Contents
In this piece, we will compare the SkyTrak and the Foresight Sports GC2 launch monitors and provide insight into the most suitable launch monitor.
To highlight the differences this piece will look into a few categories: Accuracy, Features, Price, and User Experience.
Pros
- Instantaneous feedback on your swing and ball contact
- Portable, robust, and battery-operated
- Bluetooth and USB connections
- Perfectly accurate
- Works great outdoors
- Great for club fitting
Cons
- Quite pricey for most golfers
- Somewhat awkward for swapping between right and left-handed golfers
- HMT needs sensor markers to be positioned on the clubface
The GC2 is a photometric launch monitor that utilizes a stereoscopic camera that locks onto the dimple pattern of the golf ball and it is extremely accurate and simple to set up.
The base GC2 only provides information on the ball flight and upgrading to the HMT (Head Measurement Technology) Club Head analysis you will get accurate data on your swing and the impact of the clubhead on the golf ball. HMT instantly provides feedback on critical information relating to clubhead speed, horizontal club path, smash factor, dynamic loft and lie, and impact location.
It has been an extremely popular launch monitor as a result of its accuracy and robustness and usability indoors and outdoors.
The self-leveling technology deployed in the GC2 enables you to use it on almost any surface and still provide accurate measurements.
The Foresight GC2 FSX software package is available at an additional cost and can be split into 2 categories.
- Club Fitting
The club fitting tracks and stores data effortlessly and is perfect for all pros and club fitters
- Golf simulation.
- Performance Simulation with more than 80 golf courses
- Creative Golf 3D with more than 50 courses and 19 practice areas
Ball Data Measured
- Ball speed
- Horizontal launch angle
- Vertical launch angle
- Spin
- Sidespin
- Carry distance
Each New GC2 Comes With
- 1-year warranty
- Power cord & cable
- USB cable
GC2 Specifications
- Technology: Stereoscopic high-speed 10,000 frames per second camera system
- Dimensions: 5.5 inches wide X 10 inches deep X 3 inches high
- Weight: 3.8 pounds
- Battery: NiMH rechargeable
- Data Interface: Bluetooth and USB
- Compatibility: Android and iOS
SkyTrak
Pros
- Can accommodate shots hit off artificial mats
- Fantastic user experience on the app
- You can set factors such as wind and temperature for more precise computations.
Cons
- The golf ball and the launch monitor has to be at the same level
- Requires a tablet or computer is to aid in accurate calculations
- Annual subscriptions required for the advanced features
SkyTrak is a photometric launch monitor that utilizes to capture ball data providing an accurate solution when playing indoors. It was the first launch monitor aimed at recreational golfers that could compete with the professional and trainer launch monitors systems and at a reduced cost while it still offers an enormous number of features.
The launch monitor is quite simple to set up and to start using it. Once placed on a flat location all you have to do is place your golf ball on the red dot projected from the SkyTrak launch monitor and continue to swing and strike the ball. After striking the ball, SkyTrak will provide you with all the data for analysis to improve your swing and ball striking.
Factors that will be measured by the SkyTrak launch monitor includes the ball speed, launch angle, and spin rate at the moments leading up to, at the time of and after the impact between the clubface and the golf ball.
The ball flight and other ball data are calculated by the software included in the SkyTrak launch monitor. Data that is calculated includes the clubhead speed, angle of ball descent, carry distance, roll, total distance, and how far the ball deviates from a straight line.
The vast collection of software that is available at an additional cost turns the SkyTrak into an extremely versatile launch monitor.
The 3 software plans available with the SkyTrak consist of a Basic Practice Range Plan, Game Improvement Plan, and the Tee Off (WGT) Plan.
The Basic Practice Range Plan has no annual subscription fees and it is compatible with PC’s and iPad with the following is included in the software package:
- SkyTrak Companion App
- SkyTrak Launch Monitor
- 3D Practice Range with Shot Tracer
- Ball Performance Data
- Shot Replay
- USB Cable
- Warranty Activation, Registration & Updates
The Game Improvement Plan and is compatible with PC’s and iPad as well includes a 1-Year subscription to Game Improvement Plan, and includes the following in the software package:
- All software that comes with the Basic Practice Range Plan
- SkyTrak Protective Case
- Longest drive competition
- Closest to the pin contests
- Target practice
- Skills evaluations
- Weather and course condition customization
- 5 Camera views
- Club mapping
- Progress monitoring via SkyGolf 360 Mobile App
The third plan is the Tee Off (WGT) Plan and is only compatible with iPad, comes with a 1-year subscription to WGT Play & Improve Plan and includes the following in the software package:
- WGT (World Golf Tour) Full Course Play on 11 World Class Golf Course
- WGT Closest to the Hole Challenges
SkyTrak Launch Monitor Review
Foresight GC2 vs SkyTrak Launch Monitors
SkyTrak Versus GC2 User Experience
There is truly little to choose between the two launch monitors when evaluating them for the best user experience.
SkyTrak
- The ball has to be placed exactly on the point demarcated by the laser to prevent “no read” returns.
- An extremely impressive simulator/data display app that can be used in conjunction with the launch monitor.
- The SkyTrak’s feedback is slightly delayed and it returns more “no-read”
GC2
- The GC2 has a large hitting zone and will automatically detect any ball placed in the hitting zone.
- Provides rapid feedback
- The ball data display has been built in and does not require a mobile device or PC
Verdict
Even though there is little to choose between the 2 launch monitors the larger hitting area and the fast response makes the GC2 the launch monitor with the Best User Experience.
SkyTrak vs GC2 – Cost Difference
The SkyTrak and GC2 launch monitors are priced very differently and therefore are not truly competitors in the real sense.
SkyTrak competes at the lower end of the more advanced launch monitor market and provides most of the features provided by the high-priced launch monitors.
GC2 is aimed at the mid-market launch monitor market providing almost all the features that it provided by the top-end launch monitors.
Verdict
The number of features compared to the price makes the SkyTrak launch monitor the winner in the pricing category.
SkyTrak vs GC2 – Accuracy
The two launch monitors compare very well in terms of accuracy and there is again little to choose between the two. The use of high-speed cameras in both of the launch monitors provides perfectly accurate data.
Where the GC2 gains in the accuracy category are on mishits as it has a larger hitting window that will notice the mishits.
Verdict
Both of the launch monitors are fully accurate and will not disappoint. The use of a larger hitting area by the GC2 edges the SkyTrak out and the GC2 is, therefore, the winner of this category.
SkyTrak vs GC2 – Features
Responsiveness
One of the key features where a difference is easy to be found is in the time to return the results after hitting the shot. The GC2 returns your results almost instantly and the SkyTrak returns the results after several seconds.
Software
SkyTrak offers an impressive range of software and some of it comes standard with no subscription for the first year. It also offers the simulator software as part of the base product. The additional software options are affordable to most golfers and it is easy to purchase.
Foresight offers its FSX upgrade offering some great courses and games, but this comes at quite a high price.
Verdict
In the software category, SkyTrak provides a more reasonable option and is the winner.
Ball Speed
The ball speed measurements returned by both of the launch monitors are remarkably similar and the small variances are insignificant
Club Speed
Similarly, there is little to choose in terms of the clubhead speed.
Other areas that were evaluated and produced equivalent results to the ball and clubhead speed are
- Flight Duration
- Descent Angle
- Peak Height
- Smash Factor
- Carry Distance
- Total Distance
- Total Spin
Key Features
- Precise ball and clubhead data
- Provides almost all the data you would expect to find
- Simple to set up
- Integrates with multiple golf simulation courses and games
- Small enough for indoor use
- Uses photometric technology for the accurate ball and clubhead data
GC2
Key Features
- Compact dimensions make it portable and easy to use
- Integrates easily with performance-driven golf simulators for entertainment
- High-resolution, high-speed cameras with a stereoscopic system that can capture up to 10,000 frames per second
- Self-leveling on uneven surfaces
- Works effectively both indoors and out
Verdict
The GC2 is an enormously powerful launch monitor that can provide golfers with invaluable details of the swing and ball trajectory but the club data comes only with the purchase of the HMT (Head Measurement Technology) unit at an additional cost.
The SkyTrak launch monitor provides a heap of data at a much lower price and compares very well and is our winner in this category.
Final Thoughts
The 2 launch monitors compared in this piece are close in accuracy and functionality on the base level. The GC2 can be improved with the purchase of the HMT at an additional amount which takes it further out of the range of the ordinary golfer.
Although the GC2 has a little more power and is slightly more accurate, this comes at a significant increase in the price. The SkyTrak launch monitor is a more viable alternative as it provides more software options and it is considerably lower in price.
Ultimately the price and your budget will play a massive role in the selection that you make. Either of these 2 launch monitors will provide you with much fun while also enabling you to improve your game. You will be the winner irrespective of which one you select.
The SkyTrak launch monitor is our winner for the number of features it offers at an amazing price and the affordable software.
- The Best Golf Launch Monitors on The Market
- SkyTrak vs OptiShot 2 – A Side-By-Side Comparison
- SkyTrak vs Trackman – Which Is The Best Launch Monitor?
- Top Rated Golf Swing Analyzers
Nick is the founder of GolfSpan and an avid golfer. He's not quite a pro but has over 15 years of experience playing and coaching golfers worldwide. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience when it comes to choosing the right golf gear and finding the right setup for your game.
