Flightscope Indoor Range **GC2/JNPG Update p.4**

[drewtaylor21]

After reading Dornstar’s thread about his garage simulator build

(http://www.golfwrx.c...__hl__ dornstar), I started getting initial ideas about the possibility of setting something similar up in my own garage. At the time, it was more of a pipe dream, as I really couldn’t justify spending the money when I have access to a world-class practice facility at Paiute Golf Course for $300/year (thanks Paiute for treating locals right!).

 

That all changed when my wife and I found out that she’s going to be having our first baby (a boy!) in July. At that point, the wheels really began turning, as I realized quickly that my “me” time at the range was going to disappear, or at least be severely limited. My game is very important to me, and I knew that for sanity purposes, I was going to need a way to make my golf time more of a reality once baby boy arrives. Thus, the plans were put in motion. I’ve been doing a lot of overtime at work, so I had some “bonus” money to work with over and above what we’ve saved for baby expenses, so wifely approval was granted.

 

I spent a lot of time reading and researching on golfsimulatorforum dot com as well as the old ottowagolf dot com, and picked the brains of several forum members for their thoughts and ideas. Special thanks to Goatbarn, who has taken the brunt of my questioning and been extremely helpful in the process. Additional thanks to jwm1 for the insight on Flightscope! Both of these guys have been a huge help.

 

My real goal with all of this was to create an at-home driving range where I could maintain my full swing practice, then try to sneak out and play whenever possible. With that in mind, I wanted to find the most accurate but cost-effective launch monitor possible. I know I will want to add simulation play down the road, but for now, I just needed to establish a place where I could practice and stay sharp at home. My options were the GC2, Skytrak, and Flightscope Xi. GC2 seemed to be the top choice for short indoor practice, and Skytrak is doing a great job at providing a very similar product for a much better price. I'm hopeful that the market will continue to work in the buyer’s favor as products advance and the tech gets better. GC2 is just too expensive still for what it provides (IMO) compared to Skytrak, so GC2 was the first option to get cut from my list. I strongly considered it for a while, but all in, even if I found a used unit, the total price was going to be over $7k, which was more than I wanted to spend. Skytrak has really improved in the last 6 months, but I still had doubts about its accuracy, and I didn’t like the delay between ball being hit and image projecting on the screen. Not a deal breaker, but just not something I wanted to deal with if I was going to spend a lot of money. Additionally, it really doesn’t work well outdoors if I ever wanted to take it to a real range. Thus, Flightscope’s Xi became my #1 contender. I trust their accuracy as a quality launch monitor, and they developed a new firmware version over the winter that allows radar to be used in as little as 16 feet of total space from the unit to the screen, which just fits inside my garage (I have 19 feet from garage door to back wall). Flightscope units also measure every club and ball stat you could ever need, and while some units display more than others, everything is measured, which again, eased my mind where accuracy was concerned.

 

I began my build process slowly, and tried to save money wherever possible. I could certainly make things more visually appealing, but I’m not terribly concerned with that at the minute. This is all about functionality, accuracy, and saving money!

 

I purchased a Country Club Elite hitting strip with stance mat ($185) first. I’ve heard over and over not to skimp on the mat, as cheaper options can really mess your wrists and elbows up after a decent amount of use. The CCE has been flawless. (I built a very ghetto looking perimeter for it out of 2x4’s to keep things from sliding around - it does the trick).

 

 

 

Next step was the impact screen. I may end up going with the Cadillac model down the road, which is the Par2Pro HQ screen, but for now I am perfectly happy with West Coast Netting’s PR-20 screen ($260). Image quality is great, and it doesn’t make a loud noise at all when a ball hits the screen, which I’ve heard can be an issue with the HQ screen. I also purchased a golf net from ebay ($15) to use as backup behind the screen. I put the frame together myself just using PVC from Home Depot ($40). In hindsight, I probably should have used conduit pipes, as they are a bit sturdier and would allow for more tension on the backup net, but PVC does work and I haven’t had any issues. I hung my net and screen using zip ties, which have held up great so far.

 

 

 

At this point I was hitting some balls in the garage, just had no picture of ball flight. It was time to figure out the launch monitor. I talked to Flightscope and arranged for a demo unit to be sent out. I demo’d their Xi+ model, which shows more data than the Xi, but for an additional $2500. Had a lot of fun with the unit and my indoor space worked just fine, so I decided Flightscope would be my launch monitor. I purchased the Xi ($2500), a tablet (Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, $400), and projector (BenQ HT1085ST, $900). This was the expensive part, but I didn’t want to skimp here either, as the quality of the set up really depended on these final pieces. One could save ~ $600-800 getting a used tablet and lower quality projector and do just fine, but I wanted to have pieces in place for upgrades down the road. I’m very happy with the projector, and glad I spent the money for the quality there. Watching TV, movies, etc is now a possibility too, so the man-cave is going to see some serious action when my Seahawks are playing again this fall!

 

I’ve set up several practice games on the Flightscope Skills App, which is great. You can set up targets of varying width and distance along the range and give yourself options for point systems and shots hit into each target. There are also built in combines in Flightscope, which are a great test.

 

 

 

 

All in all, I am extremely happy with my set up and have been getting some great practice out of it at home already. Even in the few short weeks I’ve been set up, I can tell this is a greater benefit to my game than just hitting balls on a normal driving range, so it’s amazing to be able to do this from the comfort of my own home.

 

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I’d be happy to answer any questions anyone has, and I hope this will be a valuable thread for anyone looking to set something similar up themselves!

 

CCE mat: $185

PR-20 screen + net: $280

PVC frame: $40

BenQ HT 1085ST Projector: $900

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2: $400

Flightscope Xi: $2500

 

Total: $4305

 

(could be done as cheap as $3500 or so, depending on tablet and projector)

[MPStrat]

That's awesome man.. Every time I see one of these I get closer and closer to making it happen

[lhahn]

I'm getting married later this year and because of Dornstar, yourself and similar posts I've come across in the last few months, a garage is now a must =)

 

Too bad I can't afford sh** all here in Vancouver.

 

Hope you don't mind me picking your brain in the next year or so.

 

Go Hawks!!!

[drewtaylor21]

I'm getting married later this year and because of Dornstar, yourself and similar posts I've come across in the last few months, a garage is now a must =)

 

Too bad I can't afford sh** all here in Vancouver.

 

Hope you don't mind me picking your brain in the next year or so.

 

Go Hawks!!!

 

Not at all! If the housing market in Vancouver is anything like it is in Seattle, well.....sorry! Go Hawks!

[patrickfisher105]

Does the flightscope xi track the clubs or the ball? Does it measure AoA?

[Apex93]

Congrats! (Um, also congrats on the baby!)

I'm piecing my own laboratory together here, so curious if I could bug you for your thoughts on the difference between the Xi and the plus model. Any issues with the 19 feet of clearance?

 

So jealous.

[sethdavidsdad]

Awesome setup

[QMany]

Great stuff! And congratulations!

 

I don't know much about Flightscope models, does this one have any club data?

[markponi]

Thanks for taking the time! You should start a service. Charge 6000 and set it up for people.

[jimwgt26]

Great thread, thanks for sharing.

[Gamble Gamble]

Congrats on the setup! It makes practicing so much easier.

[Krt22]

Awesome. I had a backyard swing net, but with mosquitos, sometimes lack of daylight, and at times angering my neighbors I took it down. Looking to transition it to the garage. On the fence as well between Skytrak, Xi, or spending a tad more and getting Xi+

[Ezgolfer]

Freerunning ..some serious talent bud...

[oikos1]

Love the baby gear boxes in the background. Good idea to keep mommy happy...

 

"I can tell this is a greater benefit to my game than just hitting balls on a normal driving range,"

 

Not sure about this, but Johnny Miller did learn to hit a golf ball in the dark in his basement...

[drewtaylor21]

Freerunning ..some serious talent bud...

 

Lol, thanks. The good old days....

[drewtaylor21]

Does the flightscope xi track the clubs or the ball? Does it measure AoA?

Great stuff! And congratulations!

 

I don't know much about Flightscope models, does this one have any club data?

 

Awesome. I had a backyard swing net, but with mosquitos, sometimes lack of daylight, and at times angering my neighbors I took it down. Looking to transition it to the garage. On the fence as well between Skytrak, Xi, or spending a tad more and getting Xi+

 

What I'll say is if you're interested in getting a Flightscope, PM me for more info. The official word is that all flightscope models measure club and ball data, but some display more info than others. Here's what Flightscope displays for each model:

 

[drewtaylor21]

Love the baby gear boxes in the background. Good idea to keep mommy happy...

 

"I can tell this is a greater benefit to my game than just hitting balls on a normal driving range,"

 

Not sure about this, but Johnny Miller did learn to hit a golf ball in the dark in his basement...

 

Haha yeah currently I'm having to move baby boxes around before I can practice, but as you said, gotta keep momma happy!

 

The reason I feel it's so much more effective is that I can see exactly how far I am carrying every shot, as well as exact dispersion from my target. It's just so much more precise than trying to eyeball a shot on the driving range. Distance control is one of my primary issues I want to improve on, and I can't think of a better way to practice that than this set up. That's not to say it can take the place of on-course play/practice, but driving range to driving range, I'll take this over a grass range every day of the week!

[drewtaylor21]

Congrats! (Um, also congrats on the baby!)

I'm piecing my own laboratory together here, so curious if I could bug you for your thoughts on the difference between the Xi and the plus model. Any issues with the 19 feet of clearance?

 

So jealous.

 

No issues at all with the indoor distance. I have 9 feet from screen to ball and another 8 feet from ball to Xi and I have yet to have any issues. I've heard the same from others with only 15 and 16 feet of total distance. I do have to put one little metallic sticker on the ball to get accurate readings with 3 wood and driver, but to me that's a pretty easy tradeoff.

[GeoffDickson]

So you get accurate spin rates hitting irons without a sticker on the ball?

[drewtaylor21]

So you get accurate spin rates hitting irons without a sticker on the ball?

 

Yeah. I didn't realize they included the stickers in the case they sent in my order, so the first few days I had it I was just hitting balls. Most of my practice is wedge through mid irons, so I didn't notice any issues. Got the driver out and nothing was even close, so I emailed FS and asked about the stickers. They told me to look in the case and sure enough, there were 100 of em in there. I put one on the ball and problem solved.

[360_CS]

Very nice.

 

So the total distance from the flightscope to the screen has to be 16ft or more? How much do you need from the ball to the net for the flightscope to get an accurate reading? How high is the screen? Can you use your wedges from that 9ft distance and still not worry about the ball going over the screen?

 

Sorry for all the questions. I'm thinking about doing something myself.

[drewtaylor21]

Very nice.

 

So the total distance from the flightscope to the screen has to be 16ft or more? How much do you need from the ball to the net for the flightscope to get an accurate reading? How high is the screen? Can you use your wedges from that 9ft distance and still not worry about the ball going over the screen?

 

Sorry for all the questions. I'm thinking about doing something myself.

 

No problem, I asked a ton of questions too!

 

Yes, total distance from flightscope to screen is recommended to be 16 feet for their new "short indoor" mode, and they recommend at least 8 feet of ball flight. I assume very high speeds with driver (and/or very low spin) would need a bit more space, but I'm usually between 165-170 for ball speed with driver and it reads just fine.

 

My screen is 9' high by 9' wide, and a full wedge usually comes within ~ 2 feet of the top of my screen. I tend to swing less than full with wedges though, so my ballflight and launch angles may allow me to get away with it where someone else might need more room. I've seen some set ups on the golf sim forum where guys had ceiling protection, so it doesn't have to be a deal breaker.

[360_CS]

Very nice.

 

So the total distance from the flightscope to the screen has to be 16ft or more? How much do you need from the ball to the net for the flightscope to get an accurate reading? How high is the screen? Can you use your wedges from that 9ft distance and still not worry about the ball going over the screen?

 

Sorry for all the questions. I'm thinking about doing something myself.

 

No problem, I asked a ton of questions too!

 

Yes, total distance from flightscope to screen is recommended to be 16 feet for their new "short indoor" mode, and they recommend at least 8 feet of ball flight. I assume very high speeds with driver (and/or very low spin) would need a bit more space, but I'm usually between 165-170 for ball speed with driver and it reads just fine.

 

My screen is 9' high by 9' wide, and a full wedge usually comes within ~ 2 feet of the top of my screen. I tend to swing less than full with wedges though, so my ballflight and launch angles may allow me to get away with it where someone else might need more room. I've seen some set ups on the golf sim forum where guys had ceiling protection, so it doesn't have to be a deal breaker.

 

Thanks for that. Another one. Where and how is the projector mounted? When you swing are you close to hitting it?

[The Pearl]

Drew,

 

In your opinion, if one were to build a separate structure for this purpose, how big would it have to be?

 

 

Second question, how mobile is the set up? My garage would take a bit of "rearranging" in terms of moving cars in and out and than configuring the system. I am assuming the screen could stay where it is...

[leekgolf]

This is awesome. I'm curious about your decision to go with the Xi over the Xi Plus. I noticed yesterday that flightscope no longer shows the Xi on their website. Having used both devices do you miss the additional information provided on the more expensive model?

 

And while I understand your decision to go with flightscope, how do you feel about the functionality of Skytrak?

[Hokie2k5]

Great post, thanks for posting. I'm looking to do a similar set up in my house that's currently being built, since I'll finally have a garage big enough to make this happen. I think I would at least like the Xi+ so I could get angle of attack and launch angle but face to path is pretty important as well but in order to get that I'd have to go to the Xi Tour and now it's getting very expensive.

 

Can you feel like you get a true feel for golf shots with just the Xi model? Having used flight scope a lot in the past, Face to path and club path are very important for me when I'm working on my game.

[drewtaylor21]

Very nice.

 

So the total distance from the flightscope to the screen has to be 16ft or more? How much do you need from the ball to the net for the flightscope to get an accurate reading? How high is the screen? Can you use your wedges from that 9ft distance and still not worry about the ball going over the screen?

 

Sorry for all the questions. I'm thinking about doing something myself.

 

No problem, I asked a ton of questions too!

 

Yes, total distance from flightscope to screen is recommended to be 16 feet for their new "short indoor" mode, and they recommend at least 8 feet of ball flight. I assume very high speeds with driver (and/or very low spin) would need a bit more space, but I'm usually between 165-170 for ball speed with driver and it reads just fine.

 

My screen is 9' high by 9' wide, and a full wedge usually comes within ~ 2 feet of the top of my screen. I tend to swing less than full with wedges though, so my ballflight and launch angles may allow me to get away with it where someone else might need more room. I've seen some set ups on the golf sim forum where guys had ceiling protection, so it doesn't have to be a deal breaker.

 

Thanks for that. Another one. Where and how is the projector mounted? When you swing are you close to hitting it?

 

I mounted it right above the ball essentially. 9 feet from the screen was the recommended throw distance when I did the calculation from projectorcentral, and after experimenting a little bit, it turned out they were pretty much exactly right. If I hung it directly above me at that distance it would be a problem, but above the ball means its clear from any club path, and I just used a small amount of keystone and the image is centered and looks great.

 

I mounted it with this: http://www.amazon.com/QualGear-PRB-717-WHT-Universal-Projector-Accessory/dp/B00COF74G2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

[drewtaylor21]

Drew,

 

In your opinion, if one were to build a separate structure for this purpose, how big would it have to be?

 

 

Second question, how mobile is the set up? My garage would take a bit of "rearranging" in terms of moving cars in and out and than configuring the system. I am assuming the screen could stay where it is...

What is the height of the ceiling in your garage?

 

I don't know if you can tell from my pictures, but I'm a little off center in my set up. Basically I'm hitting at a slight angle into the screen. My measurements in "my" side of the garage are 19' L x 9.5' high x 9' wide. The garage door housing is what keeps me from being able to hit directly in the middle. It's a minor inconvenience. I could hit irons/wedges from the middle, but driver needs the extra distance, so I'm off-center. Like I said, functionality is king right now! I'm hoping that once we move to a bigger place I'll have a little more room.

 

If you use one of the other launch monitors like GC2 or Skytrak, you can cut length down to only as much room as you need to swing. They don't need to track more than a foot of ballflight or so, as they are camera-based monitors (flightscope is radar).

 

So if you are using Flightscope you'd need at least 16' of space from unit to screen, and I'd recommend 1.5' of space behind the screen, so minimally 17.5 feet of length. Depending on how tall you are, 9.5 to 10 feet should be acceptable height (10+ would be ideal), and I'd recommend at least 9-10 feet in width to feel comfortable swinging driver. If you want to swing driver standing directly in the middle of the space, you might need a bit more width.

 

As for mobility, I built my set up with that in mind as well. The only thing that isn't mobile right now is my projector, which is mounted into the ceiling studs. Everything else can be picked up and moved easily. I would agree, keeping the screen in one place is the main concern, as that would be a pain to move frequently, but I can park my car in that side of the garage easily without disturbing the screen. All I really need to do is move the mat, which can easily be picked up or slid to the side.

[drewtaylor21]

This is awesome. I'm curious about your decision to go with the Xi over the Xi Plus. I noticed yesterday that flightscope no longer shows the Xi on their website. Having used both devices do you miss the additional information provided on the more expensive model?

 

And while I understand your decision to go with flightscope, how do you feel about the functionality of Skytrak?

 

Interesting that they don't show the Xi on the website....I just bought this a month ago, so it should still be available. Do I miss extra data? No....If all I saw was ballflight, carry, and dispersion, it'd still be a better experience than a typical grass range, as the precision is what I'm after.

 

I think the functionality of Skytrak for ONLY indoor purposes is awesome! IMO there are two big advantages for Skytrak right now: 1) doesn't require 16' of space, you only need room to swing a club as the unit is right next to the ball; 2) It is compatible with The Golf Club software, which is the leading SIM software right now. I think having SIM would be great, and like I said in my OP, it's something I want to add down the road. Flightscope is currently only compatible with Trugolf e6 software. They are making improvements, but TGC is the current gold standard (and cheaper than e6 as well).

 

Skytrak is not quite as stable a platform as Flightscope or GC2 though, and there have been a lot of reported issues with accuracy. Most of those seem to have been resolved with firmware updates in the past few months though, so it seems accuracy with Skytrak is pretty darn good. Skytrak is not good outdoors though, so if you ever want to take it to a range, you'll probably be frustrated. Skytrak also charges a small yearly subscription fee to use their practice features ($100 I think?), and the delay from ball strike to displayed ballflight is a few seconds, which might be annoying to some (me).

[MK7Golf21]

looks good, I was interested in building one of these as well, then read about dornstars elbow problem and knew people who ran into elbow issues hitting tons of balls off matts while ranges were closed during winter, problem went away when moving to grass. I'd be interested if the Country Club Elite has caused any issues hitting tons of balls in a week. My only suggestion would be to not continue hitting off it like dornstar when the problem arrises. Alot different when its in your garage, you'd probably be surprised at how many balls you will hit in a week