# Optishot Simulator



## jpxpro (Nov 14, 2014)

I have been a long time admirer of golf simulators and have had a lot of fun visiting lounges and paying Â£20+ an hour for the fun of playing with one, now clearly foresight and GC2 or trackman is out of my price range however at just Â£299 the Optishot seemed a bargain almost too good to be true, after reading numerous other reviews i decided it was worth the money, best case i can practise with accurate stats to consider worst case its a pretty cool computer game.

Well I'm pleased to report it is both, i have played around with it for just over a week and have to say I'm hugely impressed, the setup was really easy you just install software hook up usb lead and start hitting balls into a net using the supplied mat, the device works but having to rows of infra red lights at either side of the tee area so as you swing back and thorough the computer calculates swing speed, path tempo, face angle and ball speed, the result is pretty impressive you get a great tracer image which follows your ball just like you see on tv, the feedback tells you if you were open/closed whether you swing straight or in/out - out/in and crucially how far you hit the ball.  Now initially i thought this was a bit ambitious as it didn't follow the ball but i compared results using a 3bayssga and also a cobra launch monitor all 3 gave similar results with my 6 iron travelling at 78mph and going approx 155 yards which was about right for my average shot.

there are a choice of courses available all of which have slightly different names to the originals, you also have the option to purchase platinum courses for $30 or Â£19ish i have bought gleniglis old scot and firth of forth, better known as gleneagles st andrews and muirfield

i have setup in my garage using a projector and custom build cage and screen etc the only issue i encountered was lighting, if you have down lighters then they confuse the hardware and give funny results its recommended to use florescent lighting but i have found a basic lamp with an energy saving bulb in it works great when positioned on the wall adjacent to hitting area.

i will link a few photos and videos of my setup for you to have a look at.

to sum up this is a great piece of kit for practicing your game etc, it is also a lot of fun as a social computer game with friends

[video=youtube;UW6F0g0VUxs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW6F0g0VUxs[/video]


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## Alex1975 (Nov 14, 2014)

Very cool!


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## Nosevi (Nov 14, 2014)

Alex1975 said:



			Very cool!
		
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+1

I actually got a p3pro when they first came out (still have it knocking around somewhere) and they were very cheap. Just used it with a laptop in my garage while hitting into a net, handy bit of kit and works exactly like the optishot. I took mine to my range so I could hit balls on the range and compare how the balls actually went and how they went on the computer screen and it wasn't bad, not perfect but certainly not too bad. I think you've hit the nail on the head when you say it's hovering between a practice tool and a game, it'll certainly keep you swinging over the winter though.

I must confess, I eventually progressed from the p3pro and now have a GC2 and a Net Return Simulator Series enclosure with an HD projector etc. Seriously good piece of kit for the practice side of things (has helped me no end) but probably no more fun than your set up


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## garyinderry (Nov 14, 2014)

Top work lad.

I have to get into this carry on in the not so distant future.   could you post some picks of your set up too nosevi?


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## Nosevi (Nov 14, 2014)

garyinderry said:



			Top work lad.

I have to get into this carry on in the not so distant future.   could you post some picks of your set up too nosevi?
		
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I'm on my phone right now, will get some decent shots, but post #13 and post #20 on here are my set up.  http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?72129-Brace-yourselves-winter-is-coming!/page2


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## garyinderry (Nov 14, 2014)

That is awesome.


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## Nosevi (Nov 15, 2014)

garyinderry said:



			That is awesome. 

Click to expand...

Thanks, I quite like it too. Actually wired into Sky as well so I can watch the Rugby or F1 etc on the 10 foot screen. Got to say though it is a tad pricey. For the money the OP's set up is a very useful starting point.


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## Airsporter1st (Nov 15, 2014)

jpxpro said:



			I have been a long time admirer of golf simulators and have had a lot of fun visiting lounges and paying Â£20+ an hour for the fun of playing with one, now clearly foresight and GC2 or trackman is out of my price range however at just Â£299 the Optishot seemed a bargain almost too good to be true, after reading numerous other reviews i decided it was worth the money, best case i can practise with accurate stats to consider worst case its a pretty cool computer game.

Well I'm pleased to report it is both, i have played around with it for just over a week and have to say I'm hugely impressed, the setup was really easy you just install software hook up usb lead and start hitting balls into a net using the supplied mat, the device works but having to rows of infra red lights at either side of the tee area so as you swing back and thorough the computer calculates swing speed, path tempo, face angle and ball speed, the result is pretty impressive you get a great tracer image which follows your ball just like you see on tv, the feedback tells you if you were open/closed whether you swing straight or in/out - out/in and crucially how far you hit the ball.  Now initially i thought this was a bit ambitious as it didn't follow the ball but i compared results using a 3bayssga and also a cobra launch monitor all 3 gave similar results with my 6 iron travelling at 78mph and going approx 155 yards which was about right for my average shot.

there are a choice of courses available all of which have slightly different names to the originals, you also have the option to purchase platinum courses for $30 or Â£19ish i have bought gleniglis old scot and firth of forth, better known as gleneagles st andrews and muirfield

i have setup in my garage using a projector and custom build cage and screen etc the only issue i encountered was lighting, if you have down lighters then they confuse the hardware and give funny results its recommended to use florescent lighting but i have found a basic lamp with an energy saving bulb in it works great when positioned on the wall adjacent to hitting area.

i will link a few photos and videos of my setup for you to have a look at.

to sum up this is a great piece of kit for practicing your game etc, it is also a lot of fun as a social computer game with friends

[video=youtube;UW6F0g0VUxs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW6F0g0VUxs[/video]
		
Click to expand...

What projector are you using, please?


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## jpxpro (Nov 15, 2014)

Airsporter1st said:



			What projector are you using, please?
		
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its actually an old Sim 2 projector was about Â£5k at time i bought it so didn't want to ditch it, served me well and does a great job in the simulator


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## Beezerk (Nov 15, 2014)

Sod that, when is it beers at your? 

Looks 'kin awesome mate :cheers:


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## Matty2803 (Nov 15, 2014)

Great review!

just wondering what the room height in the garage is? Ours is 8.6 ft, high enough?


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## jpxpro (Nov 15, 2014)

Matty2803 said:



			Great review!

just wondering what the room height in the garage is? Ours is 8.6 ft, high enough?
		
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mines is 9 foot which with driver or longer clubs can catch the roof, i use a hybrid in place of a driver and amend the settings to compensate for the difference, depends on your swing i suppose 

Kev


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## Alex1975 (Nov 17, 2014)

Nosevi said:



			Thanks, I quite like it too. Actually wired into Sky as well so I can watch the Rugby or F1 etc on the 10 foot screen. Got to say though it is a tad pricey. For the money the OP's set up is a very useful starting point.
		
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And just like that I have gone right off you!! ... What a sweet sweet setup!! I wish Lincolnshire was a little closer.. I would be up for me additional 20 yards in a flash.

I am sure that little lot cost a pretty penny... are you single?


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## Nosevi (Nov 17, 2014)

Alex1975 said:



			And just like that I have gone right off you!! ... What a sweet sweet setup!! I wish Lincolnshire was a little closer.. I would be up for me additional 20 yards in a flash.

I am sure that little lot cost a pretty penny... are you single? 

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Not yet .........


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## Alex1975 (Nov 17, 2014)

Nosevi said:



			Not yet ......... 

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Let me know when shes gone... Ill sleep in the garage!!


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## Nosevi (Nov 17, 2014)

Alex1975 said:



			Let me know when shes gone... Ill sleep in the garage!!
		
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Lol. Actually had Bobmac over all day today having a go on the sim. Think he liked the kit quite a bit. He also said the yardages were spot on for how far he hits each club right down to chips and pitches etc. Think he's going to say something about it on the distance thread.


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## Alex1975 (Nov 17, 2014)

Nosevi said:



			Lol. Actually had Bobmac over all day today having a go on the sim. Think he liked the kit quite a bit. He also said the yardages were spot on for how far he hits each club right down to chips and pitches etc. Think he's going to say something about it on the distance thread.
		
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I have used your setup(ish) a fair bit with my old pro. The GC2 is a great bit of kit for Â£6k or whatever it is. As you say in another post you need HMT for proper club head speed but its kind of irrelevant if you have ball speed. HMT is what? Another Â£6k? It does lots of very cool stuff too though. 

HID just came into some money and we were going to extend but I am thinking GC2 HMT + Sim.....


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## Nosevi (Nov 17, 2014)

Alex1975 said:



			I have used your setup(ish) a fair bit with my old pro. The GC2 is a great bit of kit for Â£6k or whatever it is. As you say in another post you need HMT for proper club head speed but its kind of irrelevant if you have ball speed. HMT is what? Another Â£6k? It does lots of very cool stuff too though. 

HID just came into some money and we were going to extend but I am thinking GC2 HMT + Sim.....
		
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Yep, the basic GC2 was about Â£6k when I got it and the software was about Â£1500 on top of that. HMT is very nice but as you say, it only really tells you things that you can deduce from ball flight if you know how the physics works. Great for teaching though. 

The Net Return Simulator Series (the enclosure) is very good, especially as it it all totally portable and packs away in maybe 30 mins into a couple of duffel bags so you can 'reclaim' the space if you want to, it came to about Â£1500 and I shipped it from a chap called Cory at Par2Pro in Canada. Projector it's worth getting a decent one - I got the exact model they suggest on the Net Return website. You need 9 foot high ceilings as a minimum for it though. As I had the garage custom built to take the sim (garage was planned anyway) I had it made quite a bit higher than that so even drivers swings are nowhere near the ceiling.

So yes, pricey and like I said, the OP's setup does a very similar job at a fraction of the price. But a GC2 is more of a training tool and is spot on accurate. Can't remember the last time I went to the range - simply no point.


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## Nosevi (Nov 18, 2014)

Just as an aside, I've offered up my old P3pro which is basically the same sort of deal as the OPs Optishot free to a good home on this other thread. If anyone wants it, post up on there. First post wanting it gets it 

http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?72201-Is-distance-embarrassing/page23


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