Inexpensive launch monitor

LOL..I'm with ya. I just got mine for Xmas. My wife is going to want to see improvements!!!!

Don't get me started on this one. :-) I too have incurred the wrath of God (or my wife) as I have spent a lot on these golf toys. I had the skytrak and like Gerry said, it's awesome. It's about $2k (or it was last time I checked). The Bushnell is a pretty big step up for $3500. Then you get into systems like Uneekor, GC4 or Trackman. The Uneekor is about $10k (GC4 and Trackman, more).

Now, if you are simply looking for a LM that you can use at the range, then you don't need all of that data. You can get entry level launch monitors for $300-$500. I also had the original SC200 then the SC300. But friends have some of the other versions.

What are you planning to do? What are you looking to get out of it? I ask because depending on what you want to do, use indoors vs. use on range, as an example, greatly changes the value you will get out of it.

to add...I was looking at the SCxxx items but I thought I would want to see the trajectory when hitting into a net. The BLP/GC3 gives you enough club and ball data for you to determine if it was shot shape you wanted .i.e club path to target, spin axis, backspin, Angle of attack, etc. So keep that in mind while shopping.

Steven, I have decided to only hit off the grass. I am keying in on the swing caddie, but after I win the MBWA I am sure I will have a very strong argument to purchase anything I want, but as a married man to a wonderful gal it will still come at a price.😁

Steven, that will certainly be true if you don't have a good mat. There are several really nice mats that will not give the poor readings. If you are interested I can go into that too. But let's just say, there are several mats that if you hit fat, numbers will show it. The cheap mats will let your club bounce off the mat and even a fat shot may still seem OK.

I still use the cheap driving range may occasionally at a couple local ranges to warm up. But I can hear and feel a shot that's not hit right, so I kind of ignore those shots since they don't tell me anything.

I have used the sc200 and sc300 (owned both). I have used rhapsodo, and I have used a couple others.

Here's the deal, the $500 units are good for getting estimates on carry, club speed and ball speed. They are reasonable for launch angle. Distances are not as accurate, but close enough. You will clearly get some numbers that are way off from time to time, but still good enough for practicing distances on the range.

Spin rates are not close enough to make meaningful changes based on the data you get from it. Still, on a range, certainly good enough to dial in distances.