New SkyTrack coming

[cnosil]

1 hour ago, MattF said:

Yes. One camera for the club and dual doppler radar for the ball.

I think you got that backwards. Per the skytrak site:

 

The new Doppler Radar System delivers useful club data, including: Club Head Speed, Smash Factor, Club Path and Face Angle.

The improved camera system gives golfers highly accurate and reliable ball-tracking data that can power a player’s practice and improvement. The camera system also provides for improved outdoor performance on mats. You can now work on your game at the range.

 

 

 

[golfinnut]

$3K ... is it worth it?  Seems a bit steep ... $1K upgrade?  

[DriverBreaker]

8 hours ago, golfinnut said:

$3K ... is it worth it?  Seems a bit steep ... $1K upgrade?  

I mean TrackMan is over $10k.  GC Quad is over $10k and then you have to pay more for the club data.  GC3 is $7k and you get path and angle of attack, and Bushnell Launch Pro is $3k but you have to pay the subscription yearly or unlock it to get path and angle of attack.  Uneekor models are $4.5k - over $10k and include some club data

So if it is accurate, it is the most cost effective version that gives you club and ball data.  My biggest question is the accuracy of ball data with still just one camera when all other units seem to use at least two.  And the Doppler will need to be proven as most other radar units are behind the ball, so this is a new way to use it.  

[Nolan220]

I have a skytrak I saw $600 to trade in I think it said using 2nd Swing trade values ? .. will have to see if its worth it to upgrade.

[MattF]

3 hours ago, cnosil said:

I think you got that backwards. Per the skytrak site:

 

The new Doppler Radar System delivers useful club data, including: Club Head Speed, Smash Factor, Club Path and Face Angle.

The improved camera system gives golfers highly accurate and reliable ball-tracking data that can power a player’s practice and improvement. The camera system also provides for improved outdoor performance on mats. You can now work on your game at the range.

 

 

 

Actually, there's 2 cameras and dual doppler. I went back to my notes I took from the zoom call with SkyTrak last Friday.

[DriverBreaker]

4 minutes ago, MattF said:

Actually, there's 2 cameras and dual doppler. I went back to my notes I took from the zoom call with SkyTrak last Friday.

2 cameras would be a significant leap forward and a boost to the accuracy of the ball data.  Combine that with the dual radar and it could be the most tech for the buck on the market.

[Kansas King]

If this unit is truly accurate, it should put a dent in the $10k+ market. Golf shops, especially if they have multiple bays, will have to try justifying spending almost $10k extra per unit if they think they need a trackman or GC4. Heck, if SkyTrak doesn't lock data behind a paywall, is there anywhere near $4k in value for the GC3? I doubt it. Honestly, the original SkyTrak is adequate for most golf shops as it is today for general fitting purposes. For maybe net $2500, golf shops will be able to upgrade to the new SkyTrak and be able to offer fittings using data nearly equivalent to that of a GC4/Trackman, assuming the new SkyTrak is reasonably accurate. 

I mentioned this in the article about the Bushnell LM price dropping to $3k but I think we're going to see LM prices crater over the next decade, at least for consumer units. Cameras, radars, and other sensors used for vehicle LIDAR systems will inevitably have some of that technology and factory production efficiencies filter down into consumer products and I could see golf LMs being a potential landing spot for some of that stuff. The hard part is software and I don't know if there is a good solution on that front. There seem to be a couple random open-source projects out there but I don't know if they are any good. I'll be curious to see in the coming years if AI will have any notable impacts on golf. Perhaps in time, AI could help write code to improve LM software, especially if it's open source. I don't think AI is at that point today but who knows what it will look like in five, 10, or 15 years. AI is probably a big enough topic that it will probably get it's own dedicated thread in the future on this and other golf forums. 

Overall, I'm very excited for the future of technology related golf products. My only hope is that the USGA, R&A, and PGA can keep their head on their shoulders and ensure that technology doesn't lead to an unbalanced sport. 

[Luke James]

The SkyTrak+ Launch Monitor empowers us with accurate data, virtual practice options, and personalized feedback, all of which contribute to enhancing the skills and enjoyment of the game. The SkyTrak+ Launch Monitor seems to be value for money. Don't forget to share your experience.

https://golfercraze.com/skytrak-launch-monitor-review/

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by Luke James

[Mike T C]

Could be a good time to pick up a used Skytrak if the 3k is too steep - now an 'average' condition first gen is $999.

https://www.2ndswing.com/accessories/launch-monitors/skytrak-personal-launch-monitor/d-52330889976

 

[ejgaudette]

On 5/11/2023 at 11:26 AM, Kansas King said:

If this unit is truly accurate, it should put a dent in the $10k+ market. Golf shops, especially if they have multiple bays, will have to try justifying spending almost $10k extra per unit if they think they need a trackman or GC4. Heck, if SkyTrak doesn't lock data behind a paywall, is there anywhere near $4k in value for the GC3? I doubt it. Honestly, the original SkyTrak is adequate for most golf shops as it is today for general fitting purposes. For maybe net $2500, golf shops will be able to upgrade to the new SkyTrak and be able to offer fittings using data nearly equivalent to that of a GC4/Trackman, assuming the new SkyTrak is reasonably accurate. 

I mentioned this in the article about the Bushnell LM price dropping to $3k but I think we're going to see LM prices crater over the next decade, at least for consumer units. Cameras, radars, and other sensors used for vehicle LIDAR systems will inevitably have some of that technology and factory production efficiencies filter down into consumer products and I could see golf LMs being a potential landing spot for some of that stuff. The hard part is software and I don't know if there is a good solution on that front. There seem to be a couple random open-source projects out there but I don't know if they are any good. I'll be curious to see in the coming years if AI will have any notable impacts on golf. Perhaps in time, AI could help write code to improve LM software, especially if it's open source. I don't think AI is at that point today but who knows what it will look like in five, 10, or 15 years. AI is probably a big enough topic that it will probably get it's own dedicated thread in the future on this and other golf forums. 

Overall, I'm very excited for the future of technology related golf products. My only hope is that the USGA, R&A, and PGA can keep their head on their shoulders and ensure that technology doesn't lead to an unbalanced sport. 

The improvements in computer vision (analysis of images) should really help camera based systems track data more accurately especially spin. It should be possible in the near future for GC4 to not need dots on the club either possibly. Time will tell.

[Kansas King]

2 hours ago, Mike T C said:

Could be a good time to pick up a used Skytrak if the 3k is too steep - now an 'average' condition first gen is $999.

https://www.2ndswing.com/accessories/launch-monitors/skytrak-personal-launch-monitor/d-52330889976

 

I think the used LM market is probably going to be significantly cheaper in the future. There are quite a few LMs on the market and some people are going to be ditching their pandemic LM splurges. I think used SkyTraks will have some value but I don't see used units being worth much more than $1000 anytime in the future. They're a solid piece of kit but the indoor only functionality really limits their use case. People may think this sounds crazy but IF, big IF, if SkyTrak does a big production run, the used market may get flooded by used golf shop SkyTraks. I personally think that we could be seeing $500 used SkyTraks going into next summer. This is probably a big reason why SkyTrak is going to have a trade-in program. However, if golf shops can earn a couple hundred extra bucks on eBay, I don't think they are going to let that income go. A lot of golf shops run on pretty tight margins as it is. I think the value of used LMs will especially crater if we see any budget Chinese entrants in the space. I think with the current state of technology and all the LIDAR being developed for automotive uses, we are probably on the precipice some potentially very cheap and decent LMs. 

Edited May 16, 2023 by Kansas King

[DriverBreaker]

Looking decent so far, although apparently he says in one of the videos that Clubhead data is calculated, not measured:

https://youtu.be/Vh2RmCKSTqg

 

[ChitownM2]

So it's 6/1, and these were shipping "Late May" has anyone gotten their hands on one yet?  I'm still having a hard time finding out exactly what stats this provides and what ones are measured vs. calculated.  They are very clear about having added the radar and getting head speed, path and face angle but it's not clear which of those are calculated vs. measured.  I want to see a nice chart of every data point it provides, kind of like flighscope has on the MEVO+ page where it is very clear what data is being given.

Assuming this comes close to matching the accuracy of a GC3 then this is probably everything I have been waiting for.  $3k price and only $100/yr subscription and good outdoors meaning I can set this up on my patio with my net and mat and start practicing at home instead of the range.  

[ChitownM2]

On 5/4/2023 at 11:24 AM, MattF said:

I hope to have mine by the end of the month.

Any update on when you will be receiving yours? 

Seems like there are almost no "in-hand" reviews of this yet which is surprising.  I would have expected Skytrak to send some out to golf influencers / reviewers to do a product intro / review before they start landing in the hands of retail customers.  It seems like so much of the basic information on this is still missing despite it supposedly being shipped to customers any day now.

[MattF]

3 hours ago, ChitownM2 said:

Any update on when you will be receiving yours? 

Seems like there are almost no "in-hand" reviews of this yet which is surprising.  I would have expected Skytrak to send some out to golf influencers / reviewers to do a product intro / review before they start landing in the hands of retail customers.  It seems like so much of the basic information on this is still missing despite it supposedly being shipped to customers any day now.

There are reviews popping up on YouTube from influencers right now.

The shipping notices have started going out this week. I was contacted for my address yesterday so I think I may have it in hand early to mid next week possibly. If that's the case, I should have it set up for the weekend, depending on when my mat arrives.

[ChitownM2]

I want to see a head to head of this vs. the Mevo+ pro package.  They seem to line up pretty well, big difference being that skytrak loses angle of attack but i'm hoping the optical ball tracking means the spin numbers are better.  That is a trade-off I'd be willing to make I think.

[MattF]

Shipping says mine will be delivered tomorrow. I'll have to wait until Friday to set it up but you can bet that I'll be unboxing it all tomorrow night when I get home from job #2.

Any guesses as to what I'll be doing on Saturday arvo?

[MattF]

I took the day off work yesterday to test drive. There were a couple of teething problems and something I need to work out but so far, I'm liking it.

[MattF]

Got on the ST+ on Tuesday afternoon and redid my bag mapping. 5 wood and down was pretty much exactly what I see on the course, even backing up my 56° after it lands.

However the driver was almost nothing like what I see. I've got a 2 way miss at the moment but the ST+ had me slicing all day. I tried a few things in setup that almost eliminated that and I'm going to try them on the course on Sunday and see what happens...maybe I should actually get there early and hit some balls be fore I tee off. 

[MattF]

Went nuts and hit over 200 shots on the ST+ yesterday with over 120 being driver. I have the positioning of the unit figured out so driver looks the same as on course now.

The mat has a tendency to move when hitting shots so I renecked a solution and it works great.

 

I'm going to get some Birtees so I don't have to move the ST+ around to hit irons.

I also did the wedge matrix yesterday and it showed that I suck with my wedges. The PW at the end is the set matching JPX923 and the strongest lofted wedge in the bag.



This thing is going to get a workout in the winter when I can't get on the course.
 

[cnosil]

1 hour ago, MattF said:

Went nuts and hit over 200 shots on the ST+ yesterday with over 120 being driver. I have the positioning of the unit figured out so driver looks the same as on course now.

The mat has a tendency to move when hitting shots so I renecked a solution and it works great.

 

I'm going to get some Birtees so I don't have to move the ST+ around to hit irons.

I also did the wedge matrix yesterday and it showed that I suck with my wedges. The PW at the end is the set matching JPX923 and the strongest lofted wedge in the bag.



This thing is going to get a workout in the winter when I can't get on the course.
 

Other than the set wedge on pitch and 1/2 it doesn't look too bad.   Maybe missing something in the 30 yard gap but it is playable.  

[Nolan220]

I still have the original skytrak I bought off a member here and I do like it a lot but wanted to upgrade was thinking either ST+ or a bushnell … does anyone know of any noticeable upgrades from skytrak and ST+? 

[MattF]

20 hours ago, Nolan220 said:

I still have the original skytrak I bought off a member here and I do like it a lot but wanted to upgrade was thinking either ST+ or a bushnell … does anyone know of any noticeable upgrades from skytrak and ST+? 

Here's a good comparison https://mygolfsimulator.com/skytrak-plus-vs-skytrak-7-key-upgrades/

It looks like it's fairly significant going from a camera system to a camera and 2 radar system.

[Nolan220]

7 hours ago, MattF said:

Here's a good comparison https://mygolfsimulator.com/skytrak-plus-vs-skytrak-7-key-upgrades/

It looks like it's fairly significant going from a camera system to a camera and 2 radar system.

Thank you Sir !