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Hello everyone,
I thought I would post a review of the R-Motion for anyone thinking about buying one. I realize there are many reviews already out there, but I like to get multiple viewpoints on such purchases, so maybe this will help someone like me.
I got the unit shortly after Christmas. At that time, you could get the basic set up and the 10 extra clips for $300, which seemed like a very good deal. I’ve been using it almost daily ever since, so I’d say I’ve hit 3000+ shots and played 30-40 rounds. I’ve used only the limited license version, and I’ve used AlmostGolf balls the whole time. I adjusted my clubs in the R-Motion setup. I’ve hit from both a high-end mat and from just a piece of carpet and pad. The surface actually does not seem to matter all that much.
My overall assessment is that it’s an incredible value. There are problems, but for the most part, it does function well. It allows simulation play for little outlay, and it has certainly improved my swing (a fact I hope will transfer to the course come spring). I cannot compare it to OptiShot or other cheap options since I’ve never tried them. It’s obviously not a launch monitor, but it’s a pretty good replica of one. I’d add that I don’t think the extra clips are fully necessary. They add realism, but wood-iron-wedge-putter will allow you to practice and play, especially if you tell R-Motion what’s going on in the club setup tab.
The good: Full shots hit decently, and putting. For any full shot hit decently, it seems quite accurate. I do feel like I’m losing a little distance over what I might get in real life, but there could be various reasons for that, including the way TGC calculates bounce and roll. The feedback that the software provides is quite helpful in diagnosing swing problems, even if it’s not as accurate as what you’d get from a launch monitor. What has really surprised and impressed me is putting. I had no comparison, but reading online had led me to believe that putting was basically a shot in the dark in golf sims. I have been amazed at how accurate the R-Motion is for distance in putting. Obviously, the other elements of putting are not there, but at least it’s very useful for working on distance control.
The not-so-good: short game and mishits. I find pitching, chipping, and bunker play to be quite frustrating at times, tho’ I think this may come from using AlmostGolf balls. It needs to feel the impact to register a swing. It’s very difficult to play a delicate shot and get it to read. I’ve adjusted to this fact by hitting chips quite a lot harder than I would IRL for the same distance. It has trouble with my wedges in general. I have a 64-degree wedge that will go no more than 40 yards IRL. I’ve hit it nearly 80 with R-Motion. It doesn’t like my sand wedge all that much better. It’s not that it’s unplayable; it’s just not entirely realistic. Then there are the freebies you get from misreads. I’ve had totally topped drives go 240 yards. In fact, you often get better club head speed and more distance from a topped shot! I’ve also had badly mishit pitch shots turn out just fine. Something that would have been yards to the right IRL is feet to the right with R-Motion. This fact is pointed out in many reviews, but it’s good to be aware of it.
The highly frustrating: Bluetooth and the limited license. Both the hardware and the software are quite touchy. I’ve spent lots of time trying to solve the mysteries of non-reads by the unit. You can read posts by me and others on this forum about how to solve those problems. It would be good to know that information before starting out. Then there’s the cut-down license of TGC. It’s perfectly usable, but if you want anything beyond basically functionality, understand that this is an $800 system, not a $300 system.
The negatives are easily outweighed by the positives. If you understand the limitations going in, you can get a lot of enjoyment and game improvement out of the R-Motion.
I thought I would post a review of the R-Motion for anyone thinking about buying one. I realize there are many reviews already out there, but I like to get multiple viewpoints on such purchases, so maybe this will help someone like me.
I got the unit shortly after Christmas. At that time, you could get the basic set up and the 10 extra clips for $300, which seemed like a very good deal. I’ve been using it almost daily ever since, so I’d say I’ve hit 3000+ shots and played 30-40 rounds. I’ve used only the limited license version, and I’ve used AlmostGolf balls the whole time. I adjusted my clubs in the R-Motion setup. I’ve hit from both a high-end mat and from just a piece of carpet and pad. The surface actually does not seem to matter all that much.
My overall assessment is that it’s an incredible value. There are problems, but for the most part, it does function well. It allows simulation play for little outlay, and it has certainly improved my swing (a fact I hope will transfer to the course come spring). I cannot compare it to OptiShot or other cheap options since I’ve never tried them. It’s obviously not a launch monitor, but it’s a pretty good replica of one. I’d add that I don’t think the extra clips are fully necessary. They add realism, but wood-iron-wedge-putter will allow you to practice and play, especially if you tell R-Motion what’s going on in the club setup tab.
The good: Full shots hit decently, and putting. For any full shot hit decently, it seems quite accurate. I do feel like I’m losing a little distance over what I might get in real life, but there could be various reasons for that, including the way TGC calculates bounce and roll. The feedback that the software provides is quite helpful in diagnosing swing problems, even if it’s not as accurate as what you’d get from a launch monitor. What has really surprised and impressed me is putting. I had no comparison, but reading online had led me to believe that putting was basically a shot in the dark in golf sims. I have been amazed at how accurate the R-Motion is for distance in putting. Obviously, the other elements of putting are not there, but at least it’s very useful for working on distance control.
The not-so-good: short game and mishits. I find pitching, chipping, and bunker play to be quite frustrating at times, tho’ I think this may come from using AlmostGolf balls. It needs to feel the impact to register a swing. It’s very difficult to play a delicate shot and get it to read. I’ve adjusted to this fact by hitting chips quite a lot harder than I would IRL for the same distance. It has trouble with my wedges in general. I have a 64-degree wedge that will go no more than 40 yards IRL. I’ve hit it nearly 80 with R-Motion. It doesn’t like my sand wedge all that much better. It’s not that it’s unplayable; it’s just not entirely realistic. Then there are the freebies you get from misreads. I’ve had totally topped drives go 240 yards. In fact, you often get better club head speed and more distance from a topped shot! I’ve also had badly mishit pitch shots turn out just fine. Something that would have been yards to the right IRL is feet to the right with R-Motion. This fact is pointed out in many reviews, but it’s good to be aware of it.
The highly frustrating: Bluetooth and the limited license. Both the hardware and the software are quite touchy. I’ve spent lots of time trying to solve the mysteries of non-reads by the unit. You can read posts by me and others on this forum about how to solve those problems. It would be good to know that information before starting out. Then there’s the cut-down license of TGC. It’s perfectly usable, but if you want anything beyond basically functionality, understand that this is an $800 system, not a $300 system.
The negatives are easily outweighed by the positives. If you understand the limitations going in, you can get a lot of enjoyment and game improvement out of the R-Motion.
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