Garmin R50 vs Trackman: How the New Contender Stacks Up Against a Legend

The Garmin Approach R50 is the most exciting golf technology product to come out in 2024.

So positive are the early R50 reviews and user experience reports that many serious golfers are wondering if the R50 has set a new benchmark for golf launch monitors. Is this now the best available shot-tracking device?

To claim that title, the R50 has to beat some pretty stiff competition. Namely, it’s Foresight Sports and Trackman that stand in the way. Most professional golfers either use the Foresight GCQuad or QuadMAX or they use Trackman. Those are the products that are universally considered the absolute best.

So, does the Garmin Approach R50 deserve to be added to that list or even put at the top of it?

I’ve already opined on the differences between the top-of-the-line Foresight Sports products and how they compare to Trackman. You may want to check that post out. But to summarize, I think that for as good as Trackman is, the best Foresight launch monitors are even better.

So rather than compare the R50 to the Foresight GCQuad and QuadMAX, let’s start with the lower hanging fruit of seeing how it stacks up against Trackman. Only if it can clear that hurdle does it deserve a shot at Foresight’s title.

First, a Look at What Makes the R50 Unique

Before we go head-to-head in our R50 vs Trackman bout, keep in mind that the R50 is completely unlike any other golf launch monitor. If this really were boxing, the R50 would necessitate an entirely new weight class. It’s the first of its kind on multiple levels.

There has never been a golf launch monitor with built-in golf simulator capabilities; a device that doesn’t require anything more than the device itself to play simulator golf. Until the R50.

There’s never been a golf launch monitor that can plug directly into a projector or TV without the need for any additional hardware or software. Until the R50.

And there’s never been a golf launch monitor with a full-color, 10-inch display that shows all of the ball and club data and even simulator golf rounds. Until the R50.

Yes, the Garmin Approach R50 really is that unique. Which is why it’s garnered so much attention. It’s as if this one golf launch monitor has introduced a whole new product class.

Trackman can’t compete with any of those first-ever golf launch monitor features. But neither can any other golf launch monitor, so you can’t hold that against Trackman any more than any other competitor.

But just as the R50 stands alone for all of the reasons mentioned, Trackman too was a major pioneer in the golf launch monitor space.

Recounting How Trackman Changed the Golf Launch Monitor Game

Trackman redefined how golfers practice, instructors teach, and club fitters tailor equipment. It elevated expectations for data accuracy and became the benchmark for modern launch monitors. It laid the foundation for what’s become a very large accurate golf launch monitor product class.

When Trackman was introduced in 2004, it was revolutionary because it was the first launch monitor to use Doppler radar technology to track both the ball flight and the club’s movement in three dimensions. 

This approach provided unprecedented accuracy and depth of data for golfers, coaches, and equipment manufacturers. Its ability to track the entire flight of the golf ball and provide data on impact metrics, such as smash factor and dynamic loft, set it apart from earlier devices.

And in 2006 when the PGA tour adopted Trackman, it enabled the pros to dial in yardages and optimize performance in ways that weren’t possible before.

Trackman was instrumental in reshaping understanding of ball-flight laws, such as how face angle and club path interact to determine ball trajectory, which revolutionized coaching and club fitting.

Two Pioneering Products, but Are They Meant for the Same User?

So you see that both the Garmin Approach R50 and Trackman were first-of-their-kind pioneering golf launch monitors.

But were they ever intended for the same golfer?

Not really. But the answer, as I see it, is a little more nuanced than that.

See, when Trackman came out, there really weren’t any competing devices that provided anything close to that level of accuracy.

So, yeah, the product became popular with the best players, coaches, and clubfitters who really needed that advanced data. But it also became popular with any golfers who could afford a Trackman, regardless of skill level.

It won’t come as a shock to anyone that there are a lot of rich golfers whose games can’t justify the purchase of something like a Trackman but whose budgets allow for them to have the latest and greatest golf toys.

But 20 years down the road, the golf launch monitor game has changed. Thanks in large part to Trackman, there are a slew of competing products. And they come at all kinds of different price points. And the biggest part of the evolution is that most of these golf launch monitors are pretty darn accurate.

Which means that consumers are now splitting into multiple different groupings. Getting a golf launch monitor is no longer a haves-vs.-have-nots proposition. Most everyone can get in on the action. But not everyone has the same use-case needs.

If Trackman is all about pro-level accuracy, the R50, it seems, is all about outstanding accuracy plus incredible entertainment options and ultimate convenience.

Features like built-in golf simulator capability, simple and direct connection to a projector or TV, and a gorgeous onboard display make the R50 more than just a device attractive for golfers serious about improvement. It’s also for golfers serious about fun.

So this really isn’t an apples-to-apples golf launch monitor comparison. In today’s market, the Trackman is going to be geared towards top-level professionals. The R50 is for, well, it’s for everybody. 

Garmin Approach R50 vs Trackman: Massive Price Difference

Nothing illustrates the difference between the R50 and Trackman more than their respective prices.

The floorstanding Trackman launch monitor, the Trackman 4, starts at $21,995. That’s the device we’ll reference in this post as it’s the one that’s most comparable with the R50 as opposed to Trackman’s ceiling-mounted option.

The Garmin Approach R50 retails for $4,999.99.

So, yeah, we’re talking almost $17K in price difference. Whoa!

Why such a huge difference?

Well, for one thing, when Trackman debuted there wasn’t anything like it. So they kind of established the high end market. The R50, on the other hand, debuts in a much more competitive market where competing on price is hugely important.

But the bigger reason is that for that higher price, the Trackman provides much more detailed data insights and analysis. It gets granular in a way that’s attractive and beneficial to professionals but likely unnecessary for most amateurs.

And, of course, the Trackman’s premium price is justified by the pinpoint accuracy. That said, I think you’d be hard pressed to find much accuracy discrepancy between the R50 and Trackman 4 when it comes to ball data. However, with club data, for as good as the R50 is, the Trackman wins in terms of overall accuracy and consistency.

Also, Trackman provides putting data. And while it’s not as advanced as what you can get with Foresight’s GCQuad or QuadMAX, it’s still useful information for top-level players.

But again, it comes down to your needs. If you’re on tour competing for millions of dollars, you’re going to value, or even require, perfectly precise data accuracy much more than if you’re hitting shots and drinking beers with your buddies in your garage golf simulator studio.

And even if you’re an amateur player that’s very serious about improving, the R50 is likely still plenty accurate enough to satisfy your needs. In fact, its accuracy is one of its best selling points.

Trackman vs. R50: Ease of Use

No golf launch monitor, including the Trackman, is easier to set up and operate than the Garmin Approach R50.

With the R50, you don’t need anything more than the golf launch monitor itself. Because of its beautiful, large, touchscreen display, you can get all of your shot information right on the device. That means, there’s no need to interface with an app, a mobile device, a computer, more software—nothing!

But the R50 simplicity goes further than that. Because the R50 includes Garmin’s Home Tee Hero golf simulator package right on the launch monitor, you don’t even need to hook up to anything else to play a round of simulator golf. There’s never been a product that could deliver that kind of experience.

Plus, when you want to see your shots on the big screen, you can connect the R50 directly to a projector or television with just a single HDMI cable. It’s yet another game-changing feature.

To use a Trackman, you’ll need a smartphone, computer, or iPad as well as an internet connection. And if you want to use Trackman to run the simulator software, you’ll need a very robust gaming computer.

Granted, if you want to use the R50 to play simulator golf with third-party software that is not Home Tee Hero, you will likewise need a computer.

To get the most accuracy out of a Trackman does require very precise alignment. The accompanying software aids in this process and it’s not overly cumbersome, but dialing everything in correctly does take a few minutes.

With the R50, you can be ready to record golf shots in a matter of seconds. An alignment aid on the device’s built-in display confirms if you have the R50 properly aligned with your target. Like I said, nailing the perfect setup takes almost no time at all.

How Much Indoor Space Do You Need for a Garmin Approach R50 or Trackman? 

There’s a very big difference between how much indoor space you’ll need to use a Garmin Approach R50 compared to what’s required for a Trackman.

Because the R50 is an optical or photometric golf launch monitor that reads shots using three high speed cameras that are positioned to the side of the golf ball, you really only need enough indoor space to be able to swing a golf club without hitting any walls or the ceiling.

Garmin recommends that you have at least 8 feet between the ball and your impact screen or net. But that’s for reasons of safety so that you avoid a ball ricocheting back into you.

While it’s of course prudent to be safe, each situation will be different. The bottom line is that you really don’t need very much indoor space to successfully operate an R50. The device is going to read your golf shots just fine regardless of how much space is in front of the ball.

For a Trackman, which reads shots using Doppler radar, you’ll need quite a large room. The Trackman unit needs to be positioned about 7 feet behind the golf ball, and then you’ll need another 10-or-so feet between the ball and the impact screen or net. When you add in that it’s typically a good idea to have a foot or so buffer between the impact screen and the wall behind it, you’re talking about a room that’s at least 18 feet long.

Not everyone has the kind of space in their home that is required for a proper Trackman setup, which is another reason that this kind of golf launch monitor is more often found in professional or commercial settings. Most home users would find something like the R50 to be much more practical.

Is the Garmin Approach R50 Better Than Trackman?

I need to stop short of saying that the R50 is better than a Trackman. That’s simply not true if we’re talking about the best overall accuracy, the most data, and the most insights.

For the player, coach, club fitter, or manufacturer who requires the most precise shot-tracking tool available, it’s still going to be Trackman or the best golf launch monitors from Foresight Sports.

But are you a professional golfer? Or a top-level teacher? Or a club fitter? Or a golf club manufacturer?

Because if you aren’t, then yeah, I think the Garmin Approach R50 is a better choice for you than a Trackman.

Obviously the nearly $17,000 you’d save buying an R50 is the biggest reason.

But don’t discount all of the things that the R50 can do that no other device, including a Trackman, can deliver.

Things like the built-in golf simulator functionality and the direct connection to a projector option are going to be a big deal for most home users.

And ease-of-setup and minimal space requirements are definitely added bonuses.

And when you add in the fact that the R50 is incredibly accurate, even if it’s not at the pinpoint level of a Trackman, I think the choice is pretty clear for most golfers who don’t make their living playing this game.

Why wouldn’t you buy a Garmin Approach R50?

About PlayBetter Golf Reviewer Marc Sheforgen

Marc 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.