Bushnell Launch Pro Device with Foresight

[CStephenson17]

My breaking point is going to be with GC3 including future software upgrades or not. If it does, I’m in. If not, then I will probably go subscription. It will be more of a 8 or 9 year break even if the GC3 needs a $1k upgrade every 2-3 years. (This also assumes that the 800/mo will always include upgrades) 

[whumber]

20 minutes ago, HeeBGBz said:

I'm a little turned off by the subscription breakdown. $800/yr to even work with third-party software and it looks like other courses and modes are $100 or more a piece. Backspin and axis tilt, which I would assume is needed to even model ball flight, requires $800/yr. And, at the moment, I'm not sure what the Bronze/Silver/Gold versions of FSX Pro even gets you, like the (non)Pro version of FSX2020.

The software knows the spin axis without the gold package, it just won't show you the data directly but you can get an idea of it from the 2D ball flight in the basic package or the 3d ball flight in the silver package.

[whumber]

Sorry, duplicate post.

Edited September 30, 2021 by whumber

[mdmack]

I think they missed the boat on not offering a better range option. For people in climates that can play outside year round many of us just want a LM that we can take to the range pretty easily for distances, but also practice on a 3d digital range in our garage. There is a large portion of the LM market that dont give 2 craps about playing Sim golf, but would like a 3d range that does not cost $800/year. 3k is extremely reasonable for the hardware, but for someone who just wants a 3d range at home and basic accurate numbers on the real range the subscription model just is not going to do it for them. $7k is also pretty steep for someone just wanting an accurate digital range. Obviously this is a to each his own situation, but I know quite a few guys in my group that I play with that have the means to buy this but just wont see the value for the money. 

Edited September 30, 2021 by mdmack

[bherbers]

6 minutes ago, CStephenson17 said:

My breaking point is going to be with GC3 including future software upgrades or not. If it does, I’m in. If not, then I will probably go subscription. It will be more of a 8 or 9 year break even if the GC3 needs a $1k upgrade every 2-3 years. (This also assumes that the 800/mo will always include upgrades) 

I would put the odds at about 1000 to 1 that the GC3 package includes future software upgrades.

[hammersia]

2 minutes ago, mdmack said:

I think they missed the boat on not offering a better range option. For people in climates that can play outside year round many of us just want a LM that we can take to the range pretty easily for distances, but also practice on a 3d digital range in our garage. There is a large portion of the LM market that dont give 2 craps about playing Sim golf, but would like a 3d range that does not cost $800/year. 3k is extremely reasonable for the hardware, but for someone who just wants a 3d range at home and basic accurate numbers on the real range the subscription model just is not going to do it for them. and $7k is pretty steed for just using a digital range. Obviously this is a to each his own situation, but I know quite a few guys in my group that I play with that have the means to buy this but just wont see the value for the money. 

Yep ^^^^ as I said earlier, I only wanted a 3D range to see and play with shot shape and trajectory, plus some basic numbers - I'm not paying a subscription for that. 

 

But I agree it will sell out anyway.

[HeeBGBz]

5 minutes ago, whumber said:

The software knows the spin axis without the gold package, it just won't show you the data directly but you can get an idea of it from the 2D ball flight in the basic package or the 3d ball flight in the silver package.

I just think it's a little off-putting that something that's already known and measured requires a subscription to just display. Though, I do have a question about the 2D ball flight. I do not know if that is top-down, from the side, or both.

[whumber]

Just now, HeeBGBz said:

I just think it's a little off-putting that something that's already known and measured requires a subscription to just display. Though, I do have a question about the 2D ball flight. I do not know if that is top-down, from the side, or both.

Since it's through FSX PRO it should be both, a top-down view and an elevation view.

[mdmack]

Just now, hammersia said:

Yep ^^^^ as I said earlier, I only wanted a 3D range to see and play with shot shape and trajectory, plus some basic numbers - I'm not paying a subscription for that. 

 

But I agree it will sell out anyway.

No doubt it will sell out anyway, just seems like they will miss a HUGE chunk of the market. At least that what I gather from the chatter i hear around my area. I could name at least 20 guys I know that would buy the heck out of a accurate 3d range at $4k, but dont want to be tied to a subscription and dont think $7k is worth it. Again we can play year round in my area so maybe in the grand scheme of things we are just a vast minority.

[soupy01833]

Radar units are cheap to make and accuracy is just not there in doors
camera units are more expensive to make and are normally spot on

 

[WallysWorld]

2 hours ago, Ilgolfer said:

I think they missed the boat the most with the software subscription pricing. If 3rd party simulation was allowed in the silver tier that may be a no brainer as it takes the break even point from 5 to 10 years. If FSX just provided the range and you were able to use 3rd party simulation software for $399 per year that would seemingly be a no brainer considering the overwhelming opinion on FSX 2020 isn't great. As it stands, silver comes with 5 courses and you have to pay for every single one you want to add on to that. That is just insane. For people that can't golf outside year round, I feel like you would want more than 5 courses and how do you justify paying $200ish per course when you could get the entirety of GS Pro for that price? Plus the FSX 2020 graphics are pretty bad from what my research has shown. Kind of missed the boat on this a bit in my opinion. Why not leverage 3rd party simulation software and then have your own range and analysis software as part of the subscription?

New FSX will be out as late as Jan 2022. It will be more in par with the other softwares. 

[WallysWorld]

3 hours ago, TomBomb51 said:

Huh? Why would someone need a gaming PC? You dont need one for the Quad, why would you for the GC3? A tablet, phone, anything should be able to display information.

because the new FSX will be using Unity and it desmands a better graphics card. 

[J Wheazy]

The cost of the courses alone is ridiculous.  For $800/year I expect more than 10 courses and then only getting a $25 discount on the other courses is also ridiculous. If you want another 10 courses, its another $1250 investment minimum and those aren't even the premium courses.  This thread needs to be moved to the $5k and up section....doesn't seem like this is geared towards the consumer market at all.   

[soupy01833]

IMHO.  should be 200 for 5 courses 400 for 20 courses 500 for all courses.  or something like that
paying for courses in FSX is stupid

 

[Krt22]

4 minutes ago, J Wheazy said:

The cost of the courses alone is ridiculous.  For $800/year I expect more than 10 courses and then only getting a $25 discount on the other courses is also ridiculous. If you want another 10 courses, its another $1250 investment minimum and those aren't even the premium courses.  This thread needs to be moved to the $5k and up section....doesn't seem like this is geared towards the consumer market at all.   

 It is a fully functional launch monitor at a very affordable price. There are plenty of 3rd party options if tons of courses is the end goal

[Turing46]

I’m glad I waited to put my SkyTrak on the bay. Just wanted a better launch monitor with a capable range to work on my swing but we couldn’t even get that.

[Krt22]

48 minutes ago, mdmack said:

I think they missed the boat on not offering a better range option. For people in climates that can play outside year round many of us just want a LM that we can take to the range pretty easily for distances, but also practice on a 3d digital range in our garage. There is a large portion of the LM market that dont give 2 craps about playing Sim golf, but would like a 3d range that does not cost $800/year. 3k is extremely reasonable for the hardware, but for someone who just wants a 3d range at home and basic accurate numbers on the real range the subscription model just is not going to do it for them. $7k is also pretty steep for someone just wanting an accurate digital range. Obviously this is a to each his own situation, but I know quite a few guys in my group that I play with that have the means to buy this but just wont see the value for the money. 

It's essentially giving you GC2+HMT data (minus face angle) with some basic simulator capability, for a few thousand bucks less.  I don't see what incentive they have to go much cheaper when they can't keep the much more expensive quad in stock

[radiman]

2 minutes ago, Krt22 said:

It's essentially giving you GC2+HMT data (minus face angle) with some basic simulator capability, for a few thousand bucks less.  I don't see what incentive they have to go much cheaper when they can't keep the much more expensive quad in stock

That's the thing.  For everyone who wanted a little more out of the device in it's cheaper configuration (me included), there is someone out there willing to live with that or pay for the gold tier subscription.  I don't think they'll have a hard time selling them at their prices.  

[J Wheazy]

20 minutes ago, Krt22 said:

 It is a fully functional launch monitor at a very affordable price. There are plenty of 3rd party options if tons of courses is the end goal

It's not fully functional though is it at that price?  You won't even know the back spin and side spin.   If you want to play 3rd party, you need to pay the $800/year for that option.  3rd party sim play should have been included at the basic price IMO.  For full sim golf, you're going to have to pay $900 for TGC2019.  Which again brings me back to the ridiculous costs of the courses.... 10 courses are more than 140,000 courses?  How's that pricing make sense?

 

 

They should call it what it is.  A less expensive professional launch monitor (at $7k)

Edited September 30, 2021 by J Wheazy

[James495738]

1 hour ago, mdmack said:

I think they missed the boat on not offering a better range option. For people in climates that can play outside year round many of us just want a LM that we can take to the range pretty easily for distances, but also practice on a 3d digital range in our garage. There is a large portion of the LM market that dont give 2 craps about playing Sim golf, but would like a 3d range that does not cost $800/year. 3k is extremely reasonable for the hardware, but for someone who just wants a 3d range at home and basic accurate numbers on the real range the subscription model just is not going to do it for them. $7k is also pretty steep for someone just wanting an accurate digital range. Obviously this is a to each his own situation, but I know quite a few guys in my group that I play with that have the means to buy this but just wont see the value for the money. 

Using a device like this on a driving range is pointless because range balls are rubbish (see the MGS test). I guess if you start playing with range balls it makes sense, but I doubt many people buying something like this use range balls when they play! 🙂

 

Even an R10 is pointless with range balls because launch and spin are radically different and therefore distance is off.

[wedgegame]

28 minutes ago, Krt22 said:

It is a fully functional launch monitor

 

It's pretty egregious they can't give you all the data points on the unit's LCD.  I understand having to pay to see it in the software or play sim golf, but intentionally crippling the hardware functionality and putting it behind a paywall is garbage.

[James495738]

26 minutes ago, Krt22 said:

It's essentially giving you GC2+HMT data (minus face angle) with some basic simulator capability, for a few thousand bucks less.  I don't see what incentive they have to go much cheaper when they can't keep the much more expensive quad in stock

It isnt, the GC2+HMT gave the same data points as the GCQ AFAIK.

[J Wheazy]

1 minute ago, James495738 said:

Using a device like this on a driving range is pointless because range balls are rubbish (see the MGS test). I guess if you start playing with range balls it makes sense, but I doubt many people buying something like this use range balls when they play! 🙂

 

Even an R10 is pointless with range balls because launch and spin are radically different and therefore distance is off.

Agree...unless you are taking this to Pelican or Pebble where they use ProVs for their range balls, I don't understand why anyone would take this to a range?  Indoor is the best use to learn from these devices.   Do people take these to the course and play a round with them?  

[Spells]

4 minutes ago, James495738 said:

Even an R10 is pointless with range balls because launch and spin are radically different and therefore distance is off.

I'm a newer golfer but I just club up and simulate my local courses at the range. Adjusting distances, or even changing tees, isn't a challenge. It's been very effective practice as I end up using wedges quite a bit more than I otherwise would, and scores have been plummeting simming 4-6 rounds per week.

[WallysWorld]

2 minutes ago, Spells said:

I'm a newer golfer but I just club up and simulate my local courses at the range. Adjusting distances, or even changing tees, isn't a challenge. It's been very effective practice as I end up using wedges quite a bit more than I otherwise would, and scores have been plummeting simming 4-6 rounds per week.

btw, FSX you can set weather conditions or you can play your current local weather conditions, so the ball will react the same manner as if you were outdoors. Another reason why I like FSX2020

[soupy01833]

you can drag it around the course and use your own balls or practice chipping on something besides a mat;.  I agree range balls are junk

 

[larciel]

after a night sleep, I think I'll be ok with the mevo+ $800/yr is BS

[Indygolf21]

I must say the buzz around this unit in my golf circle is incredible. I’ve gotten so many texts about this today, unprompted. 

[Rory4Pres]

1 minute ago, Indygolf21 said:

I must say the buzz around this unit in my golf circle is incredible. I’ve gotten so many texts about this today, unprompted. 

People were hopeful...  and now they aren't. 

[Indygolf21]

1 minute ago, Rory4Pres said:

People were hopeful...  and now they aren't. 

I’m getting the exact opposite reaction.