Ernest Sports ES14 personal review

[greenadam21]

//ES14 Personal Review                                                                      -

 

please see attached PDF.

 

Please feel free to ask questions.  Let me know if you have something you think I might have missed, post personal experiences, or anything else...

 

I'd like to hear what you guys think about this unit and this review.

 

Enjoy!

 

ES14 REVIEW.pdf

[greenadam21]

Testing the download myself it seems there might be some formatting lost in translation.  If anyone has trouble viewing let me know.  And by the way this is done in very limited spare time so please forgive less than professional presentation, grammatical errors etc.

[GolfSpy WD]

PDFs are notoriously virus prone. Can you just post the contents inline?

[greenadam21]

PDFs are notoriously virus prone. Can you just post the contents inline?

I thought that might be an issue.  I've had so little time to throw this together this shortcut was my best immediate option.  I'll work on that today.    As you know uploading each image is time consuming.  But if it means some wont be able to pull it up I'll get it done.

 

Thanks for the heads up WD.

[MarcKilgore]

Read it on my iPad so that I don't have any issues.  This is a great review - well done.

[greenadam21]

I am a data junkie.  And what's more I'm positive I'm not alone.

Personally I don't see how anyone who has spent much time on a Trackman, Flightscope, or Gc2 wouldn't be.  They have me addicted to the feeling knowing exactly what is going on with my swing.  They are the perfect objective tool.  “A mechanical third party that has no choice but to tell you the truth.”…  Basically in conjunction with a few other analysis systems they provide “Proof” – at least in my book, or as close as we are going to get to it.  

 

Proof of concept

Proof of fit

Proof of improvement

Whatever it is you are looking for these units can help find it.

 

I rarely, if ever, make a decision on a new club or a swing change without the help of one of these monitors and I'm certain that since incorporating them in to my game I have improved faster than I would have otherwise.   Not only that but as teacher on the side I have also seen students improve more quickly and more willingly with the added feedback and “truth” that these units provide.  Because of this experience there is little doubt in my mind that armed with the right information that most golfers could improve their game in the same way.

 

So for me and my fellow data junkies this is a special year.  There are two new affordably priced Doppler based systems being released on the market.  Both surrounded by whispers of accuracy and both for under 600 dollars.  The already highly acclaimed and first time winner of the MGS “ Most Wanted Gadget” the Voice Caddie Sc100 and the new Es14 from Ernest sports.

 

This review focuses on the latter of the two and how it stacks up against the SC100 and the industry standard units mentioned earlier.  

 

So wasting no more of your time with my excited babble….. lets dig in.  

 

//What's In The Bag                                  -    

 

     

 

 

 

 

The ES14 comes with two templates, carry case, and quick start guide. It comes well packaged and protected so no complaints there.  Along with the unit (though not in the box) the ES14 comes with a free app that allows for data storage, sharing, and easy review of each shot in the palm of your hand.

 

//Build-  Design                                          -   

 

/Size

 

The ES14 itself is not what I would call small.  8.25” h  x  4.5” w.  My guess is that its position in relationship to the swing and the ball required its height to be more off the ground in order to get proper readings of both club and ball to the receiver or eye.  Its height, for those of you that have hit them, is slightly shorter than that of a GC2.  Not something you will be putting in your pocket by any means.  This isn't an issue but in comparison to the recently released SC100 well…it's big. 

 

     

 

Whenever I buy a new piece of technology I always tend equate the weight and feel of things like phones and mp3 players to the quality.   There seems to be a magic ratio to hit.  Too light and it seems cheap and feeble. Too heavy and its cumbersome and a nuisance.  This unit seems to be just on the verge of feeling too light for its size without quite crossing the line. This is strictly subjective but I think it's worth noting.  I'm sure discretionary weight was added or taken out to find a balance of what would keep the unit stable and what players are willing to carry around and with that thought in mind it's probably very well done.

 

/Buttons

 

 

 

             

Aesthetically speaking these are fine but functionally the ES14 buttons are somewhat clumsy and hard to press for my taste and seem sort of low end when attempting to use them in working the various functions of the unit.  It is possible that they are built this way with purpose and longevity in mind but they remind me of a button for change return on a soda machine.  Hard to press with a loud “tick-tuck” sound.  Nothing “digital” feeling about them.  This would not be as much of an issue if the units menus and settings could be accessed through the app but this units app function is strictly “read only “.  So with the force required to depress these buttons all adjustments have to be made by actively picking the monitor up not just bending down and making a quick selection.

 

 

/Kick Stand

 

 

This part of the unit is pretty well made.  It snaps in to the lower back of the unit in to like a button and is angled released with a little pulling force.  The stand had a notch and pin system built in to it that has settings for 45 and 60 degrees.  These are close to the slots for 6 –Gap (60degree) and Wedges( 45 degree).  Used I assume for the occasion that you might lose or forget your stand template.

 

 

/BATTERY POWER

 

 

                 

 

 

 

The unit runs off of a regular two post 9volt battery.  I actually prefer this style because it allows for instant battery replacement on course rather than forcing you to get the unit to a charger.  The engineers even left a small slot under the batter compartment for storage of a backup battery inside the unit.  A logical innovation I have seen elsewhere and quite like.

 

I did not use the unit long enough to go through one battery and we tested for well over six hours without any sign of wearing it down.

 

 

/Accessories

 

The unit also comes with three other “accessories”.

-       A template that is used for ball position

-       A second  template that is used to set the proper angle of the kick stand of the unit for a given club type

-       A pleather type carry bag for protective storage and transportation ( Pretty nice but not all that protective)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personally I was quite disappointed to see the two template pieces in person.   They are let down and a detriment to the perceived value of the unit as a whole.   The ball placement template itself is a cheap cardstock material that I supsect would be ruined after a few uses on wet grass or a dewy matt… that is I am sure that would happened if I was able to keep it on the ground long enough in the Kansas wind. 

 

The stand template is made from a closed cell foam poster backer type material.  This piece is very cheaply made and would very quickly blow away with its ball marking counterpart if you weren't very careful.  I think that you could easily make replacements for these parts out of some more durable material but the fact that you need them just to use the unit is a mark against the Es14 especially for outdoor use.

 

 

///BUILD AND DESIGN - Overall -  6/10

 

I am a big believer in the importance of first impressions and presentation.   It probably seems to most at this point that I've been pretty hard on the ES14 for build and design.  But the fact is I'm just telling you what I see.    I am constantly reminding myself in this write up that in the end you get what you pay for and I'm sure hitting a price point for a tech item in such a limited market isn't easy.   On the other hand I sense some skimping here in places that not only affect aesthetics but more importantly its functionality in various environments that they claim the units are designed to be used in. I would guess they could do better. I may be in the minority but for myself I would like to see a few of these issues addressed even if it meant paying a bit more for the unit.

 

//SETUP  & EASE OF USE                                  -

 

     

 

For general information the ES14'S physical setup is seen below.

The unit itself sits in front of and out to the left of the right handed player on the target side.  In other words you are hitting somewhat “at the unit”.  The provided monitor stand requires the user to set the unit up on the proper angle by placing the kickstand in the appropriate slot for the club you have selected.  You then place the ball template behind the unit and place your ball in front of the bar marked with your club range on the other end of the template.  All in all the setup is very simple if not somewhat of a multi-step nuisance when switching from one “range of clubs” to the other.

     

 

 

 

 

 

There are several drawbacks to this layout that I can see;

 

1.     One is the previously mentioned flimsy ball placement template.  Using this piece in wind and any sort of weather is not an option. And the graphics and cardboard down by the ball can certainly be a distraction.   There are however ways around this.  For my preference the best solution seemed to be to use the template to find the proper ball placement and then use a tee in the ground or another club handle to mark the spot and put the template away some place safe.

2.     For whatever reason this unit seems very sensitive to having the ball in the right spot for a specific range of clubs.  On mats this isn't much of an issue but on grass this would create quite a hassle as every few shots you will find it necessary to adjust your whole setup to move around the divots you have created.

3.     The other issue is the general space the setup requires.  If you are planning to use this on a matt at a driving range you could find yourself limited or at least having to make special adjustments in order to use this unit.  As you can see form the images above the unit requires you to setup with the ball 23 inches back from the front of the unit and 13 inches out to the left.  If you are on smaller mats or in stalls this space requirement can make using longer clubs hybrids and driver all but impossible.  If your matt is too small but you have space to the left or right (depending or your handedness) you can set the unit up on something that is the same height as your matt but just off the front right.  Use the template to mark your spot and proceed.

4.     Lastly is the fact that you are hitting balls in the direction of the unit.  For some this might not be an issue.  For others like teaching professionals that are using the units to supplement lessons where there is an inherent danger of big misses BE WARNED!  A shanked shot can cause a lot more damage than just some stinging fingers when using this system.  The unit is pretty solidly built but I'm almost certain a direct hit even with the lower ball speed of a shanked shot could do some serious damage to the ES14

 

 

//TECHNICAL SETUP                                        -

 

 

 

After proper physical setup we are on to the technical setup.  Generally speaking I would say the technical setup is very straight forward. Multifaceted,, yes, but still pretty easy. 

 

Simply select the club by scrolling up or down and make sure it matches the club in your hand, and the ball and kickstand placements on the ground.  For a first time user you can view and edit your “bag” allowing you to go in one club at a time and adjust each club for the actual lofts of your irons or woods.  These navigations are fairly simple and I was able to successfully complete them without the help of any instruction.  A good sign I would say.

     

 

 

 

The second portion of the Tech setup is to install the app.  This is as simple as installing any other app and is available for free either from Google Play or Itunes Store depending on your devices platform.  Simply install.  Turn on your ES14, scan for blue tooth connections and select the ES14.  It's as easy as that. 

 

 

///SETUP&EASE OF USE - OVERALL   - 7/10

 

Really just too many steps involved for each process to give it much higher.  The steps are easy to understand but with so many things to do, and the requirement to do them over and over again it can be quite an ordeal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

//PERFORMANCE                                                                                    -

 

Now down to what really counts.  What can it do for me and how well can it do it?  I love flashy packaging and a sleek cool design but at the end of the day all that is for nothing if a product can't perform.

This is where the ES14 gains back some points with me at least on a few fronts and falls short again in a few others. I'll touch on the latter areas first.

 

/The App

 

 

The testing process was actually more painstaking than I had originally anticipated.  Even with only two testers there were a lot of problems.  One is the app itself.  For whatever reason my Galaxy S4 would not connect to the ES14 once we were at the testing facility.  After multiple attempts, restarts, and reinstalls we finally got it to take a few readings before quickly crashing again.  It was just enough time to get a feel for the unit and then it was done.  2 hours later we were getting nowhere.  Since I have seen this app working on videos online I decided that there must be some interfering app installed on my phone that was causing the ES14 to crash.  Not wanting to wipe my phone and all its contents for the sake of this test I decided to chalk this up to another factor in deciding on a unit that requires any use of an outside peripheral device. 

 

 

     

 

 

For this reason I was not able to compare many shots for launch angle in this test.

 

The ES14 itself will display all the “measured data” on the readout screen.  You will have to wait as the information cycles across the unit display but it is available.  The calculated data is mostly viewable as well .  The launch angle however as far as I can tell was only available on the app. 

 

The real downside to the app not working is that you cannot transfer the saved shots from your session to a file for comparison later.  This means that after each shot we had to take pictures of each of the cycled screens on the es14 and then a shot of the readout from the Gc2 to make sure there were no mishaps or confusing which shots correlated on each unit.

 

For the short time the app did work I liked it quite a bit.  Shot data is read out loud by the app and the numbers are very clearly displayed and visible from where I was standing over the ball.  The apps start up allows you to name each session and save it for a later date on your phone or quickly and easily email it to yourself in an Office/Excel friendly format.  A very nice touch

 

I WOULD rate the app highly if it worked.  I have to be fair to say that most apps when first on the market tend to work poorly and given some time I'm sure they will iron out the bugs.  Since conducting this test I hear that they have released the Apple version of the app which may, as is often the case, work better than the Android one.  But that is yet to be seen.

 

 

///APP -OVERALL-  4/10    ( *9/10 if it works  )

 

 

 

 

//Shot Capture/Accuracy/Consistency                                                                                                .

 

 

 

/Shot Capture

This is one place were the ES14 really shined.  I have heard tales of the SC100 successfully capturing somewhere around 75% of the shots depending on whether you set it up correctly or not.  It could be that the very things that annoy me about the ES14 ( the templates)  are the very things that allow it to function so well in this category.  I think in 8 hours of testing we might have missed two shots in total.  That's impressive at any standard.  Neither the Trackman nor the GC2 could match it in fact.

 

 

 

 

/Accuracy/Consistency –measured  variables*

 

                           

 

 

Ballspeed

Simply put the ES14 blew away my expectations.  On good shots the E14 was never outside a 3 percent margin of error in fact those shots were really outliers.  Most of the time in fact the numbers hovered around 2% or less margin of error. Even better was that these numbers were consistently high. **Consistency is just as important as accuracy.  This means that all I had to do on the range with this unit is to take the number displayed and knock off  2 % and I get a very real picture of what I'm doing in comparison to my trips to the shop.   

 

Clubhead Speed *trackman comparison

This is actually something that I was most looking forward to in using this unit. Once again the ES14 did not disappoint.  The Club head speed was again high but consistently so by about 3 percent again allowing for a quick adjustment for comparison sake and consistent enough data shot for shot that the numbers were trustworthy enough to be valuable.

 

Smash Factor

Simple calculation of Ball speed and club head speed so assumed accuracy from the above

 

/Accuracy/Consistency –calculated  variables*

 

For those of you that don't know, and I am sure that most of you do, without direct measurement of the ball spin and launch angle there must be some calculated guesses made from the variables that are actually known.  The ES14 must do this based on three known variables;

 

·         the measured ball speed

·         measured club head speed

·         and the input loft you assign for you club. 

 

Limited information at best…  Personally I don't think much of guessed or calculated data when it comes to launch monitors these numbers can only be useful in their own very limited way.  If showing these numbers is a big part of why you are considering this unit you should take this in to consideration.  Because all else being equal as far as numbers you can trust,, this unit has no more valuable output shot for shot than the SC100 from Voice Caddie.  That's just my opinion.   

 

Spin Rate

Spin rates for my shots were consistently quite a bit higher than what was measured on GC2 usually in the neighborhood of 1000rpms.  *This greatly affects the “guestimated” distance as well.  There is hope for this though as it occurred to me halfway through our testing that the launch angle and spin were quite high.  Maybe if I adjusted the inputted variable of loft for a given club my numbers would make more sense for me.  I was using my 7 iron at the time I simply went in to “program” “bag” and “7 iron” and adjusted the static loft down a few degrees.  This seemed to work quite well.  This method obviously requires some time and effort on the part of the user to calibrate the unit to their swing.  Something I'm sure most won't have the ability, time, or desire to do.  But none the less it seemed to work well for my purpose.  Once these adjustments were made good shots showed spin rates within a 100-500 rpm of the data measure by GC2.  It even seemed to work reasonably well on knockdown or purposefully higher shots.

 

Shot carry

Once the adjustments from above were made the units carry distances on good shots were very close to that of flightcopes trajectory optimizer output with the same measured input.   Within 5-10 yards or so, all in all pretty good for a guess.  Again…only on good shots. 

 

 

Launch Angle

Unfortunately the launch angle wasn't visible on the unit's readout unless I wasn't doing something right.  So I cannot compare since the app failed to perform.

 

 

/// ShotCapture/Accuracy/Consistency OVERALL -10/10

 

 

Considering the cost of the unit I found it to be surprisingly accurate on good shots.  It gets a little off when the ball was not hit well or started offline.  You will find that if you hit a push draw or a pull cut the unit ill measure your shots with more accuracy if you make adjustments to the alignment accordingly. The calculated stats aren't bad and can help for a simple reference or comparison

 

 

 

 

///- Value -OVERALL -8.5/10

 

This is one of the tougher categories for this unit.  There are several aspects of the ES14that I feel warrant full marks, and others deserve far less.  All this to say when compared to the next best thing (a 2500$ flightscope xi) it's still an amazing value.  Compared to the other new unit the SC100 this unit does have a free app with the capability of data storage and sharing and a few more calculated outputs.  I'll leave it to you to decide whether that is worth double the cost.  To be honest I haven't quite made up my mind on the Es14's value.

 

     

 

 

 

///ES14 -  OVERALL -8/10  //////

 

 

 

There are a lot of possible variables that can be considered here and I'm sure not everyone will agree on which ones are most important. That said the ES14 is an all-around good product.  The setup is a bit more of hassle than I would like for outdoor practice.  The app is a “would be” great addition in comparison to the SC100 which most will find themselves comparing this unit to. 

 

I think if it were not for a direct competitor coming out with a similar product at the same time at half the price the unit would seem a much better value.  Some kinks to work out still but overall…. Pretty good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimers About Testing

 

Of course when testing any unit we have to take some things for granted. 

1.     We must assume the units I tested against were accurate and well calibrated.  I actually tested against two foresight units just to be sure and got very similar results on both

2.     The foresight numbers produced have been consistent for me for some time and when inputted in to flight scopes trajectory optimizer mimic very accurately what I see on course. 

a.     ( I mention the Trajectory Optimizer because foresights simulation in relation to is measured data isn't quite as good as either flight scope or trackman …the data is accurate but the sim program punishes too much for higher spin and shows too much carry for low spin) This opinion is bases solely in experience and general acceptance in the field for Flight scopes simulation.

 

 

 

How we tested

 

The unit was tested indoors primarily against a Foresight GC2 and secondarily against a Trackman II.   I spent most of my time testing against the foresight for two reasons.  One as far as testing indoors goes I trust the Foresight systems more than I do indoor trackman for accuracy of ball data.   Most of the shots I get on trackman come up with greyed out numbers and indication of guessed spin rates and other data.  Second is that I was told that testing 2 Doppler based systems simultaneously can cause some misreads and basically data that can't be trusted. 

 

We used two players with different shot types.

 

Player one (myself)

o   Medium Swing speed player

o   Produce fairly above average launch angles with a relatively straight shot shape

o   Slightly above average spins on iron

o   Below average spins on driver

o   +6 attack angle with driver

o   -2.5 with a six iron

 

Player 2 (Justin)

o   Slightly slower swing speed player

o   Low launch and low spin (delofts quite a bit) = higher smash factors

o   Produces lower spins

o   Similar attack angles

 

What we measured

 

Measured actively by Es14

o    Swing speed

o    Ball Speed

o    Smash Factor

 

Calculated from formulas by Es14

o    Spin

o    Launch Angle

o    Carry distance

 

These numbers were compared shot for shot against foresight and trackman.  Trackman was primarily used to measure swing speed comparisons since our local Foresights do not have HMT units that allow for those measurements to be made directly

 

Tests were used to measure the following

-       Accuracy

When compared to Trackman/GC2 (simply how close the measurements were to GC2)

§   If gc2 showed 135 ballspeed and Es14 showed 137 the accuracy for that given shot would be 1.48% on the high side

-       Consistency

Basically were the numbers consistently higher or lower than measured by Gc2 and Trackman 

 

v  Good shots were counted and compared through various shot types

v  Bad shots were thrown out  but results for both systems noted

v  20 good shots were used to compare a PW, 7iron, and Driver along with a few other clubs just for       observational purposes and to check if patterns where consistent in few other places

[greenadam21]

Read it on my iPad so that I don't have any issues.  This is a great review - well done.

I appreciate that Marc.   I hesitated to post it this morning as I wasn't quite happy with it but I knew i had no more time this week to work on it.   I wish I had allotted more time for myself to get this done.  I really have to hand it to the MGS guys. There is a lot to this and in the case of a tech item like this there can be even more.  I probably went in to to great of detail in a few areas and probably not enough in others.  At a certain point i realized i could pick at it forever and that it would probably be better to just throw it out there so someone can make some use of it.

[GolfSpy WD]

That was a fantastic review GA! Really enjoyed it and it answered a lot of questions I had about the unit. I'm thinking the ES12 or SC100 are better buys because of the guesstimated spin.

[greenadam21]

That was a fantastic review GA! Really enjoyed it and it answered a lot of questions I had about the unit. I'm thinking the ES12 or SC100 are better buys because of the guesstimated spin.

Thanks WD.  Glad to hear it helped.  The toughest thing this unit faces is that SC100 coming out at the same time.  I have no personal experience with the Voice Caddie yet but when the UPS truck shows at about 3pm today that will change.

 

I'm curious to see just how much trouble there is in shot capture and how well it measures club head speed. If its as good as MGS says it is ( an I have little or no doubt that it is) the SC100 will most likely go in my bag.  That is at least until I accidentally hit oil in my backyard or the  power-ball pool at the office finally pays off. Then I'll buy that  Gc2 HMT that I so deserve.

[The Dansome]

Great review greenadam, appreciate the time and sharing with us.

 

Let it been known that since that one off day testing the SC100, I've have had no issues with it consistently picking up shots.

[greenadam21]

Great review greenadam, appreciate the time and sharing with us.

 

Let it been known that since that one off day testing the SC100, I've have had no issues with it consistently picking up shots.

MBP-  no problem I really enjoy doing it.  

 

Glad to hear the SC100 is working so well I'm really excited to get my hands on it.

[jpcgolf]

Great review, sounds like a fairly decent launch monitor for the price.

[Blade]

Great job on the review! If it actually measured spin, I'd be all over it. 

 

Just wondering, how much room does it need when hitting into a net?  I have about 10 feet between the ball and net.

[greenadam21]

Great job on the review! If it actually measured spin, I'd be all over it. 

 

Just wondering, how much room does it need when hitting into a net?  I have about 10 feet between the ball and net.

Thanks Blade.   I cannot promise anything of course..my net in o e of the stalls I tested was about 13 ft.. but I have read in other forums the unit needs about ten feet to get a good read. If you think that the ES14 is the unit for you I will say the customer service was superb and I was assured if I found unit to be less than what I had hoped or not functional for my purpose that I could return for a full refund.   A promise that is getting harder and harder to come by...good peace of mind there if you are worried it won't work.

[greenadam21]

Spent my first hour or so with the SC100 last night.  There would be no point in posting a repeat of MGS's already comprehensive review but just for comparison sake...

• + Cheaper in price but seemingly nicer in build 259$ vs 550$
• + Less space restrictions
• + Much easier to utilize in both setup and active use
• + Just as reliable on shot capture
• + More valuable data in that it is even  more consistent and more accurate  (all shots were dead on with ballspeed if not within 1mph)
• -  Not having access to previous shot data is  definitely a drawback depending on your needs so have a camera or a piece of paper handy if you need this information.  If you are planning to use for lessons viewing the data will not be as convenient as you cannot review wherever you are standing in relation to the player.

Longevity and reliability will only come with time but after an hour or so with this unit I will say that between this unit and the ES14 the Sc100 comes out ahead from a total value and practical use standpoint. It all depends on your priorities.  However If I'm going to spend more than the 250 for the Sc100 I would prefer to jump up to the next price point ( if I could afford it)  that provided real spin and launch characteristics.

[fozcycle]

Terrific review! Just wish I had the time to play with the" toys"......maybe in three years, when I retire?

[iMike74]

Great review! 

 

No need to worry about the finishing touches you mention. I found it easy to read, and full of useful information. MGS have a potential writer in you sir!

 

However I was disapointed to learn that you couldn't get a good test of launch angle, and that you had problems getting reliable data on spin and carry. My main problem is too much spin, and a swing that creates too much launch angle. When I heard about the ES14 I hoped it would be useful for measuring this.

 

I guess I will have too keep waiting until someone comes up with a cheaper Trackman...! 

 

Thanks again for a good and useful review.

[greenadam21]

Great review! 

 

No need to worry about the finishing touches you mention. I found it easy to read, and full of useful information. MGS have a potential writer in you sir!

 

However I was disapointed to learn that you couldn't get a good test of launch angle, and that you had problems getting reliable data on spin and carry. My main problem is too much spin, and a swing that creates too much launch angle. When I heard about the ES14 I hoped it would be useful for measuring this.

 

I guess I will have too keep waiting until someone comes up with a cheaper Trackman...! 

 

Thanks again for a good and useful review.

iMike

 

Thanks I'm glad I could help... and welcome to MGS! 

[clark55810]

Great review and very helpful.

 

Was about to pull the trigger on the SC100, but started thinking about how I would use it given I am not an instructor.

 

I would try to use the device to help me dial in my distances, which using the "target" mode or whatever would be great. 

 

However, I am concerned about those shots that I intentionally hit high or low to that target distance. Since neither device knows the launch angle or spin, I am guessing it wouldn't tell me much.

 

I see that the ES14 does allow the user to change the loft of the club. 

 

Does anyone know if the SC100 allows you to change the loft of the club?

 

Thanks,

 

Clark

[greenadam21]

Great review and very helpful.

 

Was about to pull the trigger on the SC100, but started thinking about how I would use it given I am not an instructor.

 

I would try to use the device to help me dial in my distances, which using the "target" mode or whatever would be great. 

 

However, I am concerned about those shots that I intentionally hit high or low to that target distance. Since neither device knows the launch angle or spin, I am guessing it wouldn't tell me much.

 

I see that the ES14 does allow the user to change the loft of the club. 

 

Does anyone know if the SC100 allows you to change the loft of the club?

 

Thanks,

 

Clark

Clark ,

 

No the SC100 does not allow for this adjustment.  You can of course use visual feedback if you are hitting outdoors.  

[clark55810]

Clark ,

 

No the SC100 does not allow for this adjustment.  You can of course use visual feedback if you are hitting outdoors.

 

Seems like a short coming considering how some GI sets have stronger lofts than other irons. I believe, for example the AP2's have one degree stronger loft in short irons to keep the ball flight lower, which in turn changes the distance calculations.

[greenadam21]

Seems like a short coming considering how some GI sets have stronger lofts than other irons. I believe, for example the AP2's have one degree stronger loft in short irons to keep the ball flight lower, which in turn changes the distance calculations.

 We deliver slightly different dynamic lofts every strike.  Regardless of adjustable input , Launch angle is still a "an unmeasured" variable.  You will see a variance in ballspeed , good strike for good strike, in comparison to your swing speed as dynamic loft changes.  Monitoring that is as good as anything when you are considering either of these units.

 

My take is that if you aren't measuring the Launch, or the spin why pay for a unit that is skewing guessed numbers closer to what your clubs naturally produce.  They are still guesses and in moving closer to what is "normal" you start to trust them and that can be very misleading.

 

 

Just a quick update on the Sc100.  

 

 

Since purchasing this unit I have been using it in conjunction with Foresight in practice and on the range and am still just as impressed as I was when i first received it.    Its most valuable function for my game so far is to keep my swing in check in warm ups.  It is very easy for me to start the day off over swinging as our range faces in to the prevailing 20 mph ks wind.  I try to remind  myself that the distances I see on the range are fine its just the wind but my "inner idiot" often takes over and I start to swing harder and harder.  The swing speed in the Sc100 seems to be very accurate with my TMan sessions so I know i can trust it.  Measuring club head and ballspeed just after impact , ignoring distance,  it is much easier for me to "stay within myself" in warm ups and helps me get off to a good start.

[clark55810]

 We deliver slightly different dynamic lofts every strike.  Regardless of adjustable input , Launch angle is still a "an unmeasured" variable.  You will see a variance in ballspeed , good strike for good strike, in comparison to your swing speed as dynamic loft changes.  Monitoring that is as good as anything when you are considering either of these units.

 

My take is that if you aren't measuring the Launch, or the spin why pay for a unit that is skewing guessed numbers closer to what your clubs naturally produce.  They are still guesses and in moving closer to what is "normal" you start to trust them and that can be very misleading.

 

 

Just a quick update on the Sc100.  

 

Concur about dynamic launch angle and it changing...

 

However, if I was to try and use this for distance practice it would be nice to match the system calculated distance to my real life distance and that could be done by adjusting loft (i.e. 8 iron for me is 155 but SC100 calculates it at 150 due to my iron loft).

 

Adjusting 1 degree could bring that number close to actual, which then makes "target" mode more effective.

 

Not doubting it would be an effective tool, even the way it is.

 

Do you think they will integrate into any mobile device to record information?

 

Clark

[greenadam21]

Concur about dynamic launch angle and it changing...

 

However, if I was to try and use this for distance practice it would be nice to match the system calculated distance to my real life distance and that could be done by adjusting loft (i.e. 8 iron for me is 155 but SC100 calculates it at 150 due to my iron loft).

 

Adjusting 1 degree could bring that number close to actual, which then makes "target" mode more effective.

 

Not doubting it would be an effective tool, even the way it is.

 

Do you think they will integrate into any mobile device to record information?

 

Clark

  I cant say with any certainty of course, only guesswork.  As far as I know this device has no Bluetooth capability.  If that is true then any sort of mobile syncing feature would only be possible by adding a bluetooth antenna in future iterations of this product.  

[kygolfer1980]

Great in depth review!!  I have the sc100 ordered after reading reviews including MBP"s.  Considered cancelling and ordering the ES14 but after reading this I think the SC will suit me just fine esp for the price difference.  Thx again!!

[markb]

I really enjoyed this review -- especially the in-depth details regarding your struggles with the unit's shortcomings.   You were more than fair, I thought, and if I had been giving the unit scores mine would have been much, much lower than yours because the shortcomings you highlighted were severe, not niggling.

 

No launch angle reading, no spin numbers, difficult set up, readings that are "reliably 2% off", clubhead speed readings coming from a sensor that is well in front of the point of impact (How does it look backwards to see the club?), failure to synch with your handheld device, and lastly -- a placement position that GUARANTEES THE UNIT WILL BE DESTROYED BY THE FIRST SHANK.

 

All factors that made my buy/avoid decision easy.   The ES14 is firmly in the avoid category. 

[Noodler]

This is my first post on the MGS forum.  I felt compelled to register after reading through this thread and being an owner of an ES14.

 

I have owned the ES14 for over a month now.  I picked it up to improve my Winter practice sessions and I use it along with a Swingbyte 2.

 

I have not found the ES14 to be very sensitive to the placement of the unit in order to pick-up the ball.  In fact I used the template probably only the very first day I had the unit.  After you see approximately where the ball needs to be, the template can go back in the box never to see the light of day again.  I also have not found it to be picky about the angle of the unit.  In fact I barely have to adjust the angle when moving between a 3 iron and a pitching wedge.

 

As far as accuracy goes, I believe the that unit is spot-on when it comes to measuring the distances.  I have verified the distances reported using both my laser rangefinder and with a Flightscope for one session.  You do need to be careful when used indoors to ensure that the unit sees "enough" ball travel (at least 10 feet). 

 

I would like to see some more polish put on the apps for Android and iPad, but it's great to be able to record your sessions and download them into Excel (.csv file format).  They just came out with a fitting app ($24.95) that allows you to get a lot more data from the unit (including dispersion).

 

You must customize your lofts and I recommend using the calibration feature to change your club lengths to match your set.  I wish that the spin and launch angle were actually measured, but they will provide "relative" comparisons between clubs to assess changes or different clubs.  Just don't pretend that these values are going to match what you'll get from Trackman or Flightscope. 

 

Overall I am very satisfied with my purchase.  It is so much more than the SC100 (which really should be compared to the ES12).  Their tech support is quite responsive and they truly stand behind their product.  A few more tweaks to the software and this could be a really outstanding unit.  I have been passing along my suggestions to Ernest Sports.

[chershey]

Just found this review and I'm hoping the numbers are as consistent as stated. When I take this to the range, it puts my 7 iron club speed at around 94 mph and my driver swing speed averages around 114 mph. Which would put me around 91 with my 7 iron and 110 with my driver if you figure it adds 3% consistently. I'm really happy with those number if that's the case. I've worked really hard on my swing in the last year and those numbers have increased a ton. When I first got the ES14 about a year ago, my 7 iron swing speed with about 85 and my driver swing speed was 103 which would put me around 82 and 100 when the 3% is figured in. Has anyone else compared this against trackman to see how far it's off?

[J_Wurz]

That's a great review. I'm always curious how the new gadgets work. Now I have to decide what to buy to help me hit more then 5 GIR!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[Noodler]

Since this thread has some new life I thought I would provide an update...

 

So I've had the ES14 now for about a year and a half.  I have been through many (4 or 5) low cost swing analyzers (like the Zepp, SwingByte 2, SwingTalk etc.) and I have either returned or sold all of them, but my ES14 keeps on truckin' as I have found it to be the move valuable and reliable swing tool I own.  I have had a few more occasions to compare it against the "big boys" (Trackman, Flightscope) and as long as the hit is "solid" (nothing crazy) the numbers are very reliable (even the calculated measurements).

 

I have gained a full club in distance across all of my irons due to improvement from my greater understanding of how to increase my swing speed and smash factor.  I figured this stuff out in my swing by using the ES14's data.

 

It works great at home hitting into my tarp and works great at the range.  I am already saving my pennies for the ES16.  Ernest Sports builds quality stuff.