
A Guide to Choosing the Right Launch Monitor for Your Home Golf Simulator
Choosing the right golf launch monitor for your home setup depends on factors like your skill level, budget, and available space. Whether you're a casual golfer looking for entertainment or a serious player focused on game improvement, this simple guide to key features and trade-offs will help you make the best decision.
Looking for the best launch monitor for your golf simulator setup but overwhelmed by the options?
You’re not alone! With so many launch monitors on the market, finding the right one can feel like a full-time job.
But with this guide, we’re making it super simple to quickly identify the right choice for you.
How simple? How about just three things to keep in mind?!
Yes, there are still numerous launch monitor possibilities in this post, but narrowing your focus to these three key considerations should lead you to the perfect fit.
Let’s go!
Table of Contents
1. What Level Golfer Are You?
Beginner to Average Golfer (On a Budget)
- You want: Solid feedback, affordable price, ease of use.
- You don’t need: Ultra-precise data or deep analytics.
- You might want: Some fun simulator golf options.
Top Picks:
- Swing Caddie SC4 Pro - $599.99
- Radar-based, simple setup, built-in screen, no subscription
- Garmin Approach R10 - $699.99
- Great sim golf simulator software compatibility, portable, reputable
- Rapsodo MLM2PRO - $699.99
- Dual camera plus radar, excellent app experience, automatic swing and impact videos
- Square Golf Launch Monitor - $699.99
- Photometric, indoor-only, no subscription, pay-as-you-play native simulator software
Average to Serious Golfer
- You want: A balance of price and performance—more data, better accuracy, solid simulator play.
- You care about: Value, game-improvement features, long-term versatility.
- You’re willing to: Invest a bit more to get it right.
This is where you’ll find the best bang-for-your-buck golf launch monitors—high-performing devices that don’t cost tour-level money.
Top Picks:
- Garmin Approach R50 - $4,999.99
- Built-in 10” touchscreen, first launch monitor to offer simulator golf on the device, HDMI output for simple projector/TV connection, excellent indoor/outdoor accuracy
- FlightScope Mevo+ - $3,299.00
- Most data points in this price range, radar/camera “fusion tracking,” includes 12 premium E6 courses, no annual subscription
- SkyTrak+ - $2,995.00
- Super fun practice software, new “Course Play” option includes 30-plus simulated courses, combination of radar and camera delivers strong accuracy
- Foresight GC3/GC3S - $3,799.00 - $6,999.00
- GC3 includes lifetime FSX simulator software access; GC3S costs less but requires $499/year subscription for simulator access after free first year
- Comes with a Bushnell Pro X3+LINK rangefinder
- Three-camera system for tour-level ball/club data accuracy, built-in screen, optional Bushnell rangefinder LINK-Enabled integration
- Bushnell LPi - $2,799.00
- Same core tech as GC3S but built for indoor-only use, no screen/battery means more affordable, pro-grade studio option on a budget
- Uneekor EYE MINI - $4,500.00
- Dual high-speed cameras for accurate ball/club data, indoor/outdoor use and portability, built-in screen
- Uneekor EYE MINI LITE - $2,749.00
- Designed for indoor use and more affordable entry point, same core accuracy as EYE MINI, great for permanent sim setups with budget in mind
- Full Swing KIT - $4,999.00
- Tour-validated radar launch monitor (used by Tiger Woods and the popular TGL televised indoor golf league), built-in screen, highly portable
Serious Golfer, Teaching Pro, or Club Fitter
- You want: Tour-level accuracy, complete club and ball data, ultra-reliable performance.
- You need: Simulator software integration, flexibility for coaching or club fitting, precision you can trust.
- You’re OK with: A higher price tag, premium software, and pro-grade setup.
Top Picks:
- Foresight GCQuad/QuadMAX - $15,999.00 - $19,999.00
- Four-camera photometric, pro tour standard, elite-level club/ball tracking, onboard display and storage (QuadMAX)
- Foresight Falcon - $14,999.00
- Overhead-mounted for dedicated sim studios and professional setups, large hitting zone, same pinpoint four-camera accuracy as the GCQuad/QuadMAX
- Uneekor EYE XO - $8,000.00
- Overhead mounted, dual high-speed cameras, tracks ball and club data with elite precision
- Uneekor EYE XO2 - $11,000.00
- Overhead mounted, adds a third camera, much larger hitting zone than EYE XO, ideal for multiple users with more freedom on ball placement
2. Is This Launch Monitor for Indoor Use Only? (Or Do You Need Portability?)
Best Indoor-Only Options
For dedicated home simulator setups.
- Square Golf - Best value indoor-only unit under $1,000
- Bushnell LPi - Same accuracy as Foresight GC3/GC3 but without a screen or battery
- Uneekor EYE MINI LITE - Same core functionality as EYE MINI but without a screen
- SkyTrak+ - Best as an indoor device with incredibly fun and engaging software
- Overhead options (like Foresight Falcon, Uneekor EYE XO, or EYE XO2) - Industry-leading data and space-saving simulator studio integration
Best Indoor + Portable Options
Great if you also want to hit the range.
- Swing Caddie SC4 Pro - The only sub-$1,000 launch monitor with a built-in display
- Rapsodo MLM2PRO - Excellent outdoor performance and portability
- Garmin Approach R10 - Another small-footprint option that’s great for on-the-go
- FlightScope Mevo+ - Small, simple to transport, exceptionally accurate
- Foresight GC3/GC3S - Built-in screen makes getting data easy and convenient
- Foresight GCQuad/QuadMAX - The same device you see the pros using on the range
- Uneekor EYE MINI - Durable and designed for either indoor or outdoor use with a built-in display for app-free ease
- Garmin Approach R50 - Included carrying case makes transporting even this large device easy, and the beautiful display makes outdoor practice a blast
- Full Swing KIT - We know from watching TGL on TV that the Full Swing KIT works great indoors, but the built-in display and simple setup make it a great on-the-range option as well
3. Consider Your Space and Use Cases
Small Room?
Go with a camera-based (sometimes called “optical” or “photometric”) launch monitor that sits to the side of the ball and doesn’t require as much room depth. Some great options:
- Garmin Approach R50
- Uneekor EYE MINI
- Uneekor EYE MINI LITE
- SkyTrak+
- Square Golf
- Foresight GC3/GC3S
- Foresight GCQuad/QuadMAX
- Bushnell LPi
Low Ceiling?
Avoid overhead units like the Foresight Falcon, Uneekor EYE XO, or EYE XO2.
Sharing space with righties and lefties?
That’s when an overhead device would be perfect. Otherwise, go with a radar launch monitor that sits behind the ball and won’t have to be moved when opposite-handed golfers take their turns. Consider:
Need More Information to Decide?
This was meant as a down-and-dirty, keep-it-simple guide. But our real jam at PlayBetter is to dive deep into every possible angle, detail, nuance, configuration, and compatibility possibility on each and every one of these golf launch monitors.
So, if you want to know everything you could possibly need to know about any of these launch monitors, we’ve got you covered. We’ve used each one of them extensively, and we’ve reported on the good and bad of each as well as on how all of them compare to each other. Find it all in our golf blog.
But after considering what type of golfer you are, whether or not you plan to take your launch monitor outside of your simulator studio, and what special considerations (i.e. room size, righty/lefty situation, etc.) apply to you, you should have a very good idea of the right launch monitor for your specific setup.
So, either drill down deeper on the options you’re deciding between, or go with your gut after thinking through these three considerations. Either way, you’re going to end up with the right launch monitor for your perfect golf simulator studio.
About PlayBetter Golf Reviewer Marc Sheforgen
Marc "Shef" Sheforgen is a golf writer whose passion for the game far exceeds his ability to play it well. Marc covers all things golf, from product reviews and equipment recommendations to event coverage and tournament analysis. When he’s not playing, watching, or writing about golf, he enjoys traveling (often golf-related), youth sports coaching, volunteering, and record collecting.