WE TRIED IT – Foresight Sports GC3

There is a lot of cool gear in the golf equipment world-wide that doesn’t ever fit neatly into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we threw gear to the test and let you know if it runs as advertised.

WHAT WE TRIED

The Foresight Sports GC3

WHAT IS THE FORESIGHT GC3?

Golfers “re looking for” the next large-hearted thing, and the Foresight GC3 might just be it.

The Personal Launch Monitor space has, shall we say, left spate to be wanted when it comes to accuracy. The introduction of the Foresight GC3 may have pushed the cost of ownership above the $500 point that golfers have become accustomed to, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

The GC3 PERSONAL LAUNCH MONITOR

The GC3 retails for $7,000, which admittedly might be out of reach for most golfers, but with that , is not merely do you get more data than you get with other personal launch monitors, that data is actually reliable. With the GC3, Foresight supports a robust number of data points, including the most important/ relevant data that consumers need.

Here’s how GC3 compares to Foresight’s enterprise-class GCQuad 😛 TAGEND

Most of these metrics aren’t available in personal launch observes within the $500 – $2000 range. It’s also notable that the GC3 offers a Barometric Sensor. For those who don’t know what that intends, here it is in a nutshell.

Temperature, humidity, and altitude vary across the world. I’m guessing you knew that. If your launch monitor numbers usurp sea level, but you’re playing in the mountains, your actual distance had been greatly longer than what the data proposes because of the altitude and breath density. Temperature matters too.

A barometric sensor takes into account the environment and gives you accurate data based on where you are. You is taking this division to the course you’re playing and you are good to go with your real numbers. No more guessing. It’s that simple.

WHY ARE WE TRYING IT?

Foresight is one of the leaders in the Launch Monitor world. Hell, we use the GC Quad because we want the most accurate data possible for all our testing needs. So when Foresight announced they’re coming out with a Personal Launch Monitor, it was a no-brainer to take it out and threw it through its paces.

Foresight use is rapidly growing on TOUR and without sponsorship dollars pushing the transformation. The majority of PGA TOUR pros inside the Top 25 own GCQuads. Pay attention next time TV cameras scan the assortment. You’re going to see a significant number of Foresights.

The best musicians in the world trust the GCQuad, but is there any luck the GC3 can provide the same level of accuracy for average golfers?

We had to find out.

PRODUCT EXPERT

Hi, I’m Harry, and I am a professional golf product tester.( Yes, they exist .) I test a lot of things at MyGolfSpy and play professionally when I’m not checking and comparing specs on gloves, rangefinders, luggage, ball retrievers, etc .. You can call me the Director of Product Testing here at MGS. You can also only call me Harry. That’s fine, too.

USING THE FORESIGHT GC3

My first impression of the GC3 is how compact the unit is. It’s like a mini-me of the GC Quad. Well kinda. It’s a little lighter and offers one fewer camera. One thing that the GC3 offers that the Quad doesn’t is simple touch screen control. It’s intuitive, easy to use, and totally customizable .

How do you set it up to record data? Turn it on, plonk it down parallel to your target line, and reached. It’s that simple. Point and shoot, if you will.

When using the Foresight GC3 outside, you can link the unit up to a tablet or phone to get more data than what’s offered by the screen alone. If can also supply manager data with one fiducial( the technological word for a sticker) placed high and in the middle of the face. If you’re lucky enough to have chamber to make balls inside, you can link the GC3 up to a computer or via wifi to play Pebble Beach, hit the assortment, or merely have a little fun with a knowledge challenge.

Downloading and installing the software is easy, and setting up the device takes no time at all. I was off and running in a matter of minutes. Trust me, it’s every bit a little faster, if not faster, to get rolling with the Foresight GC3 than most of the $500 Personal Launch Monitors we’ve tested.

For the money, I believe it should be.

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HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO THE GC QUAD?

Ok, let’s face it. The GCQuad is the holy grail of photometric( camera-based) launch observes, but, it turns out, the GC3 doesn’ t lag much behind. It’s true; the GC3 doesn’t give you Loft/ Lie, Face Angle, Impact Location, or Closure Rate. It doesn’t measure putter data either. That might be a letdown for some, but, frankly, the only metrics I’d personally miss are face angle and maybe Loft/ Lie. The other metrics aren’t as necessary, and in most cases, is likely to be extrapolated or figured out some other way. Plus, for $7,000, you get a massive quantity of data. It gets you a good bit of the way to the $18,000 GCQuad.

The question I have been asked the most is,” how reliable is the new GC3 in comparison with the GCQuad ?” Well … I’ll just leave this data up for you, and you can see how it compares for yourself.

Honestly, I’m not surprised one chip. Both units leverage the same flight algorithms, and both capture data reliable. Even with the challenges of running both divisions in latitude, The ball was exceptionally close- consistently closer than we’ve seen with any personal launch monitor we’ve tested to date. While I did make a single shot where the human rights unit disagreed by about 300 RPM, a health number of shots were bang on, often within 50 -1 00 RPM of the GCQuad.

What about head data?

Unfortunately, while we can capture ball data while running the units side-by-side( well, across from one another ), the same method won’t work for psyche data. What we’ve seen intimates the Foresight GC3 does accurately capture head data, and given the capture methodology is the same as the GCQuad, the expectation is that head data will be consistent and accurate .

Can we swear to it? No.

Are we confident? Definitely.

COMPARING THE GC3 TO R10 AND RAPSODO

The question is, how does the GC3 hold up against other Personal Launch Monitors ? It’s a bit of a loaded question given the not entirely insignificant price difference. Apples and oranges, perhaps, but if you’re wondering what you get for the extra currency, here is a comparison between the Garmin R1 0, Rapsodo, and the GC3 compared to the GC Quad.

As you can see, both sets of personal launching observes don’t even sniff the GC3. While the more inexpensive units do well for a couple of metrics, a 7.64% average change in carry can amount to more than a club section. And it’s not consistently 7.64%. Sometimes it’s less, sometimes significantly better. So I’m not sure if I would rely on that data to translate to the course.

Let’s talk about what the GC3 could improve on!

I’m going to be upfront with you. Unless you utterly have to have a few more metrics( and are willing to pay another for $11,00 to get them ), this unit is a game-changer. I haven’t found anything from a data, visuals, or atonement degree that frustrates. The only negative about the GC3 is perhaps the price.

If Foresight priced it in and around the Sky Trak price range, you’d see a lot of GC3s in cellars, backyards, and garages. Nonetheless, the GC3 is the better device( and it works reliably outdoors in full sunlight ), so does it make sense to compete directly on price?

I don’t know. I don’t price products, I examine them. And I definitely can’t predict the future.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE FORESIGHT GC3

Here’s the deal. Figure out which of these best describes you 😛 TAGEND

A Serious golfer Someone who has or will have an indoor hitting room Someone who wants indoor golf recreation

To be fair, if you’re any of the above would be thrilled with the Foresight GC3.

If you’re a serious golfer, you can get dialed in with ACCURATE amounts. You can also take it to your occurrences and still get reliable data regardless of temperature, altitude, or humidity.

Those who have or will have an indoor hitting room in their house enjoy the benefits immensely. You can connect the GC3 up to a computer or iPad and play famous tracks various regions of the world without leaving your house. Plus, in the off-season, you can get grinding on your swing with more data than has been available to you before.

Finally, if you’re looking for something to take your psyche off project, you can use the GC3 in the simulator giving again via an iPad, computer, or iPhone and play the Fairground games or Zombie Apocolypse.

The Foresight GC3 is more capable than other divisions in the Personal Launch Monitor market. It’s that simple.

I understand that the GC3 expenditure $7,000 and can be out of the rate range for some golfers. Nonetheless, you have the option to buy the Bushnell Launch Pro model for $3,000 and add the features you crave via software subscriptions. If you want the same abilities as the GC3 straight away, The Gold package is $799 a year.

I want to be clear that the Foresight GC3 and the Bushnell Launch Pro are the same exact machine and will provide the same data with equal accuracy. The only differences are the logo and the upfront costs.

Is this GC3 something that you’re considering? Let me know in the comment section below.