Software Recommendations?

[JeterGR]

Hello all -

I am building a simulator in my garage and found a used GC2 that I'm considering purchasing. The GC2 doesn't come with any software, so I'm trying to determine the best software to purchase considering my needs. I've done a lot of research online, but I can't find a lot of details on the game-improvement features of software like TGC and E6. So I was hoping those of you with experience using these different software could help point me in the right direction?

My primary goal is game improvement, so I want to be sure I have driving range functionality that gives appropriate feedback. I would also like a quality simulation software, allowing me to play multiple different courses. Lastly, I'd enjoy a mini-game component (long drive, closest to the pin, etc), but it's not a requirement. If I had to guess, I'd say that I'd like to be 70/30 game improvement to simulation.

I've found the following 3 options:
- Foresight FSX Software ($2,200)
- TGC Only (on sale for $995 at Swingsense)
- TGC and E6 (on sale for $1,995 at Swingsense)
- TGC and Protee (on sale for $1,195 at Swingsense)

Based on my research, I know all these options have different pros/cons. I don't think TGC has any driving range, which would mean I'd have to get another software for game improvement. I know FSX has both driving range and simulation, but at that price I didn't know if it makes more sense to get TGC and E6?

Any thoughts/feedback/advise would be very welcomed!!

Thanks!

[r2d1]

JeterGR, I also have a GC2 and the old Foresight software. I would also love to know what other platforms are compatible with the GC2 and how do they interface exactly.
Thanks

[AJA]

Least expensive option that currently provides driving range with some stats and very good gameplay in my opinion is ProTee/TGC (the last option you listed). Protee's range is not as fully featured as the one that comes with E6 but it does provide useful visuals. TGC is the preferred sim software and is regularly updated as more and more sim features are added. If, one day a true driving range and practice facility is added to TGC it will be the hands down leader, but at the moment it's practice capabilities are pretty sparse.
Not sure if it is compatible with GC2 but there is an E6 demo available that you could try out. Find their website and read up about what is supported.
I am a ProTee user and warm up using the ProTee range, but then play TGC sim courses.

[drewtaylor21]

This is probably a dumb question, but is it even possible to run GC2 with the old FS1 software? For game improvement purposes, I love the look of the range in that software (places like Golfsmith, etc), but it seems like you have to go FSX to get that look anymore.... (?)

[mthunt]

Least expensive option that currently provides driving range with some stats and very good gameplay in my opinion is ProTee/TGC (the last option you listed). Protee's range is not as fully featured as the one that comes with E6 but it does provide useful visuals. TGC is the preferred sim software and is regularly updated as more and more sim features are added. If, one day a true driving range and practice facility is added to TGC it will be the hands down leader, but at the moment it's practice capabilities are pretty sparse.
Not sure if it is compatible with GC2 but there is an E6 demo available that you could try out. Find their website and read up about what is supported.
I am a ProTee user and warm up using the ProTee range, but then play TGC sim courses.

E6 won't work as plug and play with the GC2 so you need an interface and Bluetooth. The interface is the Protee interface.

[11bravo]

For game improvement software, I'd recommend going with the older fs1 or buy the fsx. I bought a used gc2 that came with the driving range and one course. It is absolutely my goto software for practicing on the range and using club fitting software for gap fitting and just generally seeing your stats averages on shots with a particular club. I don't have fsx, but I imagine it's a fresher version. You can also play closest to pin on par 3s, only on that one course though.
I wish the simulator courses were cheaper with foresight but I ended up getting the tgc/protee combo to play all the same courses just through a different interface..
To sum it up, when I'm practicing I fire up the fss range software..

[FaultyClubs]

PG is another option. It is a modern sim software like TGC and directly competitive. You can play the PC version of both to get an idea which one you may prefer.

PG includes a nice driving range, don't think there are any stats though. TGC doesn't have a proper driving range and Protee has stated they have no intention to make one. I don't know if PG plans to develop theirs further in terms of data etc or not. It's probably a good question to ask them.

[mthunt]

There's about 50 proper driving ranges in TGC and they are releasing the ability to track and download stats with the next update.

[FaultyClubs]

I've looked for even one that had basic functionality that can be found in my Optishot and there was none, let alone 50. So if you could provide the names of one or two that would be great.

[11bravo]

Perfect golf is great and I've been using that as well.

The only reason I would go with the foresight range software is because it reads exactly what the gc2 puts out in numbers

I know from using tgc, protee 2.0, and perfect golf that the numbers are very close but sometimes it does show different carry readings compared to the gc2 unit


Maybe foresight range software shows discrepancies as well, I've only owned it a short time, but so far I haven't noticed anything. I checked wait for spin in the foresight software options...

[mthunt]

I've looked for even one that had basic functionality that can be found in my Optishot and there was none, let alone 50. So if you could provide the names of one or two that would be great.

I've never used optishot but to me a range is somewhere to hit golf balls over and over at targets and greens and see how far the ball goes and the direction and flight of my shot. I do that daily in TGC. What features are you looking for?

[AJA]

To answer the original post:

It makes sense to get TGC.

TGC has ranges now as mthunt says, and also as he points out stats will be available pretty soon as well.

And Faulty, I believe that he reason you are not finding the ranges is that you don't actually own the sim version of TGC, only the PC version.

Further, with all due respect, Perfect Golf is not available for use as a golf sim, in the way we are discussing. It has not even been released for sale. (Certainly there was no mention of the price on their website.)

I believe that you only need one piece of software, so save your money and go with TGC.

I've owned TGC for over a year and it only keeps getting better.

[FaultyClubs]

PG is most definitely available as a golf sim as we are discussing.

Yes it is in "beta" while TGC is released but that is semantics. I actually find it to be in a more mature state as a simulator than TGC. And yes TGC keeps getting better but so does PG obviously. Both are in early days and both are improving.

All the software we are talking about has a basic range to hit balls over and over again. But the OP is looking for game improvement and so presumably wants more. To answer mt's question that's what i meant by proper range functionally. Things like ability to hit to pins at any arbitrary distance, statistics on each shot showing, distance, offline deviation, height, descent. etc. Dispersion of a group of shots. Ability to save and export data to spreadsheet for tracking and analysis etc. Neither PG nor TGC have this.

Anyway the point really is that PG should be considered, it is every bit the sim that TGC is. Right now it costs $1000 to play TGC sim but only $20 to play PG. To me that makes it a no brainer. At some point PG will come out of beta and cost more and at that point one can decide if the cost is worth it compared to TGC. Both are good choices and every one has to decide for themselves.

Bottomline: I think it is very bad advice to not recommend checking out both TGC and PG. That's why i spoke up and is really my only point, the rest are details that can be debated ad nauseum.

[mthunt]

PG is $20 yes and it would be silly for someone with a GC2 to not try it but the range only allows you to hit balls and see the shot stat the same as TGC. There's no targets either. TGC has greens with bunkers and water like IRL. Once PG is out of beta, you'll no longer be able to connect until you pay whatever price it will be at that point. It simply wont connect. You also have to play in the tournaments and challenges to use it.

I've got no skin in the game and think both options are amazing but my pro buddies came over yesterday and we played Augusta then Whistling Straights then Chambers Bay and that is a game changer right there. The courses in TGC are the selling point, not the range. I know the TGC haters will say the courses are created by users but if they saw what users are creating, they would have a different view I'm sure. I'm amazed that HB created something that has users doing the work for free.

Faulty, TGC does everything you said except the flight trail thing erases after every shot right now. In protee the tracers all remain. The word is TGC is releasing that feature as well. PG erases the trail as well.

[FaultyClubs]

I don't have a bone in the fight either, that's why i say people should check out both and decide for themselves.

Note that PG range has targets. Also the latest release now has more ranges with those features. Thanks for the update on the tgc range enhancements mt...they sound good. Hopefully protee will come out with a plyable demo soon.

Also what happens with PG as it gets released is still being discussed so I wouldn't assume anything at this point. But the worst cases is your $20 investment ends so at that point one will have to decide to stay with PG or pay the $1000 and switch to TGC. That seems a smarter strategy than paying $1000 only to find you prefer PG and have wasted your $1000.

I suppose the main reason to go the TGC route might be if you want lots of courses today (or you simply like TGC better). But in time that will change since PG has the same user created course model. Although PG seems to want to make money off the user created course in a way that HB doesn't so it's not clear exactly how things will unfold (at least not to me). Anyway probably shouldn't take the thread too far off topic. To the OP: Check out them both! You really have five options not just the three you initially listed.

[11bravo]

I think tgc and perfect golf are great sim options, but both still don't compare to the fitting software that foresight offers.

I own all four and when practicing, or gap fitting, optimizing driver or other stats and saving files with all the different data, the other sim software won't be as good as the fss/fsx

If the op can find a used gc2 with the included software with range and one course would be a great option..

[mthunt]

How much did the Foresight software cost? Which is better? Do you have a lot of courses?

[psgolfer]

I'm using Perfect Golf with my GC2 and I love it. I even did a driver fitting today using the perfect golf range. Granted I had to manually document my LA, Spin, Carry, Ball Speed, ect. But I found the perfect setting for my 915D2 with trying 3 different shafts.

Plus the game play is great too. That being said, I haven't yet tried TGC. I'm hoping to be able to try it soon.

[drewtaylor21]

Does anyone know if it is reasonable to expect to find a used GC2 with the old software? Meaning, now that FSX exists, will the old Red Chain/FSS software still run on a GC2, or have there been software updates that prevent it?

I'm more and more interested in the GC2, but my purposes are truly just range practice (seeing ball flight, getting stats on each shot....carry and dispersion being the primary two stats I'm most interested in). I would love to find a used GC2 that just had a range option, but I'm trying to figure out if that can even be had anymore, or if one has to fork over the $$ for FSX. Thanks!

[mthunt]

If someone is selling the gc2, the software won't be free.

[drewtaylor21]

Of course not, I'm just wondering if it's possible to even GET a GC2 with the old software, or if one wants a range, do they have to go through FSX or the other Sim options (TGC etc)

[mthunt]

Foresight sells 2 software package. FSS or FSX. If you find a GC2 with software it'll lilely be FSS. I doubt anyone will give away FSS for free. You can still buy it from Foresight.

[drewtaylor21]

You can still buy it from Foresight.

Thanks, that's what I was looking for. I was under the impression that FSX was the only option from Foresight now, but I'm glad to hear FSS is still available

[psgolfer]

Good luck finding a used GC2, I haven't seen many lately available for sale anywhere. If you can find one, jump on it quick.

[gerryb59]

I second that ,used GC2 are hard to come by, command top dollar and sell quick. Everybody is looking for a used one.

[AJA]

Now it's close enough to the PGA Show that waiting for the ES16 release actually makes sense.