FlightScope didn't launch a new launch monitor. They redesigned the app. And if you own a Mevo Gen2 or a Mevo+, that costs you nothing extra, because this is software you're already using. The hardware math hasn't moved either. The Mevo Gen2 is still $1,299, and that price comes with no subscription attached.
I know, an app update isn't the kind of news that makes you put your coffee down. But the app is the thing you actually touch every single session. The unit is the part that measures. The app is the part that either gets out of your way or ruins your practice.
What's new
The interface got redesigned and, more usefully, reorganized. Practice is now one section covering Full Swing, Short Game, Swing Training, Putting, Gapping and Challenges. Those used to be separate tabs. So that's fewer taps between you and the next ball.
There's a new Light Mode. If you've ever tried to read your phone on a sunny range, you know exactly why that's on the list. You hold the screen at your chest, you tilt it, you give up and just watch the ball. Light Mode is aimed straight at that.
The video side got cleaned up and expanded. On the Gen2, the unit sits in line with you, so one of its cameras can record your swing while the radar reads the ball. You can build shareable galleries of swings with the session data, and put two swings side by side. FS Tracer, which isn't new, draws the shot trajectory over your video in real time.
Here's the feature I'd use most. You can now normalize shot data, which means pulling wind out of a live session or out of a session you hit last month. You can set your location so elevation and current weather get accounted for, and you can normalize for the ball you're hitting. So your 7-iron carry is your 7-iron carry, not what a gust did to it on Tuesday.
Data Margins is new too. You set success ranges for different metrics and skill levels, so the app tells you whether a shot was good enough instead of just handing you numbers. That one needs the Pro Package.
You can also go wild on the practice environment. Camera angle from low to high, clear or overcast or golden hour or night sky, maple or pine trees, grass or a hitting bay with mats. None of that changes a number on the screen. It just makes an hour in the garage feel less like an hour in the garage.
And if you use FlightScope's i4 rangefinder, you can link it to your FS Golf account. It'll use your own data plus wind, weather and elevation to recommend a club.
Who it's for
If you already own a FlightScope, this is the easy one. Update it and use the video tools you've probably been ignoring.
If you're shopping your first personal launch monitor, this is the part people skip. You compare spin numbers and accuracy claims and never once open the app. The app is what you live in.
Now here's the catch, because there's always one. Some of what you'd want sits behind the add-ons. The Pro Package is a one-time $699 and adds club path, face-to-path, face-to-target, dynamic loft, vertical and horizontal swing plane, low point and the club speed and acceleration profiles. Face Impact Location is another one-time $350 for lateral and vertical impact plus heat mapping. Add both and you're looking at close to another $1,000 on top of the $1,299 unit.
I haven't tested the new app. On the course side, eight E6 Connect courses come with the unit permanently. A 12-course bundle with Pebble and the Old Course is a one-time $250, and the bigger packages run $300 to $600 a year.
So here's where I land. If you own the Gen2 or the Mevo+, go get the update. If you're buying your first unit, download the app of every monitor on your list first and see which one you can stand. And if your current setup works and you never record your swing anyway, keep your money in your pocket. Nothing here is asking you to spend it.
Product image courtesy of FlightScope
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About the author
Paul Liberatore
Paul Liberatore is the founder of Golfers Authority and a former four-year golf gear contributor to Sports Illustrated. He tests golf equipment hands-on to help golfers make better buying decisions.