Technology has a life cycle that is getting easy to predict. The early rendition of new tech is often cumbersome and generally only has a few features. Over time the technology improves and becomes easier to use, more cost-efficient, and smaller. Right now, we can safely say that the modern golf launch monitors are beginning to finally begin to evolve into smaller, more affordable, and overall better options than ever before.

For a long time, launch monitors and the golf simulator set-ups they supported were large, bulky, and only really available to the very wealthy. Today, even the average Joe can afford a fantastic launch monitor and a full-room golf simulator.

This wider availability has not only allowed the average golfer to play from their living room, but it has also made the collection of critical golfing data a widespread phenomenon. Data manipulation is a specialty in our modern age, and the data collected from these Golf Launch Monitors is leading to a new generation of tools, drills, and other improvement techniques, narrowing the gap significantly between the types of lessons pros and amateurs receive.

Launch Monitors are Now Easy to Obtain

There are now a ton of portable and affordable launch monitors on the market. These monitors can offer nearly as much data as the $20,000 equivalents the pros use with options such as spin rate, club speed, and many other hard-to-determine data points. Some of the most affordable launch-monitors on the market are made by SkyTrak and ProTee United, who regularly come out with advancements, improvements, and updates to their tech.

Looking for the top launch monitors? Browse our complete collection of Golf Launch Monitors today!  

The best launch monitors can be used both indoors and outdoors and can be used to push your game farther in various ways. Many of the world’s best instructors say launch monitors are perfect for working your driving ability and for dialing in wedges under 120 yards and can be used to help work many other aspects of the game as well. For example, Joe Hallett, a GOLF Top 100 instructor, uses a SkyTrak. Hallett uses the launch monitor in his lessons to help train players hit specific distances consistently under various conditions.

Data Intelligence is Becoming Key to Professional Victories

Systems have been created that measure and track each shot by every professional player, which in turn can help to analyze their strengths and weaknesses. This data is then used to develop practices and to estimate how a player will do in a particular venue. This data is helping the pros push their games further than ever before.

There is already evidence that these methods can prove incredibly effective. Way back in 2011,  Snedeker was the first tour player to bring on a full-time data analyst to his team. That year he more than doubled his earnings from the previous year, getting $3,587,206. In 2012 he won the FedEx Cup and won the $10 million bonus.

Billy Horschel then brought on similar data analysts and went on to also win the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup in 2014. From then on, number-crunching has been utilized by pros worldwide. Today it is almost impossible to find a pro who doesn’t use analytics in one form or another to guide their drills and practices.

For years, the technology to obtain these numbers and evaluate your game was expensive, large, and prohibitive. However, today everyone can afford to own a launch monitor.

Bryson DeChambeau and the Data

Someone who has become a figurehead for data-driven success has been U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau. Bryson explains how data can help him decide on better course management, putting techniques, and approaches, and was a big factor in his decision to focus on driving distance.

Bryson spent the Covid PGA shutdown bulking up with 20 pounds of muscle thanks to data-led planning. When he next appeared, he hit the ball farther than anyone before, with an average distance of over 320 yards off the tee.

The “ah-ha” moment came when Bryson and his analysts realized that the old adage “drive for show, putt for dough.” was statistically incorrect; they found that they were able to get a typical one-shot advantage over the field by simply out-driving everybody.

This is just one example of how data, spurred by the growth of affordable and versatile launch monitors, is changing the golf game forever.

How You Can Use Data to Improve

Launch monitors today can link directly up to your cell phones with advanced apps and access to networks of advisors, teachers, coaches, and pros. With a good launch monitor, you can digitize your play data, and from there, you have near limitless options for turning this data into actionable steps towards improving your game.

Some launch monitors link directly up with simulator software that allows you to do all of this in a single package. Some launch monitors may require you to delve into specially made third-part applications. In the end though, you have near limitless potential for advancing your game.

Ready to Try a Launch Monitor for Yourself?

As this short article should have hopefully demonstrated, launch monitors are an essential part of the future of golfing and can be a huge boon for someone trying to analyze their game. Launch monitors today are smaller and more affordable than ever, and even low-cost options from the right brand can be excellent products that give you incredible amounts of crucial data.

Some launch monitors can even pair up with golf simulators, allowing you to create a whole at-home golfing experience that you and your family and friends can enjoy. Some even allow you to play in tournaments and against thousands of other players worldwide.

Looking for the top launch monitors? Browse our complete collection of Golf Launch Monitors today! Want to learn more about golf simulators first? Check out our other helpful guides:

• Click here to read our comprehensive guide to Golf Simulators.
• Read Our list of the best golf simulators in 2024.