Trying to get a sense of overall cost

[gene438]

John hits on a good point...it's all about costs, amount of use, and satisfaction. My initial investment was about $3200. However, I enjoy it so much that I invested more in AC, full carpeting, better graphics card, etc. because for me, my use goes up the nicer and more user friendly I make my setup.

I hit balls everyday now...why? One reason is that I have a permanent setup and can literally go to my sim, flip a switch and be hitting in 3 minutes. The money spent on making my system permanent, fast, and user friendly greatly increased my frequency of play and overall satisfaction. If I had to setup something each time or hit in the heat, I would only use it a fraction of the time.

So, for me, fine tuning and spending extra is worth every penny to me......

(kind of reminds me when I had a motorcycle...I spend more time working on it, chroming it, cleaning it, and showing it off than I did riding it.....lol)

[GmanJeff]

As mentioned, the ST app itself doesn't require a lot of computing horsepower. I'm running it just fine on an older i3 Windows laptop which just barely meets the listed minimum specs. My plan is to upgrade to a gaming laptop with a GTX1080 when available, to support sim software which is much more demanding, but for now I use the ST app daily on a fairly primitive hardware platform with no issues.

Echoing a few other comments, it is indeed easy enough to spend a fair bit above and beyond the price of the ST unit itself to get the most out of the experience, but it is arguably well worth it if you find, as apparently many of us do, that we use it often and with good results. Those costs can be offset, at least to some extent, by the reduction in expenses (and time) you'd otherwise have spent at an outdoor range. Also, all in, a typical comprehensive ST set-up is probably way less expensive than just the price of some competing launch monitors alone while providing arguably comparable results for most purposes.

[wdfwguy]

So, just to get started, I could use a minimal laptop and wouldn't need a projector? I could hit into a net and see the results on the laptp? And add a projector and screen down the road.

I'm just trying to have a number in my head before I pull the trigger.

[A.West]

Correct. And that's a good way to start. Make sure you have space to swing your clubs.

[Thinman]

with budget in mind, projector and impact screen would be (and are) absolutely last on the list to purchase for me. Can accomplish everything on a monitor, big or small.

[andygg1986]

If you think you will want to go the projector route down the road, I would go ahead and buy the impact screen now. The supertex screens are about the same price as a net. It is more work since you need a frame to mount it to but you can hit into it without a projector.

[wdfwguy]

As mentioned, the ST app itself doesn't require a lot of computing horsepower. I'm running it just fine on an older i3 Windows laptop which just barely meets the listed minimum specs.

Do you have an upgraded video card just to run the ST range software?

[GmanJeff]

No, not at all. I bought the laptop in 2011 to use exclusively for financial transactions - it never connects to email or goes to other websites, and so it's a pretty basic configuration: Intel 2nd generation i3-2301M processor running @ 2.10 ghz, 3GB of RAM,and Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 1.6GB of dynamic video memory, which was standard with the machine and not any kind of upgrade. I never intended to play games with it, but it is proving useful as a stopgap platform until I get a more capable machine on which to run simulation software. I have the laptop on a stand, at about a 45 degree angle between me at address and the net, so I just look up after a swing and can easily see my shot results on the 14" screen. I have the laptop connected to a big screen TV, but often don't bother turning the TV on. I can see my shot results very well just on the laptop.

[wdfwguy]

Awesome, that's just what I wanted to know. I didn't want to start buying stuff and then realize I needed a $500 video card, etc

Thanks so much!

[Sledge0001]

You would only need a high end video card / gaming machine if you wanted to run golf simulation software like JNPG, TGC or E6. To just run the Skytrak App you can even just use one of the newer iPad's or an older PC/laptop if you really wanted to.

For me the projector and impact screen are essential. Hitting into a net is a good start but having the ability to look down the fairway and watch the ball fly and land really creates the feeling of golfing. I highly recommend factoring this into the budget. It's not cheap but so worth it.

[aeroburner]

if you are interested I have a brand new skytrak that has no hours on it a net and grass It is the hole in one package on skytrak that I would let go for a lower cost then what you can buy at skytrak, I have a protee system going and have not had a chance to use yet as I am left handed and my wife is right and I did not think about that before purchasing

[wdfwguy]

if you are interested I have a brand new skytrak that has no hours on it a net and grass It is the hole in one package on skytrak that I would let go for a lower cost then what you can buy at skytrak, I have a protee system going and have not had a chance to use yet as I am left handed and my wife is right and I did not think about that before purchasing

I'm interested, I'll send you a PM