Personal launch monitors

[Torrey4Life]

Anyone have experience with these? I've been toying with the idea of buying one to give me basic stats (for self teaching purposes when I don't have time/money for lessons) as well as train clubhead speed and feeling for partial wedge shots.

 

@Monte I think you have this one? https://store-861a0.mybigcommerce.com/ernestsports-es12/

 

Any idea what the benefit of the es14 is compared? Quite a price difference.

 

Any others I should consider? I'm not really that interested in the devices you stick into the handle of your club, I really just want a portable and (hopefully) highly accurate launch monitor that's affordable.

[BenHoganSlam1953]

I would be very interested in this too to dial in my distances. If the accuracy is just so-so compared to the $$$ bigger boys (FlightScope Xi) then I'll likely just go with option 2 and walk to a certain distance on the fairway (using my laser rangefinder) and dial in my yardages over a few rounds.

[Yrrdead]

Well judging from your post my guess is you are on the lowest tier budget of personal launch monitors. Luckily there is only one clear winner in that category, the Voice Caddy SC100.

http://www.amazon.com/Voice-Caddie-Golf-Swing-Black/dp/B00J1VV792/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1427431765&sr=8-2&keywords=sc100

Could probably find one on the Bay/BST for significantly less.

Next step up from that is about 10x the price (Skytrak).

[shortstop20]

Also interested in how accurate these are.

[Yrrdead]

There are some other golf forums, that I can't share links to, that have done pretty good reviews on these products.



[size=2]Most Young Golfers Only Like Fair Spry Patient Yorkies.[/size]

[iteachgolf]

Not very accurate and don't show curve. At pga show distance was more than a club off

[ParHunter]

There was a review recently on MGS: add this relative URL to the MGS URL: /buyers-guide-personal-launch-monitors/ (I can't post the full URL it seems)

Edit:
Here you go: [b]http://tinyurl.com/p3c7b9j[/b]

[iteachgolf]

5% error in distance and 30% error in spin is horrible. Even the best of 10% error in launch and spin is way too far to be usable. A full club off on distance and for a 7 iron 700+ rpms off on spin with zero club data on the best one. The ES14 will be over 2,000rpms off with a 7 iron. The best one will be off 1-3* on launch angle with ES14 being 3-6* off in launch angle. These are nothing more than toys and not accurate enough to waste money on. The ES14 was 27 yards off on a 6 iron for me on average carry distance

[larrybud]

I've posted this a couple of times, but I bought an old Zelocity Ball speed monitor, and, if you're just interested in ball speed, it's incredibly accurate. Had it side by side with a trackman and it was *consistently* 2mph under the TM. Not 1, not 3, but 2, every time.

It also has a "carry distance" which I don't pay any attention to, because it uses some assumptions in its calculations (spin, launch angle, etc).

I bought it for $60 on ebay, so it was a steal.

[Torrey4Life]

Thanks everyone for chiming in! Really appreciate it.

[Swoff57]

[quote name='iteachgolf' timestamp='1427461869' post='11226467']
5% error in distance and 30% error in spin is horrible. Even the best of 10% error in launch and spin is way too far to be usable. A full club off on distance and for a 7 iron 700+ rpms off on spin with zero club data on the best one. The ES14 will be over 2,000rpms off with a 7 iron. The best one will be off 1-3* on launch angle with ES14 being 3-6* off in launch angle. These are nothing more than toys and not accurate enough to waste money on. The ES14 was 27 yards off on a 6 iron for me on average carry distance
[/quote]

The error rate of 5% may be significant to a truly excellent player, or a teaching pro. However, if you are an everyday Joe looking for a way to break the 100/90/80 barriers these products are more than acceptable. I completely understand that more expensive models have significantly higher data accuracy rates and provide information not available on the lower price point products. But I hardly think that these products can be considered horrible.

I say if the accuracy and data is sufficient to help someone build their skills and it helps.... have at them. Just know what your buying and the limits associated with them.

[iteachgolf]

[quote name='Swoff57' timestamp='1427608182' post='11238323']
[quote name='iteachgolf' timestamp='1427461869' post='11226467']
5% error in distance and 30% error in spin is horrible. Even the best of 10% error in launch and spin is way too far to be usable. A full club off on distance and for a 7 iron 700+ rpms off on spin with zero club data on the best one. The ES14 will be over 2,000rpms off with a 7 iron. The best one will be off 1-3* on launch angle with ES14 being 3-6* off in launch angle. These are nothing more than toys and not accurate enough to waste money on. The ES14 was 27 yards off on a 6 iron for me on average carry distance
[/quote]

The error rate of 5% may be significant to a truly excellent player, or a teaching pro. However, if you are an everyday Joe looking for a way to break the 100/90/80 barriers these products are more than acceptable. I completely understand that more expensive models have significantly higher data accuracy rates and provide information not available on the lower price point products. But I hardly think that these products can be considered horrible.

I say if the accuracy and data is sufficient to help someone build their skills and it helps.... have at them. Just know what your buying and the limits associated with them.
[/quote]

They don't show curve. They are 10+ yards off and thousands of RPMs off. That is significant and drastically changed the flight shown and distance shown. So a product that shows the wrong distance, spin, and speed (up to 30% off) without showing curve is useful? You'd be better off hitting 30 extra buckets if balls and simply watch where it's going.

[TB07]

This is the world of the golf business. ES14 claimed to be close to Trackman in terms of distance accuracy, spin, and launch. Of course, as are most reps, it was a kid that didn't have much experience.

[Poser]

DOn't waste your money pick up a cheaper flightscope, skytrack, or gc2

[Skedaddle]

ES12 is a ball speed monitor which is fine if your launch is fairly standard but will give you poor readings if otherwise. Put a couple of pool noodles horizontally on a couple of alignments sticks and see which one you hit. Then calculate the launch from trig for a rough calculation! Whack the numbers into Fcope optimiser assuming lower launch gives you lower spin cos of reduced spin loft. Then add ES12 you've got a very basic LM. Alternatively you'd be best off picking up a secondhand vector pro if you don't need it to be mobile

[whatshannenin]

ES14 is way off. Save up for GC2 or get Flightscope Xi if you are considering "personal" launch monitors. Otherwise spend $350 on a Bushnell and watch the ball land or find a flat spot on a course and hit groups of balls and measure each group with a laser or step off. Why buy something that isn't exactly cheap and really serves no purpose other than a random guess at distance?

[Linkkingx]

I just ordered an SC100 second hand with the sole purpose of making my backyard net a little more interesting. I've had plenty of practice sessions on a GC2 so I generally know my carry distances. I'm not expecting the SC100 to be super accurate, but since it directly measures club and ball speed I would imagine smash factor will be spot on. I have a nice country club elite mat so I can tell when I hit it fat, and from experience I can tell when I hit the ball right out of the middle. I'm hoping the target and game modes will make it interesting enough to keep using, especially if I'm taking the distance numbers with a big grain of salt. In my mind it's gotta be better than nothing but I'll let you know what I think after using it if anybody is interested.

[iteachgolf]

[quote name='Linkkingx' timestamp='1427761030' post='11248847']
I just ordered an SC100 second hand with the sole purpose of making my backyard net a little more interesting. I've had plenty of practice sessions on a GC2 so I generally know my carry distances. I'm not expecting the SC100 to be super accurate, but since it directly measures club and ball speed I would imagine smash factor will be spot on. I have a nice country club elite mat so I can tell when I hit it fat, and from experience I can tell when I hit the ball right out of the middle. I'm hoping the target and game modes will make it interesting enough to keep using, especially if I'm taking the distance numbers with a big grain of salt. In my mind it's gotta be better than nothing but I'll let you know what I think after using it if anybody is interested.
[/quote]

Did you look at the testing done? Clubhead speed about 8% off. Ball speed better at 1.75% off and smash factor 5.5% off. With a driver that's a pretty big difference on clubhead speed.

[Linkkingx]

[quote name='iteachgolf' timestamp='1427761860' post='11248963']
[quote name='Linkkingx' timestamp='1427761030' post='11248847']
I just ordered an SC100 second hand with the sole purpose of making my backyard net a little more interesting. I've had plenty of practice sessions on a GC2 so I generally know my carry distances. I'm not expecting the SC100 to be super accurate, but since it directly measures club and ball speed I would imagine smash factor will be spot on. I have a nice country club elite mat so I can tell when I hit it fat, and from experience I can tell when I hit the ball right out of the middle. I'm hoping the target and game modes will make it interesting enough to keep using, especially if I'm taking the distance numbers with a big grain of salt. In my mind it's gotta be better than nothing but I'll let you know what I think after using it if anybody is interested.
[/quote]

Did you look at the testing done? Clubhead speed about 8% off. Ball speed better at 1.75% off and smash factor 5.5% off. With a driver that's a pretty big difference on clubhead speed.
[/quote]

OK, maybe "spot on" wasn't the right wording, haha. Based on the single shot test though it looked pretty close. Again, I'm looking for it to only make my practice time in the net a little bit more interesting. The only feedback I get hitting into a net is whether or not I hit the ball clean, and I don't expect the SC100 to really change that or give me any kind of concrete numbers. I don't hit driver into the net too often and I would imagine as ball and club speeds go up that these low cost monitors would be less likely to be accurate, but that's just my gut feeling and not really based on any facts. I'm thinking it's basically going to be useful in telling me the general quality of strike and adding a little fun with the random target mode. Who knows, it could be totally useless like you suggest, and as a game improvement tool I tend to agree, but with the right expectations I think it could have some value. At this point though it's all speculation for me since I don't actually have it yet. I got it for around a hundred bucks so until I go nuts and get myself a Skytrak or Flightscope this will be worth a shot if nothing else but for fun.