A golf simulator screen has to give. On impact it should flex, absorb the ball's energy and settle calmly back into place. Tension it too tightly and it acts like a trampoline, firing balls back at the golfer. Leave it too loose and it ripples, with every fold showing up in the projected image. Below we show how we tension screens on our own installations. If you haven't chosen a mounting system yet, start with our article How to mount a golf simulator screen: an overview of SIM|GOLF mounting systems.

Golden rule: never fix the sides or the bottom of the screen rigidly, especially in the middle section. Only the corners may be fixed rigidly. The hook-and-loop strip on the edge is for side curtains and the header strip above the screen, not for attaching the screen to the frame.

Before you start

• Know your finished floor height. A hitting mat, turf or a SIM|WEDGE Puzzle platform raises the playing surface. We only hang the screen once we know where the floor will be.
• Check which side is which. Every hanging screen has a BACK label in a clear plastic sleeve on the reverse. It shows you which side is the back and which is the front. The side without the label, i.e. the inner side of the roll as it unrolls, faces the golfer. Remove the BACK label before you play.
• Get rid of creases. The screen is folded for shipping. We fold it to keep creases to a minimum, but if any appear, the easiest fix is a garment steamer. Don't use an iron.
• Have the elastic and cords ready. 6–8 mm shock cord for the top and bottom (usually about 8 m for the top), ball bungees for the sides and zip ties for the corners. You'll also need the red cord we include with every screen.

Step by step (SIM system on a BFS frame)

1. Bottom. Slide the screen under the bottom profile. Lace the shock cord loosely through the grommets with an overlock-style stitch and tie it off to the rear profile. Push the screen in roughly halfway between the rear profile and the edge of the screen.
2. Height. Lift the centre of the screen and tie it up temporarily with the red cord. Measure from the top edge of the platform or floor to the underside of the hook-and-loop strip or header strip. The result should match the height of the projected image (16:10, 16:9 or 4:3).
3. Top. Fold the shock cord in half and fix its midpoint at the centre of the top profile. Lace it through the grommets with the same stitch, working from the centre out to the sides. This spreads the tension evenly and keeps the screen from skewing.
4. Leave the sides loose. Don't attach the sides yet.
5. Balance the bottom. The bottom cord should be loose, but firm enough that the screen springs back when you press it with your hand.
6. Corners. For better tension across the width, thread zip ties through the corner grommets and pull the corners in to the frame. We always do this ourselves. It is the only place where the screen is fixed rigidly.
7. Sides last. Attach the ball bungees so the screen can't fall, but don't stretch them. The exception is the ROD system (V-mount): here the cords around the rods are pulled tight, because the rods, not the fabric, take the load.
8. Test. Hit a driver or an iron, not a wedge. The ball should go dead on the screen and drop no further than just in front of your feet.

Screens without a BFS frame (STANDARD and STANDARD + bottom sleeve)

The order is the same: top first, from the centre out, then the bottom, then the corners with zip ties, and finally the sides, loosely. Attach the bottom grommets loosely. If the screen has a bottom sleeve with a heat-shrink-wrapped rod, its weight keeps the bottom edge straight, and the cord in the sleeve only needs light tension out to the sides.

How to tell something is wrong

The screen works and settles slightly over time. After a few days of play, check the tension again.

Questions, or would you like us to install the screen for you? Get in touch: sim@simgolf.pl, tel. +48 797 989 119.