Personal Launch Monitor

[CoachKG1984]

Me and a friend at work have been talking about personal launch monitors to purchase to begin tracking distances for each club.  We have both been looking at the Voice Caddie SC100.  It went on sale for $169.99 recently.  Has anybody used this product or do you have another personal launch monitor that you recommend?  Obviously I can't afford the $10-30K launch monitors used by retail stores.  

[Lihu]

I was also thinking about getting one of these, but just spent $$$ on my new iPhone.

Here's a review, and it seems like the reviewer likes the SC100. There seem to be quite a few reviews on Youtube.

 

 

 

[mchepp]

2 hours ago, Lihu said:

I was also thinking about getting one of these, but just spent $$$ on my new iPhone.

Here's a review, and it seems like the reviewer likes the SC100. There seem to be quite a few reviews on Youtube.

 

 

 

Is there one where it is compared to something reputable for swing speed measurement. Like a Flightscope or Trackman? 

[Mr. Desmond]

I'd get the SC200. It is twice as expensive but you an input lofts, which is important.

http://www.voicecaddie.com/en-us/34/SC200-Swing-Caddie

[ZappyAd]

For me the main issue with the cheaper launch monitors is that they 'just' capture ball speed, and they aren't capturing things like launch angle which obviously has a big impact on carry.  As you can see in the video above the guy sets the monitor for '9I' - what that does is make the unit assume that every shot is setting off at 9I loft (fixed at say 40').  So however you deliver the club to the ball, the carry number is always going to be just a function of speed and 40' and not a true reflection of how much dynamic loft you achieved, and especially nothing relating to the types of spin the ball ended up with.  I just wasn't sure how useful that would be because it doesn't really tell you how well you hit the ball.

SkyTrack recently released something that is getting cheaper and captures more information at impact but it is still over a thousand pounds in the UK

[Grumpter]

5 hours ago, CoachKG1984 said:

... to begin tracking distances for each club...

If you are mostly looking at tracking distances why not opt for something like the Game Golf tags?

http://www.gamegolf.com/home/en-us/?v=b8793bb

[SavvySwede]

22 minutes ago, Grumpter said:

If you are mostly looking at tracking distances why not opt for something like the Game Golf tags?

http://www.gamegolf.com/home/en-us/?v=b8793bb

Second this^. I have a device very similar to the SC 100 and while it does have certain benefits, Game Golf is a lot better option for looking at distance gaps and analysis of one's game.

[Lihu]

5 hours ago, mchepp said:

Is there one where it is compared to something reputable for swing speed measurement. Like a Flightscope or Trackman? 

Didn't find one.

I think it would be a good tool like Swing Speed radar, just to check relative swing speeds at any given session. I don't really have higher expectations than that anyway.

[ZappyAd]

8 hours ago, Lihu said:

I think it would be a good tool like Swing Speed radar, just to check relative swing speeds at any given session.

It isn't a launch monitor but something like this:

http://www.zepp.com/golf/swing-improvements/

might also be a solution for getting basic information about your swing.  It doesn't give you ball speed but does have club speed and will track at least your hands in 3d.

Also I'd second Game Golf to help you track on course, or, if you are hitting balls on a range, something like a laser range finder so you can hit a ball and then laser where it landed.  Depending on the landscape of your range accurately judging where the ball lands can sometimes be a problem but even with that error you might get closer to your real distances than using a fixed loft launch monitor.

Unfortunately I think we are all still waiting for an affordable and data rich launch monitor to hit the street!

[CoachKG1984]

16 hours ago, Grumpter said:

If you are mostly looking at tracking distances why not opt for something like the Game Golf tags?

http://www.gamegolf.com/home/en-us/?v=b8793bb

I'm mostly looking for something to use on the practice range to figure out distances, so I can take that information to the course.  

[sirhacksalot]

I too wished to find something like that but they just arent accurate enough or give enough information for off centered hits. You would be better off getting a friend to be a spotter comparing your distance to the range markers with binoculars. Or hitting a few balls from the markers on a long par 5 when the course is dead and noting your distance to the nearest marker. I personally would be able to gap and distance test myself from the 250 with all my clubs. 

[bste]

20 minutes ago, sirhacksalot said:

I too wished to find something like that but they just arent accurate enough or give enough information for off centered hits. You would be better off getting a friend to be a spotter comparing your distance to the range markers with binoculars. Or hitting a few balls from the markers on a long par 5 when the course is dead and noting your distance to the nearest marker. I personally would be able to gap and distance test myself from the 250 with all my clubs. 

If you picked up an inexpensive GPS unit (they have a Mark mode, where you mark your starting point ) then hit 5 -10 balls on an empty course and can measure the distance to your balls as you pick them up.

[mchepp]

7 hours ago, ZappyAd said:

Unfortunately I think we are all still waiting for an affordable and data rich launch monitor to hit the street!

I agree. I guess it could be that the technology necessary is a challenge to bring down to an affordable price point. I wonder what most of us would spend? $1000, probably a bit much, maybe $500, hard to justify now that so many ranges have them. 

[fr0sty]

I have a PRGR Red Eyes Pocket:

http://www.amazon.com/PRGR-GM009-RED-EYES-POCKET/dp/B00JK56VTK

It gives clubhead speed, ball speed, smash factor, and a pre-computed "distance" which is based on your ball speed and selected club. It also has other modes but I don't mess with them.

Price can't be beat and I set it up next to a Flighscope last year and results were +/- 2% which is good enough for me.

[Hacker James]

Realizing there are several threads on the subject and wanted to post where it is relevant.  In any case, I should be receiving my voice caddie SC100 this week and would like to know what the optimum distances for placing the device are.

The instructions state it should be placed 6 1/2 feet from a net if you are hitting into one and within 4 1/2 feet behind your tee. This seems a bit tight to me and I will try about 8 feet from the net and 4 feet behind the tee. I guess I will know soon enough. I am not sure if it makes all that much difference, but some say that the readings are not accurate if one gets beyond the recommendations. OTOH they also state that for high hitters, the device should be about 10 feet behind the tee.

anyone have any first-hand experience?  

 

TIA..

 

On ‎1‎/‎14‎/‎2016 at 12:22 PM, ZappyAd said:

For me the main issue with the cheaper launch monitors is that they 'just' capture ball speed, and they aren't capturing things like launch angle which obviously has a big impact on carry.  As you can see in the video above the guy sets the monitor for '9I' - what that does is make the unit assume that every shot is setting off at 9I loft (fixed at say 40').  So however you deliver the club to the ball, the carry number is always going to be just a function of speed and 40' and not a true reflection of how much dynamic loft you achieved, and especially nothing relating to the types of spin the ball ended up with.  I just wasn't sure how useful that would be because it doesn't really tell you how well you hit the ball.

SkyTrack recently released something that is getting cheaper and captures more information at impact but it is still over a thousand pounds in the UK

this may already have been addressed, but my understanding is comparing swing speed against ball speed you can get smash factor, the optimum of which is 1.5 - 1  (ball speed divided by swing speed). I believe the units also allow you to toggle smash factor independently.  As Martin Chuck points out, you can have a higher swing speed, but lower ball speed on miss hits. 

[Hacker James]

fwiw, the unit I purchased seems defective. Most swings do not register. The yardages seem very low, but I suppose could be accurate. I am awaiting an RMA to send it back for diagnosis, replacement, refund.

[Lihu]

21 minutes ago, Hacker James said:

fwiw, the unit I purchased seems defective. Most swings do not register. The yardages seem very low, but I suppose could be accurate. I am awaiting an RMA to send it back for diagnosis, replacement, refund.

Keep in mind that those are carry yardages...

I compared my Mevo to another range “mate” and the carry yardages were pretty much identical.

Oh yes, he placed the unit right next to the ball.

[Hacker James]

1 hour ago, Lihu said:

Keep in mind that those are carry yardages...

I compared my Mevo to another range “mate” and the carry yardages were pretty much identical.

Oh yes, he placed the unit right next to the ball.

yeah, I know. The SC units are to be placed about 4 feet behind the ball. The Swing Speed Radar is placed about 4-6  inches ahead of the ball at 45 degrees.

even so, carry distance should not be more than  10% less that total under normal situations i.e. fairway conditions, slope, roll e.t.c. 

 

Mevo would be more accurate, but not in my budget.