A ceiling of 10 feet is considered safe for playing golf on the simulator. The factor entirely depends on your height and how vertical your swing is. A ceiling with 8 feet also works, but for the safe side, go for a 10 feet room. There are plenty of simulators that offer the capability to play with a real golf ball. But, with a real golf ball, there is an essential need to buy an impact screen. These screens are made with durable material that allows maximum protection. OptiShot is one of the simulators that offer this feature. With that, you can play with a real ball, a foam ball, and no ball at all.

Given that many of the best players in the world use these devices to drive both equipment and on-course decisions, it’s understandable that average golfers would be hungry to do the same. Golf launch monitors are a part of nearly every fitting experience. Don’t expect to fit yourself with a consumer-grade unit. They’re not consistent enough and don’t provide the necessary data. I might be missing it, but I do wish there was a better way to star or highlight certain swings or videos. But the question is, are these more affordable FlightScopes actually worth the still considerable expense? Are they accurate? Will they actually help you with your golf game? Both apps are reasonably user friendly. There is a fair amount of depth in the settings, but much of that can be ignored if you prefer a plug-and-play experience. In both apps, you can customize the data displayed and use video. Video needs to be recorded by your phone or tablet, so I wish FlightScope had included some kind of phone mount the way Garmin did with the R10 [review HERE].It wasn’t until I was setting it up that I realized the app supported the Apple Watch, so naturally, I had to try it out. I placed the Mevo 6 feet behind my spot on the range, hit a shot, and almost instantly had numbers for carry, spin, ball speed, clubhead speed, and launch angle. I found the app very intuitive, and pretty much anything I wanted to adjust could be done in the settings section. In my testing, I found that the metallic dots did not change the readings, but they did keep the Mevo and Mevo+ from missing shots. On Short Indoor mode, shots with unmarked balls were often missed. With a marked ball, a missed shot was pretty rare.

As the category suggests, camera-based launch monitors use high-definition cameras to measure ball data at, and immediately following, impact. While camera-based systems can’t measure the full flight of the golf ball, they typically provide more accurate axis tilt and spin measurements and are far more reliable in limited-flight scenarios. It’s also worth noting that the Mevo+ includes the wall adapter so you can charge it from any outlet. The Mevo just has the charging cable, so you’ll need to plug it into a USB port on your computer. With a 4X price difference, it’s hard to compare the Mevo to the Mevo Plus as apples to apples. What I can say is that, compared to similarly priced units, I think Mevo falls short. In contrast, I think Mevo+ is excellent compared to other devices in its price range.

Both the FlightScope Mevo and Mevo Plus are fairly easy to use for anyone who regularly uses a smart phone. The Mevo connects to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth; the Mevo Plus creates a WiFi network that your device connects to. In both cases, the connection happens automatically when you open the app. While I don’t exactly have a super scientific way to judge the accuracy, I did my best. I took a rangefinder and got the exact distance to one of the pins, and then hit balls with a gap wedge and based on my shot would try and guess how far the ball was based on the proximity to the flag.

FlightScope Mevo puts out eight parameters: carry distance, club head speed, smash factor, apex, flight time, ball speed, spin rate, and vertical launch angle. To determine the accuracy and reliable of the data offered by the devices tested, we tested them side by side with an enterprise-class Foresight GCQuad launch monitor inside and out. Foresight is trusted by the R&D teams at every major golf equipment company and is renowned for the accuracy of the data it provides. If you’re a fitter or teaching professional looking to leverage data, more than likely you’ll need to look at the enterprise solutions. SkyTrak offers some fitting capabilities and the bag-mapping feature (also available in the Rapsodo MLM) is impressive. Rapsodo is a perfect launch monitor to record your swing while getting some data. SkyTrak and Mevo Plus provide games, range sessions and courses to play, no matter the weather. Garmin G80 is not only a launch monitor but also a GPS device so you can get some numbers to your target and some data points. Smartphone/Tablet Apps With both Mevo devices, you get the launch monitor, a charging cable, and some instructional material. One substantial difference is that the Mevo comes with a red carrying pouch, the Mevo Plus comes with a sturdy case. The Mevo feels pretty tough, but a proper case would be nice.Once your app is connected to the Mevo or Mevo Plus, you’ll go to settings. This is where you’ll input where you’re using the device (Short Indoor, Indoor, Outdoor), how far the Mevo is from the ball, and how much ball flight you have if you’re on Short Indoor. Inputting these parameters doesn’t take more than a minute. The data you receive is accurate, however, my biggest problem is hitting the ball straight and fixing my slice. Even the best golf launch monitors must be easy to use. For most of us, practice time is limited and it shouldn’t be wasted trying to configure, connect and use a device meant to help us improve faster. Some units require more precise placement at setup. It would display the same data view that you customized on the device immediately after every shot you hit. One feature that stands out in both apps is the ability to set data parameters. If you’re working on wedge distance control, you might set your range from 50-60 yards. Shots inside this range will appear green; shots outside will appear red. This is a nice way to maintain focus on one thing and immediately see your success.