ST MAX specs
| Brand | SkyTrak |
|---|---|
| Type | Radar + camera |
| Placement | Beside the ball: Beside the ball, level and parallel to the target line; ball on the red laser dot (within 2–3 in works) |
| Room depth | 12 ft minimum, 17 ft comfortable. SkyTrak's hitting-bay minimum is 12 ft long (15 ft recommended); its room planner calls 17 ft deep comfortable. The ST MAX guide asks for at least 10 × 10 ft unobstructed. |
| Use | Indoor & outdoor |
| Spin | Measured from camera images of the ball (dual Doppler radar plus photometric cameras) |
| Club data | Path + face angle: Club speed, smash, path, face angle and face-to-path; no angle of attack. No stickers. |
| Putting | No |
| Balls / stickers | None: turn the logo toward the lens for best spin |
| Display | None (iPad, PC, Mac or Android app) |
| Battery | Up to 5 hours (maker rating) |
| Weight | 5 lb |
| Free to use | Includes a year of Core: Foresight (normally $299.99/yr) with this listing |
| Course play | SkyTrak Core: Foresight ($299.99/yr). First year included; then $299.99/yr (51 courses). Elite $599.99/yr for 100+ |
| Third-party software | None officially supported. SkyTrak no longer offers official third-party software to new buyers (Breaking Eighty, PlayBetter); GSPro lists SkyTrak as unsupported. |
| Works on | SkyTrak app on Windows 10+, macOS (M1+), iPad (M1+) and Android; dual USB-C |
| Warranty | 6 months or 25,000 shots, whichever comes first |
| 3-year cost | About $2,295: hardware plus three years of the cheapest course plan |
| Price tier | $$ Mid-range ($1,000–$2,500). See Amazon for today's price. |
- SkyTrak lists the ST MAX at $1,695 on sale against a $2,995 regular price; Amazon showed $1,695 (shipped by Amazon) on Nov 12, 2026.
- Amazon's '1-Year Software Included' corresponds to SkyTrak's Core: Foresight membership.
- The user guide's troubleshooting table mentions a 'left handed mode'; SkyTrak doesn't publish how to reposition it for lefties.
- Weight from the Amazon listing (5 lb, likely shipping weight). SkyTrak publishes no numeric accuracy claim beyond 'tour-level accuracy'.
Bundles and versions
Each option is a separate Amazon listing. Prices are what we saw on November 12, 2026, not live.
| Option | What's different | Price |
|---|---|---|
| ST MAX with 1-year software | Our pick | Check price |
| ST MAX + protective shield | Adds the metal shield for the unit | Check price |
Specs come from the maker's manuals, FAQs and spec pages and from independent reviews; they can change with firmware and new bundles. Confirm what's in the box on the Amazon page before buying.
SkyTrak ST MAX video review
Video by Breaking Eighty | Honest Golf Reviews on YouTube. Independent creator content, shown as a reference. It is not part of our scoring.
The SkyTrak ST MAX is SkyTrak’s current launch monitor: a compact unit that sits beside the ball and pairs dual Doppler radar with photometric cameras. It reads club path, face angle and face-to-path with no club stickers, and the Amazon listing we link includes a year of SkyTrak’s Core: Foresight membership with 51 courses. It costs about $1,695 on Amazon (Nov 12, 2026; prices change), against a $2,995 regular price on SkyTrak’s site.
Who it’s for, and who should skip it
It suits golfers who want a simple, all-in-one app and a short room. Because the unit sits next to the ball, you don’t need the 6 to 8 ft of floor behind the golfer that radar units such as the Garmin R10 ask for. SkyTrak itself points out that it “sits next to the ball vs other launch monitors that require up to 8’ behind.”
Skip it if you want GSPro or E6. SkyTrak no longer offers official third-party software to new buyers, so you are tied to SkyTrak’s app and memberships. Skip it too if speed training doesn’t interest you. Breaking Eighty found the ST MAX’s hardware identical to the SkyTrak+, which sells for about $995, and judged the ST MAX worth the extra only for speed training. If angle of attack matters, look at the Uneekor EYE MINI LITE or the FlightScope Mevo Gen2 instead: the ST MAX doesn’t report it.
Key capabilities
The ST MAX measures spin from camera images of the ball, not from a calculation, and reports club speed, smash factor, path, face angle and face-to-path. There’s no angle of attack. Over the SkyTrak+, it adds GOLFTEC speed training (SkyTrak is owned by GOLFTEC), two USB-C ports and a faster processor. It runs on a battery rated for about 5 hours and works outdoors as well as in a simulator.
The SkyTrak app runs on Windows 10 or later, macOS on M1 or newer, iPad on M1 or newer, and Android. Check your device first: an older iPad won’t do.
Room and setup
SkyTrak’s setup instructions are short. The unit goes beside the ball, level and parallel to the target line, with the ball on a red laser dot; SkyTrak says within 2 to 3 inches of the dot works. Turn the ball’s logo toward the lens for the best spin reads.
For the room, SkyTrak gives a hitting-bay minimum of 12 ft long, 10 ft wide and 9 ft of net height, and recommends 15 x 15 x 10 ft. Its room planner calls 17 ft deep comfortable and suggests 12 ft of width, plus 1 to 2 ft for households with left- and right-handed players. The user guide mentions a “left handed mode,” but SkyTrak doesn’t publish how to reposition the unit for lefties. Run your numbers through the room size checker and read the room size guide before you buy.
One practical point: a side-of-ball unit sits in the line of fire for shanks. Amazon sells an ST MAX listing with SkyTrak’s metal protective shield at the same $1,695.
Software and ongoing costs
The first year of Core: Foresight is included. After that it’s $299.99 a year for 51 courses. Essential costs $99.99 a year but has no courses, and Elite is $599.99 a year for 100+. Over three years, hardware plus two Core renewals comes to about $2,295.
That’s more than some rivals. The Garmin R50 course plan is $99.99 a year, and the Mevo Gen2 has no subscription at all. Our subscription cost guide compares every plan.
Accuracy
SkyTrak publishes no numeric accuracy figure, only a maker claim of “tour-level accuracy.” GolfLink used the ST MAX weekly for months, found its numbers consistent, saw occasional software freezes, and called it the “best data-per-dollar” at $1,695. Breaking Eighty’s testing of the SkyTrak+, which uses the same hardware, found club speed, carry and spin “right in line” with a Trackman, while side carry read about double.
What you’ll need beyond the box
The ST MAX is a launch monitor, not a simulator. To play indoors you’ll add:
- A net or enclosure. For range practice, the GoSports 10 x 7 ft net is about $89.99. For projected course play, a complete enclosure such as the Sturdum 10 x 8 ft kit (about $499.99) or the GoSports enclosure (about $999.99) adds the impact screen.
- A hitting mat. The GoSports Elite 5 x 5 ft mat is about $213.62. With a thick foam mat, raise the ST MAX so it stays level with the hitting surface.
- A projector. The Optoma GT2300HDR, about $1,099, is the short-throw laser model named in SkyTrak’s own Studio listing.
- A device. An M1 iPad or Mac, a Windows PC or an Android device. No stickers or special balls are needed.
The setup cost builder totals a build like that. If you’d rather buy everything in one box, the ST MAX Studio package bundles the monitor, enclosure, mat and projector.
Bottom line
The ST MAX is a polished, easy side-of-ball monitor with face and path data, no stickers and a year of courses included. Its weak points are SkyTrak-only software, a 6-month or 25,000-shot warranty, no angle of attack, and the fact that the SkyTrak+ appears to be the same hardware for about $700 less. Buy it for speed training and the included year; otherwise compare the SkyTrak+ first. Check the current price on Amazon.
Build a simulator around the ST MAX
A launch monitor is one part of a home simulator. These are the parts we'd pair with it, all sold on Amazon. Check sizes against your room before you buy.
- EnclosureGoSports Golf Simulator Enclosure, frame + HD impact screen, 10 × 8 ftUniversal fit
A complete frame, impact screen and netting from a big-name net maker, sold and shipped by Amazon with 186 ratings. Also offered in 12 × 9 and 14 × 8 ft. Price shown is the 10 × 8 ft option; larger sizes cost more.
- Impact screenDurbles triple-layer golf simulator impact screen, 8.2 × 8.2 ftUniversal fit
A triple-layer replacement or DIY screen with grommets and bungee cords; the sound-damping middle layer is the point. Several sizes on one listing; measure your frame first.
- NetThe Net Return Home/Pro Series golf net, 8 × 7.5 ft, auto ball returnUniversal fit
The premium practice net: aluminum frame, S-shaped return that sends the ball back, and 4.8 stars from 348 ratings. A net, not a projector screen. The maker quotes 8.5 ft of hitting distance and a 9 ft ceiling.
- Hitting matSIGPRO Softy golf mat, 4 × 7 ft, 2.5 in foam coreUniversal fit
A joint-friendly premium mat with a replaceable hitting strip and real-tee support; the 4 × 7 ft size gives a full stance. 2.5 in thick: raise side-of-ball units (SkyTrak, Bushnell, Uneekor, Garmin R50) to mat height.
- Hitting matSIGPRO Softy golf mat, 4 × 10 ft (dual stance)Universal fit
The 10 ft version has stance zones on both sides, for households with left- and right-handed golfers. Side-of-ball monitors still need moving to the other side for lefties.
- ProjectorOptoma GT1080HDR short-throw 1080p projector, 3,800 lumensUniversal fit
The long-running budget sim projector: 695 ratings, low input lag and a 100-inch image from just over 3 ft.
- ProjectorBenQ TH671ST short-throw 1080p projector, 3,000 lumensUniversal fit
A zoom-lens short thrower (0.69–0.83) that gives more freedom in where you mount it; 4.7 stars from 682 ratings.
- MountMount-It! projector ceiling and wall mount, 40 lb capacityUniversal fit
An adjustable-arm universal mount for putting a short thrower on the ceiling, clear of your swing and the ball's path.
Checked November 2026. Price the whole build in the setup cost builder or browse every part in build your sim.
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