Protee Sim

[TheFonz]

Anyone happen to know of any US resellers for this system?

[bubba22]

Try http://www.golfsimexperts.com/. Probably others so suggest you email pro tee.

[walb0034]

Has anyone used Protee? It looks pretty good. As far as I can tell it is claiming launch angle monitoring built in to the simulation software. Can anyone verify that? The price would make it a p3proswing killer if it's true since they can't currently get those measurements into the GSA games.

[bubba22]

The ProTee is a good looking sim that is probably similair to the GGS. I doesn't have launch measurement on the sensor board. It does measure club and ball data. They are in the process of looking at a cam launch on which would really challande the other sims like p3pro, st1 and GGS. I hope they come through with this feature.

[ZMax]

Design your own course!

proteebrochure.jpg

[ZMax]

I just bought myself a Used ProTee simulator. Will probably not get all the parts until early next week.

The sensor might have a couple of problems, but I hope I can repair it. The sensor appears to be an older version of Martin's PX2, or it might even be exactly the same.

[bubba22]

Good choice Zmax. I think I am heading towards the ProTee as well. Keep us posted how you like it.

[ZMax]

Good choice Zmax. I think I am heading towards the ProTee as well. Keep us posted how you like it.

Actually, if not for this used one, I would have gone with the GGS OEM PX2. Once I get everything working, I will add Martin's V-ball camera.

I'm currently downloading the Protee software from the place I bought it. It's a 2009 version. Still have another 10 hours to go, it's 6.5 GB.

I should be able to check it out tonight.

[bubba22]

Cool. What problems do the sensors have?

[ZMax]

According to the owner, 2 sensors are not functioning. Replacing the dead sensors should be easy. The hard part is finding a place to buy them from. Most component distributors want to sell in large quanties, like 100's or 1000's.

[SDL]

I just bought myself a Used ProTee simulator. Will probably not get all the parts until early next week.

The sensor might have a couple of problems, but I hope I can repair it. The sensor appears to be an older version of Martin's PX2, or it might even be exactly the same.

ZMax,

That sounds very cool!!! I hope you got a really good deal on it and that it isn't too tough to repair. Aren't those units $3-4K new, just for the sensor unit?

Let us know how it works once you get it all put together.

SDL

[ZMax]

ZMax,

That sounds very cool!!! I hope you got a really good deal on it and that it isn't too tough to repair. Aren't those units $3-4K new, just for the sensor unit?

Let us know how it works once you get it all put together.

SDL

Yup, $4000 to start.

Got a great deal on mine and I've already found somebody for the parts. A full review will be coming. As you know, I tell it like it is.

[bubba22]

Looking forward to your review.

[ZMax]

This is from the ProTee website.

• Club head speed at impact to the ball.
• Club face angle at impact (number of degrees open or closed) in relation to path angle.
• Club head angle of approach (hitting the ball on the down or up-stroke).
• Swing path in degrees (i.e. from out to in, in - out etc).
• Ball position on club-face at impact (vertical and horizontal distance from sweet spot on club-face is captured).
• Effective club-face loft at impact. i.e. a 7 iron normally has 40° of loft, but when the club is held at anything other than 90° to the ball, the effective angle at impact will be changed. Also, the club-face angle and hitting the ball on the upward or downward stroke will effect the loft angle and thus the flight of the ball.
• Ball spin rates and directions are calculated from the captured club data at impact. Side (or horizontal) spin as well as top (or vertical) spin rates are calculated and summed to give a final spin rate and spin direction. The side spin causes the ball to curve left or right depending on the direction of spin and the positive top spin will give extra lift and distance. Negative top spin (caused by topping the ball) will, on the other hand, cause the ball to dive.
• Ball launch path angle.
• Ball launch velocity.

The ball launch angle is also shown in the swing analysis below. ProTee comes with a ball sensor.

Proteeswing.jpg

Looking at the above example, a 2 deg closed face combined with 2 deg in-out swing with a 130mph club head speed, the result should be a 40 yard hook left. The Protee had the ball finishing just 2.5 M left. Ball speed is way off and carry distance is way short.

This is one of the reasons why I wanted to go with a GGS system. With a GGS system, I would be able to put just about anything in order. Once I examine the Protee software, I'll find out whether any of the above can be tweaked.

[northgolf]

This is from the ProTee website.
Looking at the above example, a 2 deg closed face combined with 2 deg in-out swing with a 130mph club head speed, the result should be a 40 yard hook left. The Protee had the ball finishing just 2.5 M left. Ball speed is way off and carry distance is way short.

With a closed club face the ball should start left and go further left given the in to out swing path, but the picture has it started right of the line like a push draw. It looks like the Protee does not have the correct algorithm for ball flight. That would be annoying.

Edit: I looked at the information again, and it appears that Protee is saying the club face is two degrees closed relative to the club path (i.e. square to the target line - note the "face relative to path" states 0.0 which is confusing since if it was square to the club path it would be 2 degrees open and the shot would be a straight push). Does that change you analysis any Zmax? BTW - where are you getting your ball flight analysis for the given launch conditions?

[ZMax]

With a closed club face the ball should start left and go further left given the in to out swing path, but the picture has it started right of the line like a push draw. It looks like the Protee does not have the correct algorithm for ball flight. That would be annoying.

Edit: I looked at the information again, and it appears that Protee is saying the club face is two degrees closed relative to the club path (i.e. square to the target line - note the "face relative to path" states 0.0 which is confusing since if it was square to the club path it would be 2 degrees open and the shot would be a straight push). Does that change you analysis any Zmax? BTW - where are you getting your ball flight analysis for the given launch conditions?

I looked at it both ways and neither of them fit what happened in the example. With the ball ending left, they probably wanted to show a draw.

I use Trojectorware.

[bubba22]

I wonder how "real" that diagram is? According to the "new ball flight laws" you are right that the initial direction of the ball is respect to the clubface angle (left) and the path should be a a draw.

[ZMax]

I wonder how "real" that diagram is? According to the "new ball flight laws" you are right that the initial direction of the ball is respect to the clubface angle (left) and the path should be a a draw.

It's what they are showing for their current product. Does not matter though. I got the software installed, but while I'm waiting for the license key from the previous owner, I did a little digging around.

It's the ProTee 4.75.1 2008-2009 version, but it's basically an old GGS ProX software. Just about everything can be adjusted. Club head speed, ball flight, individual club distances, club sets, loft angles, etc.....A tweaker's dream...

31 courses. The only one I recognized was Pebble 08.

[bubba22]

Very nice Zmax. Awaiting a report.

[ZMax]

ZMax how is the protee setup?

I spoke with ProTee today. They're trying to get a web cam based V-Ball launch around June.

It'll be a free upgrade for their current ProTee 2.0 simulator owners.

I would have to upgrade the sensor and software to get it.

[ZMax]

Been playing around with the Protee 2008/2009 software. So far, I don't like the graphics. Max resolution is 1280X1024. Graphics are better than the P3pro Highlands or Desert Dunes, but no where near that of 3DD or GSA.

The ProTee 2.0 customplay courses are also a lot better.

The software also appears to be buggy on my Win7 64bit. I will try it on a 32 bit machine.

I was already planning on getting GSA but I didn't think the graphics would be this bad, especially considering how much these systems cost brand new in 2008.

I noticed in the setup screen that I can turn on launch angle measuring. I guess the ball track sensor will also measure ball launch angle?

[northgolf]

.
I was already planning on getting GSA but I didn't think the graphics would be this bad, especially considering how much these systems cost brand new in 2008.

3 years is 2 orders of magnitude difference in the digital world, at least until Dr. Moore gives up the ghost.

We have got to get defined interfaces between the hardware and the software, otherwise we customers are going to be getting .... ad infinitum.

[ZMax]

3 years is 2 orders of magnitude difference in the digital world, at least until Dr. Moore gives up the ghost.

We have got to get defined interfaces between the hardware and the software, otherwise we customers are going to be getting .... ad infinitum.

The person I bought this from said they paid $20,000 a few years ago for this Protee setup with enclosure. Huge markup by a US distributor no doubt.

[rdh]

The ProTee system is basically the original system designed by GGS before Martin severed the relationship to go on his own. So, both hardware and software are basically the same as what Martin has.

On the 2 degree in/out and 2 degree closed face path, I tend to agree with what the software is showing. I obviously am no expert, but in play on my Pro 7 the ball sensor generally picks up the azimuth (horizontal direction) closer to the path than it does the face angle. Yes, I know this doesn't support the "new ball flight laws", but intuitively I still believe that a 2 degree in-out swing with a 2 degree closed face should start slightly right and draw back left of target...but not a 40 yard hook. Just 2 degrees off from square is NOT much off and wouldn't be that drastically off line.

I assume the closed face reading is the "raw" reading and not relative to the line, correct? i.e. the face was actually 4 degrees closed relative to swing path, right?

[ZMax]

On the 2 degree in/out and 2 degree closed face path, I tend to agree with what the software is showing. I obviously am no expert, but in play on my Pro 7 the ball sensor generally picks up the azimuth (horizontal direction) closer to the path than it does the face angle. Yes, I know this doesn't support the "new ball flight laws", but intuitively I still believe that a 2 degree in-out swing with a 2 degree closed face should start slightly right and draw back left of target...but not a 40 yard hook. Just 2 degrees off from square is NOT much off and wouldn't be that drastically off line.

I assume the closed face reading is the "raw" reading and not relative to the line, correct? i.e. the face was actually 4 degrees closed relative to swing path, right?

The problem is that some of the numbers don't add up. 132 mph club head speed should produce a greater distance than 219 meters.

You disagree that a 2 degree closed face relative to target at 132 mph club speed and 2 deg in-out swing won't produce a 40 yard hook?

That is fine. We'll agree to to disagree.

[rdh]

I missed the club speed there. That's uncharted territory for me - my swing is only in the 100-104MPH range!

[ZMax]

I missed the club speed there. That's uncharted territory for me - my swing is only in the 100-104MPH range!

The ProX interface allows for so many adjustments. How knows what really happened with the above example.


You said you wrote you're own interface for you Pro7. Did you base it off GSA's OEM interface?

[rdh]

Yep. I bought the DLL from Martin...I think it was around $300 at the time. I had to do a lot of fancy stuff (in my terms anyway) to make it work as I knew how to program using Visual Basic, but I don't know C++, and the DLL was a library for that language. After some funky workarounds and a lot of time I got it to do what I needed. I'd still like to do more with it (to set up default club ranges and force the software to suggest the correct one) but don't have the time right now. I've only found time to use my simulator three times in the last 3 months...sad state of affairs.

[ZMax]

Wow! 3 times...That is sad. Sorry to hear that.

Did you have to get source code/dlls or anything from Goftek? Just curious about how the OEM GSA interface was able to communicate with the Pro7 sensor.

[rdh]

Yep - Golftek provided an SDK which was perfect for me. It was all done in Visual Basic 6 which is ancient now but I knew it inside out, so that side was easy.