Sanity Check

[miwamc]

Forgive the self-indulgence of this post, but I was hoping that you guys in the know might help with me a sanity check. What started out with me with hitting foam balls in a net in the garage somehow led me into researching this world of golf simulation. I have read nearly everything that Google can find for me and it has been like trying to drink from a firehose. My needs (actually want) is something less than the full simulation experience - my main deal is that my only time to practice is either before or after bedtime for the rest of the family. I've never been the kind of guy who can go a couple of weeks without swinging a club and expect to play well.


I first became interested in simulation when I was looking for a picture of the RTJ Judge course to email a friend before a buddy trip we take each year to that course. I found a picture that was from E6 simulation software. I thought it would be cool to play the front 9 of The Judge in my garage before work and off I dove into the research. The best I can tell, the two currently viable options for playing E6 software at anything close to my price point are ProTee and Trugolf. ProTee to me seems like it would be the slam dunk answer if I had the space to committ to the install. I will need to periodically either break down everything or at least shove it all off to the side. I eventaully ruled out the TruGolf Technique with the sonic measurements for a variety of reasons. I have decided to go with a setup of a Net Return with a TV on a rolling cart type set-up, far less sophisticated then what most of you do as far as simulation. It looks like there are still TruGolf Trainers available for around $2500 which would work, but my research has led me to believe that this would be spending $2500 on a half-measure that would ultimately prove unsatisfactory.

So moving off the E6 software and forgetting about the RTJ courses, it looks like a great option would be the GC2, with ProTee software, and hoping that eventually someone will make the RTJ courses in The Golf Club. This looks to me to be about a $10,000 option - not entirely out of the question for me but not something that I will be able to pull the trigger on today.

Researching the other options hoping to find something at a lower price point - I've followed the SkyTrack saga and maybe by the time I'm ready to pull the trigger it will be ready for primetime and will have the sim software integrated. Golf Acheiver looks to be a viable option, but to my mind it appears to be a closed system and potentially a system that is on the way out. The GSA LX is very hard to find any reviews or information on although based on the website it looks to be potentially compatible with the E6, I'm wary though I have no interest in being a beta tester. Everything else seems to be either a fixed-install camera system or very pricey. Does my summation make sense to those of you in the know, and/or am I missing something?

Oh, by the way, it appears that it is convention when making a post such as this to say - "long time lurker, first time poster."

Thank you for all of the valuable data that I've found in this forum. - Michael

[Maverick]

Welcome to the forum Micheal. You summed it up pretty good. For simulation play your best options are ProTee system or GC2 with ProTee/TGC. For just practice, the SkyTrak is a good affordable option.

[JV17]

Miwamc, based on your thoughts/objectives above, I highly recommend going with the GC2. My thought process and foray into the sim world was along a similar vein as your own. Aside from the ease of setup and the portability advantages of the GC2 over the ProTee system, I also thoroughly enjoy the ability to quickly hit a few balls and get instant feedback from the GC2 without having to power up the computer and run any software. Sometimes I only have 5 mins and to be able to get going right away with feedback is huge. The GC2 with ProTee software is great, and throw in the TGC and it's incredible. Also, I had the Net Return setup when I first started and it was great... While not ideal like an impact screen with projected video, you won't be disappointed at all... A great bang for the buck. Good luck with your setup!

[p3eps]

Michael,
I was in exactly the same boat as you a few months ago. I wanted to set up a hitting area in my garage - and have it fully collapsable for getting cars in when required (only a few times a year).
After reading all about it, the goalposts changed, and I wanted simulation rather than just hitting a ball into a net.
As above, I went down the route of the GC2. I got it 2 weeks ago, and due to being on vacation have only had one chance to use it so far! I've got my projector / screen / hitting mat / PC all purchased and need to spend some time putting it all together - and then I'll purchase the ProTee software.

The net is against my back wall, so barely uses any room. The GC2 can be picked up and moved. The mat can be rolled up and placed in a corner. My PC is going to be on a shelf on the wall, and the projector is ceiling mounted. My screen also has side curtains to prevent stray balls... which can simply be closed to take up minimal space. That way I have a near empty garage that I can still get 2 cars in.

If I were you I'd be looking in the classified section now and sending a PM to the guy who is selling a GC2 / screen / PC / software / mat etc etc for about $7750. Sounds like an absolute bargain to me since a GC2 costs almost $6500 on its own.

Another advantage to the GC2 is that you could just purchase the unit with the iPad software for the time being, and build up to a simulator as time / funds allow. This was my intention, but I've gone at it head on and bought everything once I decided which road I was heading down!!

[miwamc]

Thanks everyone - I kind of changed course and went with the SkyTrak. I have the Net Return in place, the side nets are on back order and should ship this week. I bought the Ipad Mini but have it connected to an external monitor looks pretty good. I like the Net Return a lot; I do have a bit of the "garage yips" with anything longer than the 7 iron - I hope that with time and the addition of the side nets, I will feel more comfortable swinging longer clubs in the garage. In my estimation, the SkyTrak is reading about a club shorter than normal, but it is also 40 degrees cooler in my garage right now than the 90+ degrees I usually play in.

In my set up, I don't have to move the hitting mat, to clear the garage, I can move the Net Return to the side of the garage, roll the ipad and monitor to the side and take the SkyTrak in the house with me. The whole set-up is pretty neat. I'm hoping that sim comes along at some point, I like the target practice, but I can see where sim will be more engaging in the long run.

The location of the SkyTrak doesn't bother me, I feel confident that I am not going to hit it; but the first night I had it set up my wife insisted on trying it out and she is a non-golfer and I was puckered up when she swiped at the ball, we won't be doing that again until they come out with some sort of protective case. The delay between hitting the ball and it showing up on the screen is a little long, but I've gotten used to it.

Michael

[miwamc]

Some additional notes: if you occasionally hit really bad shots on the course, you will always hit them in your garage - for example, a popped up drive will put a hole in your ceiling.

[Maverick]

ouch. Sorry to hear that.

[miwamc]

Hah, embarrassment is the worst of it - just a little Sheetrock repair whenever I sell the house. Might hit a little closer to the Net Return from now on though.

[agolfingnut]

Thanks everyone - I kind of changed course and went with the SkyTrak. I have the Net Return in place, the side nets are on back order and should ship this week. I bought the Ipad Mini but have it connected to an external monitor looks pretty good. I like the Net Return a lot; I do have a bit of the "garage yips" with anything longer than the 7 iron - I hope that with time and the addition of the side nets, I will feel more comfortable swinging longer clubs in the garage. In my estimation, the SkyTrak is reading about a club shorter than normal, but it is also 40 degrees cooler in my garage right now than the 90+ degrees I usually play in.

In my set up, I don't have to move the hitting mat, to clear the garage, I can move the Net Return to the side of the garage, roll the ipad and monitor to the side and take the SkyTrak in the house with me. The whole set-up is pretty neat. I'm hoping that sim comes along at some point, I like the target practice, but I can see where sim will be more engaging in the long run.

The location of the SkyTrak doesn't bother me, I feel confident that I am not going to hit it; but the first night I had it set up my wife insisted on trying it out and she is a non-golfer and I was puckered up when she swiped at the ball, we won't be doing that again until they come out with some sort of protective case. The delay between hitting the ball and it showing up on the screen is a little long, but I've gotten used to it.

Michael

I haven't yet managed to find a good review of the SkyTrak, is it still working well and accurate enough? I'm just looking at setting up a simulator in my garage and whilst I do want the feedback on how I'm hitting the ball, I also would like the fun of playing courses, so I was ruling out the SkyTrak, but have just read that they have announced a tie-up with WGT...this might make it a viable option.

[miwamc]

I still like it. I'm not big into numbers like launch angle or spin, I just want to see direction and distance. I feel like I'm getting pretty good feedback for that. I even use Almost Golf balls when I am trying to be extra quiet and think I get pretty good feedback. My biggest complaint so far is the app uses a slider bar to adjust distance and I find it difficult to work with the Ipad mounted in my stand. I am eager for the sim to come out, I didn't think it was that important to me when I made the purchase, but I find it easy to lose focus hitting to a target.

[agolfingnut]

Launch angle and spin I think I could live without, but I sometimes struggle to hit down on the ball with the irons, does it show that?

[goatbarn]

No club measurements are made. Club head speed displayed in app is based on ball speed, then divided by some assumed smash factor.

No, it won't show you that. You're looking for angle of attack, for what you described. I believe P3Pro measures that (?), but I know my Flightscope measures it and so does Trackman.

I don't know of any others of hand...

[agolfingnut]

Useful, thanks. Will clearly have to do more research. Has anyone seen any in depth reviews of SkyTrak?