Garmin Approach R10 Launch Monitor Review
Garmin Approach R10 Launch Monitor: A ton of powerful insights in a small package
The Garmin Approach R10 Launch Monitor is a compelling option for golfers of all skills looking to take a more analytical approach to their game. With its advanced technology and accurate measurements, this device provides invaluable insights into your swing that you can leverage to fine tune your game. In a launch monitor and golf simulator space that is becoming increasingly crowded with worthy (and reasonably priced) competitors, the R10 delivers a tremendous amount of value at a price point you can’t ignore.
First and foremost, the Garmin R10 provides a ton of insightful data that you can use to improve your swing and work on your consistency. From club speed and ball speed to launch angle and spin rate, this launch monitor has the ability to measure every critical aspect of your swing with remarkable precision. Using the Garmin Golf App, the data is presented in an easy-to-read format (also exportable for you serious data folks), allowing you to analyze and track your progress over time. It also provides excellent visualizations, including showing your shot shape and angle of attack. The R10 also provides instant feedback, allowing you to make adjustments on the spot and fine-tune your swing for optimal performance. Some of the notable measurements include:
Club Speed
Ball Speed
Attack Angle
Face to Path
Smash Factor
Launch Angle
Sidespin
Spin Rate
Apex Height
Carry and Total Distance
Shot Shape (visualization)
In addition to all that data, when combined with the power of your mobile device, you can enable automatic video recording of your swings. This allows you to both analyze the data and associated recording of each swing. We found the auto recording feature to work well overall, and it captured high quality video of nearly every swing at home and on the range.
Another standout feature of the Garmin R10 is its portability. The device seamlessly connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth, allowing you to access all the data and insights in real-time. Whether, you’re practicing at home or at the range, it only takes a few minutes to get setup and running. We tried the Garmin Golf App with the R10 on both Android and iPhone devices and the setup was a breeze, hitting balls in less than 5 minutes either way.
One thing to note though is if you want accurate path and directional data, it’s very important to align the R10 with your target. At home, we used a laser to help with that alignment. At the range, we tended to focus less on path since we weren’t going to get achieve that same alignment. We also noticed that while it works effortlessly for both right and left handed players, some of the graphics will only show right handed clubheads with no option to customize it for lefties like us. It's a minor quibble and doesn't impact the performance of the R10 in any way, but we had to say it for fellow lefties.
Beyond the Garmin Golf app, the R10 is compatible with a number of other simulator options like E6 connect, Awesome Golf and TGC 2019. We gave the R10 a try with E6 Connect on iPhone and were pleased with it’s performance. E6 Connect offers some great, photorealistic courses and the R10 did a great job of capturing the simulator experience at home. We’ll do reviews for some of the simulator options in another post. For the sake of this post, we focused primarily on the Garmin Golf + R10 experience, using the R10 to practice in the Driving Range mode of the Garmin Golf app.
One of the most common questions we've seen about the R10 is does it work with a hitting net. We tried it with the Spornia SPG-7 practice net and it worked great. Your mileage may vary but we had no issues with our at home mat/net setup.
A few things to consider as there are other more expensive options in the market for a personal launch monitor. The accuracy of the R10 is solid with club head speed accuracy rated +/- 3 mph, ball speed rated +/- 1 mph, and carry distance rated +/- 5 mph. If you’re comfortable with those tolerances, the R10 is certainly worth considering. We also found that using the Titleist RCT golf balls at home with the R10 generally delivered far more accurate spin readings rather than estimates.
Overall, the Garmin R10 Launch Monitor is a top-tier device if it meets your needs. Its accuracy, portability, and user-friendly design set it apart from some of the other launch monitors on the market. Whether you're looking to fine-tune your swing, improve your distance control, or simply track your progress, the Garmin R10 is a great tool to have at your disposal on your journey to becoming a better, more consistent golfer.
