Foresight Sports GC3 Launch Monitor Review

Released on October 3, 2021, the GC3 has been considered by many golfers as a superior alternative to many other launch monitors currently available on the market.

According to Rick Cuellar, the Director of Sales for Foresight Sports in the U.S.A, the GC3 was developed from the ground up to fill the gap between their original ball-data-only GC2 and the unparalleled data insight provided by the GCQuad.

The GC3 provides golfers with the critical ball and club data they need to improve their game and powers a true-to-life golf simulation. At this price point, no other product on the market even comes close to giving the same variety of options, let alone the same level of accuracy indoors and outdoors.

Let's explore the GC3's capabilities and see what makes it one of the best launch monitors ever manufactured.

The Foresight GC3 launch monitor is an offering designed to address the lack of accuracy difficulties that many golfers experience while using other devices. Some golfers may view the Foresight GC3, which has a higher price point than most others in its category, as a more pricey alternative to consider. However, it does come with a few amenities that make it a worthy buy overall.

To get things started, this launch monitor provides a considerable amount of data. The data users receive is also improved, making it more accurate and helpful. Because of this, the Foresight GC3 is an option that golfers of all skill levels will find to be rather trustworthy. Customers will benefit from the extremely high degree of precision offered by GC3's multiple data points.

The metrics that it provides are typically absent from launch monitors that are more reasonably priced. A barometric sensor is also included in the GC3's hardware. This sensor can assist golfers in maintaining their performance regardless of where they are in the world, regardless of environmental elements such as altitude, humidity, and temperature.

The barometric sensor in the GC3 is what provides you with the incredibly precise data you need for any course. Despite the fact that it comes at a premium price point, due to the high level of dependability it provides, it is an option that is worth considering. You can use it as a supplement to any class and profit from the high level of precision contained within the readings.

Product Overview

The GC3 provides all you require in order to elevate your game to an entirely new level.

You can use it outside on the course or inside with your own home simulation system. The GC3 Launch Monitor has three precise cameras that can scan club and ball data, a touch screen display that can assist you in keeping track of your shots, and it is easily portable.

Set Up and Use

Connect the GC3 to an outlet and let the battery fully charge before you begin using it. In the Settings menu, the battery level may be checked.

When you initially turn on the GC3, you'll be given the option of connecting via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Afterward, you'll need to use the QR code shown to register the device.

A two-foot distance from the hitting area is ideal for securing the GC3. The unit you use to address your shot should be perpendicular to your aim line, straight forward, and slightly forward of the ball. Ideally, the GC3 should be at the same height as the hitting surface.

This position allows the GC3 to keep track of ball and club data within an area of roughly 7"x10".

Here's an overview (5 minutes 32 seconds) of the setup for the Foresight GC3 Launch Monitor.

Pricing

The GC3 launch monitor has a starting price of $7000, and this price includes an FSX 2020 software license that comes with 10 different courses. However, the GC3 is only available for purchase if it is included in either the Essentials Plus Bundle or the Players Plus Bundle.

The Essentials Plus Bundle is the more affordable option of the two bundles, coming in for $7499; however, in addition to FSX 2020 with 10 courses, it also includes the latest version of the FSX Play software which features the La Jolla Pines golf course. The FS Performance Fitting App and the FSX Pro program, both of which can be used for fitting and coaching, are also included.

The Players Plus Bundle comes with everything included in the Essentials Plus Bundle, as well as ten additional courses for FSX 2020. Many of these courses are well-known all over the world, such as Pebble Beach, the Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie, and Spyglass Hill. The price of the Players Plus Bundle is $8999.

Additional golf courses, either premium or normal, can be purchased for FSX2020 at a price ranging between $95.00 and $900.00 each.

If you combine GC3 with the FSX2020 performance and gaming package, you will have access to 5 Courses (Teton Pines, Broken Tree, Linfield National, Willow Crest, and Bayou Golf & Fishing Club) that will help you enhance your skills while competing with players from across the world.

Surely, Foresight Sports had to make a few more sacrifices to get the price down, such as a non-metallic finish, a fixed battery, a smaller hitting zone, and the lack of functionality of Bluetooth, but we think it's a minor tradeoff that won't affect the majority of users at all. It's a tradeoff that's worth considering.

Because of the significant amount of money you will save by purchasing a GC3 (compared to Trackman, X3, or the GCQuad), you will have a great deal of leeway to design an outstanding golf simulator set up complete with an enclosure, impact screen, projector, hitting mat, and other components.

Data Parameters Measured

• Launch Angle
• Side Angle
• Ball Speed
• Total Spin
• carry
• Side Spin/Spin Axis
• Club Head Speed
• Smash Factor
• Club Path
• Angle of Attack

Pros

• A photometric technology with a high degree of accuracy
• Integrated touchscreen within the display of the monitor
• Rich textures, 3D grass and vegetation, improved lighting, an upgraded user interface, and other elements create the finest simulation experience to date. 

Cons

• The price is relatively high 

Where to Buy the GC3?

Shop Indoor Golf, Top Shelf Golf, and Rain or Shine Golf are, in addition to the Amazon website, the few online retailers that, in our opinion, offer the best selection of the GC3 at the most competitive prices. These sellers offer an opportunity to upgrade to the Players Plus Bundle when purchasing the Essentials Plus Bundle, which contains everything else that is included in the package.

Your preferences will determine which of these vendors is the best fit for you. These companies offer fantastic customer service teams that will go above and beyond to ensure that all of your needs are met.

Alternatives

If you are still considering your options, the following devices may help you decide. 

You May Also Like: Best Golf Launch Monitors

Foresight GCQuad

Without a doubt, the GCQuad is one of the most cutting-edge and potent launches monitors now available on the market. It is now the most expensive portable launch monitor in the GC line, at the time this article was written.

Using a mix of infrared object tracking and high-speed camera systems, the GCQuad accurately records the performance characteristics of both the club and the ball. This capability is shared by the other GC launch monitors manufactured by Foresight Sports.

The GCQuad, which was introduced in 2017, makes use of a quadrascopic camera system, which is an improvement on the stereoscopic camera system that was used by the GC2.

It is possible to obtain data that are direct rather than computed thanks to four high-speed cameras that are positioned at the four corners of the device. These cameras capture thousands of photos per second and generate a comprehensive 3D model of the club and the ball during impact.

Parameters Measured 

• ball speed
• carry distance
• spin
• side spin
• horizontal & vertical launch angle

The following metrics are able to be taken thanks to the club data add-on that is available for the GCQuad:

• club head speed
• smash factor
• club path
• angle of attack
• face angle
• closure rate
• clubface impact location
• lie & loft at impact

The putting add-on for the GCQuad allows for the following measurements to be taken:

• putter speed
• putter path
• smash factor
• angle of attack
• spin-tilt axis
• impact location
• ball velocity
• horizontal launch direction
• vertical launch angle
• sidespin
• backspin
• total spin
• impact face angle
• impact lie

When it comes to accurate measurements of ball and club data, the Foresight Sports GCQuad launch monitor continues to be one of the most popular options on the market. As long as you configure the device correctly, the accuracy is pinpoint. You will receive everything necessary to have a thorough comprehension of your game.

Bushnell Launch Pro

Vista Outdoors, the parent company of Bushnell, made the acquisition of Foresight Sports around the end of the year 2021. By completing this purchase, Bushnell has demonstrated a significant commitment to the rapidly expanding launch monitor and golf simulation industries.

The GC3 is an all-inclusive plan that does not call for further subscriptions to be purchased. You can play golf virtually by using FSX 2020, the FSX Performance App (which features a 3D driving range and a variety of fancy data analysis views), and even Foresight Sports' brand-new FX Play software, which is a golf simulation program that has all new and improved graphics.

With the Bushnell Launch Pro, the only thing you receive without a membership is the device's own on-screen numeric data display. There is nothing else available. If you do not subscribe to either of the top two tiers of the service, you will not have access to the simulation feature, and you will also be missing certain data points such as Club Path and Attack Angle.

In order to provide tour-level measurements in a package (or packages) that is more inexpensive for the everyday golfer, the Launch Pro is marketed by Bushnell Golf, even though it is being built by Foresight Sports.  

Parameters Measured 

• carry distance
• total spin
• horizontal launch angle 
• backspin
• side spin 
• ball speed 
• vertical launch angle 
• spin tilt axis

Launch monitors such as the Bushnell Launch Pro and the Foresight Sports GC3 are nearly indistinguishable from one another in terms of their technological capabilities. Both of these devices utilize a high-speed, triscopic camera configuration, which is the primary factor that contributes to their remarkable degree of accuracy.

SkyTrak

The SkyTrak was the first accurate launch monitor to be released into the market at a price that was less than $5,000 and was accessible to the average golfer. It was released before the end of 2014.

SkyTrak makes use of a photometric system, which is camera-based. The machine is able to produce measurements with an accuracy that is comparable to that of considerably more expensive commercial systems as a result of the utilization of a high-speed camera that captures photos of the ball.

SkyTrak is promoted heavily for use as an indoor launch monitor, and this is the setting in which it should be utilized whenever it is practical to do so. If you are unable to use it inside, it can be used successfully outside; however, the camera lens should not receive direct sunlight. 

Parameters Measured

• ball speed
• launch angle
• backspin
• side spin
• side angle

The software is able to derive six additional metrics with the help of this data.

• carry & total distance
• club head speed
• roll
• flight path
• offline
• angle of descent

This turns out to be plenty of data for most golfers.

Check Also: 10 Best SkyTrak Golf Simulators

SkyTrak gives you the ability to discover countless game improvement and practice tools without ever having to leave the convenience of your own home.

Does GC3 work with an iPad?

You can play famous courses from around the world without ever having to leave your house if you connect the GC3 to a computer or iPad. In addition, you will have access to more data than you ever have before, allowing you to improve your swing even better.

Final Thoughts 

If you are looking for a launch monitor with a high level of accuracy, Foresight's GC3 is one option to take into consideration.

Foresight Sports has developed its new golf launch monitor called the GC3 for the purpose of closing the technological void left in the GC line by the retirement of the stereoscopic GC2 system and the introduction of the state-of-the-art GCQuad.

The fact that it can deliver accuracy, versatility, and portability that is comparable to that of the GCQuad while being substantially more economical is its primary selling point. It can be purchased for well under $10,000 with software included in the price.

The GC3 has a modern, portable design and comes equipped with a touchscreen display as well as data output that is sent directly to the screen. The launch monitor functions exactly the same whether it is used indoors or outdoors.