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Are launch monitors worth it?


redhillaz

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After reading "7 Reasons why range balls shouldn't be part of your next fitting" I'm questioning the value of obtaining a launch monitor for myself.  Sounds like it would only be useful if I had the space to set up a practice area at home and hit off a mat.  I was hoping to pick one up this spring but I'd be using it at the driving range with range balls.  After reading the article I'm now doubting this would provide me with any useful information.  What to people think?  Do you use a launch monitor at the range and find it to be useful?

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It depends on what you are trying to get out from it.

If it’s to work on bag gapping/dialing wedge distances on different shots then it could be a useful tool and some of the personal launch monitors do a good job at this. For me when I had a couple of the older ones this is what i used it for or for the practice option that gave you different distances to hit. 
 

another useful use would be for club comparison if demoing something to see if it works better or not against current club, then also a good reason to have one

Using it to chase number and not knowing what they mean or what’s causing them then one could end up down a rabbit hole.

 

Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4

Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white

Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid

Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120

Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60

Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1

Ball: Titleist Prov1

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If you know what causes numbers they can be a useful tool in correcting swing flaws quickly.  It's only a rabbit hole if you don't take the time and effort to educate yourself.

https://blog.trackmangolf.com/effects-trackman-training-development-elite-junior-golfers/

Ogio Woode 8 Hybrid Stand Bag
PXG 0811 X Gen4 @ 6* - Fujikura Motore X F3 7X
PXG 0211 @ 13.5* - Fujikura Motore X F1 8X
PXG 0311 XP Gen3 3i-PW - PX LZ 6.5
PXG 0311 Forged 54/60 - PX LZ 6.5
Scotty Cameron Special Select Newport 2

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I've got a Garmin approach g80 which is both a GPS and a launch monitor.  I've used it at the range a few times.  The numbers seemed a little off, but it seems consistently off, if that makes sense.  So I've used it the first couple times to get an idea of my yardages (only been golfing a few months) and since then I've pulled it out to see my numbers get better.  

Honestly, I'm not sure if I would buy it again if I could go back.  Seems like quickly diminishing returns for me.  Would be awesome if the local ranges had a couple portable units that they could rent out.

Cobra Aerojet Max driver

Cobra Aerojet Max 3 wood and 7 wood

Cobra Aerojet 4/5/6 hybrids

Cobra Aerojet 7-PW, GW

Cobra Snakebite 52° and 58° wedges

Cobra King Stingray 20 putter

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2 hours ago, JerryB said:

Seems like quickly diminishing returns for me.

That’s an issue with most launch monitors. Unless you are able to get accurate club data it’s not likely to do much other than tell you approximate club distances. You can do that on the course by hitting shots to measured distances. 
 

At the moment, truly effective portable launch monitors are limited to Trackman, GC2/4, and the upper end FlightScope lineup. Hopefully the Launch Pro/GC3 and the Full Swing Kit expand those options, because those others are out of the realm of affordability for most. 

Ogio Woode 8 Hybrid Stand Bag
PXG 0811 X Gen4 @ 6* - Fujikura Motore X F3 7X
PXG 0211 @ 13.5* - Fujikura Motore X F1 8X
PXG 0311 XP Gen3 3i-PW - PX LZ 6.5
PXG 0311 Forged 54/60 - PX LZ 6.5
Scotty Cameron Special Select Newport 2

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I'd love a launch monitor. I took a LONG break from swinging a golf club, and combined with new irons I have no idea what my gapping is. If I could smash balls into a net in my garage for 20min a day and get an understanding of my yardages without having to find out the hard way on a course I would probably add years to my life span.

No range within a one hour drive from me has accurate distances marked, and I do not own a laser range finder so a launch monitor would be pretty useful.

Tiger is the GOAT, change my mind.

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I bought the Mevo+ to use in my yard last year and while I don't get to use it as much as I had hoped, I still love that I have it. Any time i have a block of time where nothing else needs to be done I have the option of stepping outside and "hitting the range", or playing a round of virtual golf in the same amount of time it would have taken me just to get to a course. I have also used it to help my son play a bit more constantly. All in all I would buy it again. 

 

Driver: :titelist-small: TSi4 8* w/ Tensei AV Raw White 65gr X shaft set to D-1 Hosel
3 wood: :taylormade-small: M1 13.5* Head set open w/ Fade bias weights. 
Irons: :ping-small: I-Blades PW-3i, 2* up standard length.
Wedges: :ping-small:Glide 1.0 TS 60*, :ping-small: Glide 2.0 56 ES, :titelist-small:Vokey 52* 
Putter: :ping-small: Sigma G Kushin .
Ball: Various: Testing: :titelist-small: AVX, :bridgestone-small: BX, :taylormade-small: TP5x 
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I would say yes, they are worth it.  If you accept that ranges balls won't give the same numbers as your gamer, they will still give you some numbers, so you can gauge your consitency etc much better than just eyeballing it.  Even the 'distance only ones' such as PRGR, SC 200/300, original Mevo etc can help make range practice more meaningful.

I'm lucky, I do have space outdoors for a Skytrak and net at home (just), and it is great to have that option.

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I think the answer is, "it depends". To get decently accurate numbers and to have a good home setup, you have to spend $2,000+ on a LM. For the average golfer only using a LM on the course or range, it probably would be a distraction. I personally would like to get a launch monitor like the Mevo just to get some ballpark spin and clubhead speed numbers because I like to try different clubs out. However, I'm not swinging at home, so spending $2k on a LM would not provide much return. Also, if you're on a range that has flags or any markings at all, a laser rangefinder to the targets is going to be as accurate as anything. If money is no concern and you can afford to carry around a $10k - $20k LM, then more power to you. 

I agree with @CRW. If you do get a LM, you need to learn how to use it correctly. I find it easy to start chasing numbers even when just using a Skytrak in hitting bay at a golf shop with no actual idea if the ball is doing as I would actually want.

I do think that LMs are a worthwhile purchase if you want to practice in winter months for those who aren't farther south. I would never encourage anyone to blindly hit into a net without some form of feedback. I think this is probably where the Skytrak shines the most. I still haven't seen a lot on the Mevo+ but from personal experience, the Skytrak has generally seemed accurate enough and easy to use. However, once again, were talking about likely spending at least $3,000 for a full home Skytrak or Mevo+ setup. If you're going to practice at home or indoors, you better have a good net and mat or your body and/or house may not like you. 

Your best case scenario would be to see if a friend or golf club has a personal LM to try out and see if the numbers are helpful. If seeing your numbers gives you a huge boost in confidence, then maybe that's enough to justify it as golf is mostly a mental game after all. 

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I recently ordered a launch monitor for the backyard.  Think it will give some data, give general shot shape, and be more interesting for hitting into net this winter.  For real numbers by club go with course data with real golf balls.  Have a Garmin watch that helps with accurate distance range stats, but also think you can use scorecard notes and math to learn distance ranges by club if you figure out approach distances.  Take lessons with full Trackman and video capture and the data is really useful, especially with golf pro comments, but that is easily $20K setup and not practical for home.                 

Driver - 2023 Callaway Paradym 9.0, 3 Wood -2022 Rogue ST Max, 3 Hybrid Mavrik, 2017 X-forged 4-PW, Wedges Callaway 50-56-60, Putter Odyssey Toulon Chicago     

 

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I have a SkyTrak setup in my garage and for the most part I think it’s close enough in regards to the numbers I get.  What I do know is it’s a blast to play courses whenever I want. Never get a rainout and can play 18 in 30 minutes. I bought a new house in the spring so I let a buddy use it for 4 or 5 months and my handicap went up 3.5 strokes this summer. So maybe it will help your game without even trying.

Wedgie

 

Driver - XXIO X Driver 9.5

:cleveland-small: - Launcher Turbo 2 hybrid

:cobra-small: - F9 One Length 3-L

:EVNROLL: - ER 1.2

Top Flite Gamer

Play Right

 

 

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FIL bought me a SwingCaddie SC200+ (and after a lot of use I would buy it again for myself).  It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of others but it's reasonably priced and tells me what I need to know with decent accuracy.  It only shows carry distance, clubhead speed, balls speed, and smash factor.  If you understand how those numbers come together, it tells you a lot about how well you're hitting the ball.  It's a very useful tool for dialing in ranges and it even has a few practice modes that are pretty handy.  I use mine pretty much every time I'm at the range and even during warmups before a round.   All in all I would say launch monitors are pretty worthwhile.  They're a very useful tool if you understand how to leverage the data they give you.  

Driver

311062546_PXG_LogoSmall.jpg.1ff58b767d1fb1cdfeac9a387718766e.jpg  0811XT -- Tensei CK Orange 60

Woods

PXG_Logo Small.jpg 0211 3W -- Tensei AV Raw Blue

Hybrids

image.png.374545efa45a29aed00287677e783604.png  0317X 2&4 -- Tensei AV Raw Blue 

Irons 

:srixon-small: ZX7 4/AW -- C-Taper Lite 110

Wedges

:cleveland-small:  RTX Zipcore 56 Mid @55° -- TT DG Spinner

Putter

Test.png DF2.1 or Link.1 -- Accra

Ball

:srixon-small:  Zstar Diamond

 

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This is mostly what I would classify as a philosophical question.  If you believe it will help you, then it more than likely will.  You will actively be seeking numbers, or stats that indicate that it is helping you.  

I think as a couple others have indicated, be careful of chasing "the numbers", or what something "should be".  I'm not sure how fast my ball speed from 135 yards should be.  What I do know is that if I hit my 9 iron with my normal swing it goes 135 yards.  Any inconsistencies in that distance are purely because I don't practice.  I don't need a LM to tell me I don't practice enough. 

Be careful seeking objects to help you improve.  Diligent practice will help you improve.  Some gadget, or item, without any additional practice  is likely to do very little to nothing for you.  I don't care what your level of play is.  Remember 25 practice chips a day for a month even with some rock hard golf ball , will with 100 percent certainty improve your chipping more than  buying Pro V1's, and not practicing.

Driver: Cobra King Speedzone

Irons:  :callaway-small: Mavrik 4-GW

Wedges:  :cleveland-small: CG-14 56 & RTX 52

Putter:  :ping-small: Scottsdale Wolverine

Woods:  Gigagolf  3W, 2H, 3H

Ball:  Srixon Z-Star XV 

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I would say yes, they are worth it.  If you accept that ranges balls won't give the same numbers as your gamer, they will still give you some numbers, so you can gauge your consitency etc much better than just eyeballing it.  Even the 'distance only ones' such as PRGR, SC 200/300, original Mevo etc can help make range practice more meaningful.  Even with a cheap one, you can do randomized distance practice by getting a random number generator app on your phone, or use some playing cards or dice 

I'm lucky, I do have space outdoors for a Skytrak and net at home (but only just), and my game has improved as a result.

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I have the best launch monitor available, my eyes. I prefer to play 9 holes hitting 2-3 balls off the tee than go to the range. By doing this I know that everything is how it is when I play comp. 

Only time I go to the range is if I am trying to modify some aspect of my swing. 

Callaway Epic Flash 9 Degree

Callaway Epic Flash 3 wood 15 Degree

Callaway Apex 21 Hybrid 19 Degree

Callaway Steelhead Pro 4-AW Irons

Cleveland 54 Degree Wedge Steel Shaft

Recoil Graphite Shafts in all Callaway

Cobra Vintage Series Stingray 40

Preferred ball - Seed 001

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In my personal search for new clubs via the demo program at Ben Hogan and Sub 70  -  I acquired a SC300i and I will say using it at the range helped narrow down my club choices so that I could eventually decide not only by looks/sound/feel but also have numbers to go by.  Granted these were with range balls but I gathered enough data during multiple sessions to arrive at a winner at least for me. 

 

:Sub70:  849D 10.5* UST PROFORCE v2 Black, 939X Hybrid 3H Aerotech SteelFiber Hybrid HLS 780

:taylormade-small: SIM2 MAX USA EDITION for winning the 2021 Ryder Cup contest sponsored by Taylormade and MGS  

:Hogan:  GS53Max 10.5* HZRDUS Smoke Black 5.5 ,  GS53 Fairway 4W HZRDUS Smoke Black 5.5,   VKTR+Hybrid 18* 

:titelist-small:  975D 9.5* ,  975F  3-w , 5-w 

:Sub70:   699 Pro Utility Black 19.5*

:Sub70:   TAIII  RAW 4-AW , True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 (R) 

:benhogan-small:  ICON Black  4- PW , with SteelFiber i80 (R) shafts

:benhogan-small:  Wedges Equalizer II  50*, 54*, 56*,  58*, 60*  , UST Recoil 780-F4/Stiff (Graphite)

:Sub70:  005 Wide Blade putter - with :garsen: Max 17"

:Sub70:  002 Mid Mallet putter - with :garsen:  Max 17"

:Arccos: Smoke Sensors (GEN 3+) ,  Link (GEN 2) 

old clubs

:wilson_staff_small:   Wilson Dyna-Power II  3-PW,  R90 Sand iron

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On 9/20/2021 at 3:09 PM, Firebird said:

I have the best launch monitor available, my eyes. I prefer to play 9 holes hitting 2-3 balls off the tee than go to the range. By doing this I know that everything is how it is when I play comp. 

Only time I go to the range is if I am trying to modify some aspect of my swing. 

 

I agree that on course practice would be ideal. But where I live, you wouldn't have the time to hit that many shots on the tee. The courses are too busy. With the Launch Monitor I can use it in my yard set up a hole and practice hitting that shot. Then when I have that "Shot" in my regular round I have confidence I can pull it off. Also, with my current schedule I don't get to a course very often anymore so being able to play a bit at night is nice to keep the swing oiled. 

 

 

Driver: :titelist-small: TSi4 8* w/ Tensei AV Raw White 65gr X shaft set to D-1 Hosel
3 wood: :taylormade-small: M1 13.5* Head set open w/ Fade bias weights. 
Irons: :ping-small: I-Blades PW-3i, 2* up standard length.
Wedges: :ping-small:Glide 1.0 TS 60*, :ping-small: Glide 2.0 56 ES, :titelist-small:Vokey 52* 
Putter: :ping-small: Sigma G Kushin .
Ball: Various: Testing: :titelist-small: AVX, :bridgestone-small: BX, :taylormade-small: TP5x 
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I have an SC300. In hind sight, i would have gone Mevo or Rapsodo. I doubt the accuracy sometimes, especially inside. I feel like 10+ yards off more often than id like. But even when its reading “off”, could be in my head, its at least consistent enough to show me when im puring my shots etc. SC300 is better than nothing, but maybe not the best option in that price range.

Mavrik Max Driver

M2 5W

818 hybrids

Steelhead XR Irons

ZipCore wedges

SeeMore PR M7X

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On 9/15/2021 at 8:07 AM, redhillaz said:

After reading "7 Reasons why range balls shouldn't be part of your next fitting" I'm questioning the value of obtaining a launch monitor for myself.  Sounds like it would only be useful if I had the space to set up a practice area at home and hit off a mat.  I was hoping to pick one up this spring but I'd be using it at the driving range with range balls.  After reading the article I'm now doubting this would provide me with any useful information.  What to people think?  Do you use a launch monitor at the range and find it to be useful?

I find great value and reliability with my SC200.  I purchased it used for $125 and have checked it next to a Mevo+ and a laser ranger finder.  It's not very accurate on high lofted wedge shots, especially partial swings, and is about 7-10 yards short of actual carry on drivers (compared to Mevo+).  But, it's really solid on irons and provides me valuable feedback on my consistency (or not) and gapping.  Having just acquired new irons, I was able to old and new side by side and gather data.  

I've been interested in the DIY, low budget hitting studios (connect & project) and, that's really the next level of PLM use for me.  Based on the research I've done, SkyTrak and Mevo+ are the best options - and I'm currently leaning towards Mevo+.  An all in studio that offers very accurate ball and club head data, and the ability to play simulated courses, for around $3000 checks off my value for the money box.  The only reason I haven't already pursued setting one up is that we're likely moving soon and I want to tailor it to the new digs.

In addition to a few threads from fellow spies who have recently set-up studios, here is another that I like.

 

:ping-small: G410 Plus, 9 Degree Driver 

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 16 Degree 3w

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 19 Degree 5w

:srixon-small:  ZX5 Irons 4-AW 

:ping-small: Glide 2.0 56 Degree SW   (removed from double secret probation 😍)

:EVNROLL: ER5v Putter  (Evnroll ER5v Official Review)

:odyssey-small: AI-One Milled Seven T CH (Currently Under Product Test)

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I found out that skytrak is launching an update to the "spin decay" known issue.  IE it keeps the spin rate the same rpms throughout the ball flight so draws and fades are multiplied more than as they would be in person.  Saw a recent video against the Uneekor unit (around 7-8K) and it was very close in terms of ball flight.  Carry numbers were different on some shots, but it is very exciting to see this get fixed.  

Driver:  image.png.3c6db1120d888f669e07d4a8f890b3f1.pngMavrik Sub Zero 9* (Set to 10) Ventus Blue 6X

2 Hybrid: :titelist-small: TSI3 Hybrid Tensei Blue 80 X (17.25*)

3 Hybrid :titelist-small: 818 H2 Hybrid Hzrdus RDX Black 6.5 (20.5*)

4 Iron -  :titelist-small: T200 4 Iron Graphite Design Tour AD IZ X Hybrid Shaft

Irons 5-PW:  :titelist-small: T100-S 5 - GW KBS Tour 130 X

Gap/Sand Wedge:  :titelist-small: Vokey SM6 49*  SM8 54* 

Lob Wedge:  image.png.3c6db1120d888f669e07d4a8f890b3f1.pngJaws 5 Wedge 58* DG Tour Issue Stiff

Putter:   :scotty-small: Phantom 5.5 34"      Pro Platinum Newport 2 35"      Taylormade Tour Black Spider 34"

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I'm going to chime in again on this...

I would say yes, launch monitors are well worth it.  As long as you set your budget and expectations according to what you want and will use it for.

No real point in buying a GC Quad just to carry to the range every couple of months to get, and keep track of, rough yardages.  All you really need is an entry level unit for that.

If you have space at home for a set up that you can use frequently then the the extra investment in a Mevo+, Skytrak etc over the basic units is well worth it, if your budget allows of course.  The extra capability will encourage you to use it more too.

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