Foresight Sports GCQuad Launch Monitor Review

Foresight Sports GCQuad Launch Monitor Review

As many golfers will know, having access to your swing data can be a vital tool to help you improve as a player. In the last 20 years, improvements in sports science have allowed golfers of all skill abilities to refine their swing and hit lower scores. One of those advances in technology has been the development of the portable launch monitor, which allows players to gain access to information about their swing and ball flight which they can use to improve the way they play. 

The technology on offer in some of the best golf launch monitors, including this Foresight Sports GCQuad Launch Monitor, is quite astounding. The GCQuad is Foresight Sports' flagship model that sits above the more affordable GC3 launch monitor and has seen a significant take-up from some of the word's best golfers, including the likes of Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler.   

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Its popularity among professional players is largely down to the portable nature of this launch monitor and the astounding amount of accurate data it can provide a player about every club in their bag, including the putter thanks to the Essential Putting Analysis feature. This is a unique tool, which tracks putting data such as speed, path, lie, loft, and the angle of attack of your putting stroke as well as the amount of skid the ball has before it achieves true roll (the less skid the better).

While that is perhaps the defining feature of this monitor, it excels in other areas too. The GCQuad has four cameras that take 200 pictures from several different perspectives during impact. That allows features of the club and ball to be pinpointed and provide almost instantaneous shot data. Unlike radar based launch monitors like the Trackman 4 or Full Swing Kit, the GCQuad takes pictures of the clubface, which provides precise information like the path, lie angle, angle of attack and strike location. You can then interpret that data and crunch the numbers to understand why you keep hitting that dreaded hook or how you can add more spin to your approach shots. 

Dissimilarly to other launch monitors, the GCQuad also requires no calibration, making it quick and easy to set up on the range, on the practice green or even on the course. It weighs just under 4kg and features an ergonomic grip on its back, making it very easy to lift and carry. The monitor will upload and store all of your data to the Foresight Sports cloud system, which you can log into after your practice session to access all the information about your swing. This golf accessory also has a removable battery, built-in WiFi and boasts a hitting area that is six times bigger than its predecessor, the GC2, which makes it easier to use on grass ranges. 

The app experience is somewhat archaic although it is free and does feature table averages so you can easily compare clubs. It also has excellent club graphics that intuitively show you what the club was doing at impact and the associated numbers. Having used the GCQuad for a number of years when testing clubs, the biggest compliment we can pay it is that you don't need to think about it much. Getting it set up is simple and accurate data appears, be it on a simulator screen or our iPad, straight away. You can even use it to play famous courses indoors or see your ball flight on a virtual range instead of hitting aimlessly into a net.

All of this does not come cheap and the GCQuad will set you back upwards of $12,000. But you are getting a lot for your money in this piece of equipment which is designed to give tour-level feedback through a comprehensive suite of data. That can help players make serious improvements to their swing and makes the Foresight Sports GCQuad Launch Monitor one of the best portable launch monitors on the market.