If you’ve spent any time planning a golf simulator, you’ve probably realized that the flooring is one of those details that’s easy to overlook until the very end. But in reality, your floor has a huge impact on both the appearance and functionality of your simulator.
I’ve said it many times before: a clean, professional-looking floor is one of the biggest things that separates a polished golf simulator from one that feels unfinished.
The problem is that building a DIY simulator floor isn’t always simple. Depending on which route you take, you may end up cutting insulation board, building a wood platform, trimming plywood, or trying to figure out how to finish the edges so everything actually looks nice.
Carl’s Place recently introduced their Golf Room Floor Tile System, which promises a much easier solution. After using it for several months in my newest garage golf simulator build, I wanted to share exactly how it works, how easy it is to install, how I cut in my hitting strip, and whether I think it’s worth buying compared to other flooring options.
If you’re trying to decide how to build your simulator floor, hopefully this review helps.
Easy Install
The easiest way to get a professional looking simulator floor.
Table of Contents
- Who should buy this flooring?
- What Is the Carl’s Place Floor Tile System?
- Specifications
- Installation Couldn’t Be Much Easier
- Larger Tiles Mean Fewer Seams
- Adding the Putting Turf
- Wait Until the End Before Cutting Your Hitting Strip
- How I Cut My Hitting Strip
- Cut Small First
- Hitting Insert Options
- What About Wear Marks?
- How Does It Compare to Amazon Foam Tiles?
- How Does It Compare to Foam Board Insulation?
- What About Building a Wooden Subfloor?
- Pros
- Cons
- Final Thoughts
- FAQ
Who should buy this flooring?
The Carl’s Golf Room Floor Tile System is a great option if you:
- Want a professional-looking simulator floor without building a wooden subfloor
- Plan on installing putting turf over your floor
- Want your hitting strip to sit flush with the surrounding turf
- Prefer an easy DIY installation over cutting insulation board or plywood
If you’re trying to build the absolute cheapest simulator possible, generic foam tiles or other DIY solutions may still make more sense.
What Is the Carl’s Place Floor Tile System?
The Carl’s Place floor system is built around large interlocking EVA foam tiles that create the foundation for your simulator floor.
Unlike generic foam gym flooring, these tiles also include:
- Finished edge pieces
- Corner pieces
- A height designed specifically for hitting strips + putting turf
- Compatibility with Carl’s Place hitting inserts
The biggest advantage is that once you lay putting turf over the tiles, the finished height lines up perfectly with Carl’s Place’s 1¾-inch hitting inserts. Instead of trying to shim mats or build up layers yourself, everything is designed to fit flush right out of the box.
That’s what gives the finished floor such a clean, professional appearance.
I’ve been using this flooring in my current garage simulator for a few months now, and it’s been one of the simplest parts of the entire build.
Specifications
| Tile Size | 40.25″ x 40.25″ |
| Thickness | 1.25″ |
| Material | EVA Foam |
| Compatible With | 1.75″ Thick Hitting Inserts/Mats |
| Edge Pieces | Optional |
| Corner Pieces | Optional |
Installation Couldn’t Be Much Easier
One thing I really appreciated about this system is how straightforward it is.
The tiles simply lock together like oversized puzzle pieces. You connect the tiles together until you’ve built the floor to the size you need.
After the main floor is complete, you simply install the finished edge pieces around whichever sides of the simulator are exposed.
For example:
- If your simulator goes wall-to-wall, you may only need finished edging on the front.
- If your simulator sits out in the middle of a room, you can finish every exposed side.
Carl’s Place lets you order only the perimeter pieces you actually need, so you aren’t paying for extras you’ll never use.
Besides giving the floor a finished appearance, they create a much smoother transition onto the simulator platform, so you’re less likely to catch your foot when stepping onto the floor. It’s a small detail, but it makes the finished setup look much more intentional than simply stopping the turf at the edge.
They even include a floor tile calculator on the product page, making it easy to figure out exactly how many tile packs and edge pieces you’ll need before ordering.
The larger tile size also makes installation faster than standard foam flooring.
Larger Tiles Mean Fewer Seams
Most EVA foam flooring you’ll find online uses 24-inch by 24-inch tiles.
Carl’s Place tiles measure roughly 40¼ inches by 40¼ inches, which is significantly larger.
That offers a few benefits:
- Faster installation
- Fewer seams across the floor
- Cleaner overall appearance
- Less chance of uneven spots developing over multiple tile joints
It’s not a dramatic difference, but fewer seams always make a project feel cleaner and simpler.
Adding the Putting Turf
Once the foam tiles are installed, it’s time to lay your putting turf.
In most cases, you don’t even need adhesive.
I’ve used putting turf on multiple simulator builds now, and the weight of the turf is usually enough to keep everything in place.
If you prefer, you can certainly use carpet tape or another adhesive method, but I don’t think it’s necessary for most installations.
One note worth mentioning is that Carl’s Place does not currently sell putting turf so you’ll have to source that separately.
If you’re shopping for turf, you have several options:
- Local putting green suppliers
- Landscape turf dealers
- Online putting turf retailers
In my previous simulator, I used Money Putt turf and had a great experience with it as well.
Wait Until the End Before Cutting Your Hitting Strip
This is probably my biggest piece of advice.
Don’t cut your hitting strip opening until the very end of your simulator build.
There are several reasons for this.
Once your projector and launch monitor are installed, you may discover that your hitting position needs to move slightly.
Maybe:
- The projector casts a shadow.
- Your launch monitor requires a different ball position.
- You decide you’d rather stand a few inches farther from the screen.
If you’ve already cut your turf, making adjustments becomes much more difficult.
Fortunately, waiting until everything else is finalized avoids that problem completely.
How I Cut My Hitting Strip
Once everything else was finished, I used a laser level to precisely locate my hitting position.
Here’s the process I followed.
Step 1: Find the Center of the Screen
Using a laser level, I projected a line directly through the center of the impact screen extending toward the back wall.
Then I used another horizontal laser line across the bottom of the screen to verify that everything was perfectly square.
This ensured the hitting strip would be perfectly centered and perpendicular to the screen.
Step 2: Position the Hitting Strip
Next, I placed the hitting strip directly on top of the turf.
I adjusted it until:
- The center line ran exactly through the middle of the strip.
- It sat at my preferred hitting distance from the screen.
Once I was happy with the position, I weighted the strip down so it couldn’t move.
Step 3: Trace the Outline
I carefully traced around the hitting strip.
Because my putting turf is black, I used a metallic silver Sharpie.
If you’re using green turf, a standard black marker works perfectly.
Take your time here.
A clean outline makes the rest of the process much easier.
Step 4: Cut Slowly
Using a heavy-duty utility knife with a long blade, I scored around the outline multiple times.
Rather than trying to cut through everything in one pass, I gradually worked deeper with each cut.
One thing you’ll quickly notice is that turf dulls blades very fast.
Have several replacement blades ready before you start.
Cut Small First
One mistake you definitely don’t want to make is cutting the opening too large.
I intentionally cut slightly inside my traced line.
Then I slowly shaved away small amounts until the hitting strip fit perfectly.
It’s much easier to remove a little extra material than it is to fix an oversized opening.
Take your time.
The final result is worth the patience.
Hitting Insert Options
Carl’s Place currently offers three different hitting inserts.
Standard Insert
This is the entry-level option that comes with the HotShot mat.
It works fine but it’s a little flimsy and I like the other two options better.
Foam Insert
This is the option I’d recommend for most golfers.
It has excellent cushioning while still providing realistic feedback.
It’s comfortable to hit from and earned high marks in my hitting strip testing.
Gel Insert
This is the insert I’ve been using.
In my opinion, it’s the closest feeling to taking a real divot outdoors.
It offers fantastic feedback and realism.
However, it is slightly firmer than the foam version.
If you’re prone to wrist or elbow pain, or you’re just looking for maximum forgiveness, the foam insert may be the better choice.
What About Wear Marks?
One thing I’ve already noticed is that my stance area is beginning to show some wear.
That’s completely normal.
Over time, every simulator floor develops standing marks.
One nice thing about this flooring system is that if the wear ever becomes noticeable enough to bother me, I can simply cut in the entire Carl’s Place HotShot mat instead of only the hitting strip.
That replaces both the hitting area and the stance area without rebuilding the entire floor.
It’s nice knowing that upgrade path already exists.
How Does It Compare to Amazon Foam Tiles?
This comparison actually surprised me.
I assumed Carl’s Place would be considerably more expensive.
After comparing similar 1¼-inch thick EVA flooring, I found the opposite.
Comparable Amazon flooring actually cost more per square foot than Carl’s Place.
There are certainly cheaper foam tiles available online, but most of the inexpensive options are thinner (½” to 1”) and aren’t really apples-to-apples comparisons.
On top of that, Carl’s Place offers several additional advantages:
- Larger tiles
- Fewer seams
- Finished edge pieces
- Corner pieces
- Better sizing options when ordering
One feature I especially like is that you can order packs of five or six tiles from Carl’s Place.
That allows you to purchase much closer to the exact quantity your project requires instead of buying several extra tiles you’ll never use.
Less waste is always a plus.
How Does It Compare to Foam Board Insulation?
I’ve built a simulator floor using foam board insulation before.
Personally, I wouldn’t do it again.
Foam board certainly works, but it creates several challenges.
For starters, cutting it creates a mess.
Little foam particles end up everywhere.
It’s also surprisingly fragile.
Simply kneeling on it can leave dents.
Because of that, many DIY builders end up adding plywood on top of the insulation.
Now you’re buying more material, making more cuts, and adding another installation step.
By comparison, EVA foam tiles are much cleaner to work with.
They cut easily with a utility knife and don’t crumble everywhere.
What About Building a Wooden Subfloor?
If you’re an experienced carpenter, building a custom wood platform can absolutely work.
It also gives you complete control over height and construction.
But that’s a much larger DIY project.
Personally, I prefer solutions that let me spend more time golfing and less time building.
That’s exactly why this flooring appealed to me.
Most of it simply comes out of the box ready to assemble.
The only real cutting required is your hitting strip opening.
Pros
- Extremely easy DIY installation
- Large tiles mean fewer seams
- Professional finished appearance
- Optional edge and corner pieces eliminate extra trim work
- Perfect height for Carl’s Place hitting inserts
- Competitive pricing compared to similar 1¼-inch EVA flooring
Cons
- Putting turf is sold separately
- Still requires careful cutting for a flush hitting strip
- Costs more than thinner gym flooring
- May be overkill if you’re already using another layer of material (foam, wood, etc.)
Final Thoughts
After several months of using the Carl’s Place Golf Room Floor Tile System, I’ve been extremely happy with it.
It solved one of the more complicated parts of building a golf simulator while still producing a finished result that looks clean and professional.
The installation is simple.
The height works perfectly with Carl’s Place hitting inserts.
The finished edge pieces eliminate a lot of DIY headaches.
And perhaps most surprisingly, the price is actually competitive with similar EVA foam flooring available elsewhere.
Is it the only way to build a simulator floor?
Of course not.
There are plenty of successful DIY methods, including foam board insulation, plywood platforms, and generic interlocking foam tiles.
But if your goal is to create a professional-looking golf simulator without turning the floor into a major construction project, I think Carl’s Place has put together one of the easiest solutions currently available.
For golfers who value simplicity, clean aesthetics, and compatibility with quality hitting strips, it’s an option that’s well worth considering.
Easy Install
The easiest way to get a professional looking simulator floor.
FAQ
No. The interlocking design keeps the tiles together, and in most cases the weight of the putting turf is enough to hold everything in place.
Yes. Any hitting strip around 1¾ inches thick should work. Thinner strips can usually be shimmed to match the finished floor height.
No. It is not recommended and will likely cause damage to the tiles.
Yes. You would just need to buy putting cups separately. Trace and cut them into the floor just like the hitting strip. I recommend these putting cups.
