If you live somewhere like me and have swampy fairways for half the year you’ll want to get yourself some sort of simulator you can use at home. In this post, I’m going to be comparing the Skytrak golf simulator to the Optishot 2 and the Trackman 4. I’ll be talking about the pros and cons of each, which is best for you, and the cheapest place to pick them up.
After testing these three golf simulators, I’d say that they are all good machines. I wouldn’t recommend the Trackman simply because the price is more than the majority of people can afford. If you’re looking for something fun to have around the house, go for the Optishot. If you want more club and swing stats and have the spare cash, go for the Skytrak.
- Skytrak Golf Simulator.
- OptiShot 2 Golf Simulator.
- Trackman 4 Golf Launch Monitor.
The Optishot is much less money compared to the other two and even though it’s not as accurate, it’s good enough for me and is my favorite multiplayer simulator.
If that’s all you were looking for then great. If you want a more detailed review of each or the cheapest place to pick them up, continue reading.
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What The Skytrak Does
This is a photometric launch monitor that uses cameras to measure your ball speed, launch angle, spin, and carry distance right after you make an impact.
It’ll then take all that information and the software will calculate and project the flight of the golf ball.
Most of the time when you’re practicing at home it’s really hard to tell how well you hit the ball because you can’t see the ball flight. Having one of these will help a lot and make practice more fun.
All you have to do to get started is charge it, place your ball on the red dot that the Skytrak provides, take your swing, and check out the data on your device.
Pros
- It’s designed to hit off artificial mats (which most amateur golfers will use).
- The app is well laid out and works really well.
- You can input different conditions such as wind and temperature.
Cons
- The Skytrak has to be at the same level as the ball.
- You’ll need a tablet or computer to read all of the stats (phone works but is limited).
- You have to pay yearly to get the advanced features.
What The Optishot Does
This is a home golf simulator that lets you play real courses from around the world in your living room.
It comes with somewhere around 15 courses already programmed in and you can purchase additional ones as well. Most of the popular courses around the world are available to play.
It also has built-in swing tracking features (clubhead speed, face angle, distance, and path) that are tracked by the sensors (not 100% accurate but fairly close).
The bundle includes a swing pad to hit off, the software, 2 foam balls, and a rubber tee (you can also upgrade to their Golf in a Box bundle that has nets and more.
Pros
- Out of the box, it comes with Torrey Pines, TPC Scottsdale, Crooked Stick, and others.
- The turf is heavier and sturdier than I thought it would be.
- It’s extremely simple to set up and use.
Cons
- You can buy additional courses (Pebble Beach, TPC Sawgrass, etc) but it’s around $30 per course.
- You’ll need around 9 ft ceilings to use all your clubs.
- Putting and chipping isn’t the best.
What The Trackman Does
This is a golf launch monitor that uses Doppler Radar to track the actual flight of the ball from impact to where it lands.
It’s going to be the most accurate and offer the most features, but it’s also the most money by far.
It tracks the most club and ball stats of the three units and is the most accurate. Pretty much every club stat you’d want will be there and the accuracy is almost bang on perfect.
It’s pretty much made for professional players or coaches and not the average amateur golfer.
Pros
- It’ll track pretty much every stat you’d want it to.
- It’ll record your swing from multiple angles and has drawing tools.
- It’ll help you figure out what needs to be fixed on your swing.
Cons
- The price makes it unaffordable to most people.
- It’s still not perfect but it’s probably the best one out there.
Skytrak Vs Optishot
The Optishot is currently priced at around $290 and the biggest difference between the two is that the Skytrak system is priced at around $1700.
The Skytrak does have more features and would be best for people who have larger budgets, want more accuracy, and also more tracking features.
The Optishot is the perfect solution for someone who is tighter on a budget or just wants it to have fun with friends.
Skytrak Vs Trackman
Just like the Optishot and Skytrak, the main difference here is the price (Trackman is 10x more).
Skytrak is a photometric launch monitor while the Trackman uses Doppler radar (much more accurate).
When I compared the two devices, the spin rate and also the launch angles were very similar.
The Trackman does offer a lot more features but the Skytrak system was consistent and accurate enough.
Which One Is Best For You?
In my opinion, all three devices work well and are extremely fun to use, but that being said, I wouldn’t recommend the Trackman simply for the price. It’s only really designed for pros and coaches.
If you’re looking for something fun to have around the house, the Optishot will be perfect for you. It’s probably my favorite multiplayer system and would be perfect for playing with your buddies. See The OptiShot 2 Golf Simulator On Amazon.
If you want to know a lot of information about your swing and have the spare money, the Skytrak will do pretty much everything you want it to do. Check the price on Amazon (best place we could find it).
Let me know your thoughts and any questions you have. Like this article? Feel free to give it a share!
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Last update on 2023-07-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API