Well, I didn’t have this on my bingo card this week. Did you? The long-rumored Garmin R50 all of the sudden became a reality yesterday, and I haven’t been able to stop watching every single video I can about this new golf simulator/launch monitor since I heard the news. I knew Garmin was working on the R50 and that it would be way more capable than the R10, but I doubt anyone other than those on the inside had any clue that the R50 was set to change the game for personal launch monitors – likely forever.
Setting a whole new standard
I know that sounds lofty, but stay with me, here. The Garmin R50 isn’t just another optical launch monitor. I mean, it is, but it is also so much more than that. As someone who runs a for-rent golf simulator that needs to cater to people coming and going, right or left handed, this isn’t something I can really use in that setting. But that doesn’t stop me from absolutely drooling over the thought of just having one of my own to use. That’s how good it is: I 100% don’t need it and I still want it.
And it all starts with the screen up top. The larger-than-most Garmin R50 is an on-the-ground, optical launch monitor like what you’d see in something like the Uneekor Eye Mini or Bushnell Launch Pro – but it does everything those launch monitors do and more. With the taller, wider, overall-bigger frame, the R50 has plenty of room up top for a bright, punchy, 10-inch screen that is the focal point for your interactions.
From choosing a game mode to selecting what shot data you see to displaying the all-new Home Tee Hero simulator software (more on that in a second), the screen up top is responsive, bright enough for outdoor use, and good enough to actually allow you to practice or play full rounds without the need of any other hardware – like a monitor, projector, or PC.
So, theoretically, you can take this thing to the driving range, pop open any course you could imagine, and use your range time to play through every shot of a real round. The battery life is 4 hours (or up to 6 from what some early reviews are reporting), so there’s no worries there, either.
All the software is built in
But if you want a more immersive experience, the Garmin R50 also has a built-in HDMI port to output to a larger screen or projector. Just plug it in and off you go with a more immersive simulator experience. When you are done, toss it in the included heavy-duty bag and take it wherever you want to play. If you have grass and/or a mat, a net, and the Garmin R50, you’re all set.
The reason all this works is the fact that inside that large hull, you have a basic computer built in to handle all of Garmin’s software. There are connection options for E6 Connect, E6 Apex, Awesome Golf Simulator, and GS Pro, but you’ll still need a standard PC for all of that.
Here’s the thing, though: you may not even care to mess with those thanks to Garmin’s overhaul of Home Tee Hero. Forget the overly cartoonish graphics from the Garmin R10 version: this new Home Tee Hero looks pretty sweet considering the fact that it comes with over 43,000 perfectly mapped courses. Yes, 43,000, and it only costs $99/year or $9.99 a month to access. That’s it. No other subscriptions necessary.
And that means if you just want to use it as a practice tool, you don’t need any additional hardware, software, or subscriptions. In this day and age, that’s a big deal and something worth considering even with the high-ish price this one commands. When you take a monitor, computer and all other hardware out of the equation, it really brings down the full investment of your setup.
The price
So, what about that price? Well, the Garmin R50 comes in at $4999, so this isn’t anywhere near the affordability of the R10 we’ve all known and loved over the years. Instead, Garmin went a different direction, and according to the early reviews and interest, I think they made the right choice.
By making this a true sim-in-a-box setup, the Garmin R50 does what no other launch monitor can do – indoors and out. Especially for home users that want an easy, plug-and-play solution that can be taken to the range or over to a friend’s house, there’s never been anything quite like this.
And with Garmin really improving Home Tee Hero by getting the graphics and putting fixed up, it’s a pretty compelling overall package. Instead of wondering how much to spend on a computer, a monitor, a projector, and additional software, you can ignore all of that and stick with the device and the built-in software and likely have a fantastic time with this unit.
Right now, the initial inventory sold out, but Play Better has incoming stock that should ship soon. If you want this thing anytime soon, I’d recommend getting on that list now. The interest looks to be very high, even at $5K, so I’d act sooner than later if I was in the market. I’m not. But I really do wish I was. This thing could be the 2025 product of the year in the golf simulator space.
