Launch monitors have revolutionized the way golfers practice, learn and get custom fit for equipment. Much like the best golf GPS apps, launch monitors offer players a wealth of insights on their game that was previously unattainable.
Data insights such as clubhead speed, carry distance and spin can be monitored instantaneously for real-time feedback on your strengths and weaknesses. With this data, you can find out why you have a tendency to slice or hook your shots and then adjust your swing accordingly to eliminate any bad tendencies.
Since launch monitors all offer a diversity of different features, it can be difficult to know exactly which is the right for your needs. That's why the Golf Monthly team has
team has tried, tested and reviewed the best golf launch monitors available on the market today.
VIDEO: Watch Joel Tadman test the accuracy of five of the latest portable launch monitors
Golf launch monitors are now a staple for touring professionals to hone and fine-tune their swings. Amateurs are also harnessing launch monitors for smarter, more efficient practice and training. As you'd expect, the premium models used on pro tours or in high-tech fitting studios are pricey. Nonetheless, there are still affordable, portable options on the market too.
Fortunately, in this guide we've listed the best golf launch monitors that cover all price ranges. Plus, if you're looking for other technologies to enhance your game, why not check out our guides on the best golf simulator, best golf rangefinders as well as our cheap vs expensive launch monitor test.
The Quick List
Trackman 4 offers accurate data thanks to a patented multi-sensor technology that synchronizes an inbuilt camera with two bespoke ultra-sensitive radars.
Given how easy it is to use and the overall accuracy and data points available, we have to say the Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor is an excellent option.
The price point is mightily appealing versus the competition given the accuracy on offer and the app experience is arguably the best on the market.
An enjoyable and highly accurate launch monitor that gives you vast amounts of data at your fingertips, the Garmin R10 is compact and easy to use.
Accurate, reasonably consistent and with plenty of data points, the PRGR Monitor is one of the most impressive devices we've tested at this price point.
Designed for the serious golfer looking to improve through feedback on performance but also benefit from playing and practicing indoors and outside.
Load the next 3 products
The Foresight Sports GCQuad is an impressive photometric launch monitor that provides tour-quality data about a player's swing and ball flight.
A good value and easy to use option, the Rapsodo MLM2 Pro is a great practice tool that provides accurate data and can double as a decent golf simulator.
The SC300i is among the best portable launch monitors under $600 thanks to its impressive accuracy, ease of use, battery life and host of useful features.
Best Golf Launch Monitors
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Best radar
The Trackman 4 Launch Monitor is used a lot out on Tour
Chances are you've probably heard of the Trackman before. It's incredibly popular on Tour and for a good reason too...
The latest iteration of the Trackman has evolved into a camera/radar hybrid launch monitor device that even includes artificial intelligence (AI) and a virtual Golf 2 simulator. What are the benefits of a hybrid device? The Trackman 4's multi-sensor technology synchronizes an inbuilt camera with it's patented OERT (Optically Enhanced Radar Tracking) system, so you're really getting the best of both worlds.
It's not just technologically impressive. The Trackman 4 is an incredible versatile device. Believe it or not, it tracks the ball from impact, flight all the way through to the ball's landing position. In case that wasn't enough, it also features hundreds of simulator courses, putting analysis, club fitting software as well as kids games and skills testing. Oh and how could we forget Tracy, the Trackman's AI assistant that provides you with advanced analysis of your game and then offers recommendations for improvement.
Of course, you'll only need a smartphone (and a sizeable chunk of cash) to access all of these exciting features. As you'd expect this launch monitor is built for pros and coaches, it's no surprise it made this list.
- Read our full Trackman Simulator Review
Best budget
The Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor works with your smart phone
The Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor literally turns your smartphone into a launch monitor—what's not to like?
It provides insights on everything you'd need such as carry distance, ball speed, club speed, launch angle, smash factor and more. How? The Rapsodo MLM has a free app that uses your smartphones front facing camera and GPS to provide data points on your game. It's as simple as slotting your phone in the unit and positioning it about six feet behind the ball. Unfortunately for those Android golfers out there, the app is only available for iOS users ...
The Rapsodo even has a feature that automatically detects the club your hitting. In testing, we found that this didn't work 100%, but it did pick up the majority of the clubs we tested and you can manually input it clubs as well. While navigating the app on a small screen takes getting used to, we found the shot tracer-style graphics on the screen to be accurate most of the time and crucially delivered key data points such as ball speed, launch angle and carry distance.
Ultimately, the Rapsodo MLM is the choice for golfers looking for portability and affordability. The monitor is light and can easily be packed into you bag with it's handy little case. We've deemed this the 'best budget launch monitor' but of course this is in comparison to the other models listed. We think the Rapsodo is excellent value for an accurate, easy-to-use and fun launch monitor.
- Read our full Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor review
Best shot detection
The Full Swing Kit Launch Monitor is used by some of the best players in the world
This ones for the serious players out there... To give you an idea of the performance we're talking about, this is the same model used by Tiger Woods.
The Full Swing Kit Monitor may be a premium product but that doesn't mean it's overly complicated to use. We found the setup and interface to be remarkably intuitive to use; you download the app, line it up, pair it and, voila, you can swing away. How does it work? The unit produces 16 different data points covering club and ball data. Four of these are displayed on its OLED screen and the rest is sent to your smartphone. But wait, there's more. The unit even has a built-in camera that can play your swing back in slow motion...Pretty cool right?
The result? We found the extensive data recorded by the unit to be very accurate and reliable. It didn't miss a shot and every single change in distance and direction was accounted for in the data. As we said earlier, the app experience is simple, intuitive and easy to navigate. This is crucial for launch monitors, after all what's the point if you can easily analyze the results of your game.
Unsurprisingly, the Full Swing Kit Monitor comes with a hefty price tag. If you want to store video and historical swing data in the cloud, there's an additional $100 annual fee for the app. At Golf Monthly, we understand this monitor is only an option for those with money to spend.
- Read our full Full Swing Kit Launch Monitor Review
Best portable
The Garmin Approach R10 Launch Monitor is an excellent compact model
The Garmin Approach R10 is one of the most compact launch monitors out there and packs a formidable punch at a low price. It gathers an enormous amount of real time data which is then displayed on the accompanying Garmin Golf App.
Metrics such as club speed, ball speed, smash factor, ball spin, club path and club face angle provide a clear picture of how you strike the ball and are great data points to help you improve your swing or get an idea of how far you hit each club in the bag.
When paired with the Garmin Golf app, players can also use Driving Range Mode to help recognize areas of strength and areas for improvement; automatically record video clips to analyze their swing and utilize the entertaining Home Tee Hero golf simulator to master and enjoy over 42,000 golf course worldwide.
- Read our full Garmin Approach R10 Launch Monitor review
Best handheld
The PRGR Portable Launch Monitor is a great handheld option
Looking for an easy-to-carry launch monitor? Then look no further...This handheld PRGR Monitor takes portability to the next level.
The newest version of the PRGR uses a high quality, dual doppler radar sensor and new algorithms to increase data accuracy—all while fitting comfortably inside your pocket. Not even the likes of the Flightscope Mevo+ or Rapsodo MLM2 Pro are as nifty and as lightweight as the PRGR.
We cannot stress enough how convenient this monitor and for such a small - and well priced - launch monitor, the PRGR gathers a decent amount of data, without being overwhelming. For us, it was just the right amount - not too much to overwhelm and not so little it's pointless. Sure there are more comprehensive devices out there, but not at this price point.
- Read our full PRGR Portable Launch Monitor review
Best ease of use
The Flightscope Mevo+ Launch Monitor can be used anywhere
If you're committed to training and improving your game, then this might just be the launch monitor for you. The Mevo+ Launch Monitor is Flightscope's mid-range offering which is slightly larger and offers more features than the compact model, so we were keen to test the features for ourselves...
Wasting time playing with settings, apps and interfaces is annoying. The Mevo+ is straightforward to set up. You'll need to pair the unit to the free FS Sports App, set parameters and place it eight feet way. Then, the device will give you an audible 'Ready', so you know you're good to go.
We found the app and interface be intuitive, with data insights appearing in 16 customizable tiles at the bottom of the screen so you can drag and drop the numbers that matter to you the most. Table view lets you look at your averages for the session, record video and even add line graphics and angles on the playback.
The Mevo+ works outdoors, but it's definitely suited more towards golfers that have an indoor hitting space because it has an impressive simulator, enabling you to play some beautiful courses from your own home. The Mevo+ also works with the FS skills app so you can challenge yourself, put your technique to the test and see how you compare to a PGA Tour player.
If you’re after basic information like ball speed, club speed, spin and carry distances, the less expensive Mevo model might be best for you. The Mevo+ won’t offer putting insights, but offers eight additional accurate data parameters, including total distance and angle of attack.
- Read our full Flightscope Mevo+ Launch Monitor review
Best photometric
The Foresight Sports GCQuad is our top photometric pick
If you've been paying close attention, here's another launch model you may have seen at the Tour events.
The Foresight Sports GCQuad is one of the most high-tech launch monitors on the market. Why? The Quad has four cameras that catch 200 pictures at impact, from four different locations so the user can get millimeter accurate data on strike on the ball as well as the clubface. That means you can get a remarkable level of detail on information on path, lie angle, angle of attack and so on and so forth.
In our testing we particularly enjoyed the addition of its Essential Putting Analysis, which allows you to track putting data without calibration and store all of your shot data on Foresight's cloud storage system. Removable batteries, built-in WiFi and a alignment stick are an added bonus as well. The only downside: the app experience is a bit dated. That said, it's free and features table averages, therefore we often use this model in our extensive testing!
- Read our full Foresight Sports GCQuad launch monitor review
Best set up process
We now have another Rapsodo model that is worthy of this guide, the MLM2PRO which is incredibly easy to set up and use. It also measures most everything you need, shows both 3-D and 2-D views, and comes in at just $699 retail.
It comes with a protective case, which will easily fit inside a golf bag and it includes a cleverly designed tripod, a user manual, and golf balls. In testing, we found that it doesn't track the ball all the way to the ground, but with a combination of Doppler Radar and the cameras, it does track it for a large portion of its ball flight to come up with the curvature and height of the shot. You will also get data on carry distance, clubhead speed, ball speed, and launch angle, from which it extrapolates total distance.
Purchase of this launch monitor includes a year of its Premium Membership, which provides access to 30,000 simulator courses and other special features like "Virtual Driving Range," as well as its unique "Impact Vision" camera, which is a major upgrade over the original Rapsodo Mobile launch monitor. The MLM2PRO also works with android mobile devices, too, now instead of just IOS devices. After the first year, Premium Membership is $199 annually.
- Read our full Rapsodo MLM2PRO Launch Monitor Review
Best battery life
The SC300i has a large display and speaker
While you may have heard of it's predecessor the SC300, the SC300i is updated with a Doppler Radar system and atmospheric pressure sensors, making it one of the more accurate, budget portable launch monitors.
How does it work? The SC300i connects directly to its (free) MySwingCaddieV2 app on your smart device for real-time performance tracking. They've even added voice output option and a remote control for enhanced user convenience. That's all well and good, but how does it perform. In our testing, we found the SC300i was deadly accurate. This is largely due to hardware advancements such as the barometric sensor which is a game-changer for monitoring distance, swing speed and clubhead speed outdoors. It even compared well to the top end of the launch market.
The SC300i's real differentiator is its 20-hour battery life. This is a significant advancement from the 12 hours of battery offered by the previous model. With the SC300i, you can enjoy several sessions before having to recharge.
Unfortunately it doesn't measure clubhead path but we didn't find that to be a huge compromise. If you're after a portable launch monitor with more features, take a look at our best portable launch monitors. For under $600, we think the SC300i is an incredibly accurate portable launch monitor with unbelievable battery performance.
- Read our full Swing Caddie SC300i launch monitor review
Specifications Table
| Model | Technology | Weight | Battery |
| Trackman 4 Launch Monitor | Dual Radar sensors and camera sensors | 2.8kg | 4+ hours |
| Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor | Radar and camera depends on phone | 256g | 8 hours |
| Full Swing Kit Launch Monitor | 4K camera with 1080p output, Doppler radar | N/A | 5 hours |
| Garmin Approach R10 Launch Monitor | Radar | 221g | 10 hours |
| PRGR Portable Launch Monitor | Doppler radar | 125g | N/A |
| Flightscope Mevo+ Launch Monitor | Doppler radar | 465g | 2 hours |
| Foresight Sports GCQuad | 4 Quadrascopic cameras and integrated infrared light | 3.8kg | 6-8 hours |
| Rapsodo MLM2PRO Launch Monitor | Dual optical camera vision + radar | N/A | 4 hours |
| Swing Caddie SC300i Launch Monitor | Doppler radar | 437g | 20 hours |
How we test
We test all golf technology as comprehensively as possible to gauge performance over time and whether it can actually help your golf game. As you would expect, this involves using different models regularly, and in different situations to see how the technology performs. A good example is using a monitor inside/outside, or in different types of weather. Of course many of the launch monitors also get used a lot because we do so much club testing as well.
As the entire team are regular golfers, golf technology usually gets a thorough test and often get compared to one another side by side to test for things like accuracy, waterproofing, durability and other features. That way we can give honest and insightful feedback to you, the reader. The final thing we wanted to mention in this section is no manufacturer can buy a good review. Our testing team reviews golf equipment and makes its own opinion on how good or bad the product is.
How to choose a launch monitor
When discussing the best golf launch monitors there are a number of factors to consider. Let's take a look at them.
Accuracy
This is the most important factor to consider because if a launch monitor isn't accurate then it is useless. Obviously the premium models at the top of this page are the best in this regard but you can also get more budget-friendly models with good accuracy, like the Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor for example.
Metrics
Most devices these days give insight into metrics like ball speed, club head speed and carry distance however if you are looking for more specific club head data, and metrics like dispersion, then models like the Foresight Sports GCQuad and Trackman are the way to go. They are more expensive but offer incredible detail.
Camera/Radar
There are usually two main technologies in launch monitors these days.
Camera-based monitors use high-definition cameras to capture data at, and following, impact. Because of this they tend to be better for indoor use as some models may struggle in changing light conditions.
Radar designs use Doppler radar to follow the flight of the golf ball. These waves bounce off the golf ball to track the flight and this therefore makes them better for outdoor use. That being said there are models which have the best of both worlds, like the TrackMan 4.
Features
Linking with the above point, there are models with more features compared to others. Of course for most of the models we tested, measuring the golf ball's flight was the main purpose but some units offered the opportunity for simulator play, GPS functionality, or the ability to record your swing. Some also have games too.
Indoor/Outdoor Use
Are you going to be using the monitor inside or outside? If you look to focus on the former then investing in a proper setup may be the way to go whilst if you want to use a monitor outside then something convenient and portable is a better call.
Ease of use
This is a big factor because when we have the time to practice, we don't want to waste any of it trying to work out technological issues. This makes the smaller devices like the Swing Caddie SC300i and Rapsodo particularly appealing.
Portability
Speaking of which portability is an important factor in itself. You don't want to have to be lugging something heavy around or something that takes too long to fold away.
Price
We have to mention price when discussing launch monitors. There will be some who can afford the top-of-the-range designs but many more won't. However as we have shown above there are still some very good more affordable models too.
Understanding
Not only does the launch monitor have to be clear in displaying data, but you the player needs to have some understanding of what those numbers mean.
For more golf technology buying advice, be sure to have a read of our guides on the best golf watches, best value golf watches, and best budget rangefinders.
FAQs
Is it worth getting a launch monitor?
The answer to this question kind of depends on what level you are as a golfer. If you are beginner, then your money will best be used purchasing lessons from a PGA professional whereas if you are an aspiring professional they can prove invaluable because of the information given. Additionally we also think low to mid-handicap players can learn and improve by using launch monitors as well, and this is made possible because of the variety of models at different price points currently on the market.
Are golf launch monitors accurate?
Launch monitors these days are very accurate. For example, Trackman suggests its device can accurately detect the landing point of your golf ball by 1½-yards. Additionally the cheaper models on the market have also proven to be accurate in our testing.
What launch monitor do the pros use at the range?
From our experience we have noticed a lot of players using launch monitors from Trackman, Foresight Sports and Full Swing. The Trackman 4, Foresight Sports GCQuad and Full Swing Kit are the models we see the most regularly.
If you want more buying advice, why not take a look at our guides on the best golf net, or best golf mat as well.
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