Bushnell Launch Pro or Foresight Sports GC3: Which One Should You Buy?

The Foresight GC3 offers everything at once, while the Bushnell Launch Pro gives buyers options.

Alright, let’s get the confusing parts about these two portable golf launch monitor/simulator products out of the way:

• They look exactly the same except that the GC3 says “Foresight Sports” on the unit while the Launch Pro says “Bushnell Golf/Foresight Sports.”
• They perform exactly the same, meaning both products offer the same launch monitor and simulator capabilities.
• Each is revered as among the undisputed best launch monitor/simulator products.

In other words, they are the exact same thing! Confusing, right?

The differences all come down to pricing models. In short, the GC3 gives you the whole shooting match right out of the box, while the Bushnell Launch Pro gives you the option to buy just the features that interest you.

Read on to learn more about what those features include.

Pick the Bushnell Launch Pro subscription package that best serves your game and budget.

The Launch Pro retails for $3,999.99. Out of the box, you get the following ball data metrics:

• Launch Angle
• Side Angle
• Ball Speed
• Total Spin
• Back Spin
• Side Spin
• Spin Axis
• Carry Distance

Data is limited to a single shot, meaning you get what’s displayed on the unit’s LCD screen without the ability to store the readout.

Also, with purchase, you get one year free of the Basic software subscription, which will cost you $249 annually after that. The Basic plan allows you to store data and also includes additional ball and clubhead information:

• Club Path (needs club sticker)
• Angle of Attack
• Barometer Adjustment
• Clubhead Speed (needs club sticker)
• Smash Factor (needs club sticker)
• Total Distance (with FSX 2020 or FSX PRO)
• Offline Distance (with FSX 2020 or FSX PRO)
• Descent Angle (with FSX 2020 or FSX PRO)
• Peak Height (with FSX 2020 or FSX PRO)

The Silver and Gold software subscriptions include all of those metrics but also introduce the opportunity to use the Launch Pro as not just a launch monitor but as a simulator, as well.

The Silver package, for $499 per year, gives you five simulated golf courses and allows for up to four players. The Gold package costs $699 per year and comes with 10 courses and eight players.

Jump to this page to veiw a complete Bushnell Launch Pro subscription plan comparison.

An out-of-the-box, turnkey solution.

For a one-time cost of $7,499, you can get everything that the Bushnell Launch Pro can do without subscribing to an annual software package.

That means all of the ball data, all of the clubhead data, and all of the simulation functionality with one purchase.

The problem is that not everybody needs all of those things. Also, with the way that golf tech is moving, there will eventually be a golf launch monitor/simulator that makes this one outdated.

If you don’t plan to use the simulator features, the Launch Pro with a Basic subscription becomes a no-brainer. You can get a Launch Pro plus 15 years (remember, the first year is free) of the Basic package for what you’d pay for a GC3.

It would take seven years with the Launch Pro plus Silver plan to break even on a GC3 purchase. And if you bought the Gold subscription with a Launch Pro, it would take five years before you spent what you would on a GC3.

A lot can and will change in five, seven, or 15 years of golf technology. Do you really want to put all your eggs in one expensive basket?

Four is greater than three, but what price are you willing to pay?

There’s no disputing that the Foresight GCQuad is one of the most impressive pieces of golf tech. With a quadrascopic four-camera system, the GCQuad allows for a larger hitting zone, accurate putting analysis, and more clubhead data, including loft/lie, face angle, impact location, and closure rate when compared to the Launch Pro or GC3.

But do you need all of that? And before you say yes, understand that the GCQuad retails for $14,500. If money is no object, there’s no question that the GCQuad is the best. But a Launch Pro or GC3, with such a vast array of accurate metrics, is more than sufficient for most golfers, even avid ones.

That depends on how much you’re willing to invest in your improvement.

If your budget allows for it, and you’re serious about your game improvement, then yes, buying a Bushnell Launch Pro becomes a very solid investment.

Beyond everything we’ve already discussed, the Launch Pro stands above the competition in that the device measures from the side of the golfer instead of from behind. That means you can save considerable space in room depth requirements if you’re using it as a home golf simulator.

It’s also much more convenient than many competing products because you don’t have to interact with an app. Instead, all of your data readouts are available right in front of you on the device itself.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a launch monitor that’s more accurate than the Launch Pro or a device that delivers a more realistic simulator experience. To have both of those things available in the same unit makes it worth your consideration.

If you hate subscriptions, this is the option for you.

A lot of today’s consumers are tired of subscriptions. They seem to be everywhere in all that we do. If you’re sick of having to keep track of all of the products and services that you have in your life, the GC3 launch monitor/simulator gives you a refreshing opportunity for a turnkey purchase.

If you know that you want all the Launch Pro includes right out of the box and if you plan to keep the device for several years, then a GC3 is a great choice.

The edge goes to versatility.

Simply put, we recommend both the Bushnell Launch Pro and the Foresight Sports GC3. After all, they are the same thing, and either would make an incredible addition to any golfer’s collection of game-improvement tools.

But the smartest investment for most golfers is to choose the Bushnell Launch Pro and the software subscription plan that gives them what they need. Even with the Gold subscription plan, it would take you five years before you paid what you would right off the bat for a GC3 launch monitor.

And five years in golf tech is an eternity. What’s going to come between now and then that replaces this unit as the latest and greatest?

Our advice? Hedge your bet. Buy the Bushnell Launch Pro, choose the subscription plan most appropriate for your situation, and save money.