In this video, Joel Tadman pits the Rapsodo MLM (Mobile Launch Monitor) up against the premium Foresight Sports GC2 launch monitor to see how the data and user experience compares. We are seeing an emergence of more affordable launch monitors but the big question is how reliable is the data and are they worth considering? Watch to the end to find out. Note - Foresight Sports no longer sell the GC2, which was used at the time of filming, it has since been replaced by the GC3 model.
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00:00 Do you need a portable launch monitor?
00:02 That's the question we're gonna try and answer
00:04 in this video, so make sure you watch to the end.
00:06 We are seeing an emergence of more affordable
00:08 launch monitor options coming in around that
00:10 500 to 550 pounds or dollars category,
00:13 depending on what your currency is.
00:15 And the example that we're gonna test in this video
00:17 is the Rapsodo mobile launch monitor,
00:19 comes in at 550 pounds approximately.
00:22 And we're gonna test it up against the Foresight Sports GC2.
00:25 Worth pointing out that the GC2 launch monitor
00:27 has since been replaced by the GC3 model,
00:30 but still represented a premium launch monitor
00:33 at the time of filming, costing around about 7,000 pounds.
00:37 Let's get it set up, see how it compares,
00:39 see how it performs, and whether you need one in your game.
00:41 (upbeat music)
00:44 Okay, so we're all set up here on the range.
00:55 We've got the Rapsodo personal launch monitor
00:59 positioned just six feet behind the ball
01:01 where you're hitting from.
01:02 Really easy to set up, just set up an account
01:04 with Rapsodo app, go through the process,
01:06 make sure you're aligned correctly.
01:08 We've got a flag down there at 158 yards,
01:10 that white one on the left,
01:12 which is about where I'd hit a seven iron.
01:13 So we're gonna hit some shots,
01:15 see exactly how the numbers compare,
01:17 and see exactly what the Rapsodo launch monitor
01:20 will offer you.
01:20 So hopefully we can hit one relatively close to that pin,
01:23 and compare the numbers between the two launch monitors.
01:27 (camera shutter clicks)
01:30 Okay, it's just left of the pin.
01:33 I would say that pitched two to three yards short.
01:38 Sure enough, the Foresight GC2 is saying it carried 153,
01:41 so shorter from where that pin is.
01:44 Rapsodo is saying 170 yards, that is a long way off.
01:47 Let's hit another one to see if it was just an anomaly,
01:49 but instantly, that is a big discrepancy in the data there.
01:54 So let's hit one more.
01:55 (camera shutter clicks)
01:59 Again, not the best strike, gone a bit left.
02:02 Pitched pretty much pin high, I'd say.
02:05 Yeah, 156 yards from the GC2,
02:07 157 yards from the Rapsodo launch monitor.
02:11 So very similar, and Rapsodo, what's great about this,
02:13 is it will tell you the data as you hit it.
02:15 So it gives you ball speed, it gives you carry distance.
02:17 So ball speed, 113 on here, 112 on the GC2.
02:22 Launch angle, 14.6, 15.6 on here.
02:26 Obviously, we don't really know which is right,
02:28 but they're pretty close, pretty accurate.
02:30 Let's hit one more, maybe that first shot
02:32 was a bit of an anomaly.
02:33 I think what you'll probably find
02:34 with personal mobile launch monitors like this,
02:37 you'll get the occasional dodgy reading,
02:39 but generally speaking, the data is pretty good.
02:42 But potentially, you get a bit more consistency
02:44 from a launch monitor that's a bit more expensive,
02:47 like the Foresight GC2.
02:49 Okay, that's a really good shot.
02:53 It's right at the pin, might even hit the pin.
02:56 Oh, that looked like it carried about a yard or two short.
03:01 Carry 155 on the GC2, 155 on the Rapsodo.
03:06 113 ball speed, 113 ball speed.
03:08 Launch, 18.1 on the GC2 to 17.6.
03:12 So, yeah, those last few shots were very, very similar.
03:16 We're gonna hit some drivers now, maybe some wedge shots,
03:19 compare a few more shots, see what the Rapsodo offers you,
03:22 and then we'll see how they compare
03:23 and give you a verdict at the end.
03:25 (upbeat music)
03:27 One thing I like about the Rapsodo
03:37 is that it gives you a video playback of your swing
03:39 with a little shot tracer.
03:40 And obviously, once you finish a session,
03:42 all your different sessions are listed here on the app.
03:44 You can just click your shots
03:46 and you can see all the different shots you hit.
03:47 It plots them on a nice map
03:49 so you can see where they carried,
03:51 where they finished left or right.
03:52 And actually, you know,
03:53 dispersion seemed to be pretty accurate.
03:54 They kind of matched up
03:55 with where I was hitting it, left or right of that pin.
03:57 Seemed to be reflected in this little dispersion graph here.
04:00 So, yeah, I'm really impressed with the kind of dashboard
04:03 that you get with the Rapsodo.
04:04 It gives you a clear information
04:06 as to how far you're hitting it,
04:08 what your ball speeds are,
04:09 even gives you your club speed as well,
04:10 which GC2 on its own doesn't do.
04:13 Obviously, if you partner it with HMT
04:15 or you get a GC quad,
04:16 you will get your club data,
04:17 but you do have to put a sticker on the club,
04:19 which can be a little bit annoying for some people.
04:21 How accurate it is, who knows?
04:23 But it does give you an indication
04:24 of how fast you're swinging it.
04:25 And obviously, you get your smash factor as well,
04:27 based on how hard you're swinging it
04:29 and then the ball speed as well.
04:31 One thing that is a shame about the Rapsodo
04:32 is that it doesn't give you your spin numbers.
04:34 So, obviously, the GC2 will give you your spin numbers.
04:37 I think spin is actually quite an important parameter
04:39 that will have a big impact
04:40 on how far you're hitting your shots.
04:42 So, it's a shame you don't have those spin numbers here,
04:44 but if you're looking for something
04:45 that's going to give you feedback on your distances,
04:48 maybe your club head speed,
04:49 if you're trying to swing it faster,
04:50 the Rapsodo gives you a clear indication
04:53 of what you're doing.
04:53 (upbeat music)
05:08 Right, so how did the Rapsodo mobile launch monitor
05:11 compare to the Foresight Sports GT2?
05:13 I'll flash up the data.
05:14 You can see here, I hit three shots with a gap wedge,
05:17 a seven iron, and a driver.
05:18 And you'll see from the numbers
05:20 how there were a lot of shots
05:22 that were pretty much exactly the same
05:23 in terms of that ball speed and carry distance.
05:25 But with the Rapsodo,
05:26 there were a couple of very questionable readings,
05:29 some really big numbers that were clearly incorrect.
05:32 I think as long as you know to filter that out of your data,
05:34 if you know to delete those shots,
05:36 with the GT2 was much more consistent.
05:38 You know, I hit basically pretty good shots
05:40 with all those clubs,
05:41 and the readings were very consistent.
05:42 Whereas the Rapsodo, while it was comparable
05:44 on a lot of them,
05:45 there were a couple that really stood out as anomalies.
05:47 So you probably get a bit more inconsistency
05:49 with the Rapsodo,
05:50 but there is an awful lot to like
05:51 about what this device offers.
05:53 I love the video playback feature.
05:56 I love the shot tracer feature as well.
05:57 I love how easy it is to use.
05:59 It comes with its own portable carry case
06:01 that you can clip onto your bag.
06:02 So it's really light, easy to carry around with you
06:04 if you want to just have a quick session with it.
06:06 You can take it with you wherever you're going.
06:08 And I think you really just need to think about
06:09 what you are trying to get from having a launch monitor.
06:12 If it's to give you really simple feedback
06:14 on carry distances,
06:15 if you're working on yardages.
06:16 I do think generally speaking,
06:18 this is providing pretty accurate numbers.
06:21 But compared to what, you know,
06:22 the shots we were hitting there,
06:23 I would say the Foresight GT2 was a little bit more accurate.
06:26 There were shots that were finishing
06:28 just short of that 158 yard pin.
06:30 And the GT2 was reflecting that a little bit more accurately,
06:33 more consistency in the Rapsodo.
06:34 That said, there were a lot of shots
06:36 where the numbers were very similar and almost identical.
06:39 And you do get pretty much enough information
06:40 to give you some really useful feedback.
06:43 As you can see, premium launch monitors like the GC2
06:46 do give you a lot more detail and data points.
06:48 So along with borg speed,
06:49 you get your side angle, vertical launch angle,
06:52 spin, side spin, and carry distance.
06:54 Whereas the Rapsodo just gives you your club speed,
06:57 your borg speed, your smash factor,
06:59 your carry distance, and your launch angle.
07:01 So it's a little bit limited in what it offers.
07:03 But if you're after basic feedback,
07:05 it definitely delivers that.
07:06 - There's a lot to like about this Rapsodo launch monitor.
07:08 And I think there is really good value
07:10 for money to be had here.
07:11 Hopefully, that gives you a good idea
07:13 as to whether you need a personal launch monitor,
07:15 whether you think it's worth the money.
07:16 For 500 pounds, I think there's definitely value to be had.
07:20 Comment down below, have you got a mobile launch monitor
07:22 like this Rapsodo, maybe the Garmin R10?
07:25 There's some other options out there.
07:26 Let us know, I'd love to hear what you think about it,
07:29 how you think it compares to premium launch monitors.
07:32 - Rapsodo say this is within 2% of what Trackman offer.
07:35 And I've got to say, from the comparison of the data here
07:38 with the GC2, I think the numbers aren't far off.
07:41 So that's all from me, from West Hill Golf Club,
07:44 I'll see you next time.
07:45 (upbeat music)
07:47 (upbeat music)
07:50 (upbeat music)
07:53 (upbeat music)