Setting up a Golf Sim for your home? Not sure which launch monitor to buy?
Well you are not alone.
There's never been a better time to set up a home sim as companies are offering more and more functionality in their products to remain competitive in the 'golf from home' market. And prices are becoming more and more affordable every year. I still remember paying over $3000 AUD for the original Skytrak back in 2021, which was pretty much the only sub $10K product if you wanted to play sim golf with some degree of accuracy. Now fast forward to 2026/2027, I'd be laughed at if I paid the same mount for a unit that only measured ball data.
But with so many golf launch monitors in the sub $10K segment, many of our cusotmers nowadays have a difficult time in deciding which product is the right one for them. They often get lost in all the different metrics, subscription fee tiers, setup requirements and simulation play options etc and throw their hands in their air or even worse - end up buying the wrong product.
We get it and we feel your pain.
This is why we are writing this guide and we are confident that it will help you to purchase the launch montor with the right features, and equally as important - at the right price.
Let's make selecting the right golf launch monitor for you simple!
Here's the good news - picking the right personal launch monitor doesn't need to be that hard!
This is what we help our customers with everyday, many times a day, and by asking a few simple questions about your space as well as your needs and requirements, we will be able to make a recommendation on the right product for you.
So this article is based on conversations we'd typically have with our customers and judging by the feedback we get, we are pretty spot on!
Before we start, let's just define what we mean by Personal Golf Launch Monitor / Golf Simulator. These are golf launch monitors that can be used for golf simulation and are within the budget of most golf enthusiasts, i.e
- They will measure/track at least all ball flight data (launch angle, launch direction, backspin, side spin, ball speed etc) - so you can accurate simulate ball flight
- They are priced under $10K
Now that we have this covered, let's run you through the process. You can lock in on your perfect launch monitor in as little as 2 steps.
First Step - Radar vs. Camera (Photometric) Launch Monitor
The first step we like to work through with a customer is whether to choose a Radar or a Camera (Photometric) launch monitor.
If you are unsure what Radar or Camera launch monitors are, here's a quick summary:
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Radar launch monitors use Doppler technology to track the full ball flight. They usually sit 7-8 feet behind the golf ball and require a minimum of 8 feet of ball flight. The Mevo Gen2 from FlightScope (pictured below) is a good example of this type of launch monitor.
- Photometric (camera-based) systems use high-speed cameras to measure impact conditions directly. They are typically placed on the side of the ball and require only 1-2 feet of ball flight. An example of this type of launch monitor is the Square Omni launch monitor.
Which one suits you? It comes down to your space and who's playing.
- Radar - if you have left and right handed players and have the space required (min. 5m depth, 4m width so you can aim the ball to the same spot for both left and right handers) then a radar launch monitor is your ideal choice as you never would need to re-position it.
- Photometric - if you don't have the 5m of required depth, then a photometric launch monitor is the way to go. With a photometric launch monitor, you only need to have eough space to swing a golf club to set up a golf sim at home. You will unfortunately have to reposition it for left and right handers.
Second Step - What's your Usage Scenario and Budget?
Now you've decided whether to go for a Radar or Photometric launch monitor, the second step is to determine which level of product would work for your needs and budgets.
When it comes to features and cost, in general terms when it comes to golf launch monitors, the more expensive the product the more features and accuracy you will get.
However, depending on the type of player you are and your usage scenario, you may not get all the benefits and value from a more expensive product.
To help you determine which level of product would be perfect for you, we've categoried personal golf launch monitors into the following 3 categories:
- Entry level (Under $1.5K) - captures ball flight data for golf simulation, it's perfect for budget constrained customers who want to set up a golf sim. They are also great for beginners.
- Mid level ($1.5K - $3.5K) - launch monitors in this price range will start to get some club data. So if you are a mid or low handicap golfer that want more feedback on your golf swing then budget allowing, we recommend looking at products in this category.
- Premium level ($3.5K+) - launch monitors in this category will have more data, more features and even better accuracy and are great for low handicap/elite players, frequent users or even professional use.
Based on the budget you've got in mind and how you want to use the launch monitor, here are our launch monitor recommendations for both Photometric and Radar launch monitors.
Photometric Launch Monitor recommendations
- Entry level - at less than $1.5K, the Square Home Edition is the perfect product for an entry level golf sim set up. Offering accurate ball data and some club data, it comes with course play as part of it's native app with no subscription. There's also 3rd party software integration capability too.
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Mid level
- The SkyTrak ST Max is the latest offering from the well-established SkyTrak brand. It accurately tracks ball data as well as key club metrics to help you improve. It also has its own course play which offers fantastic graphics quality, however a yearly subscription is required to access the course play functionality. Integration with other 3rd party sim software is not officially supported. So this product is suited to golfers who like the SkyTrak brand or want a seamless and easy-to-operate sim set up.
- If you don't like the idea of a yearly subscription or prefer to use a 3rd party software such as GS Pro or E6, then the Square Omni is a great choice. It accurately tracks ball and club data and has a native course play software which has no subscription costs. It's also ready to integrate with a number of 3rd party sim software.
- Premium level - at under $10K, you can't really go wrong with the Garmin R50 if you are after a premium product. It accurately tracks pretty much all the data that you could ever want and with it's high resolution screen, you can play sim golf without needing any other devices or projectors. It has a HDMI port on the back which allows you to connect it directly to a projector so you can get an immersive experience without an ipad or PC. In terms of golf simulation experience, you have the option of using its native 'Home Tee Hero' software or it works with all popular 3rd party applications.
Radar Launch Monitor recommendations
- Entry level - if your budget is under $1k for a launch monitor, the Garmin R10 will get you playing simulator golf. It's perfect for beginners to mid-handicaps or juniors looking to practice and play sim golf.
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Mid level
- The Rapsodo MLM2Pro (or it's newer iteration - Rapsodo MLM2XPro) has been one of our favourate launch monitors ever since it was launched. It accurately tracks ball data and some key club metrics and offers golf simulation through its own software or 3rd party software. Just note that it requires specially marked balls for accurate spin reading and needs an ongoing subscription to unlock most of the useful features.
- If paying for a subscription is not your thing then the Mevo Gen2 from FlightScope is the one to go for. Not only does it not require a subscription, it comes with a free E6 Connect license that gives you access to 8 world famous golf courses. The Mevo Gen2 also supports putting whereas the Rapsodo MLM2Pro doesn't. You can also use 3rd party sim software if you prefer. Once you have the base unit, you can easily turn it into a pro-level launch monitor by adding in the Pro & Face Impact Package, see below.
- Premium level - at the premium level, it's really hard to go past the Mevo Gen2 with Pro & Face Impact Package. In addition to the base Mevo Gen2 functionality, you will also get a ton of additional club data as well as face impact location which are all measured (not guessed).
And there's all there is to it. Just get a good understanding of the space you have as well as the type of player you have and your budget and there's a suitable personal golf launch monitor for you.
Just a couple of quick comments before we wrap up:
- We understand that this is not a complete list - yes there are other golf launch monitors out there that we haven't covered, however the products that we mention are the ones we have tested personally and represent a large part of what's on the market. If there is a particular launch monitor you have in mind, you can still use this article as a reference to compare with your short-listed product in terms of value for money and features.
- This is a point in time list - there are constantly new products being released offering more features and value. We will endeavour to keep this guide regularly updated as new products come onto the market.
Wrapping Up
The Personal Golf Launch Monitor market has really exploded over the last few years, and there are now a large number of products from many different manufactures being offered. This has led to a "first world problem" that many of our customers are facing - not being able to decide on the right product.
If you are looking to set up a golf sim and are having difficulty in deciding on the right launch monitor, we hope that this buying guide has helped with that decision process.
If you have any questions relating to golf launch monitor or golf simulator set up in general, don't hesitate to contact us and we would be more than happy to help you with this!
Better still, if you are in or near Sydney, be sure to make an appointment to visit our warehouse to test out our large selection of golf launch monitors and golf sim packages yourself!