The reality for me is that the more consistent my golf swing is, i.e. mid-season form and playing on a reasonably consistent basis - the more helpful a launch monitor might be for me.

I generally avoid purchasing new equipment of any sort prior-to and immediately-after a long layoff for this reason specifically, unless it's just too good of a deal to pass up and I don't mind eating the investment if it doesn't pan out. And that is rarely the case for me, being a lefty especially.

The last thing I'm worried about is my spin rate and launch angle in April/May. I'm simply trying to remember how to get the ball on the club face and airborne again at this stage of the season. Obviously if I lived in an area where golf is played year-round, that would probably change.

Thanks Guys! That was what I was kinda of thinking. The good ones should be fairly close to reality but again, I wouldn't rely on them. But they might be good to fine tune in a comparison, but not really reality.

Launch monitors have certainly gotten better since this, but I wanted to share...

Many years ago our old STL FGI group went to a Dave and Busters during the winter to 'play golf' - we were getting stir crazy I guess. The simulator was poor and had us manufacturing strange shots in order to get results from the monitor.

As I recall, we all struggled when spring came around - as the simulator had messed us up!

Before making a purchasing decision based on any type swing machine, compare your present equipment to new equipment. No improvement, no sale.

Taki27 I think that might be explained by them hitting the ball into air and the actual drag that is present compared to hitting into a net/ screen and letting a computer figure out distances.
I think launch monitors can be a useful tool to help check what speeds, and spin are. Not sure that one can do that without a monitor. As far as a simulator, it would be a good way to work on your swing and be able to "golf" when it's a blizzard or hailing outside (providing you have power).
I'd love to get to play with one for a few hours. More to see my swing speeds, ball speed, and spin rates.

    Natpharm Maybe they had it dialed into feet instead of yards?

    That would be about right on the mark, yes.

    Giphy - Thats So Raven Hater GIF

    😂

      Indoor swings are different than outdoor swings. I’ve worked at an indoor place for over 20 years. Indoor is almost a different sport. You tend to hit for a number because you don’t actually "feel"the ball missing the fairway. Outdoors, where the game is actually played... you see your consequences. You don’t swing the same.

      Indoor things like Skytrak are good if your working on something in you swing like face angle, hook, slice. As soon as you start to look at distance, you’re screwed.

      I have Trackman 4 that I take with me outside... very accurate... OUTSIDE.

        Typhoon Indoor swings are different than outdoor swings. I’ve worked at an indoor place for over 20 years. Indoor is almost a different sport. You tend to hit for a number because you don’t actually "feel"the ball missing the fairway. Outdoors, where the game is actually played... you see your consequences. You don’t swing the same.

        Indoor things like Skytrak are good if your working on something in you swing like face angle, hook, slice. As soon as you start to look at distance, you’re screwed.

        I have Trackman 4 that I take with me outside... very accurate... OUTSIDE.

        One of the best posts on G'Buzz this month and this is why indoor so called fittings at a discount golf store are not fittings they are marketing opportunities to naive golfers. Simulators at a store are not launch monitors.

          I used one to decide which of my four drivers (i know, that's not many by forum standards) should be in my bag right now. In that situation, I didn't really care whether the actual numbers were correct, since presumably it would make the same errors for all the clubs I tested, and I only wanted to see which of those clubs would work best for me.
          So, I think they can certainly be useful. If you are shopping for new irons, for example, you might have narrowed down your choices to two or three. You could go onto the monitor and hit those clubs, comparing outcomes in terms of relative benefits, rather than necessarily believing in the actual yardages it spits out.

          As Typhoon pointed out hitting clubs indoors vs. outdoors is a night and day experience. How many have had buyers remorse after the honeymoon period is over? 😁

            a month later

            Gatorman Yes, but if you bring your own driver, fir example, do they turn it off when you are hitting your driver and then turn it on again when you hit the latest, greatest? If not, at least you could get comparison numbers.

                I consider myself a good driver, most days I can get it going and hit 9 or 10 of 14 fairways. I’m a senior but I get a good 200-220. That said I can’t tell you I hit the same exact trajectory two times in a row. I have hit majestic looking drives that aren’t that long when I get to the ball and line drives that are longer than I expected. I switch between Alpha, SMT, KZG, LaJolla, Bang and Macgregor and can’t say one is longer or straighter than the next. I probably have one of every brand ball in my bag and they’re all about the same. I stay around the middle of the face and my misses are usually high or low on the face. All R flex decent older shafts and the shafts don’t seam to matter. The only driver that stands out is the Alpha at 400cc because I can get a fade on demand and an occasional draw, must be the smaller head is easier to work. I have tried my son in laws new Cobra and my buddies Calloway and no difference.

                scotts33 How many have had buyers remorse after the honeymoon period is over? 😁

                That's why I like buying from our local Uinta Golf, they have a 90day return policy if you and
                your new club decide to file for an early divorce!

                  Par4QC just dropped off his SIM Max at the post office....I’d have him weigh in on this but don’t think he uses a launch monitor, he just buys them, hits them once, sees it’s no better than last weeks driver and sells it. He’s a hobbyist.

                    rsvman2

                    I am not sure, however I have no issues w tee shots... My iron game suffers every Friday

                      Typhoon I detest nay mechanical means of telling me how I hit the ball, esp. when it comes to telling me how far I hit it.

                      Many years ago, we played an indoor league in the winter. My brother quit on me when the SIM would not show us hitting driver any farther than 190-200. Made for some bad virtual rounds, and horrible scores. When we got to play outside, of course our drives were all 250+, and that was reality, not virtual. Machines are total crap, imo. You want to know about a club, buy it, take it outside & play it. If it does not fit you in some way, well, you just don't know anything about yourself at all. You should be able to take any club out and hit it well, if you know the shaft flex you need. Even then, you might be shocked to find you hit a different flex even better than you thought you could.

                      SIMs are Ok, IF you are wanting to test shafts. ONLY....imo. The numbers that are put up are total bullshit from most of them, as a lot of people find out, after spending far too much money on something that never works, on the course.

                      I'll proofread this later and come back, if I missed something important to add. 🤣

                      BTW, if anyone is having any trouble getting a good launch from a driver, seek out the SIM Max. I had a 9* @ 47", and it was as long of a driver as I've ever hit in my life. The launch was almost 2 times the height of my 9* Radspeed or 9* Mavrik or 9* G30 LS Tec. Distances are all equal, and all will bore through 15-20 mph winds like it is calm out; even with the high launch of the SIM I lost nothing. Oh, and they all hit as straight as any driver made. 🤨

                        5 months later

                        I use the flightscope X3 I think it does a great job and no has environmental parameters that can be input to the session.
                        Simulators being used in leagues or as entertainment are not anywhere near the precision of the LMs. mostly due to the amount of attention they dont receive when thing are going wonky.
                        SOme folks do struggle indoors and I have them hit there clubs for a base line to ensure Im not out of line.