Best Bang for the Buck Home Golf Simulator

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Thoughts? What have you used and what did you like? Thanks

[Bonvivant]

This is a really deep question, possibly with no right answer. I think that usage and accuracy of equipment are the main components in deciding what you want, and price just follows suit. I kind of divide it into three categories: toy (not accurate or not simulators), recreational sim (more accurate, but comes with limitations on certain data and isn't as accurate as the final category), and professional sim.

The toy category is comprised of sub 500 dollar options (the measuring device itself) that measure a couple of things. The OptiShot line is the prime example. It only measures the club going over an array of infrared sensors (2 lines of sensors). It can track face angle, speed (kind of), and perceived strike location based on which sensors are triggered at what time. It doesn't even require the use of a ball to get its data, so it can be quite inaccurate. The other options here would be Mevo or SC300, though neither of these truly offer sim capabilities but are more accurate than an OptiShot as they use ball data.

The rec sims only have 2 that I can think of. The Mevo+ and the SkyTrak. They operate in very different ways, with the Mevo+ operating on radar and measuring mostly the ball for the first part of flight, and the SkyTrak operating on optics measuring the point of impact, both ball and club. These are both fairly robust devices for the price (probably around 3k each for a full sim) but both have drawbacks and it could be argued over which is better. From my small knowledge about launch monitors it seems that for indoor simulation the optic driven devices excel, but outdoors radar is king, i.e. SkyTrak for indoors and Mevo+ for outdoors.

On to the big dogs, the professional sims. Once again there are really two choices at the moment, and like the previous category, one is radar driven where the other is optic driven. Trackman is the premium radar system available and comes in just under 20k USD on price. Big bucks for big performance. The GCQuad (or GC2+HMT) is king for optical launch monitors and can be had for around 12k USD, but with the putting analysis and head monitoring add on, it also comes in just under 20k. Same thing here, gotta pay to play. These prices don't include the bay (mat/projector/screen) so you can really spec them as you please.

The GC2 without the HMT upgrade kind of splits the difference between recreational and professional launch monitors, and the price follows suit. A certified preowned unit can be had for around 5500 USD. It really does split the difference in the optical category, being a big step up from a SkyTrak, but comes up short to the GCQuad or if you were to add the HMT unit.

I know this is a lot of info, although it's just the basics when it comes to launch monitors/sims. For the actual question:

If I had a room with a tall enough ceiling in my house, I would probably go for the SkyTrak at first. One of the biggest reasons is that it has compatibility with "The Golf Club 2019" which is a video game that I have on home computer. That package comes at an up-charge, but between the official courses designed by the game developer, and the many recreated courses done by fans (even has Augusta in there), there are something like 180,000 courses to play. That's a big draw for me.  There is something to be said for course packages/subscriptions and which best fits your interest/needs. I might grow tired of the SkyTrak, or find it lacking in accuracy at some point and then it would be a GCQuad for me. Snce it would be indoors only, I would prefer an optical system. 

There is plenty of info online, and plenty of reviews to go along with them. I have only used the GC2s that are in my local golf galaxy, so I don't experience with most of these, but this is most of the info I have gathered. I hope this helps in some way, and if you have any questions, I can try to answer them.

Edited August 15, 2020 by Bonvivant

[Darkfrog]

15 hours ago, Bonvivant said:

The toy category is comprised of sub 500 dollar options (the measuring device itself) that measure a couple of things. The OptiShot line is the prime example. It only measures the club going over an array of infrared sensors (2 lines of sensors). It can track face angle, speed (kind of), and perceived strike location based on which sensors are triggered at what time. It doesn't even require the use of a ball to get its data, so it can be quite inaccurate. The other options here would be Mevo or SC300, though neither of these truly offer sim capabilities but are more accurate than an OptiShot as they use ball data.

Optishot, I agree, dont know much about SC devices, but I wouldn’t categorize Mevo as a toy, however it’s also not a simulator. I’ve compared my numbers from my Mevo at home against GC4 at my lesson and there’s not much difference, so it’s a powerful too to practice with. The data that Mevo does provide is very good. It’s got a lot of power in a small package.

If money is not a consideration, you’ll be best off with one of the high end launch monitors by flightscope, trackman, or foresight. The setups for these are quite expensive beyond just the launch monitor which are around $15000-25000 I think. You need space to hit, nets, a nice mat, screen, a computer to run software, software subscription/package. etc. Mevo+ and skytrack seem to be the middle ground at around $2000 for the device. If you just want to do something like a golf video game where you swing a club, optishot is the cheapest option I know of, but not sure if it has any value as a practice tool.

Personally, even though I own a Mevo, I’ve got my eyes on Mevo+ because it provides good data for practice, but also includes some gamification. I’m not into sim golf, but sometimes I wish I could have a more “real golf” experience when practicing, and the Mevo+ seems to offer that balance at a price that I might be able to get the wife onboard with. 

[Bonvivant]

Just now, Darkfrog said:

I agree, dont know much about SC devices, but I wouldn’t categorize Mevo as a toy, however it’s also not a simulator. I’ve compared my numbers from my Mevo at home against GC4 at my lesson and there’s not much difference, so it’s a powerful too to practice with. The data that Mevo does provide is very good. It’s got a lot of power in a small package.

The SC line is fairly accurate as well. I should have made the first category toy/tool. You can either have simulation, or decent accuracy for 500 bucks, but not both. I'll blame my misnomer on the fact it was late.

 

Just now, Darkfrog said:

Personally, even though I own a Mevo, I’ve got my eyes on Mevo+ because it provides good data for practice, but also includes some gamification. I’m not into sim golf, but sometimes I wish I could have a more “real golf” experience when practicing, and the Mevo+ seems to offer that balance at a price that I might be able to get the wife onboard with. 

I think that this a pretty good option too, especially if you plan on using it at a place like the range, or your own outdoor hitting setup as long as the ball has 8-10 feet to fly before the net.

 

Indoor sims kind of funny, because usually if your house has the space, you are wealthy enough to splurge on top end stuff, sometimes getting into the 50K+ range. The SkyTrak kind of falls behind here, because even though I think it is the best budget indoor sim available, most people with the indoor space don't mind to pay for the best.

[khalespace]

I am also looking into golf simulators for my garage. My budget is under $4k. My plan is Skytrak, projector screen that we can hit the balls into, short throw projector, side netting, mat. I am not sure yet what is the best way to connect Skytrak to a short throw projector. Also, do we need special mat? It seems like Skytrak is easily connected to Ipad with an app. How can we bypass the Ipad and connect it directly to a projector?

[Bonvivant]

On 9/16/2020 at 2:19 PM, khalespace said:

I am also looking into golf simulators for my garage. My budget is under $4k. My plan is Skytrak, projector screen that we can hit the balls into, short throw projector, side netting, mat. I am not sure yet what is the best way to connect Skytrak to a short throw projector. Also, do we need special mat? It seems like Skytrak is easily connected to Ipad with an app. How can we bypass the Ipad and connect it directly to a projector?

You need something to run the interface. The SkyTrak itself doesn't have any software perse, so an app is needed to translate an image of ball flight. This doesn't necessarily have to be an ipad though, it could be a laptop or desktop computer. My recommendation would be to get a cheap one of these (computer not tablet, maybe from craigslist or FB marketplace. shouldn't have to spend more than 100 dollars on this) that has the correct connections to go to the projector (probably HDMI I am assuming). Another big thing about having another in between, is that you will be able to log data to see shot analysis and improvement over time. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions that I can try to help with.

[khalespace]

9 hours ago, Bonvivant said:

You need something to run the interface. The SkyTrak itself doesn't have any software perse, so an app is needed to translate an image of ball flight. This doesn't necessarily have to be an ipad though, it could be a laptop or desktop computer. My recommendation would be to get a cheap one of these (computer not tablet, maybe from craigslist or FB marketplace. shouldn't have to spend more than 100 dollars on this) that has the correct connections to go to the projector (probably HDMI I am assuming). Another big thing about having another in between, is that you will be able to log data to see shot analysis and improvement over time. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions that I can try to help with.

Thank you, I will try to use my Android tablet or buy a used laptop. I wonder if a Chromebook works.

[Bonvivant]

5 Best Golf Simulator Software Solutions For SkyTrak - 2020 Reviews & Buying Guide | Golfstead

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So, you’ve picked up a SkyTrak Launch Monitor. Maybe you’ve also set up a hitting area with a net or even a screen and projector, and you’re ready to start practicing your game. To get the full golf simulator experience, you...

@khalespace, here are some of the software options for skytrak. In the "Requirements" section of each, they explain costs of software and the hardware required to run the programs. If I were you (assuming you can afford it), I would go with TGC 2019. I wanna say the one time fee is somewhere north of 500 USD, but for 170k courses, it's worth it. Here are the PC requirements to run it. This might require another small investment, but I think it would be worth it.

The Golf Club 2019 Featuring PGA TOUR - System Requirements

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system.
• OS: Windows 7 64 bit, Windows 8.1 64 bit, Windows 10 64 bit.
• Processor: Intel Core i5-760 @ 2.80GHz or equivalent.
• Memory: 4 GB RAM.
• Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 5770 or NVIDIA GTX 650 with 1GB video RAM.

[chicub15]

If you haven't done so I recommend you check out the QED by Uneekor. They have a newer model now, the EYEXO, but I have greatly enjoyed the QED since upgrading from a Skytrak (which I also enjoyed).

 

[Bonvivant]

51 minutes ago, chicub15 said:

If you haven't done so I recommend you check out the QED by Uneekor. They have a newer model now, the EYEXO, but I have greatly enjoyed the QED since upgrading from a Skytrak (which I also enjoyed).

 

This seems like an alright option...if you have lots of space. Considering that I have never heard of this company prior to this post, I'd be weary. Nothing wrong with new companies, but at 10k USD and offering nothing more than a GC2 (from what I can tell), I am extra skeptical. They don't have true reviews on their website, just 12 testimonials, which scares me away as well. One of them mentions that the product is equal to GC2 (at about half the price with a used unit) in ball data and superior to SkyTrak. I don't doubt their claim, but interesting to equate it to a 6K LM when they are charging 10K for the product.

Bang for buck? It's a no-go for me.

[khalespace]

13 hours ago, chicub15 said:

If you haven't done so I recommend you check out the QED by Uneekor. They have a newer model now, the EYEXO, but I have greatly enjoyed the QED since upgrading from a Skytrak (which I also enjoyed).

 

The prices of QED and EYEXO are just too high for me. My budget of under $4k works better with Skytrak. With a mat, net, software, skytrak and the protective box it is just nicely under $4k. I haven't purchased anything yet. I plan to add drywall to my garage first. Most likely I will get Skytrak this December if I don't find anything better in the same price range.

12 hours ago, Bonvivant said:

This seems like an alright option...if you have lots of space. Considering that I have never heard of this company prior to this post, I'd be weary. Nothing wrong with new companies, but at 10k USD and offering nothing more than a GC2 (from what I can tell), I am extra skeptical. They don't have true reviews on their website, just 12 testimonials, which scares me away as well. One of them mentions that the product is equal to GC2 (at about half the price with a used unit) in ball data and superior to SkyTrak. I don't doubt their claim, but interesting to equate it to a 6K LM when they are charging 10K for the product.

Bang for buck? It's a no-go for me.

I have used Skytrak with my golf instructor and I like it alot except for shots over 200 yards. Under 180 yards, it is very accurate. Yes, it has way more users and reviews and it give me more confident.

[Darkfrog]

15 minutes ago, khalespace said:

Most likely I will get Skytrak this December if I don't find anything better in the same price range.

You might want to look into the Mevo+ made by Flightscope. It is a radar based launch monitor and is around $2k, but there is a 10% discount using the code from this site. 

What you end up going with kind of depends on your intent. If you want to play simulator golf rounds, I think the Mevo+ only has 5 courses, compared to Skytrack which I think can be used with The Golf Club video game and has tons of options. But the Mevo+ might be more valuable as a practice tool, because it connects to a phone or tablet with bluetooth, and you can easily pack it with you if you go to a range.

[khalespace]

13 minutes ago, Darkfrog said:

You might want to look into the Mevo+ made by Flightscope. It is a radar based launch monitor and is around $2k, but there is a 10% discount using the code from this site. 

What you end up going with kind of depends on your intent. If you want to play simulator golf rounds, I think the Mevo+ only has 5 courses, compared to Skytrack which I think can be used with The Golf Club video game and has tons of options. But the Mevo+ might be more valuable as a practice tool, because it connects to a phone or tablet with bluetooth, and you can easily pack it with you if you go to a range.

Thanks for the tip. I will look into Mevo+. I want to practice and play simulated golf rounds at home. My intend with the golf simulator is not to have to go to the range as much.

[Darkfrog]

33 minutes ago, khalespace said:

Thanks for the tip. I will look into Mevo+. I want to practice and play simulated golf rounds at home. My intend with the golf simulator is not to have to go to the range as much.

If you haven't found it already, there is an internet forum dedicated to simulator golf which might have a lot of good info for you.

Forums - Golf Simulator Forum

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Golf Simulator Forums

 

[Warren Zevon]

7 hours ago, Darkfrog said:

If you haven't found it already, there is an internet forum dedicated to simulator golf which might have a lot of good info for you.

Forums - Golf Simulator Forum

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Golf Simulator Forums

 

@khalespace, if you haven't checked this site out already, do so.  It's an easy home run for resources with a good membership base. 

  Also, although I have neither the Mevo+ nor the Skytrak yet, from what I've learned the Mevo requires a fair bit of space to be used.  Skytrak has a three or four second delay after each shot, which turns a lot of people off.

  And if you haven't finished your garage yet,  it may be a good idea to plan ahead for some of the requirements you'll need.  I finished my garage two years ago with a simulator being the end goal , (well that and heating the damn thing), a couple of things I regret not doing is having my electrician switch my light setup to a dimmer function, and in hindsight I wish I would have paid a bit more and went with some noise dampening drywall and insulation.  Now I'm looking at mounting a metric shit ton of acoustic panels, which will be no fun at all.  I'm no expert in this by any means, just a dude who's been where you are.  Feel free to pm me if you have any questions.

[khalespace]

On 9/25/2020 at 5:27 PM, Warren Zevon said:

@khalespace, if you haven't checked this site out already, do so.  It's an easy home run for resources with a good membership base. 

  Also, although I have neither the Mevo+ nor the Skytrak yet, from what I've learned the Mevo requires a fair bit of space to be used.  Skytrak has a three or four second delay after each shot, which turns a lot of people off.

  And if you haven't finished your garage yet,  it may be a good idea to plan ahead for some of the requirements you'll need.  I finished my garage two years ago with a simulator being the end goal , (well that and heating the damn thing), a couple of things I regret not doing is having my electrician switch my light setup to a dimmer function, and in hindsight I wish I would have paid a bit more and went with some noise dampening drywall and insulation.  Now I'm looking at mounting a metric shit ton of acoustic panels, which will be no fun at all.  I'm no expert in this by any means, just a dude who's been where you are.  Feel free to pm me if you have any questions.

Hi Warren, 

I have not started working on adding drywall for my garage. Thank you for the tips on adding insulation and soundproofing acoustic panels. I plan to take 1 week off and start doing drywall mid November. I am in Southern California so heating is not an issue. I can use a space heater if needed. 

Right now I am leaning toward Skytrak because it seems like it is better for simulator golf games. I don't plan on taking the device to the range.

I will checkout the Golf Simulator Forum.

[ncates00]

Save your money and get a good unit. Sounds like you’re serious. The problem is your budget. Unfortunately, better units simply won’t likely fall to within your budget at this point in time. The mevo+ looks promising but the stickers would be a deal breaker for me. My set up is a gc2, computer with FR1 (with all courses), country club elite mat, projector, and hitting screen. I’m sure I’ve left something out. The only problems I have with the gc2 is the fact that it over-rewards low spin shots (like driver) on the carry distance. Otherwise, it’s very accurate. Really the only data points I care about are ball speed and start line; I don’t curve the ball too much generally. If my ball speed and start line are where I want it, I’m pretty happy. Other potential issue I see for it moving forward: it does not have a LED flash like the quad so those have to be replaced after a while (long time but still). That said my foresight guy gets me what I need and has taken care of me. 

Edited September 28, 2020 by ncates00

[khalespace]

I have finally completed my golf simulator. The total cost for the simulator with hardware, software is around $5.5k. 

Skytrak + Game Improvement Package + TGC2019

Desktop + 50" TV

Fiberbuilt Mat

Supertex 9'x9' screen

Landing turf 8'x10'

Benq th671st projector

I have been able to practice daily and it helped my short game immensely , chipping/pitching from 10 yards to 75 yards. I have not seen a big improvement in the full swing yet.

Edited April 22, 2021 by khalespace