This $200 Launch Monitor Is Worth Every Penny

With so much discussion around rising equipment prices, there is one category in golf that continues to buck the trend: technology. From range finders and GPS devices to launch monitors, prices have not only held steady or lowered, but also added functionality and features to help golfers better understand their games and improve.

No device better exemplifies this than the LM1 from ShotScope, a portable launch monitor that comes in at a shocking price of just $200 (USD) and features a built-in, easy-to-read screen so you don't even need to use your phone when out at the range. Plus, absolutely zero extra costs or subscriptions.

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Although I should note, you can use the ShotScope App to track your sessions and build a database for your club distances - but that is also at no charge.

What You Get (And What You Don't)

The tiny device packs a punch and easily fits into any golf bag. With the case, it's still smaller than a box of golf balls. The provided data includes: club head speed, ball speed, smash factor, carry distance, and (calculated) total distance. There is also a speed training mode, so you can use it without hitting balls to track swing speed progress.

Honestly, I'm not even at the best part yet.

The LM1 is SUPER easy to set up; just place it 5 feet behind your hitting area, and it is so simple to navigate, I would argue that you don't even need the instruction manual. And it has 5-hours of battery life.

Okay, okay, now that you know what you get, I have to let you know what you don't get.

Of the information not available with the LM1, dispersion and environmental factors are the biggest. Whether you hit one right or left, you only get the carry distance, and if you're using it outside, the limited nature of the small radar unit means ball flight is calculated (pretty darn accurately) rather than measured through the entirety of the flight like higher-end radar units. In many ways, it works like a camera-based unit but at a MUCH lower price point.

So if you're in the market for a portable and easy-to-use launch monitor that you can take anywhere, and help you dial in your game, then the LM1 could be the right choice for you.

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