You're not a touring pro but you bought a launch monitor anyway. Well.....?

[BenSeattle]

Trackman, Foresight, Bushnell and now even Tiger is associated with one via "Full Swing."  Obviously, these pricy devices (I don't mean the $500 Mevo, Rasodo, Garmin, etc.) aren't being sold ONLY to PGA Tour members, lower-level Korn Ferry/Euro types or even well-heeled college boys.  YOU are a serious golfer or at least one who wants to get better.  Or maybe you're just a hack with money that thinks just one more toy will get you breaking 80, ha ha! 😇

 

So here's my real question:  is it working?  Has using a monitor made you a better golfer, more dialed in on distances, helped correct a swing fault, solved all your gapping problems?  I need to know, because.... well, I'm a 4-handicap chop who just might buy one!

Edited February 25, 2022 by BenSeattle
more info

[PEI_Golfer]

You forget that a good chunk of NA doesn't play year round and might have an indoor set up for those colder months...

[jvincent]

18 minutes ago, BenSeattle said:

So here's my real question:  is it working?  Has using a monitor made you a better golfer, more dialed in on distances, helped correct a swing fault, solved all your gapping problems?  I need to know, because.... well, I'm a 4-handicap chop who just might buy one!

 

I don't own one but rented time on one for two seasons and a buddy has a high end one that I use regularly.

 

It has absolutely helped me. I made a swing change which destroyed my driver game. After getting onto the launch monitor that allowed me to see what my path/face angle were doing I was able to fix the driver. Shaved a full 5 to 6 strokes of my index. I used to play to pretty steady 5-6 but the bad driver bumped me to an 11. Back in the 5-6 range now.

 

If you get a LM that gives you club head measurements (very important, it has to measure the clubhead, not calculate) it can be an invaluable tool for improvement. 

[Kmagnuss]

agreed with @jvincent ... they're incredibly useful for finding small swing faults that you just can't see.

That said, I have a cheap $200 "Swing Caddy SC200" or something and wish it had more parameters like spin, launch angle, and more importantly swing path/face angle. 

[Pepperturbo]

For most mid-hi cap golfers it will be a waste of money.  Only if you made a committed goal to be a better amateur or scratch golfer in a short time, would I suggest the expense.  Then there's the resale value if you get lazy and forget your earlier commitment... lol

 

When I took up the game, I made a commitment to low single in as short of time as I could around work commitments.  I was hitting 1100-1400 balls per week, plus 2 rounds of golf.  Do the ball math.  Did that for six years and got to a low of 2.  When I did that LM didn't exist.  If I were doing that today, I'd probably buy one comparable to what tour pros buy.

[R5Two]

Yes. However, the returns diminish if you know how far and in what direction your miss predominately goes.

 

Just my opinion. 

[vandyfan]

9 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

I was hitting 1100-1400 balls per week, plus 2 rounds of golf. 

 

Man that is so much golf. Very jealous. As someone with 2 kids under 3 maintaining even a sub 5 hdcp is hard work. I bought a Garmin R10 (waiting on it for eternity) in hopes that it will be a fun way to hit balls that could marginally improve my game or at least get me swinging a club at night after the kids go to sleep. 

[Pepperturbo]

1 minute ago, blackbdmillsaps said:

 

Man that is so much golf. Very jealous. As someone with 2 kids under 3 maintaining even a sub 5 hdcp is hard work. I bought a Garmin R10 (waiting on it for eternity) in hopes that it will be a fun way to hit balls that could marginally improve my game or at least get me swinging a club at night after the kids go to sleep. 

Thanks.  I didn't marry till late in life, and I was CEO and founder with a President in place running a national company, which gave me a lot of latitude.  You, on the other hand with youngsters, a wife, job and sub 5, I applaud you!!!! 🙌🙌

[Blaiser]

Absolutely helped the game, and I believe it will help any and everyone for the simple concept that you'll swing clubs more often.

 

How much use a golfer will get from the data is variable. Some will geek out on the data and find some insight to their swing, some may be lead astray if they aren't leveraging the data correctly. YMMV.

 

But for me, having the LM just made me swing the clubs regularly. It's an endeavor to drive out to the range and work on your game. Having one in your backyard/garage/game room makes it easy to just walk in and take a few swings.

 

When I get one of those random swing thoughts, I can immediately go take a few swings. Doesn't have to be an entire buckets worth, which is another great aspect. Bunch of quick 5 minute sessions on the LM when I get the itch.

 

Fully recommend.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 25, 2022 by Blaiser

[Billfitz]

29 minutes ago, Kmagnuss said:

I have a cheap $200 "Swing Caddy SC200" or something and wish it had more parameters like spin, launch angle, and more importantly swing path/face angle. 

I have one as well, which I use with my backyard net and mat in the spring before the course opens. All I care about is swing/ball speed, and after a winter of not hitting balls it really helps. With it and videos of my swing I'm able to identify what I'm doing right, and even more important, what I'm doing wrong. It gets me a leg up on the competition when the season starts.

[ShupeSC]

I have a foresight and use it to dial in distances. I think it’s really good if you know how to practice and play tournament golf, but it’s probably a waste if you use it casually. Really useful for indoors obviously.

[msg]

Is Sky Trak ok? I bought one back in 2017. I live in Canada, go figure. It helped me 100%. I can say it is the best golf related purchase ever. I used to be happy when I shoot in the high 80's. Since I got my Sky Trak, I have been in the high single digits since. It helped me with the following:

 

1. Dialed in my wedges. 100 to 10 yards, not a problem anymore. 

2. Revamped my full swing using Sky Trak and video. I used to have a really bad OTT. 

3. I learned how far I really hit each club. I focused on carry distance and that increased my GIR but a lot. 

4. Playing sim every now and then allowed me to apply some course management ideas that I applied to real life games.

5. Maintain my swing. I hit balls every day even just for about 30 shots of different clubs. 

 

Now, last season, I was close to getting to low single digits. Unfortunately, a launch monitor cannot fix my brain, the mental side of things. That is another task to fix lol But as far as my swing goes and my game and what time and money I can afford to lose, this is the best I am going to be and I could not have done it if I had to pay for a sim in the winter or range time in the summer. And oh, last summer I played the least games in the last ten seasons yet I posted the most number of low 80's and mid 70's games. 

[PNW]

My opinion is, the primary question is whether you are willing/able to build a dedicated indoor place to use it without much work to set up every time. If yes, and you're serious about frequent practice, then it would be a very useful tool. 

 

If it's a nice-to-have thing and you won't realistically use it often, or if you have to do a full set up of net/mat/etc. every time to use it, then it might not get used to it's full advantage.

 

Agree that there are diminishing returns in getting the data, so it really comes down to whether you have a convenient way to use it often for some of the sim practice and round features. 

[mikewilliams29]

I just got my Skytrak in this week. If that doesn't help me become more consistent with my practice than nothing will.

[R.Patrick]

Have a mevo+ and like it quite a bit.  Keeps me swinging in the basement during the winter months.

Great to be able to work on swing changes and fine tuning with feedback.

Also for tinkering with different clubs and shafts.

Not crazy about the mat I have, and there probably isn’t one thats comparable to grass……

[cmatthews77]

If I had the space I would 100% own a premium launch monitor (probably a Quad or the new GC3) because like many of us on here I'm obsessed with golf.  I honestly don't know why I haven't moved yet to where I can have a basement that is just a golf Mecca; simulator, putting, etc.  I would love to be able to play 18 holes after work on the SIM in an hour and just get to hit shots, practice shots, etc.  

 

In terms of getting better...

unless you really work with a teacher to work on something most people barely even understand half the data parameters on a launch monitor.  Or at least what they really mean as it relates to their swing.  It can be just as detrimental as helpful again unless you're working with a teacher on something.  Now truly understanding your carry numbers is VERY helpful.  Like, what does your 8i carry on average... yes the flushed one but also the typical miss, the pull, etc.  Understanding that really can be helpful with course management but you can accomplish that with a $500 Mevo on the range.  At the same time indoor studios are perfectly flat, perfect lies, etc.  My home course I almost never have a flat lie and it requires lots of shotmaking.  I'm not sure you can really practice that much on a launch monitor inside.

 

[DeCuchi]

I'm right there with you.  I'm considering a GC3.  I get to the range often, but honestly wish I had access to a monitor for the times when I can't get to the range on my lunch break.  If it were up to me I'd be out hitting shots 2 hours a day, but the little woman would make my life miserable if I did that.  A decent sim set up and or a net and and GC3 and I feel like I could put in some meaningful work or slip in a quick round when I felt like it.  In the long run, I'd probably save money.

[A.Princey]

I use mine as a simulator, but without TGC, it’s use would diminish greatly. I am getting better with mine, especially driving and putting, oddly.

[Barracuda]

Gcquad owner. Best golf purchase ever made!

[bbjr]

I built my first sim in 2004 and used it for a couple of years, then took about a 10 year hiatus from golf.  In 2016, I started with a Skytrak, then moved to a Flightscope X2, then a Uneekor QED, and finally to a Uneekor EyeXo.  I can honestly say that it is one of my favorite purchases that I have ever made.  I use it about 10 hours a week, sometimes more, about half the time working on my swing and the other half playing sim golf.  I had a guy build my home course using LIDAR data on TGC2019, so I am able to play whenever I get the urge even if there is snow on the ground or it is midnight.

 

I appreciate the data that I get from it, but it can definitely send you down a rabbit hole if you are not careful.  But, if you take the time to understand the information, it can make you a better golfer.  If you don’t want to learn what all the data means and how it affects your swing, then just use the system to get online lessons and let a pro sift through that data for you.

[LHGolf4]

Had a SkyTrak and it did well and I recently replaced it with a Bushnell Launch Pro.  I went from an 11 to an 8.2 handicap.  I do not have a range convenient to go practice so that was a major factor.  So along with just regular practice I also use it to get distances, check spin numbers for different golf balls.  When I go play I can use the range as warmup instead of last minute practice.

[A.Princey]

I’ll also add this, it has helped me optimize my driver. Ball speed is pretty much maxed out and launch and spin are optimal. No newer driver really shows better numbers, for me. 
 

I’ll also echo a few others, one of the best purchases ever in my life, bar none.

[dugue4]

I hate threads like this.  Now I am wanting a LM...

[BenSeattle]

1 hour ago, dugue4 said:

I hate threads like this.  Now I am wanting a LM...

Glad to be of service!  😜

[lefthack]

If I ever get around to making space for one, I would like to do a simulator. Mostly for entertainment and practice. I am 45 minutes away from the nearest course, so it would be cool to play Pebble Beach in my garage. 

[SubFour34]

8 hours ago, PEI_Golfer said:

You forget that a good chunk of NA doesn't play year round and might have an indoor set up for those colder months...

I think this is one of the biggest draws... plus you can just practice so much better than bashing balls at the range

[mizuno player]

I'd like to get one for a few reasons. 

 

Tighten up my gaps 

Really work on spin rates 

 

You guys that have one. Without breaking the bank what portable unit would be best for spin and smash? 

 

If possible I'd like to keep cost under $750. 

[Truok]

I've had a gc2 last winter and just upgraded to the gc3.  I don't necessarily think the device itself made me better outside of maybe knowing my carry distances with long irons a little better but I can say Ive loved having it.  You can practice just fine hitting into a net with no launch monitor by putting tape or something on the net that you can focus hitting your start line at.  Right now I don't have a simulator screen or anything setup. Not enough room so it isn't really being utilized to it's full potential.  That being said I live in Utah and courses are shutdown here typically from November-april and there aren't many indoor options for me so #1 if you have other places you can go year round I wouldn't bother buying one solely for the fact of trying to improve at golf.  I'd say save your money and just setup a net for cheap and hit into that and then occasionally visit your local trackman range. #2 If you can play year round outside I'd never even consider a simulator. 

#3 finally, if you have no other places to practice and you also plan on using it as a full simulator for entertainment with friends etc and have the money, totally recommend it.  

[A.Princey]

If you live in a winter climate, with snow and course closure, it’s worth every penny.

[mallrat]

11 hours ago, Pepperturbo said:

Thanks.  I didn't marry till late in life, and I was CEO and founder with a President in place running a national company, which gave me a lot of latitude.  You, on the other hand with youngsters, a wife, job and sub 5, I applaud you!!!! 🙌🙌

That’s funny to me. I have a buddy who is a hired gun President type. He works for 2 different investment companies and he is the one they send in when they buy a new company and want to turn it around/change things. He takes every CEO he interviews golfing. 
 

His general rule “never hire a CEO with a good short game” he says it means they don’t spend enough time in the office