Golf simulators have become increasingly popular in uncertain times where the Corona-19 epidemic forced people to stay at home. This, combined with the time demands, led many golfers to invest in simulators and other practice equipment.
The use of launch monitors and simulators increased throughout the golf industry, be it for club fitting, coaching, practicing, or indoor golf simulator experiences.
Initially, it was designed and developed by passionate golfers that desired to provide affordable golf simulation to golfers and friends.
OptiShot 2 calculates the ball trajectory after impact based on your swing. It provides accurate club speed and angle data. It is not designed to give any ball data.
A dual row of high-speed infrared sensors tracks clubhead data and then transfers the data to your Windows or iOS-based digital devices.
Components
Included in the OptiShot 2 home golf simulator is:
- OptiShot2 Infrared Optical Swing Pad with Turf
- 10 ft USB Cable
- Gripper Adjustable Rubber Tees
- Two Foam Practice Balls
- Product Key found on the underside of the swing pad
- OptiShot2 Software (Download)
- Free Software Updates
- 15 Courses Included
- Driving Range
- Instructions
- 1 Year Warranty
- 1 year from date of purchase warranty on Swing Pad including the base, internal electronics, and black plastic housing
- 30 days from date of purchase warranty on USB Cable, Tees, Tee Gripper, Foam Balls, and Turf
Dimensions
The Optishot 2 measures 14 ½” inches long X 9 ¾” inches high X 1 ⅜” inches wide and weighs 15 pounds.
System Requirements
Optishot to is compatible with
Windows
- Windows® 8 or 10 (latest service packs)
- Graphics Card: 256MB Adapter RAM and OpenGL 2.0 Support and the latest Video Drivers (no more than 18 months old)
Mac
- Mac® OS X 10.13 and up
- Intel® Core 2 Duo or better
- NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT or ATI Radeon™ HD 2600 or Intel Iris Pro or better
- OpenGL 2.0 Support
- NB! If your Mac does not have a USB-A type port then you must use the Official Apple USC-C to USB Adapter.
Both operating systems require
- 3GB Hard Disk Drive Storage
- 4GB RAM
- USB 2.0 Port
- Internet connection for software installation, updates, Platinum course delivery, and online play
Battery
The Optishot 2 comes with a rechargeable battery that will last for approximately 4 hours.
Accuracy
Accuracy is provided by sixteen precisely-tuned, high-speed 48MHz infrared sensors giving you immediate feedback on every shot.
Data Points
Optishot 2 only measure information related to the club when it passes over the sensors.
Feedback is provided on
- Clubhead Speed
- Face Angle
- Path
- Carry Distance
- Tempo
- Face Contact
Price
Optishot 2 is priced at the very low end of the market for launch monitors and simulators
Optishot 2 Review
1. OptiShot2 Standard Courses
Pros
- Quick easy setup
- Simplicity
- Can use foam or real balls
- Feedback on the path, tempo, clubface, swing speed
- Includes 15 courses
- Not technology resource-intensive
- Portability
- Nice driving range
- Mini Tour for $50/year where you can play tournaments and get access to many more courses
- Multiplayer option
- OptiShot2 is built for all levels of golfers
- Compatible with Windows and Mac
- It offers a realistic environment.
- OptiShot Season Pass.
- Compete globally from your home and win prizes.
- Relatively affordable.
Cons
- Putting pad could be better
- The graphic detail can be enhanced in future releases
- The lighting requirement is a little bit strict.
Some of the better-known courses included as standard:
- The Golf Club Scottsdale (The Golf Club Scottsdale)
- Long Island Black (Bethpage Black Course)
- Torrey White (Torrey Pines Golf Course)
- Torrey Black (Torrey Pines Golf Course)
- West Maui Plantation (Kapalua Golf – The Plantation Course)
Alternatives
Pros
- Accurate feedback
- Affordability
- Portability
- Fantastic user experience
- Adjustable factors such as wind and temperature
- Integrates well with software packages
Cons
- The slight lag between contact and providing feedback.
- Only tracks the golf ball, and not your club path
- The golf ball and the launch monitor has to be at the same level
- Annual subscriptions are required for the advanced features
SkyTrak is a high-quality photometric launch monitor utilizes that is competitively priced without sacrificing accuracy.
High-speed cameras capture high-speed images of the ball over the first couple of feet after impact, then use SkyTrak’s sophisticated algorithms to determine a realistic 3D model of the flight path.
Benefits gained from purchasing the SkyTrak launch monitor
- Swing improvement
- Practice anytime, anywhere
- Entertain your family and friends
- Fun challenges to improve your accuracy
The SkyTrak measures 5.75 inches long X 6.75 inches high X 2.5 inches wide it weighs 1.7 pounds.
Battery life of approximately 5 hours.
SkyTrak app supports iOS, Android, and Windows but not Mac desktop and laptop.
Data points measured
- Ball speed
- Launch angle
- Backspin
- Sidespin
- Side angle
Data points calculated
- Clubhead speed
- The angle of ball descent
- Carry distance
- Ball roll
- Total distance achieved
- Deviation from a straight line.
2. R-motion
R-motion is a photometric distance measuring device that measures swing and ball data. Instant feedback is provided on a range of clubhead and ball statistics.
The high-speed cameras take high-speed photographs of the clubhead and golf ball movement for immediate feedback.
Ball trajectory and distance are calculated by the algorithms built into the software.
Unlike the OptiShot 2 and the SkyTrak, the R-motion is not a standalone device. It physically attaches to your golf club shafts and its sensors measure the movement of the club in real-time.
Rapsodo priced the R-motion very competitively making it affordable that generates hours of fun with family and friends
There is no limitation on where you can use the R-motion. It is ideal for indoor and outdoor use. Unfortunately, the base package does not include a hitting net which must be procured separately.
System Compatibility
Windows
- Windows operating system (Windows 10, 64-bit recommended)
- Intel Core i5 or equivalent processor (Intel Core i7 recommended)
- Nvidia GTX 670 or better graphics card (NVidia GTX 970 or better recommended)
- 2GB Hard Disk Drive Storage
- 4 GB RAM (8GB recommended)
- Version 11 or higher of DirectX
There is an App available for the Rapsodo R-motion download that can be downloaded from the various app stores.
Data points provided for:
- Face angle
- Club path
- Clubhead speed
- Ball speed
- Smash factor
- Swing path
- Launch angle
- Distance
Mevo
Flightscope Mevo is a pocket-sized distance measuring device using 3D Doppler radar technology for indoor and outdoor use.
The Flightscope Mevo is compact and lightweight making it ideal for putting into the side pocket of your golf bag to the practice range or golf course.
It links to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth for immediate visible feedback on every shot.
The Mevo app is available from all app stores. You can store and retrieve data from the myFlightScope.com cloud service for online review or download it in the form of a . CSV file for offline analysis.
Final Thoughts
Golf simulators have become integral in the golfing industry whether it is for use by professional club fitters, coaches, or for fun with family and friends.
Initially, launch monitors and golf simulators were expensive and for exclusive use by professional golfers and businesses within the golfing industry.
As the popularity of these devices grew among the average golfer, the manufacturers released more affordable products. This has helped many golfers to improve their technique and swing while having fun with friends at home.
Small business has benefitted from this as well with golfing centers becoming a popular destination for people to gather and have fun using the simulators.
The OptiShot 2 can be used indoors as well as outdoors for serious practice sessions or having fun on one of the 15 preloaded courses.
Serious golfers have access to basic editing tools to analyze their swing using three modes, Indoor, Outdoor, or Chipping/pitching mode.
The Optishot2 highly recommends golfers wanting to practice during the freezing winter spells or when in lockdown.
Your experience with the Optishot 2 would be highly appreciated in the comments section below.
Related Articles
- The 6 Most Expensive Golf Simulators On The Market
- Optishot 2 Vs Optishot 3; A Side-By-Side Comparison
- 5 Best Golf Simulators
Nick Lomas is the founder of GolfSpan, an avid golfer, not quite a pro but has over 15-years of experience playing and coaching golfers from all over the world. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience then it comes to choosing the right golf gear, and finding the right set up for your game.
