Over the last year, my golf game has had a ton of ups and downs. I moved to Arizona a few years back, which unlocked year-round golf. A major key for improving your golf game as I have learned. This helped me play a ton more, dropped my handicap, and also got me access to some pretty great coaches. (Shout out Bryan Pate at Tour Striker Academy at Raven Golf Club). I was able to work on my game a ton, practice more, and get a lot better. But I wanted a way to improve my golf game at home.
The last 12 months has seen my game ride an absolute roller coaster, sometimes feeling great, and sometimes feeling like I’ve never swung a golf club. I put a lot of work in to get on the right track, and always wanted an easy way to practice, but never had the full motivation to do something about it. Then, my life, my routine, and my “time available to play golf” completely changed…
Big Changes
This past month, I recently had the pleasure of welcoming two beautiful twin girls into my life. It’s been the greatest joy I’ve ever experienced (I mean, I haven’t gotten a hole in one yet so…), but of course, it comes with welcomed sacrifices. Once my wife and I embarked on the journey to have children, I knew that both my range time and rounds per year were going to take a significant hit, and it’s 100,000% worth it. However, I still want to try to keep up with my game, while enjoying a little “me” time.
The most effective way to do this was to create a way to really practice at home so I’m not wasting valuable time driving to and from the range, and can hit a few balls in any free time I may find. More than ever, I needed a way to improve my golf game at home. Living in a Chicago apartment, a real practice setup was completely out of the question. Fast forward to now having that space in Arizona, and the new need for a way to get some golf in, I finally put together my setup. The key pieces were simple, yet required a ton of research: a solid net that can fit in the garage, a sturdy golf mat that won’t destroy my elbows, and a decent launch monitor setup that won’t break the bank.
The Key Component: The SkyTrak+ Launch Monitor
Finding an accurate, affordable launch monitor was definitely the toughest part. The market is currently flooded with options, from handheld devices that use radar, to camera based options. Prices range from a few hundred bucks to tens of thousands of dollars. I needed to find that sweet spot of something to fit my needs, yet was within reason price-wise. After all, I now have two kids to pay for and all.
After tons of research, I ended up with the SkyTrak+ launch monitor. It has everything I needed; both club and ball data for effective swing work, with the ability to do some simulator golf too! The subscription doesn’t break the bank, and their “Play and Improve” software package made it easy to get everything I need. All of that, and it’s priced super competitively in the market for everything you get from it.
More To Come…
With my garage setup finally complete, the reason I’m writing this, is it’s a sneak preview of what’s to come. This is the first in a series of posts that will cover a DIY at home practice and simulator build, a full review of the SkyTrak+ launch monitor and software, and how I’m using all of it to improve my game. If you’re in the market for an at home setup on a budget, or want a way to improve your golf game at home, stay tuned, because we have a lot more great content on the way.
