Is there an affordable "most accurate" launch monitor?

[BenSeattle]

Forget sidespin, attack angle, launch angle and all the "higher end" info available on this launch monitor or that.  What I want to know is How Far Each Club Goes.  Dialing in distances and filling any "gaps" is my main concern so is there ONE consumer model launch monitor that is especially good -- better than the rest -- when it comes to determining distances?

 

And yes... I'm sure that Trackman and Foresight make great stuff but I'm talking the sub-$600 category.  Thanks!

 

PS -- I would be using this unit OUTDOORS ONLY.  

Edited March 31, 2022 by BenSeattle

[goudok]

All depends how accurate you want it to be.  Without launch, spin, speed no model can predict the ball flight.  Ball speed is fairly easy and even cheap monitors can get it accurately.  Launch can also be measured somewhat accurately from my understanding, however without spin your distances will never be 100% accurate.  So that goes back to my original question.  How accurate.  If you want it to be within 5-10 yards with your irons I think most will do a decent enough job.  

[rooski]

From a real bucket load of research on this topic in the past month or so before buying, here's about what you're looking at

 

Mevo Plus, Skytrak > Garmin R10 > The rest of the personal launch monitors

 

I personally wouldn't bother with anything less than the R10 because you will constantly be second guessing if any of the information is even halfway correct and at that point why even get one. From my understanding, outdoors the R10 should be within a couple or few yards of the best monitors although it doesn't perform as well indoors or into a net

Edited March 31, 2022 by rooski

[Dan13]

Accurate carry requires accurate spin measurements. R10 is capable of measuring spin outside most of the time according to Garmin so carry numbers should be pretty accurate for stock well struck generally straight shots. I think it’s the best you can do in the <$600  price point and should be pretty good actually. 

[Billfitz]

Swing Caddie SC200. It isn't a GC Quad, but it's not $22k either. The distance accuracy with driver is off, it shows club and ball speed lower than actual, but with the rest off the bag it's pretty good. I mainly use mine to fine tune my driver swing. The club and ball speed shown is low, but it's consistent, so it's still useful to see the effect of both major and minor tweaks.

[Krt22]

12 hours ago, BenSeattle said:

Forget sidespin, attack angle, launch angle and all the "higher end" info available on this launch monitor or that.  What I want to know is How Far Each Club Goes. 

How far each club goes is largely reliant on 3 things. Ball speed, spin, and launch angle. Anything that doesn't measure at least those parameters, won't be very accurate unless you just so happen to hit it exactly like their estimated launch parameters. 

[Exactice808]

From my experience.

 

VoiceCaddie SC100 ($120) - Accurate as any radar system to catch Ball speed.  but without Launch angle and Spin the distance calculation is a crap shoot 

 

ES14 ($300 used) - Another accurate radar for ball speed, this calculates spin for the most part and launch angles.  I found the distance pretty darn accurate with good strikes.  There is NO left to right dispersion, so this affects highly accurate distances, BUT if you hit the ball well the numbers are pretty spot on.  I have taken a boat load of data and compared it with the Foresight Trajectory optimizer.  Good Strikes calculated solid distances.

 

ESB1($550, updated version above) - Just updated version above. so pretty accurate for the price

Mevo-Regular ($500)  Similar to the ESB1/ES14 above.

 

 

Above units don't give horizontal dispersion, so getting accurate data to gap your clubs might be difficult if you spray left to right a lot.  

______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

R10 - ($550)  I have read enough about this to say its comparable to the ESB1 above, BUT with the ability to have simulation play (horizontal dispersion).  The data is good for what it is, but there is enough reading to know the pro's and con's.  If you want simulation play as well as range data,  the R10 is surely a step above the ESB1,  is the accuracy of the included data as a whole.. mmm not sure/or not confident from my reading.  BUT assuming the actual distances calculation would be pretty solid based on the capturing ability.  (similar to the ESB1 or Mevo-regular)

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

SkyTrack ($2,000)  Camera based- Now we are in the realm where the data is becoming more accurate and trust worthy.  It has its flaws like any consumer grade product, but would I trust it for Club gapping,  Absolutely.

 

Mevo+ ($2000, $1,800 with the roaming discounts)  Radar based - Again, Radar based systems are very accurate for ball speed.  As we know though Radar has its Indoor limitations.  as mentioned above consumer level products have its pro and cons.  If you are using it outdoors with real balls, I doubt you would be disappointed. 

 

 

The cut above for these 2 units,  Mevo+ in addition to the Pro package of $1,000 or if you were lucky, $1,800 + $9,00 = $2,700 Mevo+/Pro Package  This was a heck of a deal.  This takes it a pretty decent step above the SkyTrack unit.  The major limitation again is indoor/space availability. 

 

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

BLP/GC3 ($3,000- $8,000) - Great accurate Camera systems,  enough reading says these are accurate,  the Issues would be price points and getting to the point of unlocking "all the relevant data" to make it an exceptionally powerful unit.  Again though read.... pros and cons.... indoor vs outdoor,  Radar vs Camera....

 

 

 

from the sound of it, I think the R10 should be just fine if you can't breach the $2,000 barrier.  I have the Mevo+ and have had issues using it due to it's sensitivity, BUT when it works. It works great and has help me personally and my game to another level.  So I am am extremely happy with the purchase with no doubts/regrets.

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by Exactice808

[harpua728]

12 minutes ago, Exactice808 said:

 

 

 

The cut above for these 2 units,  Mevo+ in addition to the Pro package of $1,000 or if you were lucky, $1,800 + $9,00 = $2,700 Mevo+/Pro Package  This was a heck of a deal.  This takes it a pretty decent step above the SkyTrack unit.  The major limitation again is indoor/space availability. 

 

 

 

That deal is still available if you know who to ask 🙂 

[AdamMH]

27 minutes ago, Exactice808 said:

From my experience.

 

VoiceCaddie SC100 ($120) - Accurate as any radar system to catch Ball speed.  but without Launch angle and Spin the distance calculation is a crap shoot 

 

ES14 ($300 used) - Another accurate radar for ball speed, this calculates spin for the most part and launch angles.  I found the distance pretty darn accurate with good strikes.  There is NO left to right dispersion, so this affects highly accurate distances, BUT if you hit the ball well the numbers are pretty spot on.  I have taken a boat load of data and compared it with the Foresight Trajectory optimizer.  Good Strikes calculated solid distances.

 

ESB1($550, updated version above) - Just updated version above. so pretty accurate for the price

Mevo-Regular ($500)  Similar to the ESB1/ES14 above.

 

 

Above units don't give horizontal dispersion, so getting accurate data to gap your clubs might be difficult if you spray left to right a lot.  

______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

R10 - ($550)  I have read enough about this to say its comparable to the ESB1 above, BUT with the ability to have simulation play (horizontal dispersion).  The data is good for what it is, but there is enough reading to know the pro's and con's.  If you want simulation play as well as range data,  the R10 is surely a step above the ESB1,  is the accuracy of the included data as a whole.. mmm not sure/or not confident from my reading.  BUT assuming the actual distances calculation would be pretty solid based on the capturing ability.  (similar to the ESB1 or Mevo-regular)

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

SkyTrack ($2,000)  Camera based- Now we are in the realm where the data is becoming more accurate and trust worthy.  It has its flaws like any consumer grade product, but would I trust it for Club gapping,  Absolutely.

 

Mevo+ ($2000, $1,800 with the roaming discounts)  Radar based - Again, Radar based systems are very accurate for ball speed.  As we know though Radar has its Indoor limitations.  as mentioned above consumer level products have its pro and cons.  If you are using it outdoors with real balls, I doubt you would be disappointed. 

 

 

The cut above for these 2 units,  Mevo+ in addition to the Pro package of $1,000 or if you were lucky, $1,800 + $9,00 = $2,700 Mevo+/Pro Package  This was a heck of a deal.  This takes it a pretty decent step above the SkyTrack unit.  The major limitation again is indoor/space availability. 

 

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

BLP/GC3 ($3,000- $8,000) - Great accurate Camera systems,  enough reading says these are accurate,  the Issues would be price points and getting to the point of unlocking "all the relevant data" to make it an exceptionally powerful unit.  Again though read.... pros and cons.... indoor vs outdoor,  Radar vs Camera....

 

 

 

from the sound of it, I think the R10 should be just fine if you can't breach the $2,000 barrier.  I have the Mevo+ and have had issues using it due to it's sensitivity, BUT when it works. It works great and has help me personally and my game to another level.  So I am am extremely happy with the purchase with no doubts/regrets.

 

Sounds like you've tried all these units - did you have any issues w/ driver on the ESB1? I'm considering one as I start training for speed.

[Exactice808]

4 minutes ago, AdamMH said:

Sounds like you've tried all these units - did you have any issues w/ driver on the ESB1? I'm considering one as I start training for speed.

Outdoors No issue,

 

When I had the ES14 I did not hit much indoor nor was I confident at the time, I was new to simulators/LM's at the time, Nor was I super confident of hitting indoors.  But when I did, it seem to work pretty well.  The interesting part was the ES14 sits sorta like a GC3/GCquad,  forward and of set,  Only needed 6ft of flight to capture the ball.... This of course is way different from the ESB1 that sits behind the golfer now. That being said Iron work was fantastic, with only 6ft of ball flight,  I now have 8ft but that would just validate the numbers coming off the ES14.

 

The ESB1 much like the Mevo/Mevo+ that requires a certain distance and X amount of ball flight, I have not had the chance to play with an ESB1, but I do know its an updated version of the ES14 so I am confident in its ability and its data....

 

 

 

[amace04]

On 3/31/2022 at 3:44 PM, harpua728 said:

 

That deal is still available if you know who to ask 🙂 

I'll bite:  Are you the one to ask?  I've given up on an R10 and am thinking Mevo, but it's a considerable price jump and the $1,800 price point makes it much more appealing than 2k.

[A.Princey]

On 4/2/2022 at 9:38 AM, amace04 said:

I'll bite:  Are you the one to ask?  I've given up on an R10 and am thinking Mevo, but it's a considerable price jump and the $1,800 price point makes it much more appealing than 2k.

The sub 5k realm is all worth it once you go over 1k. Price is steep but the countless hours of practice and simulation are priceless. Just consider how frivolous we throw money at cars, especially on the luxury end. At least here with LMs, you’re getting your money’s worth. Plus, with depreciation off the lot, just think how that dent could’ve literally paid for a 5k LM immediately! 
 

I will happily continue in my Civic LX’s if it affords me thousands of discretionary money, well-spent elsewhere!

 

2 Choices:

1. $10k Skmulator + Honda?

2. Lexus/BMW/Mercedes/Cadillac 

 

And #1 is still cheaper by thousands!

 

My SkyTrak and TGC2019 full-license is the best money I have EVER spent!

Edited April 4, 2022 by A.Princey

[zap311]

I’ll throw in the Rapsodo MLM as an option that can be had for about $400 with recent sale prices. I have tested it the old fashioned way by comparing it to targets I’ve lasered on the range and the carry numbers are spot on (always within a few yards on irons and wedges). It doesn’t have spin, but I have been really impressed with the reliability. It’s also been tested by 3rd party reviewers and found to be extremely accurate vs the GC Quad.
 

It’s not as feature rich as the R10, but it works well indoor/outdoor and is available now. 

Edited April 4, 2022 by zap311

[karstens_ghost]

Everyone's throwing around 2k-3k like it's in this realm. If you can swallow 3k, go get a BLP with no sub.

 

The best thing you can do is to go to a range/lesson place that has a quad/TM, plunk $500 for a couple hours, and use the real machines. Buying a $600 thing that measures radar will get you relative distance changes over swing changes, but it's not going to give you good gap numbers. It just won't. It's not accurate enough.

 

If you want to do it for a few months, buy a BLP, use it for a month or two, and take the resale hit. In two months, you'll still get 2k. You don't need a sub to get excellent gap numbers.

[jjschafe]

I only have experience with the R10, so I can't speak to the others. I took my R10 to my local TopTracer range and it was within 1-2 carry yards and 1-2mph ball speed of TopTracer for every club, wedge through driver.  Ball curve/path was qualitatively correct with actual shot shape. This was last fall, BEFORE the firmware was updated to measure spin directly. Outdoor and focusing on distance I would trust the R10 for sure. Of course, you have to find one first...

[fsutanker]

I see that Costco now carries the ESB1 for $430. 
They also carry the all in one GCQuad package for $20k if that’s more your style. 

[AdamMH]

1 hour ago, fsutanker said:

I see that Costco now carries the ESB1 for $430. 
They also carry the all in one GCQuad package for $20k if that’s more your style. 

That's a good price for that unit. I think I paid a little more than that for an open-box deal.

[backspace1]

Best one for outdoor use, don’t care about simulator. Don’t want to put stickers on or calibrate.  Don’t want to purchase subscription for something i have already paid for.

[Stuart_G]

Actually, IMO the biggest hurdle (regardless of the LM cost) for getting accurate distances for the majority of am's are:

1) hitting off mat vs turf.   Mat's will almost always mess up launch and spin and therefore the distances.   Having a grass range is certainly the solution here - but not always available.

2) Ball type.  Range balls do not behave the same at impact or in flight as "real" balls and most ams don't have access to a range with high quality balls like the pros do.  Some high end LM's can try to add corrections for this but I've not seen much data as far as how well they do that.

 

 

 

[backspace1]

On 5/6/2022 at 11:44 AM, backspace1 said:

Best one for outdoor use, don’t care about simulator. Don’t want to put stickers on or calibrate.  Don’t want to purchase subscription for something i have already paid for.

I would be using this on grass and with premium golf balls (shag bag). Sometimes with range balls.