How Fast Do Shots Register? 5 Budget Launch Monitors Tested

One of the most underrated factors in how immersive a home golf simulator feels isn't accuracy or spin readings — it's shot lag. How long do you have to wait between striking the ball and seeing the result appear on screen?

Switching between launch monitors makes this difference painfully obvious. A slow unit breaks the rhythm of a range session, while a snappy one keeps you locked in. Today we're taking a quick, real-world look at how fast shots register across five of the most popular sub-$3,000 launch monitors: the SkyTrak ST Max, the SkyTrak ST Plus, the FlightScope Mevo Gen2, the Rapsodo MLM2Pro, and the original SkyTrak.

Each unit was tested on its native app on an iPad, hitting shots on the built-in driving range. We worked from the most expensive down to the cheapest — and if you don't already know the outcome, it might surprise you.

SkyTrak ST Max

FlightScope Mevo Gen2

Rapsodo MLM2Pro

The Premium SkyTrak Units

We started with the SkyTrak ST Max on the SkyTrak driving range, followed by the ST Plus. Both are the flagship photometric options in this lineup, and both deliver a solid experience. One quirk worth noting: the city range on the ST Plus only extends out to 155 yards, which made for a comical driver test.

Performance-wise, these premium SkyTrak units register shots quickly and cleanly, setting the benchmark the rest of the field had to chase.

The Mid-Tier Contenders

Next up was the FlightScope Mevo Gen2, hooked up to the FS Golf app driving range. The Mevo Gen2 lands in what I'd call the acceptable zone — there's a slight delay, but it's not enough to break your rhythm during a session.

The Rapsodo MLM2Pro, running on its own iPad app, was noticeably slower. That lag was still a little painful for me, and it's the kind of delay that some players actually appreciate — a beat to reflect on how the shot felt before the result appears — but for immersion, quicker is better.

The Surprise Winner

Finally, at just $700, we have the lowly but mighty original SkyTrak. Despite being the cheapest unit in the lineup, it turned out to be the fastest to register shots of them all.

The old SkyTrak was noticeably faster than any other launch monitor tested here — a genuine surprise given its price point and age. It proves that shot lag isn't simply a function of how much you spend.