ProTee vs GC2 buying decision

[Bubba22]

Get setup and join us online.

[Maverick]

I'm in a similar boat...
I was sold on a GC2 until someone mentioned the SkyTrak to me. The GC2 has a great reputation, and fits the bill perfectly - but the price is slightly daunting. Since reading on here that I can use ProTee it's made it a slightly easier decision. The Foresight software is so expensive if you want to be able to play more than one course.
The 4 second delay between the shot / iPad displaying it, and the fact their is no simulation (yet) on the SkyTrak has put me off it. At least the GC2 is a proven unit with a lot of positive reviews behind it.

I bought my projector and hitting mat in Fridays sales... and just bought the first few components for my simulator PC in the last few sales!

Welcome to the forum. You made the right choice.

[p3eps]

Hopefully I'll be all setup and ready to join you all at the beginning of 2015! Can't wait!
Once I get the GC2, I'll order ProTee online and follow your guide Zmax. Hopefully it's as simple as it looks.

[Maverick]

Cool. If your room is ready, you'll be playing online sooner than that. Read the online play section. We will have a Ryder Cup tournament around Xmas/New Year.

[drcabral]

With the Skytrak delay I have decided to go with a new GC2. I spoke to Foresight yesterday, set me up as a dealer and offered me 14 free courses with purchase of performance software. They know about players using Protee with the GC2 and assured me that without updating latest firmware, data will not be accurate. The offer is only thru tomorrow. I grew up playing Congressional Country Club which is offered in the Champion package. I really think playing online with all of you will be great. I am a 52 year old scratch player. $8000+/- includes GC2, protective case, shipping, performance package, and 14 free courses. Should I just buy GC@ from Foresight and purchase Protee software? Little nervous about Foresight finding a way to block Protee from GC@. Any quick responses would be helpful.

Foresight needs to stop. This happens all the time in the phone industry. Apple or some other company comes out with a great phone but then they get greedy and try to lock you into only buying music through iTunes or using apps that they skin the top off of. What is legal is for user of said device to jailbreak the phone and use it how they want. Then Phone manufacturer tries to scare the consumer into not jail breaking their device by saying you could download a virus that freezes the phone or we won't honor your warranty etc... The reality is that foresight makes a great/accurate out of the box launch monitor for indoor use. They are also trying to lock there users into there crappy software at extrordinayly high cost. I would challenge them to come up with software that competes with TGC at the same price point, they will never do it. They lost the chance and the boat left the dock on 11/24. They should stay focus on hardware and leave the software sim to HD studios. They should also be careful because they have a poor business model when it comes to there price point and features. It's only a matter of time before Skytrack or someone else brings a simularly optical launch monitor with better accuracy and price point. They have left the door open because when an optical launch monitor comes out with the same accuracy for collecting ball spin data but also provides club head data without using stickers and has a consumer friendly price point, and works with TGC then there unit will be obsolete if they don't evolve to meeting consumer wants. Think it is far fetch? Look at Vector Pro just 3-4 years ago. Technology evolves quickly, you also need to have good will with you consumers. Granted, we in the sim world are not their target or base but we could drive a competitor to replace Foresights market share if that competitor meets our needs and wants.

Here is a clear example of good will and how that drives consumer loyalty and how you are perceived in the market place. Foresight announces FSX will come out in January 2014(around the same time Protee releases the Protee 2.0 and opportunity for GC2 owners to play online and receive 95 courses). The FSX doesn't come out until ~April but, when it comes out, gues what? It is only the F#ing Driving Range!!!!😡 The owners of the FSX to this day still have not seen ONE course!!! Not to mention that if you already purchased the older fitting software and wanted to upgrade to the FSX, then foresight would only charge you a measly $1000. WTF!!!!

So here is Protee's model. 'Hey we know you guys want to play together so we are going to help GC2 and Protee owners come together as one. Oh by the way we know TGC just came out with this awesome new golf sim for the PC and a lot of you have been asking can you play it with Protee and we will release this on 11/24. What's that you say? How much to upgrade? Oh, it's free, thanks for choosing us throughout the years Enjoy!!'

Then 11/24 roles around and TGC is out no issue.
We have been taken for granted for so long in the sim market that most couldn't believe it, when it came out without a catch. 'You mean it has all the courses and not just a driving range? I thought they would have kept postponing the release like FSX golf course or E6ii. Amazing, we're not used to companies keeping their promises or gauging us. Thanks Protee!'

[Maverick]

Excellent summary dr. Makes you wonder what goes through the minds of some of these VPs.

[drcabral]

First of all, GC2 guys need to set Putting Forgiveness in GSX to 2. This will make it a little easier and more realistic. This putts the GC2 putting on the same playing field as ProTee sensor putting for competition. The advantage of the ProTee putting sensor is the fact that you can putt from a different surface and not have to hit from the same area where you hit normal shots.

Gimmes can be set in 3 ways:

No Gimmes = must putt out.
Gimmes = gimmes at 6 ft. or less.
Green = auto gimmie when on green with 2 strokes added.

Putting on TGC or ProTee 2.0 takes some practice. TGC putting is a little harder but probably more true to real life than ProTee 2.0 putting. I'm a good lag putter in real life and a good lag putter in ProTee 2.0 and it will be the same in TGC once I get used to it. IMO, it's just a matter of learning it and hitting a straight putt. When I putt outside, it will take different skills as you visualize the distances and breaks butt you will still have to make a straight putt. So, if you concentrate on making straight putts on the simulator, it will help you in real golf. If you're not good at reading speeds and breaks in real golf, no simulator is going to help you.

This brings me back to the age old question of GC2 vs Protee. I am currently using the GC2 without HMT. I choose the GC2 because I wanted accurate data for ball flight, and was impressed with it after having the Vector Pro and seeing how easy it was to set up. I have never played on Protee. I nowrealize the importance of club data so I am in the market for a used HMT. But even if you have the HMT and GC2 ur putting won't be as accurate as with the Protee it sounds like. So now I question that maybe the GC2 is more suitable for fitting than sim play and maybe the Protee is better for sim play but not fitting or maybe it's Pepsi vs Coke. Because each has it's limits there is no ideal hardware to date for sim play and we have to just be patient for future development. Just wish I could locate a used HMT. It would make me feel better about my decision😊

[HWoods]

This brings me back to the age old question of GC2 vs Protee. I am currently using the GC2 without HMT. I choose the GC2 because I wanted accurate data for ball flight, and was impressed with it after having the Vector Pro and seeing how easy it was to set up. I have never played on Protee. I nowrealize the importance of club data so I am in the market for a used HMT. But even if you have the HMT and GC2 ur putting won't be as accurate as with the Protee it sounds like. So now I question that maybe the GC2 is more suitable for fitting than sim play and maybe the Protee is better for sim play but not fitting or maybe it's Pepsi vs Coke. Because each has it's limits there is no ideal hardware to date for sim play and we have to just be patient for future development. Just wish I could locate a used HMT. It would make me feel better about my decision😊

You are overthinking everything. Putting on GC2 is pretty damn good with the GSX (protee/tgc). The offline numbers GC2 displays for your putts is fantastic and you know right away if you did not hit it straight. Club data and accurate AOA would be nice but it's not needed IMO, not for that price. The sim play with the GC2 is EXCELLENT. I'm not sure what you are on about man.. lol

[Maverick]

It's Pepsi vs Coke. The GC2 is still the best indoor LM and will provide the most accurate ball flight in TGC. The GC2 putting is very good now with the GSX forgiveness. My only issue, as I mentioned, is that you have to putt from the same area as your hitting area. Which might not be an issue for others. With the ProTee, you can putt from a nice carpet or putting turf.

The GC2 can work along side the ProTee club sensors and integrating it so you can have both club, GC2 ball, and putting sensor should be feasible if enough people want it. But, some day, somebody out there will make an affordable LM that can be integrated with ProTee sensors/putting sensors and will of course work with TGC. This will be the ultimate simulator. You'll have affordable and good club data, GC2 like ball data, ProTee putting sensor, and finally, no machine vision cameras to set up.....

[p3eps]

I definitely won't be on this year as my screen / side curtain is being made and is on a 3 week delivery. The other key factor is that my mate who lives in the US is taking the GC2 back to the UK for me when he comes home for Christmas! I'm away on vacation for New Year - so hopefully I'll get a chance to get it all set up and running at the start of January!

[Bubba22]

Yep! I agree!

[bubs3141]

I think that will sell like hotcakes. I for one will get one

[drcabral]

You are overthinking everything. Putting on GC2 is pretty damn good with the GSX (protee/tgc). The offline numbers GC2 displays for your putts is fantastic and you know right away if you did not hit it straight. Club data and accurate AOA would be nice but it's not needed IMO, not for that price. The sim play with the GC2 is EXCELLENT. I'm not sure what you are on about man.. lol

I've been rethinking this whole sim thing as my understanding of golf has evolved or maybe it's just a little buyers remorse for my GC2. First I want to use the sim to improve my game. Second I want to enjoy golf when I can't get to the course.

The club data is fundamental to understanding ball flight. Does the HMT offer more accuracy than the Protee for club data? Does it measure or calculate AoA?

Lastly, does the Protee measure ball speed or angle more accurately than the GC2? Can the HMT be used for putting?

I live in DC and don't know where I test out the HMT or even a Protee for that matter. Just to get an understanding of there advantages and limitations.

[Maverick]

In theory the HMT's club data should be more accurate than ProTee's club data. Measuring the club path, even if it's only in space of 1 ft(?), should still a little more accurate than measuring the shadow of the club. And the AoA is a plus. I've never used it but have seen some videos of it in action. IMO, it's not worth more than $1000.

Also, think about how a driver face is curved. The HMT I believe will connect those dots on the face and basically show it as a flat face. I could be wrong here so if there's an HMT Foresight expert in the house, please correct me. The ProTee will show it open when hit near the toe and close when hit near the heal for a driver.

ProTee does measure ball speed and ball path. Ball path is spot on if camera is setup correctly. GC2's ball speed is better than ProTee but not my much. Ball paths are about the same. GC2's wedge game is better than Protee.

Can't see why the HMT can't be used for putting. But I don't know for sure. IMHO, you should forget the HMT. Another bloated ripoff from you know who.....

[Bubba22]

I think your right. I don't believe HMT will measure bulge and roll of a drive or wood. Remember they had a tough time a few years ago getting decent club data with the HMT in their initial release. I do think it's accurate but way, way overpriced.