Best Launch Monitor Under 4K?

[oggrunt]

Winter is coming and I want to do more than hit balls into a net.

 

Is there something under 4k that shows ball flight along with data such as carry distance, spin, spin axis, swing speed, ball speed, launch angle, smash factor...?

 

It would be great to hear about anyones experience with their LM.

[golferguywhcc]

I think that the Skytrak covers all of your wants and runs for $1995

[i*windows]

I think Skytrak is the only thing you will find for your budget, and the reviews seem to be good

[Tony772]

You can usually find used GC2s on ebay for around that price.

[ChelseaFCOwner]

Skytrak is innacurate.

FWIW, I have tested 3 diff units... great if you want to guess your distances within 20 yards which one can do visually... they have great marketing and real craphole support and service... just check out threads on golfsimulator etc... their other products like sky caddie etc have similar mixed reps.

I just bought a product which is popular in Asia but not here, called Golf Achiever.... I am awaiting the stance and hitting platform but the head unit works really well.... it uses lasers and sensors to measure VERY ACCURATELY your swing path, club head, ball speed, distances etc

Check it out here www.golfachiever.com It was actually designed and programmed by PHds out of some of the California colleges and has mulitple patents... I really like it and no I am in no way associated with said company.

I think they sell it on ebay for $2600 ... I bought mine with higher shipping because I lived in a village with no USPS so have paid over $3000 all up

It is very ACCURATE... nails my swing and club distances on the nose..

Only negative is - if you are clumsy like me and get the laser out of sync you need to realign it..... no biggie as I am an engineer but you may need to tinker with it... I have realigned mine already but there are videos with the software and on yootoob which go thru everything.

I will do a review when my back is better and I can hit a few 100 shots and show a video

[oggrunt]

Thanks for info on Golf Achiever. Looks good and I would love to see what you think about it. And yeah, I read somewhere that skytrak is consistently off by 5+% so if I avg 300yds with driver then I'd have to expect a variation of 15yds which would suck.

Can't find CG2 with software for a good price unfortunately:(

[sdrthedj]

Skytak is fine. When it first came out it need some work on its flight module and calcukations, but it is very accurate now. It is under $2k, has simulator options available and gets better each software release.

Skytrak will not give club head speed. It will estimate it for you. Skytrak measures spin, the one parameter that most units can;t measure, especially chesper.

Golf acheiver does not measure spin.....not a launch monitor if it doesnt measure spin

[ChelseaFCOwner]

[b]Golf Achiever DOES MEASURE spin[/b]... it measures all club head data, ball data yada yada yada

get your facts right before posting mate. I do have concerns for non technical people using the unit however if anything went wrong

[url="http://www.golfachiever.com/Web/Technology/Algorithms/algorithms.html"]http://www.golfachie...algorithms.html[/url]

and

[url="http://www.golfachiever.com/Web/Technology/Testing/testing.html"]http://www.golfachie...ng/testing.html[/url]

and

[url="http://www.golfachiever.com/Web/Technology/LaserTech/laser-tech.html"]http://www.golfachie...laser-tech.html[/url]

This yootoob video shows some of the data [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thMXKBOBXtA"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thMXKBOBXtA[/url]


When I am back at my house I will take some pics with my phone and post some data etc but for the few shots I have hit it seems to get my swing and ball data quite spot on

I am getting the platform mats next week so will be 10 days or so until I get a full run on it but testing so far is spot on. I am back in NYC for a week cause I am quite ill.

BTW I am an electronic engineer and former military radar/crypto engineer so know a thing about all the SIMS out there I have seen and the methods used

Did SkyTrak get TGC or E6 or the other sim software working properly yet ?

[oggrunt]

Both seem ok, Golf Achiever looks more complete but I can't find any info about/from them more recent than 2012 (a little odd). Also seems outdated and not user friendly but I hope to see what you think of it before I make any conclusions. If Skytrak is frequently updated then thats a real plus

[ChelseaFCOwner]

I asked the GA guys about their marketing... it is a joke... not even on golfsimulator etc

My $0.02...

I looked at SkyTrak and it would be better as a SIM "game player" if you want pretty graphics if they get the software really working but as a swing tool and winter swing tinkering tool it is USELESS to me.

I want to rebuild my game with a weaker grip (I have Azingeritis) and having accurate club head data and ball spins that are accurately calculated is imperative for me on EVERY SHOT... as far as playing the 45 courses I almost certainly will as I just bought a new laptop with GTX 4gb 960 but that is 2ndary for me. The GA lets you input each and every club with significant club data down to weight, lie, etc etc

Overall
1. Golf Achiever is very accurate
2. Graphics for the "course games" are meh
3. The laser system is easy to set up and maintain as long as you are not a total drongo
4. I doubt if it will be moveable much once I get the very heavy stance and hitting platform set up
5. It is not marketed in USA much but is sold a LOT in Asia
6. The product is backed by a lot of very clever engineer types, PHds and it has a raft of patents

Data overall in the SIM industry is opaque so YMMV


if you really need the club head data and do not want to pay up for GC2 with HMT then this is a cheap option..... I will do a video as I said once I am up and running and can use my full unhindered (no back pain) swing to show the machine in action

[wbond]

Skytrak is working with TGC and has been for a while. Getting it officially released is the issue.

Golf achiever does not measure spin. The ball passes through a field where it can measure VLA and horizontal azimuth based on where you hit from each time. The reason you input club is so it can calculate the spin based on club specs (that you have to input), how the club passes through the laser and the ball measurements.

When you setup your clubs, you are even guessing at what to put in for club factor for determining how much side to side movement there may be, and an assumption for gear effect. You also have to state how high you are going to tee it up so it doesn't give you a wrong VLA.

Also, does it measure the club before or after the strike, what happens to club face when you hit on toe or heel, how accurate is your clubface reading then? What happens if you catch the heel or toe on the ground immediately after the hit, but prior to passing through the laser. What reading do you get then?

Please explain or provide a link where they state they "measure" spin.

If anyone is looking for club tracking data, I would suggest you go with protee.

See golf simulator forum for more in depth reviews/opinions on all options out there.


[quote name='oggrunt' timestamp='1443894616' post='12405646']
Golf Achiever looks more complete but I can't find any info about/from them more recent than 2012 (a little odd). Also seems outdated and not user friendly but I hope to see what you think of it before I make any conclusions.
[/quote]

Because there are better options than this unit.

[wbond]

This is from Golfachiever on what parameters are measured and their range.

GolfAchiever Measurement Range
Launch Angle—2 degrees to 65 degrees
Azimuth—- Closed 30 degrees to Open 30 degrees
Ball Speed—5 MPH—250 MPH
Swing Path—Outside In 20 Degrees to Inside Out 20 degrees

Importance of just tee height for their calculations.
Tee Height and Tee Location (Tee Back and Tee Side) are critical factors in achieving the highest level of GolfAchiever accuracy. The tee position settings greatly effect launch angle, ball speed, azimuth, distance carried, and other variables. IMPORTANT!: Any errors in measuring or entering Tee Position Variables will cause errors in GolfAchiever reported data. Because precise Tee Position Variables are a critical element to GolfAchiever accuracy, Focaltron recommends that you use GolfAchiever golf mats, mat locators, turf, and tees anytime you use GolfAchiever.

[sdrthedj]

[quote name='ChelseaFCOwner' timestamp='1443885898' post='12405154']

get your facts right before posting mate. I do have concerns for non technical people using the unit however if anything went wrong

[/quote]



I do thanks.

From the golf achiever website:

[color=#333333]By combining GolfAchiever's[b] measured impact variables - such as Ball Speed, Launch Angle, Azimuth, Swing Path, and Face Impact[/b] from the L-Frame - with GolfAchiever's Proprietary Algorithms, GolfAchiever is able to deliver the industry's most accurate Launch Parameters and Ball Flight Simulation.[/color]


Please show me where they are measuring spin.

[ChelseaFCOwner]

[b]Every shot the spin is measured.[/b] I have the unit... their website is a joke and is barely updated

Look at this video at 1 min 15... shows the GA Basic where some Aussie guys are using the unit.

[url="https://youtu.be/thMXKBOBXtA"]https://youtu.be/thMXKBOBXtA[/url]

It shows LAUNCH ANGLE with [b]back spin [/b]on the right side picture... and swing path with [b]side spin [/b]on the left picture... middle picture shows azimuth.. bottom data shows swing speed, ball speed, distance, flight time, maximum height, how far off line etc

Hope this helps as I know their marketing is almost ANTI-marketing and they don't seem to care and their data is the same for the last 4 years.... I am quite ill but will do up a quick video today on just a few pitch shots (I have a pancreas problem which makes me hurt like hell so no full shots)

I will post the video here... [b]SOUND good ?[/b]

[ChelseaFCOwner]

There are 3 basic pics at my twitter here (I don't know how to upload pics here)

 

https://twitter.com/ChelseaFCOwner and I will upload my video (basic one)

 

basic pic of a wedge shot on the practice range.... analysis screen pic

 

[ChelseaFCOwner]

NB in the picture above it says "tee 1.88"..... the mat they use is 1.88" high so any shot off the turf is the same as that and they give you colored tees for various heights to use from exact positions as per wbond's query above... you select which tee or matt you are using and each club before the shot

Hope that helps

[wbond]

Just because a number is displayed, does not mean it is measured. This is something everyone needs to understand.

Please direct us to where it specifically states that this unit measures spin! With the way it is setup and the required inputs, you can tell it does not measure this, if it did, it would not need to know club information.

GC2 (unless it has HMT), Skytrak, Trugolf, Protee, Optishot, P3pro all display numbers they don't measure.

[ChelseaFCOwner]

Just because a number is displayed, does not mean it is measured. This is something everyone needs to understand.

 

Please direct us to where it specifically states that this unit measures spin! With the way it is setup and the required inputs, you can tell it does not measure this, if it did, it would not need to know club information.

 

GC2 (unless it has HMT), Skytrak, Trugolf, Protee, Optishot, P3pro all display numbers they don't measure.

 

Actually you are correct, just spoke to my mate who is a pro who has it and it uses matrices to calculate spin rates with high degree of accuracy off other said data but in their outdoor testing it says empahitcally that it records rpms as well as all the other data as per this page

 

- http://www.golfachiever.com/Web/Technology/Testing/testing.html

 

Physical Parameters

GolfAchiever's Proprietary Algorithms include Ball Flight Aerodynamics defined by four physical variables: Friction Coefficient, Magnus Coefficient, Spin Time Constant, and K-Azimuth.

[ChelseaFCOwner]

[b]wbond - [/b]I will see if I can my hands on a pro GC2 with HMT from the local pro and use that at the same time if possible to compare spin rates etc or otherwise and I will ask the company as well as they claim it is very accurate as to spin.

[wbond]

That is all i was trying to point out, this unit does not measure spin. It does fit the OP's inquiry of being under 4k. I think there are better options out there though than the Golfachiever, personal opinion only and many who test golf simulators would probably agree as well. There other forums that have a heavier focus on golf sim's, ottawa golf fourm as well as golfsimulatorforum. Good luck with your testing. Be curious to see if they can work together at the same time.

[ChelseaFCOwner]

I checked out golfsimulator for weeks.... quite underwhelmed with some of the products and lack of transparency but I hear you about data...

I would have bought Skytrak but think it is next to useless for what I want to rebuild my swing, and each unit I used at friend's had problems and were nowhere near satisfactory except for game use and the company do not respond to serious questions with any integrity so all a big meh..... looked at a used GC2 from 2ndswing but meh... looked at Protee but I have very bad hands and their hitting mat did not gel with me on the few dozen shots I had at my mates house. I have used some "juiced" other units (Flightscope) at pro shops etc but the price tag is up there for what I need. I really just need the azimuth AOA club head data etc BUT I will query their tech people at GA about how spin is calculated.

To test this with GC2 and the HMT I would have to have the ball way back on this unit and have the GC2 at the back of that... we will see... thanks for your input as I was certain this MEASURED spin

I will post a quick very rough video anyway.

[goatbarn]

It's a shame how these "launch monitor" companies claim things their products do not do.

It's easy to fall into the false sense of knowledge that Chelsea did when they flat out lie a lot.

But it does help to research as much as you can, because that info is clearly out there.

Hell, a company by the name of Zelocity made a series of "launch monitors" that didn't measure a lot of things they said they did including spin, but rather used random number generators to estimate spin numbers so as to not get caught so easily at lying. They've since been sued out of business.

First things first, always do your research.

[ChelseaFCOwner]

There is a mob in ATL who I understand is using either the old Zelocity or another defunct LM but of course even after talking to said owner of company there is still zero data and he wanted to sell me a demo model for $3500... LOL... in my case, re GA, I was not LIED to but I assumed... [b]MY BAD but a big difference[/b]... luckily for me the data which is measured seems really good but we will find more as we go along re spin calculations and how they are done. The club head data so far seems good..... I am going to try to set up the video swing anlysis software and do some old alignment tricks to measure club head stuff to see how close I can get

[ChelseaFCOwner]

Here is my brief crappy video........ when I am healthier I will do a better one and update my concerns and positives on the unit.

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz5PZ_zqHVc&feature=youtu.be"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz5PZ_zqHVc&feature=youtu.be[/url]

[oggrunt]

Thanks for the video! Looks good -- quite the setup too. I'm gonna wait until my local course closes for winter and then I'll decide what to buy. Skytrak and GA are the main contenders. Almost got hooked by Zelocity (now "xtremeradar") so thanks for the heads up!

[wbond]

Thanks for posting the video, nice car in the background as well.

I didn't realize you had to also select the ball type. Another factor in calculating their spin rate and how it relates to their spin time constant. Enjoy your sim.

[larrybud]

There are 3 basic pics at my twitter here (I don't know how to upload pics here)

 

https://twitter.com/ChelseaFCOwner and I will upload my video (basic one)

 

basic pic of a wedge shot on the practice range.... analysis screen pic

 

 

Can't have a smash factor <1.00. That would mean the clubhead is moving FASTER than the ball coming off of it. Obviously that doesn't happen.

[ChelseaFCOwner]

There are 3 basic pics at my twitter here (I don't know how to upload pics here)

 

https://twitter.com/ChelseaFCOwner and I will upload my video (basic one)

 

basic pic of a wedge shot on the practice range.... analysis screen pic

 

 

Can't have a smash factor <1.00. That would mean the clubhead is moving FASTER than the ball coming off of it. Obviously that doesn't happen.

 

Sorry, been really ill, back in hospital tomorrow, shot above is not from me, but I am having some issues with the GA unit from a tachnical stand point and i AM AN engineer by trade so I CANNOT recommend the product for anyone who is not willing to do some laser alignment or who is afraid of lasers.

 

Will update in a few weeks when I am better and using the unit a lot more