The ideal spotlight for your golf simulator setup should provide the correct level of lightning at the point of impact for data capture. Top options range from high-end ones like the Trackman Narrow Beam Spotlight ($219) to budget-friendly options like the Pinspot Stage Light ($29). Your choice will depend on your space, your budget, and the lighting environment of your setup.
Unlike many other indoor golf apparatuses, I can comfortably say that you don’t need to spend too much to get the perfect spotlight for your simulator. I’m a living testimony.
The cheap Pinspot Stage Light I got off Amazon for less than $30 gave me a super concentrated beam at the centre of a 4×9 hitting mat. I mounted it about 10″ from the screen on a 10″ ceiling, giving no ambient light toward the net. I couldn’t hook it up to a dimmer, but it wasn’t needed. I turn all the lights off in the garage, put them on, and I’m ready.
However, I won’t be quick to recommend this to everyone in a heartbeat. The goal, ultimately, is to ensure that your camera-based launch monitor has enough illumination of the golf ball to record accurate strikes.
Over time, I tested close to a dozen spotlights for my Skytrack Golf simulator. In this article, I’ve ranked the top five performers based on various considerations such as budget, versatility, ease of installation, and lighting control features.
In case you’re in a hurry, here’s a rundown of my top recommendations:
- Trackman Narrow Beam Spotlight
- GBGS LED Spotlight
- Tom 6W Pinspot Spotlight With IR Controller
- JPLOW Pinspot Light With Remote
- Golfbays Golf Simulator Light
With about a 50 per cent jump in demand for home golf simulation systems since 2020, it’s no surprise to see that spotlights are now a common feature in golf simulator rooms because these golf simulation setups use projectors and will require proper lighting.
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A Full Review Of The Best Spotlights For Golf Simulators
Perhaps you’re wiring in a ceiling-mounted spotlight to illuminate your indoor golf hitting area, and you plan to put it on its wall dimmer switch. You need a reliable spotlight that directs light down, keeping unnecessary light off the screen.
You want to pick a narrow beam spotlight around a 2-foot-wide beam to keep the light where you want it—not in your eyes, washing out the screen, or falling onto the launch monitor sensors.
Here’s a full review of the top options:
1. Trackman Narrow Beam Spotlight for Golf Simulator
Price: $250
The Trackman Narrow Bean Spotlight is an accessory for the holistic Track Golf Simulator that you can buy separately from online retailers.
It’s an excellent, high-powered LED spotlight and provides the correct lighting level for data capture at the point of impact.
Trackman recommends this spotlight for players needing the proper lighting to capture impact locations. The package includes a spotlight with a bulb.
What I like about this spotlight
- Made by a reliable brand
- Worth it for its cost
- Durable
- Available in white and back product colour
What I don’t like about this spotlight
- The light is not dimmable, so you may face some issues with adjustability if you’re not using Trackman Sims.
- There’s no power cable included in the package.
- Quite expensive
2. GBGS LED Spotlight
PRICE: $41
The lens of this spotlight from the GBGS store is made of glass, while the material is made of aluminum and plastic.
Unlike the previous option, this LED spotlight comes with a 1 m/39 inch power cord, four Screws, four rubber stoppers, and a user manual to guide you through usage and maintenance.
Although the manufacturer produced these spotlights with event planners in mind, they have helped so many golfers. It has garnered endless positive reviews for its performance as a golf simulator.
The best thing about this dimmable 10-watt spotlight is the selectable shutter wheel that makes it easy to switch within four apparatuses: 19.6mm, 16.8mm, 13.8mm, and 9.8mm, which are, by the way, 78″, 63″, 55″, and 39, respectively, when the projection distance is 8 meters.
What I like about this spotlight
- It comes with decent, helpful apparatus for users to leverage.
- Features selectable shutter wheels
- Affordable
What I don’t Like about this spotlight
- So far, I’ve been unable to pinpoint any significant flaw with this one, other than that some users say it shines as bright as a touch light and nothing more.
3. TOM 6W Pinspot Spotlight With IR Controller
PRICE: $29
If you need a quiet light to shine on the hitting area of a golf simulator, this one is best for you. It’s easy to install and affordable.
But the best part is that it has an IR controller that lets you choose any static color, flash, strobe, or dim function from the remote.
This double white pin spot spotlight from the TOM store also has a seven-degree beam angle, and you don’t need to adjust the lens for focus manually again.
I also like its portability and the fuse holder with a 1A fuse at the back, which makes installation seamless and adds safety assurance.
What I like about this spotlight
- The lens is fixed, so there is no need to adjust the lens to focus.
- Easy to install
- LEDs: 6W cool white + warm white 2-in-1 LED
- You can choose the color temperature with the RF controller.
- 7 Beam angle
What I don’t like about this spotlight
- Overall, it’s a cheap and decent spotlight if you’re on a budget. No downsides so far.
4. JPLOW Pinspot Light With Remote
Price: $31
The first thing I loved while testing this pin spot from the JPLOW brand on my hitting area was the ease of use. It’s a mini-spotlight. Thus, it’s lightweight and easy to install with the standard bracket.
The 15-watt light has a powerful RF remote where you can control multiple lights, and the remote distance works up to 20 feet.
This product features an imported RGBW LED that makes it brighter than Ordinary LED, and the built-in heat sink ensures it emits low heat and has a long lifespan to serve long in your Sims setup.
It has four colors (Red, Green, Blue, and White) and four mode functions (Static Color, jump, Gradual, and Breathe).
What I like about this spotlight
- Brighter than most, another affordable pinspot spotlight for golf simulators
- Included is a remote control for easy usage.
- It comes with a 74-inch power cord instead of the 30-inch short wire that comes with most other brands’ spotlights. So with this, you don’t need an extension cord.
What I don’t like about this spotlight
- If you use a spotlight under an unstable voltage (above or below 110 volts), it may blink.
- The multicolors may not be necessarily useful for a golf simulator setup, but the white option works fine.
5. Golfbay’s Golf Simulator Light
Price: $192 (174 EUR)
Golfbays is among the leading providers of outdoor and indoor golf simulator experiences, and their spotlight on indoor golf simulators is an example of their reputation. It has the latest LED technology that provides the correct lighting conditions needed for an accurate home golf simulator.
It’s not an affordable light for golfers on a tight budget, but it’s worth the cost. It’s an impact lighting kit that provides the morning light for your Launch Monitor to capture the data needed for your perfect golf simulator installation.
The kit includes one LED spotlight and a 1-meter-long powered mounting track for easy installation. You can use it with Trackman or Skytrack simulators.
What I like about this spotlight
- From a reputable brand
- It comes with a powered mounting rack for easy installation.
- Specifically designed for impact areas, it works well with launch monitors.
What I don’t like about this spotlight
- It offers pretty much the same value as most top-rated, cheap options. So it’s hard to justify throwing away about $200 for the same value I can get from a $30 spotlight. But durability makes all the difference.
Tips On Fixing Spotlight For Your Indoor Golf Simulator
Using a spotlight on a golf simulator can enhance the overall experience by providing better visibility and allowing you to focus on your shots effectively.
But whether you spend $200 or $20 on a light, what makes the difference between poor and perfect is how you position it above the hitting mat. Here are some tips that could help you:
Positioning the spotlight: Place the spotlight behind and slightly above you, pointing towards the hitting area. This angle helps to reduce shadows and glare, providing optimal visibility of the ball and club during your swing.
Shadows can interfere with tracking systems or obscure your view. Ensure the spotlight is powerful enough to minimize shadows, especially around the hitting area.
Also, the spotlight shouldn’t be at or near eye level to prevent it from shining directly into your eyes during setup or follow-through.
Adjust the Intensity: Most spotlights come with adjustable intensity settings. Experiment with different brightness levels to find the one that suits your preferences. Avoid making it too bright, as it may cause glare and discomfort.
Warm Light: Opt for a spotlight with a warm, natural light color rather than a cold, harsh white light. This creates a more inviting and realistic atmosphere, similar to playing outdoors.
Use Dimmers or Smart Bulbs: If possible, use a spotlight with a dimmer switch or innovative bulb capabilities. This allows you to adjust the brightness easily without moving the light physically.
Consider Supplemental Lighting: Depending on your simulator setup, you may need additional lighting around the room to create a well-lit environment without straining your eyes.
Finally,
Unlike most other golf features in your simulator, you could buy the cheapest spotlight and still enjoy it. It is perfect for putting good light on the ball without creating diffuse light ‘pollution’ that dims your projector.
The options reviewed in the above article will never disappoint you. But no matter your choice, your installation is essential, especially the positioning overhead.
If you put it precisely over the hitting spot, you cast a shadow over the ball when putting. Also, avoid shining bright lights onto the sensor of your launch monitor.
