All, my first post and glad to be part of the forum. Although my first, have been lurking and reading on this site and others for months. As a background to this post, I am building a house with a relatively large simulator space, and want to deck it out right. I have a large budget, but not completely insane. The effective room for the space is 17’ wide, 22’ long and 11’ ceilings.
If this helps, for me I am a 15-20 handicap golfer that due to job, kids, etc.. doesn’t get to play much, and more importantly, practice as much as I want. I do have a Skytrak, but given my living situation at the moment (rental house), it is setup outdoors which limits time on it during the winter months. I want to use my new system for roughly 75% game improvement, 25% simulator play. I will use it 90% indoors if I had to guess. Goal is to become a much better and consistent ball striker.
I have narrowed it down to two choices: A Foresight product and Trackman 4. The purpose of this post is not (yet) to debate the pros and cons of the systems — Leo Mode, Dax and many others have covered this extensively, and I don’t want to rehash old ground. My questions are strictly to the initial outlay of cost (all amounts in US Dollars).
1) Trackman 4:
I am still unclear on the difference between the indoor mode ($19,000) and the indoor/outdoor model ($25,000). It seems the hardware is the same. So why can’t you use the indoor model outdoors? And if you can’t, what exactly are you buying for that extra $6,000?
Hidden and/or future costs: from Trackman's website, it seems the best “deal” would be to pay $4,000 for a three-year hardware and software subscription. I know you don't have to buy this at all, but if you are going big, might as well go all the way. So on an apples to apples comparison (indoors/outdoors use), you are looking at $29,000 to just start the process, before even starting with the construction of the simulator space.
In addition to the above, is there a fee for the software to run the Trackman 4 (TPS 6.3??).
2) Foresight GCQuad:
The GCQuad is $18,000 for ball and club head data. Can be used indoor and outdoor. Thus, a $7,000 savings off of the comparable Trackman 4 unit. As stated above, I would use it 90% indoor. Assume I don’t yet need any putting module add-ons (but I assume you can get it later if you want?)
Hidden and/or future costs: annual fee like Trackman, or is this a one time purchase? Putting module upgrade fee if desired?
Software fee: limited to FSX2018 I know, cost of that? And yes, I have read about the gouging for “upgrades”.
3) Foresight GCHawk:
Eventually I will post about my questions on the GCHawk, but I know it is only ball data now (I confirmed this in a short call to Foresight). And there has been zero testing of it by anyone I am aware of (Leo Mode, get on this – ha ha). Given I am at the beginning stages of design, I still have time to reconsider a GCHawk if I were to go the Foresight route. But I am not going to consider it until they get club head data worked out, which they say will be “this year”. Who knows if that is true.
Thanks for the feedback and helping a newbie with some basic into questions.
If this helps, for me I am a 15-20 handicap golfer that due to job, kids, etc.. doesn’t get to play much, and more importantly, practice as much as I want. I do have a Skytrak, but given my living situation at the moment (rental house), it is setup outdoors which limits time on it during the winter months. I want to use my new system for roughly 75% game improvement, 25% simulator play. I will use it 90% indoors if I had to guess. Goal is to become a much better and consistent ball striker.
I have narrowed it down to two choices: A Foresight product and Trackman 4. The purpose of this post is not (yet) to debate the pros and cons of the systems — Leo Mode, Dax and many others have covered this extensively, and I don’t want to rehash old ground. My questions are strictly to the initial outlay of cost (all amounts in US Dollars).
1) Trackman 4:
I am still unclear on the difference between the indoor mode ($19,000) and the indoor/outdoor model ($25,000). It seems the hardware is the same. So why can’t you use the indoor model outdoors? And if you can’t, what exactly are you buying for that extra $6,000?
Hidden and/or future costs: from Trackman's website, it seems the best “deal” would be to pay $4,000 for a three-year hardware and software subscription. I know you don't have to buy this at all, but if you are going big, might as well go all the way. So on an apples to apples comparison (indoors/outdoors use), you are looking at $29,000 to just start the process, before even starting with the construction of the simulator space.
In addition to the above, is there a fee for the software to run the Trackman 4 (TPS 6.3??).
2) Foresight GCQuad:
The GCQuad is $18,000 for ball and club head data. Can be used indoor and outdoor. Thus, a $7,000 savings off of the comparable Trackman 4 unit. As stated above, I would use it 90% indoor. Assume I don’t yet need any putting module add-ons (but I assume you can get it later if you want?)
Hidden and/or future costs: annual fee like Trackman, or is this a one time purchase? Putting module upgrade fee if desired?
Software fee: limited to FSX2018 I know, cost of that? And yes, I have read about the gouging for “upgrades”.
3) Foresight GCHawk:
Eventually I will post about my questions on the GCHawk, but I know it is only ball data now (I confirmed this in a short call to Foresight). And there has been zero testing of it by anyone I am aware of (Leo Mode, get on this – ha ha). Given I am at the beginning stages of design, I still have time to reconsider a GCHawk if I were to go the Foresight route. But I am not going to consider it until they get club head data worked out, which they say will be “this year”. Who knows if that is true.
Thanks for the feedback and helping a newbie with some basic into questions.
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