First Look: Bushnell Launch Pro and Foresight GC3 Launch Monitor

i would wonder how much of that was recreational golfer demand, vs instructor / retailer / green grass.
Me too. And as mentioned above I’m sure the pandemic played a role in that, but the demand has been there for a while. And based on simulation there is definitely the growing consumer market it is going to takeoff in the next year or two
 
i would wonder how much of that was recreational golfer demand, vs instructor / retailer / green grass.
That's been my thought. The market seems strong, but maybe not populated with the people we want to think. Like @tahoebum I know plenty of dedicated players here who have the money to spend on one at quad prices, but still don't. Golf is mostly recreational for them though, and not work related in any way.
 
Just finished the video, we’ll done. Unit looks very impressive but not cheap. If someone has the money and the space, seems like an impressive piece of hardware for the home simulator market.
 
I think it’s more approprirate to think of the GC3 is the evolution of the GC2 - as a GC2+, so to speak.

The fourth camera provides face angle, loft, lie, rate of closure. Beyond that, my understanding is that it provides identical data to GCQuad.
I think you've hit the nail on the head in terms of how they view the product. I was hoping the evolution of the GC2 would be similar capability at a lower price, but it seems they've gone with upgraded capability. We'll have to see, but I think we all assume that comes at a higher price, otherwise they'd be making their other unit obsolete.

Now that I type that, do they still produce the GC2? I only see it available on 3rd party sites and used.
 
I think you've hit the nail on the head in terms of how they view the product. I was hoping the evolution of the GC2 would be similar capability at a lower price, but it seems they've gone with upgraded capability. We'll have to see, but I think we all assume that comes at a higher price, otherwise they'd be making their other unit obsolete.

Now that I type that, do they still produce the GC2? I only see it available on 3rd party sites and used.
I don’t think they do nor do they have plans to make the GC2 any longer. This is its replacement, and yeah, rather than making something similar to the GC2 more cheaply, they’ve made something that is clearly and objectively better for what I’d imagine is a comparable price.
 
That's been my thought. The market seems strong, but maybe not populated with the people we want to think. Like @tahoebum I know plenty of dedicated players here who have the money to spend on one at quad prices, but still don't. Golf is mostly recreational for them though, and not work related in any way.


From the Foresight website:

"Today, Foresight Sports is a total technology provider, with more than 15,000 GC launch monitors and golf simulation solutions in use in retail stores, driving ranges, commercial facilities, and homes worldwide."

There are about 9,500 golf courses/country clubs in the USA and many more retail stores and driving ranges. Foresight and Trackman are the big players in this market and I know most private clubs around here have more than one Trackman or GC2/G
CQuad. My club has two Trackmans and are likely buying one or two more in the next year.

I think the market will explode when the price hits a certain "affordable" range. What that price range is, I can only guess. I'd buy a GC3 tomorrow if it were in that $3,500 range, but I'm not buying one at $6,000 and certainly not at $8,000. Technology is rapidly changing, and these will get cheaper in another 5-10 years. In the mean time I'll use the Trackman at my club when I get the urge.
 
I think the market will explode when the price hits a certain "affordable" range. What that price range is, I can only guess. I'd buy a GC3 tomorrow if it were in that $3,500 range, but I'm not buying one at $6,000 and certainly not at $8,000. Technology is rapidly changing, and these will get cheaper in another 5-10 years. In the mean time I'll use the Trackman at my club when I get the urge.

We haven’t released any details on pricing but it’s coming soon. I will add that when GC2 came out I said the same thing, it will come down as tech explodes. Then GC4 came out I said the same thing. It never happened.
 
We haven’t released any details on pricing but it’s coming soon. I will add that when GC2 came out I said the same thing, it will come down as tech explodes. Then GC4 came out I said the same thing. It never happened.
People always want to compare it to TVs or other mass consumer electronics, but it’s just not that comparable. For TVs, for example, you’re looking at a market *every* consumer participates in, and thus there are an infinite number of companies that throw their hat in the ring and compete. Foresight has two competitors, and they’re both offering fundamentally different technology, and it’s not a big enough market for a bunch of new competitors to be eager to try to jump in the ring and compete with them.
 
We haven’t released any details on pricing but it’s coming soon. I will add that when GC2 came out I said the same thing, it will come down as tech explodes. Then GC4 came out I said the same thing. It never happened.

Your right; it never happened, and maybe it never will. Or maybe it will just take more time. I paid $3,000 for a 65" plasma TV in 2012, and now I can get a much better 65" TV for $600. Then again, launch monitors are not TVs and have such a tiny audience that the prices may stay high and unaffordable for most golfers for decades.

To me, it's a small niche product when a dominant company like Foresight currently has only 15,000 in use worldwide. Their sales on these can't be much more than 3,000 units or about $40M per year. I know a dozen members at my club who own small local/regional companies(less than 30 employees) with $10M-$50M in annual revenue.

Maybe the average avid golfer doesn't care enough or is good enough ,even to want a launch monitor like a GC3 even if it was $999. Many members at my club don't need or own a laser rangefinder/GPS and are fine just looking at the 100 and 150 markers and taking a guess. Crazy that they won't spend $200 or less on a rangefinder when their dues are $800 per month.
 
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Will both the launch pro and the GC3 be sold in the United States? Early rumors were that the GC3 was being developed for international use with the launch pro for the USA.
 
Will both the launch pro and the GC3 be sold in the United States? Early rumors were that the GC3 was being developed for international use with the launch pro for the USA.
Yes they will both be available.
 
Yes they will both be available.
Good move by Bushnell and Foresight to compare distribution channels for the consumer golf market where each has one strength and one relative unknown.
 
So curious to learn the pricing....

Likely too rich for me, but still curious.
 
Got pricing from a friend who works for a subsidiary of Foresights new parent company. The GC3 will be $7k with all features unlocked. The Launch Pro will be $3k, with minimal features and the ability to unlock those additional features will be added cost.
 
Got pricing from a friend who works for a subsidiary of Foresights new parent company. The GC3 will be $7k with all features unlocked. The Launch Pro will be $3k, with minimal features and the ability to unlock those additional features will be added cost.
7K is still going to be far too much for the average consumer interested in this I think, the 3k is definitely getting much closer to the mark though. But it kind of all depends what those additional features are, and that's all assuming this secret source is correct. ;)
 
I agree - was hoping all in for $3k. Betting the Bushnell is aimed toward people who just want to play sim golf at home vs the GC3 which aimed more toward club fitters.
 
If true, that pricing makes sense at both ends. At high end, $7k all in is incredible. $3k low end is SkyTrak with far better accuracy and ability to fit in smaller spaces radar can’t read. Impressed with the business strategy and a wee bit jealous as a satisfied Mevo+ user.
 
That pricing is in line with the early rumors, if correct. The Bushnell version could be a big hit if they unlock the sim capabilities to other products outside of FSX or a proprietary Bushnell software (similar to the Garmin), without making the subscription fee astronomical or paying full price for E6 at $2,500 when most other LMs have just the annual subscription cost.

I bet anyone who overpaid for a Skytrak, Mevo+, or bought a GC2 in the past year is disappointed they didn't wait.
 
Seems like the additional features they are implying but can't confirm due to embargo are the full FSX 2020 license and '1 dot' Club head data. Speculating is all we can do right now. Which is still enjoyable, so my take on what they are not allowed to say :::::::

Bushnell Launch Pro -- Will cost approx $3/4k usd (No-one has confirmed) - Will come with the FSX Subscription service and the ability to choose either Silver 5 course or Gold 10 course "30 day trials ". Then will cost $xxx/year (No-one knows yet - probably similar to E6 on a per year subscription)

Foresight GC3 -- Will be $7k USD Will come with Ball data, Club data (1 dot) & FSX 2020 gold 10 course license (lifetime)

Big Questions right now I have from my speculation
- GC3 and BLP both offered in US. Why? Will the Launch pro be offered outside US? (seems like a no)
- Will the Bushnell Launch pro therefore have some sort of locked software, to only work with Mobile devices? (Same device/hardware as GC3 implies not same software)
- There is supposedly an update coming to FSX 2020 that will NOT be a free upgrade, but a 'new software IP'. (unlucky to the GC3 purchasers who will get railroaded by this if they want anything but the FSX2020 Potato graphics)
- How many tech savvy people are going to take this device and 'customise' it for other Sim software like TGC2019/GSPro (alot :) )
 
I’m curious to see whether there’s a home practice-only friendly price point that unlocks all the device data (ball and one-dot club) while at a discount to the 7k price by giving only the FSX driving range rather than sim courses I’ll never use.
 
I bet anyone who overpaid for a Skytrak, Mevo+, or bought a GC2 in the past year is disappointed they didn't wait.
Mevo+ is amazing for price and very accurate. To me, it’s only missing path and club face, which it clearly has locked. For now…

Had hope this pricing would force FS to offer locked data for a fee. But it’s too high and not competitive enough.
 
Mevo+ is amazing for price and very accurate. To me, it’s only missing path and club face, which it clearly has locked. For now…

Had hope this pricing would force FS to offer locked data for a fee. But it’s too high and not competitive enough.
Camera is the future of at-home sims, not radar. Space constraints give camera-based systems a huge advantage, among other things.
 
Camera is the future of at-home sims, not radar. Space constraints give camera-based systems a huge advantage, among other things.

They also measure spin axis, instead of calculate it, so accuracy is far more consistent.
 
They also measure spin axis, instead of calculate it, so accuracy is far more consistent.

Not arguing, but to be honest, everything is calculated from captured data points, regardless of launch monitor. Yes how the data points are captured are different and in turn can create nuances in the calculation (for radar indoors mostly). Which leads to more consistent results with a camera based system.
 
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