room. How to use every step and which defaults to override.
Most people start building a golf simulator backwards.
They pick a launch monitor first. A $2,000 SkyTrak+ or a $6,000 GC3. Then they figure out what enclosure fits around it, hope the projector works with the screen, and pray their ceiling height was enough for a full swing.
That’s the wrong order. And it’s how you end up with a 16:9 projector firing at a 4:3 screen, or a radar launch monitor that needs 15 feet of ball flight in a room that only has 12 feet of depth.
Carl’s Place built a tool that fixes this. It’s called the “Your Place” builder — a step-by-step configurator that starts with your room dimensions, not your wishlist. It checks every component against your actual space in real time. It shows you a 3D model of your exact build. And it tells you when something won’t work before you’ve spent a dollar.
I walked through the entire thing to write this guide. Here’s how to use it, what to watch for, and which options actually make sense for a real garage or basement build.
What the Builder Actually Does
The Carl’s Place configurator is not a shopping cart with filters. It’s a room-first design tool. You enter three numbers — height, width, depth — and everything after that is calculated against those numbers.
Think of it like building a custom suit. You don’t pick the fabric first. You start with your measurements, find what fits your body, and choose from what works. Same thing here. Your room is your body. The builder only shows you components that fit.
What it handles automatically:
- Screen sizing and aspect ratio validation
- Projector throw distance and lens height calculations
- Enclosure fit (no frame that’s too wide for your wall)
- Launch monitor placement guidance by type (radar vs camera vs overhead)
- Mount heights and clearances for every component
- Live pricing as you add each part
What it won’t tell you:
- Whether 8 feet of ceiling actually works for your swing (it depends on your height and swing plane)
- Whether your garage door opener interferes with ceiling clearance
- Whether your wife will kill you if you take over the entire two-car bay
The tool covers the math. You bring the common sense.
Step 1: Room Dimensions — Get This Right
The builder accepts ceiling height from 96 inches (8 feet) to 180 inches (15 feet), width from 96 to 252 inches, and depth from 180 to 300 inches.
Here are the numbers you need before you start:
- Height: Measure to the lowest obstruction, not the highest point. Your garage ceiling might be 10 feet, but if the garage door track hangs down at 8 feet 6 inches, your usable height is 8’6“. Measure from the floor to the bottom of the track, the light fixture, the HVAC duct, or that beam your wife wants to keep exposed.
- Width: Wall to wall at the hitting point. Not at the garage door opening — where your enclosure actually sits.
- Depth: From where you’ll stand to the back wall where the screen goes.
My advice: Go measure right now. Don’t guess based on “I think it’s about 10 feet.” The builder will trust what you enter, and if you enter wrong numbers, your whole build is wrong. This is the single most important step, and it takes five minutes with a tape measure.
Step 2: Golfer Info — The Left-Handed Friend Problem
This step asks for golfer height and handedness. It sounds optional. It’s not.
The builder uses your height to calculate where shadows fall on the screen. If your buddy is 6’5“ with a steep swing, the tool adjusts the enclosure depth and projector placement so he’s not casting a shadow across the entire image.
For handedness: if you’re building a shared sim and it’s just you (right-handed), the tool optimizes for a right-handed stance. If you have left-handed friends over, it’ll recommend a hitting position that works for both. This matters more than you think — the wrong placement means lefties are standing on the same side as the projector, and now every swing casts a body shadow over half the screen.
The right call: Always enter the tallest regular user and “both” for handedness. The builder will add an extra buffer. It costs nothing and saves frustration.
Step 3: Simulator Type — The Big Decision
The builder gives you three paths:
- Freestanding Enclosure — The full frame with side curtains and a top. The enclosure contains all your shots, protects your walls, and looks like a real sim bay. This is what 90% of home builders should pick.
- Wall-to-Wall Built-In — You’re using existing walls for the sides and the Carl’s Place frame holds the screen and projector only. Looks cleaner but requires a room where you can dedicate both walls permanently.
- Impact Screen Only — Just a screen. No side curtains, no top. Cheaper, but you’re trusting your aim to miss the water heater on the left.
My pick: Freestanding enclosure for almost everyone. The Wall-to-Wall option looks incredible in a dedicated room but locks you into a permanent footprint. Impact Screen Only is for the guy who already has a perfect room with nothing to hit on either side. That guy is rare.
Step 4: Screen Material and Sizing — Don’t Skimp Here
This is where Carl’s Place earns their reputation. The screen is custom-sized to your exact room dimensions with no extra fee. You pick the material tier and the builder calculates the exact width and height that fits your enclosure.
Screen tiers:
- Standard — Entry-level woven polyester. Fine for casual use, decent image quality, shows some wear over time. This is not what you want if you care about image quality.
- Preferred — The sweet spot. Silicone-reinforced polyester that takes a 4K projector beautifully, reduces bounce-back, and lasts years. This is the one to pick.
- Premium — Three-layer poly spacer construction. The quietest, best-looking, most durable screen Carl’s makes. It’s expensive but if you’re building a premium sim, don’t think twice.
- High-Contrast Gray — For rooms with ambient light. A gray screen fights glare better than white. You probably don’t need this if your sim room has blackout curtains, but if you’re building in a garage with windows, consider it.
One thing the builder won’t tell you: The screen aspect ratio should match your projector. If you’re getting a 16:9 projector (which most are), get a 16:9 or Widescreen screen, not a 4:3. The builder checks this, but people still ignore the warning.
Step 5: Launch Monitor — Finally
This is the step most people want to start with. And the builder knows that — it’s why the launch monitor step comes fourth, not first. By now your room dimensions, golfer info, enclosure, and screen are locked in. The builder only shows you launch monitors that work with what you’ve already chosen.
What the builder considers:
- Radar units (Trackman, FlightScope Mevo Gen2, Garmin R10): These need depth behind the hitting area. If your room is under 14 feet deep, the builder will warn you or hide radar options entirely.
- Camera units (Foresight GC3, SkyTrak+, Bushnell Launch Pro, Garmin R50): Need less depth but are sensitive to alignment and lighting. The builder positions them next to the ball rather than behind.
- Overhead units (Uneekor EYE XO, ProTee VX): Shift the requirements to ceiling height and mounting location. The builder checks if your ceiling has enough clearance for the overhead mount.
The common mistake: Picking a launch monitor by brand loyalty. “I want a Trackman” is fine, but a Trackman iO needs a 16-foot-tall ceiling and 18 feet of depth. Most garages don’t have that. The builder will tell you the truth. Listen to it.
My advice for most garage builds (9-10 ft ceiling, 12-18 ft depth):
- Budget under $1,000: Garmin R10 ($599) or Rapsodo MLM2PRO ($699)
- Sweet spot $1,000-$2,500: SkyTrak+ ($1,995) or Bushnell Launch Pro ($2,499)
- Premium $2,500+: GC3 ($5,249 on sale) or Uneekor Eye Mini Lite ($2,499)
The builder has a “Bring Your Own Launch Monitor” option too. If you already own one, pick that and the tool adjusts the rest of the build around it.
Step 6: Simulator Software
The builder offers GSPro, E6 Connect, and TGC 2019 as software options. Your choice here depends on your launch monitor — some units are locked to specific software ecosystems.
The hierarchy:
- GSPro ($250/year) — The best sim software on the market. Best graphics, most courses (500+), most active modding community. If your launch monitor supports it, pick this.
- E6 Connect ($300/year or $1,000 lifetime) — Second-best. Better for multiplayer and iPad use. 40+ courses included in the base subscription.
- TGC 2019 ($899 lifetime) — Aging but still solid. One-time purchase instead of subscription. Courses look worse than GSPro but you never get billed again.
My pick: GSPro. Every time. Unless you specifically need iPad-based play or your launch monitor doesn’t support GSPro in which case you should reconsider your launch monitor, not your software.
Step 7: Hitting Mat
The builder offers Carl’s Place hitting mats in several tiers. This is the step where most people under-buy.
The options:
- Carl’s Place Standard Mat ($299) — Fine for occasional use. Too thin for regular practice. Your elbows will complain after 30 minutes.
- Carl’s Place HotShot Mat ($499-$1,259) — The real deal. Replaceable hitting strip at $80 (cheaper than the $250 SIGPRO strip). The Foam Divot Strip upgrade for ~$150 over the standard strip is the best value add in the whole mat market — it gives you real-feel turf without the joint pain.
- Premium third-party mat — The builder lets you use a different mat. If you want the SIGPRO Softy or Fiberbuilt, you can buy your mat separately and the builder adjusts.
What the builder won’t tell you: The HotShot hitting strip doesn’t accept real wooden tees. Only rubber tees. If you practice with driver a lot, this matters. The SIGPRO Softy does take real tees.
Step 8: Projector and Placement
The last step, and the one where the builder’s math saves you the most money.
You enter your budget range and the tool shows compatible projectors. It calculates throw distance, lens offset, and mount height automatically. If a projector physically can’t fill your screen from a ceiling mount in your room, the builder won’t let you select it.
What to look for:
- Short throw (0.4-0.8:1 ratio) — Mounts close to the screen, keeps the projector out of your swing path. Best for most home builds.
- Standard throw (1.1-1.8:1 ratio) — Needs more room depth. Only works in deep rooms where the projector can sit behind the hitting area.
- Laser vs lamp — Laser projectors (BenQ AK700ST, TK710STi) last 20,000 hours and need no bulb changes. Lamp projectors are cheaper upfront but cost $200-400 to replace every 2-3 years.
My pick for most garage builds: BenQ TK710STi. 4K, 3,200 lumens, short throw, laser. It’s the most recommended projector in every home sim forum for a reason. If your budget is tighter, the Optoma GT1080HDR ($799) still works great.
What the Builder Gets Wrong
I’ve used this tool on three different builds. Here’s what I’ve learned:
It’s conservative on ceiling height. The builder’s minimums are the “you won’t hit the ceiling” numbers, not the “you can swing comfortably” numbers. If the builder says 9 feet is fine, that means you won’t break your drywall. It doesn’t mean you won’t feel constrained. A 10-foot ceiling is genuinely comfortable. A 9-foot ceiling is usable but your driver swing will feel tight.
It doesn’t account for garage door hardware. The builder assumes your ceiling is the ceiling. It doesn’t know about your garage door opener hanging down 6 inches. That’s your job to factor in.
The default screen material is Standard. The builder defaults to the Standard screen tier to keep the price low. You should override this to Preferred ($100-200 more). The image quality improvement is dramatic and the screen lasts years longer.
Free shipping isn’t free. Everything ships in multiple boxes. The enclosure alone comes in 3-4 boxes. The impact screen is another. Factor in $80-150 of hidden shipping costs that don’t show up until checkout.
Should You Use the Free Design Review?
Yes. A hundred times yes.
After you complete the build, the tool gives you an option to submit it for a free human review from Carl’s Place team. A real person looks at your dimensions, your component choices, and your projector alignment. They’ll catch things the tool misses — like creative mounting solutions for non-standard rooms or beam interference that the 3D model can’t fully represent.
I submitted a build for review on a tight 8-foot-ceiling garage and the Carl’s team caught that my projector mount would interfere with the garage door track. The builder didn’t see it. A human did.
That review costs nothing and it’s the cheapest insurance you’ll ever buy.
Your Next Move
The Carl’s Place builder is free. No account required. You can save your build, share it with a friend, or submit it for review without spending a dime.
Go to carlofet.com/build-your-own-golf-simulator, measure your room first, and walk through the steps. By the time you’re done, you’ll have a complete build with exact pricing, a 3D model of your space, and the confidence that every component actually fits together.
When you’re done, bring the build summary here and cross-reference it with our best golf simulator packages and garage setup guide to make sure you’re getting the right value.
The hardest part of building a simulator is the compatibility math. The builder does that math. All you have to do is show up with a tape measure and a few decisions.
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