Optishot 2 to GSA

[rhart]

Quick question for you guys. I currently have an Optishot 2. Mainly have it to have friends over and play rounds in the winter. I have a chance to buy a used GSA px2 with camera trigger array and vcam. I would purchase TGC to go with this. Would this be a worth while upgrade or should I wait and buy a protee or skytrak? I'm just wondering how much more accurate the GSA will be. Thanks for any input.

[Yrrdead81]

If you are the guy that friends,family,coworkers call when they need "insert anything and everything here" fixed, or are an electronics prodigy // electric engineer then the GSA might be for you. If you are not that guy I would stick with skytrak imo.

[Sledge0001]

I went from Optishot 2 to Skytrak and the move was the best decision I have made so far with my sim setup.

[FaultyClubs]

I believe the px2 has club tracking (speed, path, face) just like the Optishot but having more sensors and being shadow based it would be noticeably more accurate and more consistent. The px2 doesn't have any ball tracking sensors but the Vcam partially addresses that with vertical launch angle which is very worthwhile. And TGC provides a much more accurate ball flight over the Optishot (for any given sensor reading), has a gadzillion courses for free and online tour (also free). So yes, a clear step up over the Optishot if the mat is in good shape and everything works.

It is missing ball speed (I think) and horizontal ball direction (for sure) which is needed to match a full Protee or Skytrak performance so make sure from Martin how you add those and at what cost. You may never feel the need to add them but if you do it wouldn't be fun to discover you can't or the price is silly.

Maybe some of the guys with similar GSA systems can comment further.

[aja]

Wild guess is that among forum members there are 50 ProTee owners to every one GSA owner. That should tell you something.

ProTee is most like GSA's offerings, except less finicky, and outclasses Optishot by a country mile.

[keither5150]

PX5 and ProTee's two camera system look similar???? Martin and ProTee used to work together and no longer do so. ProTee has a clear edge in customer service. GSA is a clear winner when it comes to putting experience and value. You can not compare ProTee's sim or GSA to optishot. Don't bother with RedChain software..... get TGC.

http://www.golf-simulators.com/PXsystems.htm This page shows the difference between all of the PX systems and even compares them to optishot.

Once picking up this system, you can add a Hcam later to make it a PX5. With the Hcam, you don't have to putt over any sensors. Gives a much more realistic feel to putting IMO. You can also set up a putting green ahead of your hitting area that is perfectly flat.

[igorulanov]

The vcam gives you launch angle and ball speed

[keither5150]

That PX4 system (PX2 + Vcam) will give you club speed, path, face angle. Ball speed, Launch angle. Direction is calculated from club path and face angle. I have tested my system in PX4 mode ( disabling the Hcam).... It does a fantastic job. I played a complete round like this and couldn't tell the difference between PX4 and PX5..... except for putting. Hcam putting is nothing short of perfect. ..... You do have to make sure that your FOV is clear of balls before putting.

[FaultyClubs]

I believe the PX4 is a PX3+Vcam not a PX2+Vcam. The difference being the PX2 lacks the ball sensors.

So the system the OP is talking about would not do as well without the Hcam as your system (assuming yours includes the ball sensors in the mat.)

[keither5150]

The PX3 mat with ball sensors is fairly new. Before that, GSA called the PX2 mat plus a vcam..... a PX4 system. If his PX2 mat comes with a vcam, he has to select PX4 in the control panel. Since there would be no ball direction data it would be calculated from club path and face angle. My mat is a PX2 . I don't need ball sensors since I have a Hcam. So OP system would be the same as mine if I disable the Hcam. I have played a whole round like this and found the calculated direction to be incredibily accurate.

[FaultyClubs]

Ok thanks. So Martin has multiple versions of the PX4. Somehow that doesn't surprise me lol.

On a different note, are you sure the px5 Hcam is working properly? I wouldn't expect it to be the same as a PX2 with no horizontal ball measurement of any kind.

[keither5150]

If you buy it..... get a LS cam for triggering otherwise you will be putting over a sensor. LS cam is a couple hundred bucks but worth it.

[rhart]

Thank you all for your responses

[keither5150]

@FC......like i said, i played a complete round with the hcam not capturing images and didn't notice the difference. I thought the same thing as you. ...so i doubled check while in px5 mode that direction w as being used from the cam window. I have my px5 set up not to launch without both cameras recording valid shot data. The px5 works great and in PX 4 mode works surprisingly good. It works so well that the only reason to add on the hcam.....is to have a proper putting surface. The px4 has to putt over the sensors for direction.

[rhart]

One more question....will have any problems running TGC on the GSA? I was going to purchase TGC through the GSA website. I was thinking of getting the base course first to make sure it works well and is accurate; then upgrade to the full version if I like it.

[keither5150]

TGC works fantastic. All the sims seem to run it well.

[stevnkrn]

For what is worth, I've had and frequently used a GSA PX5 since 2012. In the winter I use it nearly every day. I recently upgraded to TGC software and have fallen in love with sim golf all over again. Being able to play so many courses and tournament golf with online competition is REALLY fun. The upgrade in graphic realism is a big plus too. GSA has spent more time recently upgrading their software and ball flight algorithms, and for me the system is extremely accurate. I'm a pretty straight hitter, but GSA allows me to hit fades and draws when required. The only issue I have with TGC and GSA is with short chips (less than 10 yards) running too far. I'm learning to compensate for that when I play so it is something I can live with until I figure out what to do about it. Since getting my simulator I've dropped my handicap into the mid single digit range. I had a P3ProSwing for years before moving on to GSA and I've never regretted that decision to upgrade.

The one thing you don't hear too much about in the forums is ball striking on a simulator vs. real turf. I can't speak for other simulator brands but on both P3Pro and GSA I had to learn to sweep the ball instead of pinch it by hitting down on it. Now I can pick the ball off nearly any lie, and that has really improved my ball striking. I'm not saying you can't hit down on the ball on a sim, but I get better ball contact when I don't hit down too aggressively. On a real course the turf is much harder so hitting shots that way works pretty well for some people. I've had a number of friends struggle on my sim until they figured that out.

[keither5150]

Stevnkrn,

There are a few ways to obtain your short chips with the PX5. Number 1 method is to open the face like a sand shot and carry the ball 2-3 yards. If your Lob wedge carries farther than what the ball did right in front of you.... use carry factors and take a few % points off your LW until it has an accurate carry. I am not sure if it's TGC or GSA's issue but shots inside of 40 yards need carry factors at 90% for them to be accurate. I have had numerous golfers hit on my sim and they all agree. All other clubs are bang on at 100%. Chipping bump and run style is almost impossible to hit it less than 8 yards. I can easily chip 3-4 yards by opening the club face and making sure that I have one club that has accurate carry for short shots. I will be posting a round on YouTube shortly... during this round I had a 4 yard chip. I carried about 3 yards and stopped it at 4 yards. IRL I can do this shot as short as 1 yard as long as I can get under the ball. The short chip is my second shot on hole 17. I played my first tournament round today and ended in the exact same spot.


Number 2 method for short chips. GSA has a chipping feature where they will calculate ball speed via club speed, LA is fixed depending on what club is selected. This helps for those 2 yard chips.... many times the ball would be on a negative LA during a normal 2 yard chip.... the above method flops the chip so that is not an issue. Using the number 2 method works but is a pain and I have gone back to method number 1. Let me know if you need and instruction on method 2... Very seldom do you need to chip less than 4 or 5 yards.



You also need to make sure that you have green speed set to an average or local course. Check what spin you are getting on your chips. You may have to hit with a higher LA to get more spin which will help the ball check up.

I agree with you about TGC...... it is amazing and worth every penny.

Let me know if you have an alternative method to have short chip shots carry accurately.