Struggles with Rapsodo MLM at the range

[AcesAndHoles]

Hi all, 

 

Rapsodo came in a few days ago and I finally had a chance to take it to the range. Both attempts were a miserable fail. I used it last night at a lit range in an enclosed bay and it didn't want to register. The picture was a bit dark on my phone so I chalked it up to the lighting. When it did register, the readings were way off. Out of 125 balls hit with it on maybe 30 registered.

 

Tried it again today in an enclosed bay at 1PM-- broad daylight. First shot registered, Hurrah! The next 100 or so rarely did. I tried hitting  a gap wedge, a 3h and a driver.  In all maybe 15 registered total. 

 

This time the picture on the phone was pretty bright. I tried changing the level of the machine, tried putting it 4 feet, 6 feet, 8 feet from the ball. No difference. The times the machine would register the readings were way off. I was hitting at a range that has a back marker at 250y and with the 3h and driver I was hitting the fence mid height-- no way the shot was the registered 205y. After about 40 balls I switched to the upper deck figuring that maybe the roof cover, or the side netting was getting in the way-- same deal. Even with the more open area it still wouldn't work. 

 

I'm trying really hard to like this thing but so far it's been a complete fail. Anyone have any thoughts? I'm about ready to just say screw it and buy a skytrak or mevo+

[Chief Penguin]

The first time I tried to use mine, I had it positioned so that the bottom of my phone leaned against an edge at the front of the device and as a result it was pointing too far up -- it really has to fit in that notch with the sticker on top.  

I don't know what else to say except read the manual again, make sure you've updated software and firmware, and call customer support if all else fails.  I think its a pretty good product for what it does.

[AcesAndHoles]

I’ve positioned the phone with my case and without firmly in the slot. Aligned the frame with my ball and body and still nothing. The user manual is honestly a bit disappointing. I want this to work, I really do. I think I’m going to need tech support unless anyone has ideas 

[Frankensteins Monster]

Odd experience. There is a toggle in the app based on the conditions, cloudy, daylight, night. I believe this has an affect on the readings, not 100% certain. Make sure you have it updated to the latest firmware. Also, it has to be on the same height as the mat and make sure it's lined up properly. The picture in the camera has no affect on the unit's performance. I can count on my hands how many shots it missed during my time using it the past season. Range is a triple decker and has metal coverings and had no problems. Something is going on.

[fonesy]

following as I've been considering pulling the trigger on the Rapsodo MLM lately.

[AcesAndHoles]

Had another session with the MLM tonight. Two ranges were closed before I found one open so I couldn't take the benefit of full daylight. I used an open bay with the short side-walls this time which allowed the MLM to make readings more consistently, but not necessarily accurately.

 

The area was well lit out to 150y and the picture for the videos is pretty clear/ lit but the flight path of the ball is definitely off and the distances aren't right either. I have a high launch and the tracer makes it look like I'm hitting stingers more often than not. I made sure the flags were proper distances with my rangefinder and I found deviation between 20 and 50 yards of where the ball was and where the readings were coming out. I also had series where my 3h would register in the 200-210 yd range and then blip up to 237yish every now and again with the same exact stroke/ ballflight etc. The last flag marker was at around 215y and I was sailing it consistently and hitting the fence on the fly during that series. 

 

I was trying a few new things with my swing tonight at one point which produced quite a few dribbles/ mishits etc and the MLM registered them but was giving me 100+ yards when they didn't even travel 50. Very curious. I'm still holding out for a daylight session in an open bay but either there's something wrong with my unit, or it's just not appropriate for my needs. 

 

To satisfy my own curiosity I also tried the MLM in indoor mode and had the same results minus the ball-flight. Overall very disappointing. 

[AcesAndHoles]

The struggles continue with the MLM and another failed session, but the good news is that it's not me, nor is it the MLM as a whole. My particular machine is at issue. My friend was hitting in a bay next to another gentleman that had a MLM and he had few, if any, issues even in an enclosed/heated bay. I had him set up my MLM and I recalibrated it by hand with no significant changes and a crash of the software. I'll be returning it and hopefully getting another that will work. 

 

The gentleman that helped me said that he loves his unit and that it's pretty accurate even at night, perhaps being off by 5-10 yards the most in the dark. 

[AcesAndHoles]

Update--- Working with TGW to return and/or exchange the machine was very unpleasant. On the other hand, Rhapsodo customer service was really great and answered immediately. They offered to take care of everything off the bat. Definitely a big kudos to them. 

[TurboFade]

I bought one last week and took it out for it's maiden voyage at my local range.  I have to say I was a bit annoyed by the layout of the app at least when using an iphone as the stat/numbers section is crunched down at the bottom of the app in favor of a graphic chart on top.  However while using an ipad you're really able to see all the stats without any things being squished (maybe there is a way to make these bigger on the iphone that I haven't figured out yet after my first session with it?).  The app/unit wasn't too bad to set up for me however it was a bit sunny which may have caused it to read wrong at first.  I did finally get it going and the numbers seemed accurate with regards to swing speed. The shot tracer is cool, but I think because of the angle that it's reading (on the ground) that it makes the ball flight maybe look a bit flatter than normal.  I also couldn't get the app to read my club selection which was kinda frustrating but luckily it does come with manual club select which I did the entire time during the first session.  I look forward to bringing it out again this weekend for another session.  

[AcesAndHoles]

5 hours ago, TurboFade said:

I bought one last week and took it out for it's maiden voyage at my local range.  I have to say I was a bit annoyed by the layout of the app at least when using an iphone as the stat/numbers section is crunched down at the bottom of the app in favor of a graphic chart on top.  However while using an ipad you're really able to see all the stats without any things being squished (maybe there is a way to make these bigger on the iphone that I haven't figured out yet after my first session with it?).  The app/unit wasn't too bad to set up for me however it was a bit sunny which may have caused it to read wrong at first.  I did finally get it going and the numbers seemed accurate with regards to swing speed. The shot tracer is cool, but I think because of the angle that it's reading (on the ground) that it makes the ball flight maybe look a bit flatter than normal.  I also couldn't get the app to read my club selection which was kinda frustrating but luckily it does come with manual club select which I did the entire time during the first session.  I look forward to bringing it out again this weekend for another session.  

 

I had a similar experience with the tracking and the number reading. Alignment is a bit finnicky and you have to work with the little ball area/ player area/ dotted line to get it right. The numbers read only once out of 6 clubs. Never read the first two attempts and finally did on the third and fourth but it wouldn't work properly. 4 and 7 were being confused 5 and sand were being confused all with the Cobra ForgedTec 2020 numbering. To be fair the could just be too similar but it was definitely frustrating. 

[ShankAaron]

Great information here. What did Rapsodo end up doing to fix your issues? 

 

 

 

In the meantime, I'm just over here in the corner......eating crackers......waiting for the Android version.......watching you........

[Kgglonghorn]

I had an MLM because I thought it would be easier to travel with than my flightscope but could never get the launch data to read correctly.  It always reported launch angles of 20 or higher with my driver.  For perspective, I own a Flightscope and for years on my flightscopes, my driver launch angle has been and continues to be firmly rooted around 12 degrees.   That made me call into question some of the other data and I did have some issues everytime I used it.  Good luck and I hope you get your MLM issues resolved.

[AcesAndHoles]

On 1/22/2021 at 9:37 AM, ShankAaron said:

Great information here. What did Rapsodo end up doing to fix your issues? 

 

 

 

In the meantime, I'm just over here in the corner......eating crackers......waiting for the Android version.......watching you........

 

I sent it back to TGW for now for a refund. I'm not sure whether they'll send me a new unit or a refund. Rhapsodo is on standby in case TGW gives me grief. 

[AcesAndHoles]

16 hours ago, Kgglonghorn said:

I had an MLM because I thought it would be easier to travel with than my flightscope but could never get the launch data to read correctly.  It always reported launch angles of 20 or higher with my driver.  For perspective, I own a Flightscope and for years on my flightscopes, my driver launch angle has been and continues to be firmly rooted around 12 degrees.   That made me call into question some of the other data and I did have some issues everytime I used it.  Good luck and I hope you get your MLM issues resolved.

 

 

Thanks! I know that where you place it relative to the ball is a big deal and the elevation also has a lot to play but realistically I need something simple and consistent. MLM seems to offer that but I got the dud. 

 

I've been seriously contemplating a Mevo+ or a Skytrak lately but don't have the room indoors to really make it work (ceilings are too low) I'll need to tinker and play a few sim rounds first to see if it's worth making an outdoor setup.

[Frankensteins Monster]

1 hour ago, AcesAndHoles said:

 

 

Thanks! I know that where you place it relative to the ball is a big deal and the elevation also has a lot to play but realistically I need something simple and consistent. MLM seems to offer that but I got the dud. 

 

I've been seriously contemplating a Mevo+ or a Skytrak lately but don't have the room indoors to really make it work (ceilings are too low) I'll need to tinker and play a few sim rounds first to see if it's worth making an outdoor setup.

Skytrak is 100% unusable outdoors.

[AcesAndHoles]

23 hours ago, Frankensteins Monster said:

Skytrak is 100% unusable outdoors.

So I've heard, especially if you give it a little shade. But I'm a bit concerned about the ultimate ability of the machine. I've watched a bunch of comparison vids and a lot of people have really good success with them, and a lot struggle. I also really like the face/path data that the mevo gives. Sometimes reading too much is a bad thing, ya know?

 

There was a good comparison of Skytrak vs GCQuad on TXG that summed it up. At lower speeds and predictable trajectories the Skytrak is excellent but once you get up there, or do a lot of wedge work it can struggle. My issue is I apparently have tour lvl speeds but need to learn to control it all and play smart golf--- hence why I want a sim/lm!

Edited January 26, 2021 by AcesAndHoles

[Cousin]

On 1/16/2021 at 6:06 PM, AcesAndHoles said:

Had another session with the MLM tonight. Two ranges were closed before I found one open so I couldn't take the benefit of full daylight. I used an open bay with the short side-walls this time which allowed the MLM to make readings more consistently, but not necessarily accurately.

 

The area was well lit out to 150y and the picture for the videos is pretty clear/ lit but the flight path of the ball is definitely off and the distances aren't right either. I have a high launch and the tracer makes it look like I'm hitting stingers more often than not. I made sure the flags were proper distances with my rangefinder and I found deviation between 20 and 50 yards of where the ball was and where the readings were coming out. I also had series where my 3h would register in the 200-210 yd range and then blip up to 237yish every now and again with the same exact stroke/ ballflight etc. The last flag marker was at around 215y and I was sailing it consistently and hitting the fence on the fly during that series. 

 

I was trying a few new things with my swing tonight at one point which produced quite a few dribbles/ mishits etc and the MLM registered them but was giving me 100+ yards when they didn't even travel 50. Very curious. I'm still holding out for a daylight session in an open bay but either there's something wrong with my unit, or it's just not appropriate for my needs. 

 

To satisfy my own curiosity I also tried the MLM in indoor mode and had the same results minus the ball-flight. Overall very disappointing. 

I have had my MLM for a couple months now, I wasn’t getting great results my first couple times but since then I have had good luck with it. I measured 6 feet on my alignment sticks and place it exactly that from the ball. 
 

Were you selecting the club you were hitting?  I believe it makes a big difference in where the unit looks for flight and how the flight is calculated. 
 

Also keep in mind wind and temperature have a big effect on results. The unit only tracks the ball flight for a short distance then plugs the data into a formula to get total flight. The unit doesn’t account for weather. 

[AcesAndHoles]

13 hours ago, Cousin said:

I have had my MLM for a couple months now, I wasn’t getting great results my first couple times but since then I have had good luck with it. I measured 6 feet on my alignment sticks and place it exactly that from the ball. 
 

Were you selecting the club you were hitting?  I believe it makes a big difference in where the unit looks for flight and how the flight is calculated. 
 

Also keep in mind wind and temperature have a big effect on results. The unit only tracks the ball flight for a short distance then plugs the data into a formula to get total flight. The unit doesn’t account for weather. 

 I'm 6'3'. I literally tried laying down on the ground to measure the distance properly and still, no dice. I selected clubs each time (manually since the camera read didn't work) and changed them as appropriate.

 

Wind and temperature would have an effect, but not to that extent. I usually check the flags with my rangefinder when I go to a new range or hit from different bays. If I'm blowing past a flag set at 156y, there's no way the unit should be reading 110. 

 

I'm glad it's working for some people and I'd certainly give it another shot. I just didn't have a good experience with this particular unit. 

[AcesAndHoles]

The saga continues! Rapsodo customer service was great and I ended up getting another unit directly through them. So far my results are middling, but definitely better. I had a hitting session in "net" mode that I could cross-reference with the PGATSS hitting bays. 

 

I literally set the unit down and started hitting without any preamble or fuss and I'm pleased to say that it actually registered the strokes 70% of the time. Accuracy as compared with the PGATSS metrics was a mixed bag, but encouraging. At this point I think it's something to do with the alignment to get consistently better numbers and reads. For the most part the numbers were short as compared with the hitting bay, but enough of the shots matched within a yard or two, or 1-2 mph. Any feedback offered would be helpful on the best way to align the little boxes they give you. 

 

-A

[Frankensteins Monster]

2 hours ago, AcesAndHoles said:

The saga continues! Rapsodo customer service was great and I ended up getting another unit directly through them. So far my results are middling, but definitely better. I had a hitting session in "net" mode that I could cross-reference with the PGATSS hitting bays. 

 

I literally set the unit down and started hitting without any preamble or fuss and I'm pleased to say that it actually registered the strokes 70% of the time. Accuracy as compared with the PGATSS metrics was a mixed bag, but encouraging. At this point I think it's something to do with the alignment to get consistently better numbers and reads. For the most part the numbers were short as compared with the hitting bay, but enough of the shots matched within a yard or two, or 1-2 mph. Any feedback offered would be helpful on the best way to align the little boxes they give you. 

 

-A

PGASS more than likely has their LM juicing the numbers.

[AcesAndHoles]

40 minutes ago, Frankensteins Monster said:

PGASS more than likely has their LM juicing the numbers.

The distances are pretty close as a whole, but they do vary from machine to machine. Take a look. I was carrying my 5i about 200-210 on course with my D7 Forged and premium balls. The ForgedTec OL is right in that slot. My 9i typically carries around 155 with the 2020 swing. 8i sits at 165-170. To be fair I've changed quite a bit over the last year and the numbers keep changing as I get my legs and hips more involved, and my club path a little cleaner. 

 

I removed outliers and misreads in the sample set for both the Rapsodo and PGATSS system. Have a look. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AcesAndHoles]

Gotta admit though the features are pretty cool!

[Stephencarr]

Hello I’ve recently purchased my rapsodo MLM  I’ve paired it with phone correctly however rapsodo records all shots 20 metres of where I actually hit them  , I’m off 2 my 7 iron usually is between 147 - 152 rapsodo is constantly around the 120s 

[AcesAndHoles]

On 8/14/2024 at 12:44 AM, Stephencarr said:

Hello I’ve recently purchased my rapsodo MLM  I’ve paired it with phone correctly however rapsodo records all shots 20 metres of where I actually hit them  , I’m off 2 my 7 iron usually is between 147 - 152 rapsodo is constantly around the 120s 

 

Stephen, 

 

Unfortunately it didn’t work out for me.  I tried two units and neither worked at the ranges I have access to. I sold mine and moved to the older mevo+ and now the SkyTrak+. ST+ has been my favorite and it’s fantastic for the features. 
 

It’s not perfect, and if I did it all over, I’d probably go GC3 or the bushnell equivalent but each of these has a significant bump in price. St+ has the most features and options that I can benefit from at a good price point.