My GSA CX2 experience with the golf club

[keither5150]

I have had the CX2 system for quite a while. Overall Martin at GSA is excellent to deal with. He answers emails within a reasonable amount of time and is very helpful. GSA's website is a little overwhelming at first. There are so many different configurations to choose from.
If you have a good computer, GSA's systems run very fast with very little delay before the ball flies. I have a buddy who is a scratch golfer and plays a big draw on his irons. My 2 camera CX2 system picks up my buddies draws very well considering that it is calculating ball spin. The next upgrade will be the CTS Color club tracking system. For $1999 it is a little steep directly after purchasing TGC. I didn't add a club tracking camera to my system because I didn't like the idea of putting tracking dots on all of my clubs. GSA's new CTS doesn't need tracking dots.

My computer is i7 2600k at 3.4Ghz, 16 gigs ram, GTX 680 vid card. USB 3.0 is a must for high speed cameras. My system was not stable until I added the USB 3.0 cards. I know the cameras are USB 2.0.... it just runs more stable plugged into 3.0. In hindsight a preconfigured computer may have save me some frustration. GSA now offers remote access support. I used it once and it only took about 15 minutes. Martin was extremely helpful in solving my issue. The issue was more about my lighting and enclosure material than the system. Martin's suggestions were bang on.

I think that GSA offers good value for the money. The GSA software works well, it just looks dated compared to TGC.

[keither5150]

I hit some drives today and tried the camera at ground level. Please note that dead center on my sim is actually about 6 inches left of the game's center. I don't want to make my image smaller and I am not moving my cameras for that. This will be fixed once I drill another hole in my mat that is dead center. If you can get through my 2 min warm up you will see that the CX2 does a good job calculating fades and draws. At 4:40 I try hitting 3 draws in a row ( not easy for me). In real life, my favorite drive is low with about 10-20 yards right to left and a fair bit of roll. The CX2 duplicates high, low, fades and draws quite well. Next video will be mid irons followed by short chips.

https://youtu.be/Wf5jxDVjcRY

Enjoy

[Bubba22]

Just so we all understand, spin or spin axis is not measured with the CX2. The unit uses a fixed face angle that you chose and desire and estimates spin and spin axis based on the ball path to determine a fade or a draw. Certain shots may not register as well unless you get the club cam or spin cam.

[keither5150]

As far as I understand, not measured but calculated by ball path. You can choose to use the fixed face angle feature and that would give you a draw every time. I don't use that feature. People who use that feature would have to open up control panel and change the club face angle every time you want to change your shot. It is really a useless feature for anyone who wants accuracy. The unit calculates club face based on what the ball is doing. I don't change anything and can go from hitting a fade to a draw. My next add on will be the CTS color club tracking camera. This will give more accurate shots. I have hit foresight at golftown and feel that my system is really close to that considering that I am lacking club data. Martin's system is basically guessing that you hit a draw based on what the ball is doing. Pretty good at guessing. I have a buddy who puts a lot of left to right on his mid irons and he feels that the system works well considering you don't have club data. Club data would take the guessing out of the equation. All I know is , when I try to hit a draw, I can, and without changing anything, I can go back to my money shot of a low right to left with a lot of roll. In real life sometimes, I get 40+ yards of roll. You are right, cameras plus club data is what you need to have the most accurate shots. Until I have more money to throw at this, I will have to settle for what I have. Back when I purchased in 2012 GSA was the most accurate for my budget. Now there are so many choices. For a more detailed and more accurate explanation, you would have to ask Martin. I really love this forum.... not around when I purchased.

[keither5150]

Next video, I will leave the golf club's data on the screen for 5 seconds. You can then see what GSA's is thinking that the club head is doing. The only thing that is really messed up with that is club head speed. Golftown's foresight sim averages my driver club head speed at 113 to 122. GSA has never shown over 100. Maybe something that I can calibrate but who cares as long as the ball is doing what it is supposed to. I will be buying the club tracking camera soon anyway.

[keither5150]

When GSA added that fixed club angle feature, I actually had it turned on at 12 degrees and didn't realize it. I was wondering why I was playing so poorly. They added that feature and I slid the slide bar all the way to the right thinking that I was turning it off. Martin should make it a little more clear. Somebody is sure to correct me if I am wrong with my explanation. I really do appreciate the wealth of knowledge that is on this site. This site helped me pull the trigger on TGC.

[TaS]

Pga tour driver clubhead speed average is 112 for comparison.

[Dax]

Unless the Golftown you are visiting has head measurement technology, then those speeds are estimates based off of an algorithm. Also, some have suggested that some golf stores boost measurements on their sims, I have never tested this, but that discussion is for another thread.

[keither5150]

That would be tough to test. My longest drive this year in real life was 345. However the conditions were more than favorable. I probably had a 280 carry and landed on a big downslope. I have also hit on a Trackman. I can get my club head speed up to 122 and after that I can't hit the sweet spot anymore. No point in swinging harder if the ball doesn't go farther. Trackman and foresight show my most consistent drives at around 115-119 mph. My longest drive on any sim has been 320. This was on my sim landing on a downslope. Foresight at golftown has you hitting on a range. The roll is not there. The only way I know of testing accuracy, is hitting at home, then driving to the range that has full flight balls. I usually do that after I see improvement in my game..... I want to check it out in real life soon after. After my buddy showed me how to hit draws, we drove straight to the range to verify.

[Bubba22]

Without measuring the club face angle or spin, the system is simply guessing at what the club face is based on ball path. Try hitting a pull hook, or a push fade. Certain shots may not be perfectly represented. With the club am or spin cam you will certainly get more accurate results. Some 2 cam systems have some logic built into the software where if you hit a low, fast shot to the right it will read it as a low hook based on ball speed etc.
Keep up the good work with Martin. He certainly has great ideas. His focus was always the issue over the past 7 years.

[keither5150]

Bubba, I will test that. I can hit straight shots just to the right and see if they register as fades. Good idea. You most certainly are a valued member of the forum. As a newbie, I appreciate your input. Where was this forum when I was purchasing?

[keither5150]

Club tracking is a must for me once I can afford it. I am not sure how Martin calculates everything. I know that when I really miss hit, worm burner directly into the bush, the system shows it. My buddies are shocked that my drives in my basement look just like on the course. I hit that low fade that carries 250+ probably 3 out of 5 shots. Draws are more difficult for me to produce. I realize that the system is guessing. Some systems guess at ball path based on club data. The CX2 guesses at club data based on ball flight. Overall, I am happy with the system. I would be changing it out for something else, if my shots didn't look accurate compared to real life. As for trying to hit a pull hook or a push fade.... I am not a great golfer.... I only learned how to draw the ball this year.

[Bubba22]

Most good sensor base systems will measure club face angle and path and will estimate spin axis based on the difference. Total spin is estimate based on either selecting a club or algorithms estimating total spin based on ball speed. Adding cameras will allow for accurate ball path and launch angle. That would include ProTee and PX5, Trugolf etc. Weaker systems like Optishot or P3Pro have no ball measurement at all. Camera based systems alone can measure the ball but no way of measuring spin unless you have a club or ball cam. Some like Sportscoach will measure ball path and use it as your club face angle and use the same overhead cam to estimate swing path allowing for spin estimation. No perfect but ok. The CX2 doesn't do that. Getting the club cam will help.

[keither5150]

I am ordering my club cam when Martin gets back from holidays. I will also be updating my triggering sensors to a line scan camera. This will allow me to set up a decent putting area. You should try SFR's driving range, it's fantastic.

[FaultyClubs]

Keither...what club cam model are you getting exactly? I see on his site he has a CTS, a CTS Color Pro, and a CTS Color Lite. They are changing so fast I can't keep up with them! lol

[keither5150]

I am getting the CTS color lite. I would have gone with the CX3 back in 2012 when I purchased but I didn't like the idea of putting tracking dots on all of my clubs.

[keither5150]

I am looking at getting the cts color lite. I am not a great golfer, so that will do for now. I have my handicap on TGC down to 6, but in real life I am more like a 16. I really want to measure my club head speed and angle. I wouldn't mind adding a LX pro instead of the club camera, but the CTS color is cheaper. Also, I am not sure how well the LX pro works with the CX2.

[FaultyClubs]

It's interesting to see someone actually doing something different on this board!

The CX2 only measures ball LA, azimuth and speed. Martin says in his tech page that's not enough to estimate any curvature. His trick of an assumed face angle is an ingenious way to add curvature but, if I understand it correctly, could really mess up your swing in real life if you are actually drawing and fading the ball. The CTS Color Lite with measured club face angle should help a lot. (I'm not sure but doesn't the LX Pro behave like the old club tracking system requiring dots which you didn't like?)

Isn't the price of the CX2 + CTS Color Lite getting into Protee territory? And you're still missing club path compared to Protee. Martin needs to give you a price break! Especially since he's using your material on his web page!

Also have you thought about switching to the LX Pro or LX lite? Assuming they work (always a big *if* with Martin) they should be more accurate than even your new setup and much cheaper. Martin claims he'll let users switch without penalty. You'll give up measured club face angle but I'm not sure how useful that is without also having a measured club path.

Sounds like you know what you want and your system will only get better. Good luck and keep us posted!

[keither5150]

I purchased back in 2012. Back then, GSA offered the best value for what I wanted to spend. Now that I have that invested, it makes no sense to jump ship to ProTee. ProTee seems like a great company. Skytrack is also interesting, but I would have to get hit with a bag of money for me to switch.

As for the LX pro, my understanding is that if you want club tracking, you need tracking dots. I don't think that you can have ball tracking and club tracking at the same time..... not sure about that.

I am adding the CTS color lite vs the color pro as I don't see the extra $1000 value for club path. My swing is a mess due to a shoulder injury back in 2012. I had my system in storage and only got it up and running a few months ago. Martin was a great help with the new enclosure. Now my shoulder is healthy or healthier, I hit about 250-500 balls per day. My longest drive this past Saturday in wet conditions was 308 and I hit 8 out of 14 fairways with 2 or 3 more just off of the fairway. Probably my last round of the season since I live in Canada. My sim has improved my golf game tremendously. Yes, I realize that I would benefit greatly from club tracking. I have one on order along with a line scan camera. Currently I have the floor sensor for triggering the cameras. That sensor is not exactly putter friendly. As for messing up the swing, my buddy draws the ball on every club from an 8 iron to his driver. He says for not having club head data, it is pretty accurate. He moves his 8 iron left to right about 15 yards. The CX2 system does not know the difference between a real draw and someone who can't line up the shot straight. So I can see how it could mess up a person's swing. Adding the CTS C will fix that. GSA's CTS C calculates club path based on ball path and club face angle. After using the CX2 for some time, I can tell you that Martin is quite good at calculating what the ball is doing based on available data.

[keither5150]

Update. I have replaced my floor trigger sensor with a line scan camera for triggering. I now have a 10 foot putting area that is perfectly flat. GSA's putting uses two cameras for speed and direction. Speed is calculated with a scale down to the pixel. I have mine set at 1 pixel = 0.2010mm. If I putt 9 feet, it goes 9 feet with TGC. Direction is accurate within a fraction of a degree. In the past, putting sucked as I had to putt over a sensor. Now putting is quite good, and I will not have gimmies set to more than 2 yards anymore.

On a different note, my drives were getting longer with TGC so I went out for one final real life round in windy conditions. I had 5 drives over 300 with the longest being 355. It was quite windy. A big drive against the wind was 270. My drives are working well, now if I can just fix everything else with my game.

Still waiting for my CTS camera.