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Launch monitors why do you need it?

Snickerdog

Snickerdog

Team THP 2019 Grandaddy Alumni
Albatross 2024 Club
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Several discussions on launch monitors, they come in all varieties from small to big in size to a couple hundred bucks to 25K for a Trackman.

The question is, why do you need a personal monitor? Is it because you don't have easy access? Is it just a I want it type thing? What purpose will it serve and how often would you use it?

Lets here it.
 
Personally always wanted a way to play indoor golf at home with where I live. The amount of money I've spent at our course for sim time might be a little ridiculous but it's the only way to scratch the itch in the winter up here. Having a launch monitor in my home (that allowed me to play sim golf that is) is definitely more of a want than a need but in the long run, might save me some money...now to build a house with space for one:LOL::LOL:
 
New shiny toys??

I really don’t need one. It would be fun to play with one, I enjoyed trying out JB’s for a few swings.
 
Great white north...need I say more! Honestly, some times living in Maine I feel like I'm in a way back time machine. There is only one place in town with any type of simulator, the DSG hasn't had a working monitor since I started golfing and dang it Spock, I just want to know how pitiful my ball striking is!
Rant over!:banghead:
 
Some of the better players I know seem to benefit from using a launch monitor to help them practice partial wedge shot yardages.
 
Snickerdog said:
Several discussions on launch monitors, they come in all varieties from small to big in size to a couple hundred bucks to 25K for a Trackman.

The question is, why do you need a personal monitor? Is it because you don't have easy access? Is it just a I want it type thing? What purpose will it serve and how often would you use it?

Lets here it.
Click to expand...


at first it was a "I want it"...now, it's just to compare how different shafts affect my shots...the local shop charges $50 to get on the monitor. i'm not THAT interested in knowing right now.

edit: to see how spin rates/launch angles may/may not be different, etc...idk...nerd stuff maybe?
 
I have no intention of buying one right now (for me too cost prohibitve vs other golf things I could spend money on), I can however see at some point in the future getting one.
Reason being, my local range is pretty basic, I'm 90% sure their yardage markers are off (will check when I have some clubs again and go with my new rangefinder) so I really would like to be able to get consistent with my clubs and really know what sort of yardages I will get.

Seeing the comment above from @chile about the shop charging $50, if the range charged $5-10 each time you went, I could see me using it once a month maybe, instead. It would cost them a few hundred up front, but you get 20+ people like me who would rent it and I reckon you could make a profit in no time.
 
Chasing72 said:
Seeing the comment above from @chile about the shop charging $50, if the range charged $5-10 each time you went, I could see me using it once a month maybe, instead. It would cost them a few hundred up front, but you get 20+ people like me who would rent it and I reckon you could make a profit in no time.
Click to expand...

now, that $50 is waived if you buy a club but i am fairly set with my clubs...but i got a shaft i'd like to compare but i'm not jazzed about spending $50 to look at that data...i'll just have to rely on feel/performance...that being said, idk if it's my phone or the TM app but it gives me wonky readings (i.e. 413 yard hole...TM says driver went 227 but where i'm standing for my approach, it says 151 yards to the hole)...I noticed it before but thought maybe it was just me seeing things...so yeah, economical launch monitor access would be nice...
 
I definitely get it for the northern guys who only have a really short golf season.
 
- don't have easy enough access
- need to check my gapping
- just want one :)
- would be great for practicing hitting specific yardages
 
shanewu said:
- don't have easy enough access
- need to check my gapping
- just want one :)
- would be great for practicing hitting specific yardages
Click to expand...
You should get a Trackman, I would be down in Wichita even more then. ;)
 
Snickerdog said:
You should get a Trackman, I would be down in Wichita even more then. ;)
Click to expand...
Haha, man, that would be awesome. I don't really have the room for a hitting bay but my uncle has a nice big garage and I asked him about leasing a small area and he just laughed. I'm still sort of sad that he didn't take me seriously, so I may need to revisit that with him.
 
Snickerdog said:
Several discussions on launch monitors, they come in all varieties from small to big in size to a couple hundred bucks to 25K for a Trackman.

The question is, why do you need a personal monitor? Is it because you don't have easy access? Is it just a I want it type thing? What purpose will it serve and how often would you use it?

Lets here it.
Click to expand...
Because we see the Pros Using Them every week when they warm up.

We in the Golfers Geekery Kingdom put of PGA Tour Custom Wear and Clubs in our bag. Then we make believe that we are Pros.

But most know How far they hit their Older clubs and should easily learn how far we hit them after a few rounds.

If you are thinking Launch angles, Spin Rates, Decent Angles or Carry and Roll on the golf course you are not going to score well.

Likewise our Range Swing it's our game Swings. Not for us or for the Pros.

They try to Optimize their game during warm up and then walk to the Tee Box. Where any other Thoughts but get the ball accurately to your desired target are only going to mess with your Brain. And your golf scores.

But in a God Blessed free country, even I use a Cheap Monitor. If make the game fun. Even if it is only pretend. :drinks:
 
I have a Skytrak and TGG so can play when the weather sucks. That and since I have paid off my house and everything else I have a bunch of disposal income and I have to spend it on something :).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I don’t necessarily need a launch monitor. I’d love to have a SkyTrak to play during the winter months. Not really for numbers, more to see ball flight. Hitting onto a net just don’t do it for me.
 
Architex said:
I have a Skytrak and TGG so can play when the weather sucks. That and since I have paid off my house and everything else I have a bunch of disposal income and I have to spend it on something :).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Sounds like the dream lol
 
I find practicing with a monitor from time to time outside helps me realize/ groove a calm controlled swing produces better longer results that “trying“ hit the ball further.
 
I don’t have one and I’ve never really used one. I’ve hit balls on the simulator at the PGA store, but even then I don’t know what “good” numbers look like so I only pay attention to distance and what the shots look like. I hate hitting indoors, but I’ve considered a lesson or two on a sim just so somebody can decipher the numbers for me so I know what to look for when I’m messing around on my own. If I had a little more education I could see buying one for personal use. This is one reason I’m really hoping to get into the Data Experience.
 
I live in a very populated part of Florida and there is only one place to practice around here--and it's potentially going to be up for sale before long, We simply don't have anywhere to hit balls, so a personal launch monitor would definitely be on my radar if I didn't have a local practice facility.
 
For me it’s to get my numbers outside. It’s mental, but I cannot hit good shots indoors. I don’t know what it is, but I’m just not comfortable.

I’d like a personal monitor to check carry distances, launch, spin and ball speed.
 
1) Because i want to know my carry distances.
2) Because I can drop the thing on the ground next to my ball on the course and it'll tell me how far I carried it on grass which I don't get off a mat.
3) See 2 and if that's on the tee it will tell me how far out to look in the woods.
4) I can monitor my swing tempo.
5) It has a GPS and will keep score for me.
 
This winter is the first time I've had access. I love it. Besides distances (gapping), ball flight, spin, etc. I like looking at characteristics of my swing and strike. Path, angle of attack, loft, face angle, lie, where on face I hit the ball. I can feel missed shots, duh, but sometimes I'm not sure where I missed. Now I can start to put the feel to the data. This is helping me work on my swing in ways I never dreamed possible. I like GCQuad for this kind of data better than Trackman, but they are both fantastic. And beyond all of that, having the opportunity to play sim courses is delightful. This will be the first season where I will be ready to hit the season running. If I had the $ and the ceiling height/overall dimensions needed -- I don't -- I would put together a setup at home.

Next up will be using GCQuad for putter work and fitting.
 
I was at the range today trying to puzzle my way thru a nasty slice that wormed its way into my driver and a young lady and her dad had a device that was calling out distances on her swings. I asked them what is was and she said it’s called a Swing Caddy. Think I’m going to invest in one or maybe a Meevo as I‘m constantly coming up short or long on my irons so think I don’t have my distances quite dialed in and it would be really useful for me
 
I use it to validate that what I feel in my swing shows up as data on a screen. More so about my swing and some changes than the clubs themselves if I am doing my own personal simulator/launch monitor time like I am doing tomorrow. Especially in the north where i can't see the results outside on a range. Even then, I am guessing as to things like spin, ball speed, AoA, launch angle, etc. which are things I am trying to optimize in my swing.
 
Keep em coming, lots of good reasoning in here.
 
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