What Type Of Launch Monitor Is Best For Your Needs?
One of the most important purchase decisions you will make when planning your indoor golf simulator is what lauch monitor to get. Factors to consider will include your budget, space limitations, dexterity preferences, and whether you want it to be portable or not.
Budget Vs Professional Grade Launch Monitors
Launch monitors that deliver a realistic golf simulator experience start at just a few hundred dollars, and range up to tens of thousand of dollars to purchase. We work with our customers to build a package that meets their needs.
Radar Vs Cameras
Launch monitors can measure and estimate ball flight and club data using either doplar radar, or high-speed cameras.
In the past, radar-based golf launch monitors were the most economical solution, and camera-based launch monitors tend to be more expensive. However, new golf launch monitors have entered the market that introduce camera based golf launch monitors at an economicial price point!
Market disruptors like The Square Golf Launch Monitor are budget-friendly with surprisingly accurate data!
Radar-based systems still have their place, but occasionally items in your home can cause interference and create complex challenges that can be frustrating to some just getting started.
Tip: Radar-based units are usually placed several feet behind the hitting area and need more room depth, photometric launch monitors are placed on the side of the hitting area, or directly above it, depending on the model.
Launch Monitors Available Today
The Square: $699 budget camera-based launch monitor with no third-party subscription or connection fees. Can be used on PC, iOS, and Android. MacOS unavailable. Connector to GSPRO, E6, and Awesome Golf. For indoor use only. Fantastic putting and chipping experience by the makers of ExPutt.
Rapsodo MLM2Pro: $699 budget radar-based launch monitor. Requires a subscription to connect to third-party software. Users wanting a full golf experience will want to learn how to set up webcam putting.
Flightscope Mevo+: Mid-grade launch monitor price point with a retail price of $2299 (frequently on sale for $1954). Combination of radar and camera based system, no subscription fees to third party software, and modular add-on packages unlock more features and data parameters.
Full Swing KIT: Radar-based technology starting at $4999, featured on the TGL Golf.
ProTee VX: $6500 overhead camera-based launch monitor with no third-party subscription connection fees. It is one of our favorite launch monitors and is the solution we use in our own personal home golf studio.
Garmin Approach R10: $599 radar-based, entry-level launch monitor that is commonly found on sale for less. We feel the Garmin R10 product is a bit dated, but it can be a good entry-level launch monitor for some.
Garmin Approach R50: New to market in late 2024, the Garmin R50 costs $4999 and is the company’s first camera based launch monitor. A unique feature of the Garmin R50 is the built-in simulator software and touch screen, allowing simulator play both inside and outside in a portable unit. Putting is a weak point at the time of this listing.
- Uneekor
- TruGolf
- SkyTrak
- Bushnell
- Foresight
- Rapsodo
- Trackman
- Optishot
How Do You Feel About Ongoing Subscription Fees?
A growing trend in the golf simulator industry is to charge ongoing subscription fees for access to proprietary software, and third-party connectors. This can result in stacking annual fees and increases the overall costs of ownership.
A few brands (like Protee VX and The Square) include access to all features in the initial purchase price, even connections to third-party golf simulator software like GSPRO without charging additional fees.
Other companies charge to unlock full feature sets and for the ability to access third-party connectors to other software.