The Launch Monitor the average golfer needs

[AppGator 29]

Hey Spies,

Just finished the No Putts Given episode on personal launch monitors and I think that the Trackmans and the Flightscope companies should make a personal launch monitor that gives data similar to Shot Tracer. Akin to catering to the people who don't care how the sausage is made, this monitor won't spit out Ball speed, Spin Rates, AoA, etc. but maybe focus on the information about the ball flight:

• Yardage
• Yards Offline Left or Right from the "Target Line" (in relation to the position of the monitor which is assumed to be some 10 feet behind the ball)
• Peak Height?
• Maybe also have a camera so that it makes a shot tracer video?

The selling point would be to give golfers an idea to where their ball ended up (helping pace of play), shot tracer video they can share, and just enough data for those using it as a DIY fitting tool. Obviously getting professionally fitted with a GC Quad or Trackman would give you more data, but that's when you buy the flagship product (therefore, even if these companies were to develop this product it wouldn't undercut their top of the line product).

What do you all think? Is this something worth developing? Would you buy it? Does it fit in the market and satisfy the requirement of not threatening sales of the fully spec'd launch monitors?

 

[2puttbogey 243]

Could be a good took for the range. I don't know too many people that are really in the market for a personal launch monitor, but I think if ranges rented them out it would get some traction. Knowing your distances and checking them periodically makes sense, but does the average golfer need own a launch monitor?

[AppGator 29]

Could be a good took for the range. I don't know too many people that are really in the market for a personal launch monitor, but I think if ranges rented them out it would get some traction. Knowing your distances and checking them periodically makes sense, but does the average golfer need own a launch monitor?

If they can get the right balance of portable size and price point, it would be good for gapping your clubs, dialing your distances on the range, or seeing if those swing changes are making a difference. On the course, it would be helpful in knowing where your wayward tee shot ended up.

Basically, it's a suggestion to what they proposed on the podcast for a cheaper stepped down version of a launch monitor that could be developed by a Trackman or a Foresight to market to the average golfer.

But I agree that the average golfer would not be interested in a GC Quad (present company excluded) ;)

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[cnosil 14,636]

1 hour ago, 2puttbogey said:

t does the average golfer need own a launch monitor?

Define average golfer?   In my opinion if you are on MGS (or any golf forum) you are not and average golfer.    And yes,  I would love to have a launch montor.   I love the information that is presented on the GC Quad and would be happy to own a Skytrak.  

[AppGator 29]

Define average golfer?   In my opinion if you are on MGS (or any golf forum) you are not and average golfer.    And yes,  I would love to have a launch montor.   I love the information that is presented on the GC Quad and would be happy to own a Skytrak.  

Mark me down for GC Quad but I'd actually pay for an affordable launch monitor that provides accurate ball flight info over a watered down GC Quad or Trackman-like product

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[SlowNLow 303]

All I know is soon it will be cold in 4 mos and the local golf dome may not be an option, so I am looking at a net and a mat in the garage,  determining the quality of strike in 8-12 ft. of travel will be difficult.   The more info the better, but for sure something with side spin, ball speed, launch angle, angle of attack, clubface angle at impact, is good stuff.   

GC Quad works for me, maybe a very mad divorcee will dump one in a garage sale.  

Edited July 16, 2020 by SlowNLow

[HardcoreLooper 5,109]

If they bundled it with good software for a range and simulator play, I might be interested.  Then again, I'm the not-so-proud owner of an Optishot, so what do I know?

Have any of you played around with apps like B-FIT or ShotVision?  I'm wondering when we'll have launch monitor apps that are at least SkyTrak quality.

I agree with Tony, the big guys in this business have no interest in cannibalizing the $20K per unit business that they're in right now with a $500 unit that does 98% of what the more expensive unit does.  However, someone not currently in the high-end LM business is going to crack this nut at some point and develop that $500 model.  If the big guys are smart, they're working on this as well and will have something they can launch beforehand.  Because that $500 unit that has 98% of the functionality will likely kill the market for the $20K LM.

[yungkory 9,414]

For me, it's irrelevant if I'm just going to be hitting range balls with it. I'm hoping that Foresight comes out with some kind of affordable home version soon so I can setup a simulator at home when I have somewhere that has the space for it!

[edingc 7,254]

39 minutes ago, yungkory said:

For me, it's irrelevant if I'm just going to be hitting range balls with it. I'm hoping that Foresight comes out with some kind of affordable home version soon so I can setup a simulator at home when I have somewhere that has the space for it!

I had this same discussion with my brother-in-law a few weeks ago. With SkyTrak hardware being like five years old at this point, there certainly seems like a market for a $1k or less photometric device for those of us with limited space. I'd be all over that.

I don't think I would go to a range anymore if I didn't have my Mevo. Sure, range balls are not 100 percent comparable to real balls, but you can extrapolate a bit and find a reasonable average. Also, love the video clipping feature.

[AppGator 29]

If they bundled it with good software for a range and simulator play, I might be interested.  Then again, I'm the not-so-proud owner of an Optishot, so what do I know?
Have any of you played around with apps like B-FIT or ShotVision?  I'm wondering when we'll have launch monitor apps that are at least SkyTrak quality.
I agree with Tony, the big guys in this business have no interest in cannibalizing the $20K per unit business that they're in right now with a $500 unit that does 98% of what the more expensive unit does.  However, someone not currently in the high-end LM business is going to crack this nut at some point and develop that $500 model.  If the big guys are smart, they're working on this as well and will have something they can launch beforehand.  Because that $500 unit that has 98% of the functionality will likely kill the market for the $20K LM.

By the time they advance to there being multiple ultra portable launch monitors, the big OEMs will develop some advantage in the presentation (augmented reality or live virtual fitting) or even better accuracy. Drawing comparisons back to the podcast and the computer analogy. It's not like all the big companies folded as new competitors came into the market, they either flourished more (Apple), just became more specialized (HP - 3D printing?) or occupy a space that fits their model (Microsoft). These guys are still trying to get better and they have the advantage of already having brought a product to market, aside from having an already developed brand.

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[yungkory 9,414]

20 minutes ago, edingc said:

I had this same discussion with my brother-in-law a few weeks ago. With SkyTrak hardware being like five years old at this point, there certainly seems like a market for a $1k or less photometric device for those of us with limited space. I'd be all over that.

I don't think I would go to a range anymore if I didn't have my Mevo. Sure, range balls are not 100 percent comparable to real balls, but you can extrapolate a bit and find a reasonable average. Also, love the video clipping feature.

If it gave me club path data, then it would be useful for me for sure. My main issue is swinging too far from the inside, so when I implement changes, I like to see the results in hard data. Not knocking you if you're finding positive feedback for you, just wouldn't justify using it for me personally and my goals.

[AppGator 29]

I had this same discussion with my brother-in-law a few weeks ago. With SkyTrak hardware being like five years old at this point, there certainly seems like a market for a $1k or less photometric device for those of us with limited space. I'd be all over that.
I don't think I would go to a range anymore if I didn't have my Mevo. Sure, range balls are not 100 percent comparable to real balls, but you can extrapolate a bit and find a reasonable average. Also, love the video clipping feature.

It goes back to how much you would pay for something that's just close in accuracy. It's like having yard sticks of different lengths that still claim they're a yard - you'd want the most accurate for measuring if you want the actual numbers of the club head and ball. I think, referring to the OP, giving a read out of what the ball did (yardage, yardage offline, peak height) would be non-threatening enough for a Trackman or Foresight to want to develop since they are arguably the leaders. The information would also have usefulness on the range and course so as not to be a novelty.

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[edingc 7,254]

Just now, yungkory said:

If it gave me club path data, then it would be useful for me for sure. My main issue is swinging too far from the inside, so when I implement changes, I like to see the results in hard data. Not knocking you if you're finding positive feedback for you, just wouldn't justify using it for me personally and my goals.

Yeah, that's the big bummer about anything outside of Trackman and GCQuad with the club tracking. Really doesn't help with that kind of stuff. Someday there will have to be a cheaper device that's capable of doing it.

One of the biggest draws to my instructor is that he has Trackman and seeing the numbers change helps reinforce what I'm trying to do in my swing. I 100 percent understand where you are coming from.

Mevo/Swing Caddie/etc. are just as much for fun as anything else. 

[2puttbogey 243]

15 hours ago, AppGator said:

 On the course, it would be helpful in knowing where your wayward tee shot ended up.


 

Just no. On the course is not the place to be breaking out a launch monitor. Pace of play is already an issue.

15 hours ago, cnosil said:

Define average golfer?   In my opinion if you are on MGS (or any golf forum) you are not and average golfer.    

A person that plays once a week and practices once or twice a week. This is probably more than an average golfer (this is about where I fall),  but most likely the starting point for someone that may be the target audience. 

14 hours ago, SlowNLow said:

All I know is soon it will be cold in 4 mos and the local golf dome may not be an option, so I am looking at a net and a mat in the garage,  determining the quality of strike in 8-12 ft. of travel will be difficult.   

It completely makes sense for this reason, and I didn't even think about that. Sorry I am spoiled. I live where I can play year round. I only thought of it from the going to the range perspective not about using it on the off season. I can see the appeal better from this perspective.

[AppGator 29]

Just no. On the course is not the place to be breaking out a launch monitor. Pace of play is already an issue.

Yes, pulling out a Trackman would slow things down. But assuming a smaller, compact launch monitor (Mevo size) that you can set up at the tee box and relays each person's tee shot regarding how far off line and how long it went down the fairway prior to curving away would make it easier to find the ball.

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[cnosil 14,636]

2 hours ago, 2puttbogey said:

A person that plays once a week and practices once or twice a week. This is probably more than an average golfer (this is about where I fall),  but most likely the starting point for someone that may be the target audience. 

I guess I am an average golfer.  I prefer more information that the basic launch monitor provides. 

[2puttbogey 243]

6 hours ago, AppGator said:

 

6 hours ago, AppGator said:

 

 

Yes, pulling out a Trackman would slow things down. But assuming a smaller, compact launch monitor (Mevo size) that you can set up at the tee box and relays each person's tee shot regarding how far off line and how long it went down the fairway prior to curving away would make it easier to find the ball.

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I could see it done sometimes, but it has the potential to spiral out of control if everyone needs to start seeing their shots from the fairway too. ( Sorry about the format my tablet was not cooperating)

Edited July 16, 2020 by 2puttbogey
Format

[2puttbogey 243]

I could see it done sometimes, but it has the potential to spiral out of control if everyone needs to start seeing their shots from the fairway too. ( Sorry my tablet was not playing nice so I did a repost so it's easier to read)

[JonMUSC08 711]

someone just needs to come up with the software for a iphone or ipad and your'e golden.

[HardcoreLooper 5,109]

On 7/16/2020 at 7:28 AM, AppGator said:

By the time they advance to there being multiple ultra portable launch monitors, the big OEMs will develop some advantage in the presentation (augmented reality or live virtual fitting) or even better accuracy. Drawing comparisons back to the podcast and the computer analogy. It's not like all the big companies folded as new competitors came into the market, they either flourished more (Apple), just became more specialized (HP - 3D printing?) or occupy a space that fits their model (Microsoft). These guys are still trying to get better and they have the advantage of already having brought a product to market, aside from having an already developed brand.

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I'm thinking of it more like mainframes vs. x86 computing.  Most of the players in the market who tried to continue to specialize in mainframes are long gone, but IBM*, Unisys and Fujitsu have survived by diversifying beyond them.  

 

 

*Full disclosure, I work for Red Hat, so I guess I'm technically an IBM'er.