Launch monitors
One we have proven. A pile we have not.
We are not going to put a wall of logos up and let you find out the hard way. Here is exactly what we have tested, what we think might work, and what definitely does not yet.
Status
Where each one stands.
| Monitor | Status | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| Garmin Approach R10 | Works | This is what we build on and play on. Every round we have ever played was on an R10. If you have one, you are set. |
| Monitors that speak the E6 protocol | Might already | The R10 talks to us over E6, and that is an open enough standard that other monitors using it have a real chance of just connecting. We have not tested a single one. Tell us and we will find out together. |
| Everything else | Not yet | If a monitor only talks to its own app in its own format, we cannot read it today. Some of these are doable and we want to do them. Ask for yours by name and it moves up the list. |
Last updated when this page went up. If something on this list changes, this table changes with it. We will not quietly upgrade a "might" to a "works" without having actually hit balls into it.
Testers wanted
Got something other than an R10?
We want to hear from you, and not in a vague marketing way. If your monitor speaks E6 there is a decent chance it connects on the first try, and if it does not we would like to know why.
What you would be doing: connecting it, hitting some balls, and telling us what the app showed against what your monitor showed. That is it. You would get the app free for the trouble.
What we will not do: sign you up for anything, put your name on the site without asking, or go quiet on you.
Do not have a monitor yet?
Buy a used R10. It is the one we can promise works, it is the cheapest thing on the market that gives real spin numbers, and used ones show up constantly around $300.
New they run about $600. Unless you want the warranty, there is not much reason to pay it.
What we actually need from it
- Ball speed
- Launch angle
- Launch direction
- Spin rate
- Spin axis
Club data is nice and we will show it, but those five are what fly the ball. A monitor that reports all five has everything we need.
Why the R10
It is the cheapest honest launch monitor there is.
It measures spin
A lot of budget monitors guess at spin from the club. The R10 reads it. Without real spin, half of what makes a golf shot a golf shot is invented, and you cannot practice against invented numbers.
It is everywhere
Plenty of people bought one, used it twice and put it in a closet. That is good news for you. Patience gets one around $300.
It works outside
Radar, so it wants a bit of room but it does not care about light. Which matters when your simulator is a net in the yard and you play at night.
Get the email when it hits the stores.
Apple and Google, $50, one purchase. One message from us, on the day.
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