Years in the future may look back and see 2023 as the beginning of the golf launch monitor wars and though the years following could very well be even more packed with new hardware, it sure feels like this segment is really coming into it’s own not even half way through the calendar year. Following in the footsteps of the Rapsodo MLM2Pro, the recently launched Uneekor Eye Mini, and the SwingCaddie SC4, SkyTrak has finally released the update to their wildly-popular, very-important launch monitor.
The SkyTrak+ is what many users have been waiting a long time for, and it is notable due to the fact that the original SkyTrak was one of the only legitimate launch monitors ready for actual golf simulation on the market when it arrived in 2014. I personally didn’t come into contact with it until 2020 when my son’s new interest in golf completely rekindled my obsession with this glorious sport. Not long into my simulator journey, I decided SkyTrak was the right way to go, and I enjoyed it for over a year before replacing it with other hardware.
Things have changed since the SkyTrak launched
But that launch was a staggering 8.5 years ago, and since then, the market has caught up. Big time. Where there were no other reasonably-priced, accurate launch monitors available back in 2014, that is anything but the truth here in 2023. With the new devices that have shown up adding to the sub-$4000 selection for the everyday golfer and the option of a few great units for well under $1000 available, it was absolutely time that SkyTrak update it’s aging hardware.
And that update has arrived in the form of SkyTrak+, a unit that brings far more to the table than its predecessor while costing a full $1000 more. This time around, the SkyTrak+ is available for purchase at a $2995 price point and the big addition this time around comes via the Doppler Radar included in the new SkyTrak+ that helps measure club path.
If you remember, the original SkyTrak only measured ball trajectory and spin, much like what we see in devices like the Bushnell Launch Pro and Uneekor Eye Mini. Those devices can measure club path, but they require stickers on the club. For sticker-free club measurements, golfers generally need to rely on radar-based units like the Mevo+, Garmin R10 or Trackman. In totality, SkyTrak lists all the features of the new SkyTrak+ as follows:
- Dual Doppler Radar for club data measurement
- Improved photometric cameras for improved accuracy
- Shot Optimizer interface
- 40% larger hitting area
- New onboard processor for faster shot-to-show ability
- Additional 5Ghz Wi-Fi for more-stable connections
- USB Type C charging
There are a few of these units already in the hands of a few YouTubers, and I’ve dropped my favorite below. As SkyTrak+ should start shipping in late May, I’m hoping we’ll get our hands on one soon enough. Early looks showcase a very accurate launch monitor but it doesn’t seem SkyTrak has done much with the shot delay many people detested from the original. That could be fixed with an update down the road, but it’s definitely something you’ll want to consider if you are after a great indoor simulator experience.
For now, we’re waiting for more info and holding our thoughts until we get a chance to try it out. With clubhead tracking that requires no stickers and ball data that needs no stickers, I’ll at least admit that my interest is piqued. Ultimately, accurate ball physics are the most important for simulation, but for training, it is quite important to have data on what you clubhead is actually doing. SkyTrak+ looks to deliver it, and I’m very excited to give it a try.