Advice for a total beginner for which hardware

[Anthony Pearson]

Hi Everyone,

I'm having my 40th Birthday soon and am looking for a present thats a bit unique, not something I'd normally get. I'm not an mega rich person, in fact am far from it but am looking at a budget, but fun simulator to play different "famous" golf courses and perhaps help my golf game (or at least show me why I'm doing somethings wrong).

1. Which unit: You have 2 types of devices, units that measure the club action and units that ball action. It seems to me that the ball action is more important than the club (although both would be great), so thats the direction I'm heading in. Is this true or have I made a false assumption?

2. What brand: I've done some searching and have found the Skytrak which looks like a neat piece of kit. This is possibly out of my price range, $1000 more than I wanted to spend. Can anyone suggest a different unit? Or does anyone know if you can get it a better price if you offer to name your firstborn after the company or just use it for private use?

3. Golf Course Software: If I do go with the Skytrak, it looks like you have to spend about $200/year to get access to golf courses. Has anyone found a better way as this is the most important point for me?

4. Where to buy: I live in Australia and the US dollar is killing me at the moment. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can save some money here?

I'm not looking into the netting et al yet as if I don't get the base hardware than everything else is redundant. Thanks for any assistance.

Cheers,

Ant

[bradski]

Skytrak is on the lower end of prices and very accurate for the cost. Imo measuring the ball is by far the most important. The biggest issue with courses is the gaming computer. That can be another 1k upfront to run the real sim software.

[ghopper8]

I'm also in Australia. I have a Skytrak and an optishot.

If you want accuracy go for the Skytrak.

Just note that Skygolf will not ship to Australia and to get Skytrak you will either need (cheapest to most expensive)
1. A friend to ship/bring it back for you
2. Use a 3rd party shipper
3. Go on a holiday to the USA

At a minimum it will be approx $3500 AUD for Skytrak, projector, net, etc...

[rjt84]

Hi ghopper8. I'm in Australia and looking to purchase a SkyTrak. From your personal experience can you give some advice on:

1. Purchase (recommendation on 3rd party shipper)
2. Registering hardware, software updates, Skytrak support being in Australia.
3. Any other do's and don'ts etc.

Cheers.

[ghopper8]

@rjt84
1. Try Shipito I setup an account and had something sent to it, looks very professional. I never used them as my friend was going to the US
2. No Skytrak support in Australia, had to create a US iTunes account (google it) to download software. Otherwise use the PC software
3. Get a protective case, I think i got it from playbetter and I find the cheapest and best mat & net was from Global golf products (eBay one where no good)

[Dudley04]

Hi Guys,

Im also in australia and going through the process of setting up my sim room,

I'm ready to pull the trigger on skytrak and have been doing some research and now have been offered a second hand flightscope prime unit. I don't want to hijack this tread but more wondering if anybody had experience of what would be best.

my room is 19' 6" long x 13' 8" wide i will be hitting long ways and have as much heights as could ever be needed. ghopper where are you based?
I'm in brisbane and would love a go on a skytrak to see how they go.
what price do you guys think a flightscope prime is worth?

Also I'm an apple fanboy and only have mac's and iPads should this impact my decision?

Anthony if you like i can post this somewhere else

[ghopper8]

Dudley04 I'm in Sydney

[v10king]

Don't waste your time on a skytrak, i would go GC2 if you want a trouble free experience.

[bennyg211]

have you had a Skytrak then?

[v10king]

I have,I had two units m. First was a refurbished which was at least 30% off on distances. Second was new and better but very flaky reading chips and putts. Got a gc2 and never looked back. Gc2 is accurate and rarely (maybe shot missed in 100) misses shots.

[Anthony Pearson]

Hi Guys, Thanks for your comments.When I started looking into this I was thinking of spending about $2K... The more I look the more I see that this is just an impossibility, especially here in Aus. I've also read a number of reviews that seem to be anti and pro ST. Regardless it looks like a great piece of kit, but to set everything up the way I want, I can see a budget of $10K is more realistic.

Regardless, I'll keep snooping around, who knows, maybe some rich ex golfer will take pity on me and leave me one in his Will!

But thanks for your comments and thoughts. I appreciate it and you've helped me look into more details.

Cheers,

Ant

[ghopper8]

Realistic Cost what I purchased (Note: Some prices have gone up)

Projector $359 New from Epson Clearance store
Projector Ceiling Mount $24.69 Ebay
Golf Net $330 Global Golf Products
SkyTrak $2,275.23
Itunes Card $15USD $24 Ebay to get the Skytrak Software
3D Golf Mat $334 Global Golf Products
Protection Case $250
----------------
Total $3,597

[Godfather]

I have,I had two units m. First was a refurbished which was at least 30% off on distances. Second was new and better but very flaky reading chips and putts. Got a gc2 and never looked back. Gc2 is accurate and rarely (maybe shot missed in 100) misses shots.

I disagree. Yes there are a few vocal minorities, but most are really happy other than software availability, which has changed and is changing with more releases coming. OP I think Skytrak is your best option given your constraints. I've been very pleased after finally saying GC2 was too much $ for now. Don't let a couple guys (maybe same banned member with new name) discourage you.

[v10king]

Well, I'm definitely not the same banned member that you are accusing me of being. I'm a legit 9 handicap based out of the ncga and I definitely didn't want to drop 2x on a used gc2 but since I went through skytrak hell especially with their support team. I'm happy to have gotten rid of it and moved on to the gc2. Trust me, I wanted to like the skytrak too but the gc2 just works well and I have total confidence in the numbers. Let's think about all the golf stores and which use gc2 for fitting vs skytrak. The gc2 is tried and true and I know I can trust those numbers.

[ghopper8]

Realistically all you need a Net , Skytrak (pre-Own), Mat and it will cost you under $3500

[FaultyClubs]

Some people know only one tool (ie Skytrak) which they then recommend for every solution. But with requirements like:

1) Aussie budget around $2000
2) Just looking for a "fun simulator to play courses", with
3) "perhaps some help" to golf game"
4) No yearly access fees

Then that describes an Optishot or perhaps a P3pro.

The OP probably would have been happy with that until he started reading this board!

The Optishot is a good gift for someone wanting a birthday present that's a little unique and not something they would normally get. One can always sell it later if they get really hooked and think a home sim is worth quadrupling the budget for.

[Anthony Pearson]

The Optishot was what originally got me looking into the golf simulator as a viable solution to play with on a rainy day and also potentially work on my swing a bit. However after looking into it a bit more, I think a club tracking device (whilst good for honing my swing) would not be much use for me to play round on the famous courses with. I'm a 9 - 12 handicapper delusions of grandeur that lead me to believe I could hold a handicap consistently. However I hit the ball really high so unless I have a ball tracker, the simulation would have almost nothing in common with my standard shot shape.

I guess I'm worried about spending a lot of cash (a lot for me anyway) on a set up and not using it because its not 'right'.

Thanks for your numbers ghopper8. You've given me a bit of hope so I'll keep searching (although the yearly fee is a bit of a pain and the exchange rate is brutal!).

Alternatively, if anyone is from Skytrack who wants someone to help sell their product in Australia then I'm your man. I'm a salesman and will use my copious free time to spruke and sell your product. Will only cost you one fully set up system (I'll even name my first born after you!).