Guides · Projectors, screens and TVs
Can the Optoma ZW350ST Work for a Golf Simulator?
Published
Yes. The Optoma ZW350ST can work in a golf simulator if its throw distance and 1280x800 resolution suit the room. It is a 3,600-lumen laser projector with a 0.521:1 throw ratio, so it can make a large image from relatively close to the screen. That short throw is useful around a golf swing. The compromise is image detail: WXGA is noticeably below 1080p or 4K on a large impact screen. If you already own a ZW350ST, test it in the room first. If you are buying new, Optoma's own 4K short-throw models give you more resolution from a similar throw.
The short throw is the reason it can fit
The ZW350ST's 0.521:1 throw ratio means the lens sits a little over half the image width away from the screen. Optoma's UK spec sheet lists a projection distance of 0.3 to 3.4 meters. For a simulator, that can keep the projector closer to the screen and reduce the chance that the golfer stands in the beam.
Use the actual image width when you calculate placement. A short-throw label does not guarantee that the projector lands in a safe spot once the hitting position, ceiling mount, and any overhead launch monitor are drawn into the same room.
WXGA is the real tradeoff
Optoma describes the ZW350ST as a WXGA projector, 1280x800, with a native 16:10 aspect ratio. Simulator software will run at that resolution, but course textures, small text, and distant detail will look softer than they do at 1080p or 4K, especially on a ten-foot-plus screen.
That may be acceptable for a projector you already own. It is harder to justify as a new purchase when higher-resolution short-throw golf projectors are now widely available.
Brightness depends on the room, not just the lumen number
At 3,600 lumens, the ZW350ST can produce a usable simulator image in a basement, garage, or spare room where you can keep strong light off the impact screen. A very large screen or a room that stays bright will ask more of the projector.
Before replacing it for brightness alone, test the room lighting. Moving or dimming fixtures that wash the screen can improve contrast more than a modest jump in projector output.
The 16:10 image may not fill your screen perfectly
Many simulator enclosures are closer to 16:9, 4:3, or a room-specific shape. Optoma lists 4:3 and 16:9 as compatible aspect ratios, but the native panel is 16:10. You may end up with unused screen area or a smaller image depending on the software and screen geometry.
It is not a safety problem, just something to check before you mount the projector permanently.
If you are shopping now, compare current golf models
Optoma's UK site lists a Golf Sim picture mode on the ZW350ST itself, so the gap to newer models is mostly resolution. The ZK431ST, for example, is 4K UHD at 4,100 lumens with a 0.496:1 throw ratio and the same golf picture mode.