If you have been watching the golf simulator market for any length of time, you know that the SkyTrak+ has been one of the most recommended units at the $2,000 price point for the past several years. It is accurate, it runs on Mac and iOS without a gaming PC, and its hybrid dual Doppler radar and photometric camera system produces reliable data session after session. Instructors use it. Home simulator builders swear by it. It is the kind of product that builds a loyal customer base precisely because it does what it promises without drama.
Which is why it matters that SkyTrak has officially discontinued it.
The SkyTrak+ is currently selling through remaining inventory at $1,995 — a clearance price that is $1,000 less than the new SkyTrak ST MAX. Once that inventory clears, the ST+ is gone permanently. There is no restock coming. The ST MAX is SkyTrak’s sole model going forward.
For golf simulator buyers sitting on the fence, this creates one of the more interesting decisions in the market right now.
What SkyTrak Is Replacing It With
The SkyTrak ST MAX launched in late 2025 at $2,995. It uses the same core tracking technology as the SkyTrak+ — dual Doppler radar combined with a photometric camera, the same hybrid system that made the ST+ so well regarded. The data output is virtually identical. Testers who have used both units side by side consistently report no meaningful accuracy difference between them.
What the ST MAX adds over the ST+ is specific: a GOLFTEC-powered speed training module built directly into the SkyTrak app, dual USB-C ports for simultaneous charging and data transfer, a faster processor, and a new charcoal color scheme.
For golfers actively working on distance gains the speed training module is genuinely useful. For the golfer who primarily wants accurate sim data, virtual course play, and a reliable practice setup, it adds $1,000 to the price for features that will largely go unused.
Jay Lasco of Golf Simulator Videos, who has tested both units in his own studio alongside tour-level units including the Trackman iO and Foresight GCQuad, has covered the comparison in detail. His full breakdown of the SkyTrak ST MAX vs SkyTrak+ goes through every difference spec by spec — and his conclusion is direct: if the ST+ is still available, most golfers should take it.
Why the $1,000 Gap Is More Significant Than It Looks
The obvious math is straightforward — $1,995 vs $2,995 is a $1,000 difference on hardware with identical core performance. But the real compounding advantage of the ST+ comes when you factor in the ongoing membership cost that both units require for full features.
SkyTrak’s membership plans run from $130 per year for the Essential tier up to $600 per year for Elite — which unlocks both the Foresight and Trackman course libraries including Pebble Beach. Most home simulator users land on Core at $300 per year, which gives access to 30+ premium courses from one library.
Over five years, a SkyTrak+ owner paying Core membership spends roughly $3,495 total on hardware and software. The same setup with the ST MAX runs to $4,495. The $1,000 hardware gap does not shrink — it holds.
For buyers wondering whether the membership tiers are worth it and which one makes sense for their setup, Jay has put together a complete guide to SkyTrak membership plans that covers each tier, the Foresight vs Trackman course pack decision, and a five-year cost table for every hardware and membership combination.
The Mac Angle That Most Coverage Misses
One aspect of SkyTrak’s story that tends to get buried in spec comparisons is native Mac support. Both the ST MAX and SkyTrak+ are the only major launch monitors at this price point with first-party Mac software support. Every other serious competitor — Garmin R50, Foresight GC3, Uneekor EYE MINI — requires a Windows PC to run full simulation software.
For a meaningful portion of potential buyers, this is the entire decision. If your household runs Macs and you do not want to buy a gaming PC to run your golf simulator, SkyTrak is currently your only real option in the $2,000-$3,000 range. That applies equally to the ST+ and the ST MAX, since both run on the same software platform.
This makes the current clearance window on the ST+ particularly notable for Mac users. Identical native Mac support, identical software access, $1,000 less.
What the Transition Means for Buyers Watching From the Sidelines
For anyone who has had SkyTrak on their list but has been waiting for the right moment, the math is now relatively clear. The right moment is before the ST+ sells out.
Nobody outside of SkyTrak knows exactly how much inventory remains. These closeout situations can run for months or end in weeks depending on how much remaining stock was produced and how fast the market absorbs it. There is no public countdown.
What is certain is that once the inventory is gone, the entry point into the SkyTrak ecosystem becomes $2,995 — full stop. The $1,995 option ceases to exist.
Jay’s full hands-on ST MAX review is worth reading before making a final decision. And for the best available price on either model, his SkyTrak discount code page has the verified affiliate code GOLFSIMULATORVIDEOS — valid on both models and all studio packages.
A Note on the Broader Market Context
The SkyTrak+ discontinuation is the latest in a pattern of mid-tier launch monitor consolidation. FlightScope discontinued the Mevo+ earlier this year in favor of the Mevo Gen 2. Garmin has been repositioning the R10 as a budget entry point while pushing the R50 as a more serious option.
What is happening across the market is a compression of the mid-tier. Units that used to cost $2,000-$3,000 are being replaced by updated models at the same or higher price, while the entry-level segment gets increasingly capable. The window where a well-regarded unit is available at genuine closeout pricing does not last long in this environment — and the SkyTrak+ closing out at $1,995 for hardware that originally retailed at $2,995 is as close to a clearance opportunity as this market produces.
For buyers in Michigan and across the Midwest who have been building out home simulator setups — the category has exploded locally since 2020 and shows no signs of cooling — this is the kind of timing decision that tends to look obvious in hindsight.
The code is GOLFSIMULATORVIDEOS. The link is direct. Whether it makes sense for your specific setup is a question worth answering before the inventory answer makes it for you.
