Is the Bushnell Launch Pro Circle B Actually a New Product? Well…

The Bushnell Launch Pro has had a weird couple of years.

If you were paying attention to the launch monitor market, you probably noticed some confusing signals coming from Bushnell and Foresight Sports.

The two companies ended up under the same corporate umbrella, and suddenly the future of the Launch Pro, one of the most popular prosumer launch monitors on the market, felt a bit uncertain.

First it was being discontinued.

Then it wasn’t.

Then maybe it was again.

The messaging kept shifting.

A lot of people, me included, were left wondering what was actually happening.

Finally, the confusion is over. The Launch Pro is back and here to stay as the Circle B Edition Launch Pro and indoor-only Circle B Edition LPi.

It’s the exact same hardware. All that’s changed is the name, the aesthetics, and the pricing.

I’m going to walk through what’s new, what’s completely the same, what the new pricing tiers mean for you, and whether this launch monitor still deserves its spot as one of the best values in that $2,500 range.

Let’s dig in.

The Backstory You Need to Understand

Alright, let’s talk about how we got here.

When Bushnell and Foresight Sports became sister companies, things got a little complicated. Foresight had the GC3, a three-camera photometric launch monitor that was crushing it with serious golfers and teaching pros. It was incredibly accurate (still is), portable, and built extremely well.

Then Bushnell took that same GC3 hardware, repackaged it with different pricing, slapped their name on it, and called it the Launch Pro.

The idea was a good one. Bushnell is a better-known brand to a wider audience of consumer golfers. By coming up with a version that included a lower entry point in exchange for ongoing subscription payments, Bushnell/Foresight could reach more of the market with two twin products.

It was a smart idea. And it worked. The Launch Pro became hugely popular.

And then last year Foresight did a huge about face.

They decided to discontinue the Launch Pro, in favor of two “new” products.

The Bushnell LPi would be essentially a stripped down Launch Pro. Indoor only, no built in screen, a $500/year subscription – and it’d cost $2,799 – more than a ball only Launch Pro was at the time.

ALong with that they rolled out the Foresight GC3s. This is essentially the exact same as a club data enabled Launch Pro (or a GC3 for that matter), it also had the subscription, but would come with a Bushnell Pro X3 Link rangefinder.

All this for $3,899, or significantly more than the Launch Pro was.

I understand the general sentiment behind the move: keep the Launch Pro from undercutting one of their flagship Foresight products.

The problem is they missed the mark, and neither of them ended up very popular.

Especially considering technology has continued to get better and there are very good launch monitor products for significantly less money.

But now, the Launch Pro has been relaunched (again!) as the Circle B. Which despite being technology that’s 5+ years old – I think is going to be great for consumers.

Let’s dig in.

First Impressions: Bushnell’s Signature Orange Returns

The most obvious change with the Circle B Edition Launch Pro is the color.

Bushnell’s signature orange is back, and it’s loud. The entire back panel of the new launch monitor is bright orange. It’s unmistakably Bushnell.

This is definitely a move that’s about brand identity and market positioning.

When the Bushnell product line started adopting Foresight’s blue-and-gray look, it made sense from a product family standpoint.

But it also made Bushnell less distinctive. All of a sudden, we were seeing Bushnell rangefinders, which have always included some orange, instead in blue, gray, and black. It was just a little confusing.

This can’t-miss-it orange on the new Launch Pro Circle B Edition solves that. It’s a clear visual signal that this is a Bushnell product. It’s built for a Bushnell audience. And it’s here to stay (we hope).

I think this bold orange declaration is a smart move. Bushnell has built a ton of equity with that color over the years. So why not lean into it?

Bushnell has also updated its indoor-only LPi model. This is the same exact launch monitor as the Launch Pro, GC3, and GC3S, just without the screen or battery. It offers the opportunity to get in the door for only $1,499.99 if you know you’re not going to use your launch monitor outdoors.

And at that price, it actually feels like a reasonable deal, and is where it should have been priced from day one.

For this rebranding, the LPi gets a more subtle treatment than the full-fledged Launch Pro. It doesn’t have the same dramatic orange back and is instead gray with orange accents. It still looks great, I think, but it’s a bit more understated.

What’s New or Different about the Circle B Edition Launch Pro?

Let me be perfectly clear. This new Circle B Edition Launch Pro is the exact same hardware as the outgoing Launch Pro. Which means it’s also the exact same as the GC3 and the GC3S. Same three cameras. Same data. Same software. Same everything.

You’re still getting:

Ball Data:

• Carry distance
• Ball speed
• Vertical and horizontal launch angle
• Total spin
• Back and side spin
• Spin tilt axis

Club Data:

• Club head speed
• Club path
• Angle of attack
• Smash factor

Nothing has changed on the performance side. Nothing. It’s the exact same information captured the exact same way.

Which, honestly, is great. I’ve been a huge fan of the Launch Pro for a long time. I’m definitely not complaining that they didn’t change anything from what was already working so well.

What is new, beyond the name and color scheme, is the pricing structure.

The new Circle B Edition Launch Pro retails for $2,499. That gets you ball data right out of the box. Then, if you want to add club data and simulator software access, you’ll need to add a subscription. 

But now you’ve got two subscription options instead of just one.

The $199 Silver Plan: Is It Worth It?

I think this is the most meaningful change with the Circle B Edition.

Bushnell has brought back the Silver subscription tier. It costs $199 per year, which is $300 less than the Gold tier, and it still gives you access to Foresight’s software and a handful of simulator courses.

I’ve talked a lot in the past about how much I love the FSX Play sim software. I think the course replications and lifelike details are about as good and realistic as it gets for simulator golf. So to now get access to that software for just $199 a year is huge.

The difference is that with the Silver plan you only get five FSX Play courses, instead of the 25 you get with the Gold tier.

So if you’re using your launch monitor primarily as a practice tool and you occasionally play a sim round on a handful of courses, having only five courses and spending a lot less money might make perfect sense.

You’re saving $300 a year, and you’re still getting full access to ball and club data plus enough simulator content to keep things interesting.

But, and this is important, the Silver plan doesn’t unlock third-party simulator software compatibility.

If you want to use your Launch Pro with something like GSPro, you’re stuck with the Gold subscription. And you’re still paying the $250/year GSPro subscription on top of that.

So the math changes depending on what you want to do with the device. I think that practice-focused golfers who play sim rounds only occasionally are going to find the Silver tier to be a solid deal.

Serious sim golfers are still going to want to go with the Gold.

I like this Silver Tier addition. It lowers the barrier to entry without compromising the core experience.

Also, this is one of the main differentiators between the Circle B Launch Pro and the Foresight GC3S, which is also subscription-based.

With the GC3S, which costs $3,799 but also includes a Bushnell Pro X3 LINK rangefinder, you only have the option to get the Gold tier.

With the Circle B Launch Pro, which costs $2,499 but does not include the rangefinder, you’ve got a choice between no subscription for just ball data, or the Silver tier for club data and five FSX Play courses, or the Gold tier for club data and 25 courses.

Personally, I think it’s great to have choices. Opens this hardware up to more use cases.

But I’d be lying if I said, I wouldn’t be kind of ticked off if I bought this GC3s this year, and didn’t have the chocie to get a Silver subscription.

The Ball Data vs Club Data Models (Don’t Exist)

But there is one important thing to note. With the older-model Launch Pro, you had the option to buy just ball data for a considerably lower price.

Now, you still have the option to forgo the subscriptions all together and use the Circle B for just ball data. But you have to pay the same $2,499 retail as you would if you wanted ball-and-club data. Your only savings would be in the subscription fees you weren’t paying.

So, in effect, if you just want ball data, the price is going up.

And to be clear, the unit is the same regardless. To get club data, you don’t need a different unit, you just need to unlock it.

Bushnell Launch Pro Circle B Edition Performance

So, what’s it like using the Bushnell Launch Pro Circle B Edition?

Well, if you’ve used the old Launch Pro or a Foresight GC3, you already know. It’s the exact same experience.

And honestly, I think it’s still one of the best experiences in this price range.

One of the things I’ve always loved about the Launch Pro is how quickly you can start using it. Because of the display, you can literally turn it on, give it a few seconds to warm up, and you’re ready to go.

Compare that to something like the Mevo Gen2, which I also love but for not all of the same reasons, where you really need to spend a few minutes calibrating and checking before each session. With the Launch Pro, there’s very little tweaking required.

And then there’s the accuracy, which I’ve found is completely dead-on. I actually don’t know anyone who would dispute this launch monitor’s accuracy.

The screen makes everything really convenient. Yes, you can interface with an app. But you don’t have to. You can just glance down after each shot and see your numbers, which makes it like the perfect driving range launch monitor.

Also, because it sits beside the ball rather than behind it, you don’t need a ton of space behind your hitting area if you’re building an indoor simulator setup. That’s a big deal for people with tight spaces.

Build quality is also still top-notch. It’s as solid as any launch monitor there is.

So, like I said, there’s really nothing new to report on the performance side. This is the same device as the old Launch Pro and as the current GC3 and GC3S.

A Minor Display Quirk

There is one thing worth mentioning about the built-in display.

The Launch Pro cycles through three screens. The first is your ready screen where you place the ball in the hitting zone. The second shows your ball data. Then the third screen shows club data.

After each shot, it rotates between the ball data and club data screens.

If you’re on the Silver or Gold plan, this works great. But if you’re using it for ball data only, without a subscription, that third screen just shows “—” for all the club metrics.

It’s a minor annoyance, and you can go into the settings to turn off the club data screen entirely. But it’s something to be aware of.

Understanding the Current Bushnell/Foresight Launch Monitor Lineup

Here’s where things can get confusing for a lot of people. As I said, Bushnell and Foresight are selling what is essentially the same launch monitor under four different pricing models.

Let me break it down:

Bushnell Circle B Edition LPi – $1,499

• Indoor-only (no screen, no battery)
• Requires Silver ($199/year) or Gold ($499/year) subscription for any functionality

Bushnell Circle B Edition Launch Pro – $2,499

• Indoor and outdoor use
• Built-in screen and battery
• Ball data included, club data and simulation requires Silver or Gold subscription

Foresight GC3S – $3,799

• Same hardware as Launch Pro
• Requires Gold subscription
• Includes Bushnell Pro X3 LINK rangefinder

Foresight GC3 – $6,999

• Same hardware, no subscription required ever
• Fully unlocked for life
• Includes Pro X3 LINK rangefinder

So the shot-tracking technology is identical across all four options. And other than the indoor-only LPi which doesn’t include the screen or battery, the devices are the exact same size, shape, and weight. They’re identical, minus the color and branding differences.

It really just comes down to how you’re going to use your launch monitor and how long you plan to own it.

If you want a device that you can own for years, pay for one time and be done with it, and you like the idea of the included rangefinder (which can interface with the launch monitor and get you personalized club recommendations in your rangefinder), the GC3 is the best option.

Or maybe you want the rangefinder but you’re not sure you’ll own the launch monitor for more than a few years before you upgrade. That’s where the GC3S is the smart move.

But if you don’t care about the rangefinder and you’re just looking for the least expensive way to own one of the best launch monitors on the market, get the new Launch Pro Circle B Edition. It’s your most economical choice up front if you want something that can work indoors and outdoors.

Of course, if you’re only planning to play indoors and don’t need the screen or battery, you can save even more money and get the LPi Circle B.

Final Launch Pro Circle B Thoughts: Still Alive and Still a Winner

In some ways, there’s not too much to be excited about here. I mean, really, there’s very little that’s new.

But in other ways, this Circle B announcement is a big deal. It confirms that the Launch Pro is alive and well, and it opens up a wider range of pricing options.

The return of the orange is a statement. The Silver subscription tier is a smart addition. And the hardware was already excellent to begin with.

If you’re looking for a prosumer-level launch monitor in that $2,500 range and you want something that’s proven, the Circle B Edition Launch Pro is still one of the best options out there.

It’s the same device I’ve recommended for a long time, and personally, I’m very happy it’s still around.

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The Bushnell Circle B Edition Launch Pro and LPi are the same launch monitors as they've always been, just with updated aesthetics and pricing.

9.3 Excellent

Same three-camera accuracy as the old Launch Pro. Same build quality. Same access to the FSX Play simulator software. What's changed with these new Circle B Editions is the color scheme and the pricing. Thanks to the reintroduction of the Silver subscription tier, you can now get ball and club data plus simulator access for only $199 a year instead of the $500/year Gold subscription. That's going to be a win for a lot of people.

The Good

1. Accuracy remains best-in-class
2. New Silver subscription tier allows for lower annual cost
3. LPi version makes things more affordable for indoor-only users

The Bad

1. If you only want ball data, the price has gone up
2. Very minor display annoyance
3. It's still the exact same device that's been around for nearly 5 years

• Presentation 10
• Performance 9
• Price 9
• Personal Affinity 9