Benefits of owning a personal launch monitor/simulator?

gstmike · December 27, 2016

So I am seriously considering purchasing a professional launch monitor and eventually setting up a simulator in my house. As many of you know, these can be very expensive. I'm hoping that a launch monitor/simulator will allow me more time to work on my game, improve my ball striking, and dial in my wedges. I am currently an 8 handicap but just don't always have the time to drive to my club whenever I want to play/practice. I'm reaching out to those who have one of these in their home or that use them regularly to chime in and give their input on how it has improved their game and allowed them so practice more productively and often. I am looking at the foresight GC2 to get the accuracy I feel I would need to trust the numbers as much as actually playing or hitting balls.

Thanks all.

GmanJeff · December 28, 2016

I use a SkyTrak, and find it both entertaining and helpful from a developmental perspective. It's a rare day when I don't use it, either to work on my swing using the ST range software, and/or to play using TGC simulation software. The convenience can't be beat, even if hitting indoors off a mat isn't exactly the same experience as the variable terrain one encounters on a real course. ST's accuracy is consistently reported as being as good as that of the GC2, but the ST is considerably less expensive. if you're unsure whether you'll use or enjoy a launch monitor, maybe try the ST initially with a migration path to the GC2 in mind if it turns out you both do use the device and find it lacking in some meaningful dimension compared to the GC2. If anything happened to my ST, I'd replace it with another one, no question.

Needless to say, but since we're in the GPS/Rangefinder subforum, with a launch monitor and software you get your distances without either a GPS or a rangefinder. ST users on a different, sim-centric, forum indicate that when they take their STs to an outdoor driving range and compare its reported distances against a rangefinder, the two are very consistent.