There was a time not so long ago when the best golf launch monitors were something that only Tour Pros had regular access to. They were big, bulky and most of all they were extremely expensive. The huge advancements in technology over recent years has changed all of that and now even the casual golfer can easily afford a device that can provide valuable data.
It's the quickest advancement of golf technology and equipment in the game in recent years - the ability to carry a device that can give you almost all the data a $10,000 Trackman system can provide. Launch monitors are becoming both smaller and more affordable which makes them easier to transport to the various different locations golfers like to practice, be it the driving range, an indoor studio or even the golf course.
The best portable launch monitors need to be easy to set up and use, with some even coming through an app on your smart phone. This means less time wasted setting up and more time for valuable practice.
Accuracy is also a key factor and while more expensive models guarantee this, we’ve found that even less expensive portable launch monitors from reputable companies tend to stack up very well. So for the more advanced, numbers driven golfer looking to make the small tweaks in their game to lower their scores, check out our guide of the best portable range finders below.
VIDEO: Joel Tadman tests and compares five of the best portable launch monitors under $600
Why You'd Want To Buy A Launch Monitor
Golf is a game of numbers, and one in which the finest margins can mean the difference between and great score or a disappointing one. Most amateur golfers have a false impression of how far they hit the ball or why they have particular miss.
Launch monitors can help players lock in specific numbers - yardages, spin rate, carry distance and more. These numbers are now available through portable launch monitors that can help golfers make decisions on the right club to choose for a specific shot or what swing changes to make to tweak their game with the goal of improving their efficiency.
The numbers can explain why you might have a tendency to miss right or left, and you can then correct your swing to eliminate bad tendencies. You might think you slice the ball with your irons, only for the data to show there isn't too much side spin at all and your problem is something more basic, such s poor alignment for example.
Launch monitors help you tweak your bag setup to suit your game, too, and have become increasingly popular as one of the best golf gadgets to add to your setup. Data like swing path and distance numbers help players learn more about their own abilities and help make informed decisions on how to tweak one's golf bag setup so there are no distance gaps between clubs, nor are there specific clubs that don't suit the playing characteristics of your swing.
Portable launch monitors are a stable of driving ranges across the professional tour landscape, with touring pros using them to hone their swing - and now given the affordability of these pieces of kit, they may become a staple of your local driving range amongst amateurs also. Launch monitors these days are also very convenient because they can often be folded up nicely, or they are handheld devices so are highly portable.
Some of the premium models that you'll see on tour or in high-tech fitting studios can be hugely expensive, so our rundown of the best portable launch monitors focuses mostly on the more affordable options, although we've covered some of the most portable premium options too. Be sure to take a look at our guides on the best golf simulator, best golf rangefinders or the best golf shot tracking apps and devices if the latest technology is of interest.
The Quick List
For those who enjoy practising, playing and competing, this is a launch monitor well worth considering, with this model used by Tiger Woods and Jon Rahm.
This model is one of the best value launch monitors on the market, with its impressive accuracy, ease of use and host of useful features making it an excellent option.
The Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor is an excellent option for golfers seeking an affordable way to gain insights into their overall game and performance.
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.
A lot of portable launch monitor for the money, the Voice Caddie SC4 works well as a stand-alone unit, but opens up even more features when paired with the MySwingCaddie app.
Designed for the serious golfer looking to improve through feedback on performance but also benefit from playing and practicing indoors as well as outside.
A seriously impressive device that makes owning a launch monitor much more accessible for many golfers. Good value for money, it is also accurate and consistent.
An enjoyable and highly accurate launch monitor that gives you vast amounts of data at your fingertips, the Approach R10 is extremely portable and easy to use.
The GC3 is a comprehensive and versatile launch monitor that looks to offer decent value for money given all the features on offer.
Best Portable Launch Monitors
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Top pick
The most ringing endorsement any golf product can have is that it is used by Tiger Woods. If the GOAT is using it then it must be good, because Tiger is the ultimate golf nerd and few people on the planet are more knowledgeable about the game than him.
The Full Swing Kit Launch Monitor uses a Doppler radar to analyze your shots and provide subsequent data - which is good enough for Tiger (meaning it's good enough for you, too).
The Full Swing Kit is extremely straightforward to use. You start by downloading the free Full Swing app to your phone or tablet and pair it to the launch monitor. Then you place it on the ground 10 feet behind the ball and that's it. You're good to go!
When we tested this monitor we found the data to be accurate and reliable, with the quality of the app enhancing our practice experience. The monitor is easy and fun to use, meaning you'll enjoy your practice sessions while using it. It's simplicity may be it's best feature, with data feedback coming swiftly and effectively after your shots. A carry case in included which makes it easy to transport around and you can even connect your bluetooth earphones or headphones for audio feedback.
- Read our full Full Swing Kit Launch Monitor Review
Best battery life
Voice Caddie are a company best known for producing personal GPS devices for figuring out distances to different points on the golf course, but they are also serious players in the launch monitor market and the Swing Caddie 300i is a great example of an affordable launch monitor with a lot of features.
Like the Full Swing Kit Launch Monitor, the Swing Caddie 300i is easily portable and uses doppler radar technology which measures atmospheric pressure through specialized sensors to provide more accurate data. It easily connects to the MySwingCaddies V2 app on your smartphone via bluetooth for players to track their numbers.
User convenience is enhanced through the voice output, and the video playback analysis feature adds another layer of detail to your practice sessions.
In testing we found that the SC300i was deadly accurate, especially outdoors, in terms of distance, swing speed and clubhead speed. It even compared very well with monitors that cost thousands of dollars. Indoors, the data was pretty close to a much more expensive simulator we used in conjunction with it. It is certainly among the most accurate among all the portable launch monitors under $600 and has a 20+ hour battery life to go with it.
- Read our full Swing Caddie SC300i Launch Monitor Review
Best value
The Rapsodo MLM is the best value launch monitor on the market as in a symbol of how far this technology has advanced in such a short space of time.It gives you a wide range of numbers like carry distance, ball speed, club speed, smash factor, launch angle, and launch direction, but perhaps it's most unique selling point is that it also films your swing and stores up to 100 videos for free (you can get more storage with a subscription). It also offers video playback with shot tracer and the data overlaid.
All you have to do is download the free Rapsodo app (not available on Android, unfortunately) to your smartphone, rest your phone in the front slot and place it roughly six feet behind the ball. That's it.
The lines on the screen and the GPS overhead view help with alignment and selecting your hitting direction (for enhanced accuracy). This model also made our guide on the best cheap launch monitors because the Rapsodo's price represents incredible value for this accurate, easy to use and fun launch monitor.
The ease of use and the quality data it provides, the Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor is a fabulous option for players seeking detailed data at an affordable price - providing you own either an iPhone or iPad.
- Read our full Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor Review
Best set up process
The Rapsodo MLM2PRO is easy to set up and use, 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 that fits nicely and easily into your golf bag which includes a tripod, user manual and a sleeve of specially-marked Callaway RPT Chrome X golf balls - a trusted brand who make some of the best golf balls on the market. The balls measure. spin metric and should realistically be used when inside or hitting into a net, but there is a setting on the device for range balls and premium balls which can be used when on the range.
The MLM2PRO comes with Impact Vision, a useful took for the player seeking to analyze their ball striking and make adjustments. This is one of the two cameras in this launch monitor which is incredibly easy to use with the unique three-legged tripod. The other camera, branded the Shot Vision camera, videos your swing and shows the track of your shot - not dissimilar to the pro tracer we see while watching professional golf on TV. You can add a third camera with through your phone or tablet for extra analysis, too.
In testing, we found that it doesn't track the ball all the way to the end 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. In the data, you will find carry distance, clubhead speed, ball speed, and launch angle, from which it extrapolates total distance.
Purchase of the MLMPRO includes a year of premium membership which includes 30,000 simulator courses, a "Vritual Driving Range" and the aforementioned Impact Vision camera which provides a major upgrade over the original Rapsodo Mobile launch monitor. This launch monitor works with Android devices too, unlike the mobile launch monitor, but your membership will cost $199 annually after your first year expires.
- Read our full Rapsodo MLM2PRO Launch Monitor Review
Best display
At $550 retail, the SC4 is certainly one of the value options amongst the best portable launch monitors on the market and, out of the box, it might be the easiest to use. You just simply charge it, turn it on (each full charge gives you 10-plus hours), place it five feet behind the ball, line up with your target line and away you go.
The SC4 has its own display, meaning you don't have to connect it with a smartphone or tablet like other launch monitors. You simply swing, listen and look. There's a remote control that magnetically attaches itself to the unit which is simple to use and makes it easy to change modes, clubs, and adjust other settings while you’re hitting balls.
This monitor comes with a carry case and charging cable, and while this piece of kit is a little bulkier and heavier than other models we tested, it still fits easily into the golf bag. This allows you to use it on the range before heading out for your Sunday competition round without having to run back to the clubhouse and throw it into your car or locker.
As for what it measures, the SC4 pretty much has all the necessary metrics. It starts out with distance, which can be toggled between carry and total distance. It provides launch direction, as well as swing speed, ball speed, launch angle, apex, smash factor and spin. However, we did notice that spin rates felt a little higher than expected during testing.
- Read our full Voice Caddie SC4 Launch Monitor Review
Best ease of use
This mid-range offering from Flightscope provides golfers with all the data they would ever need (and then some) via a device that is very easy to set up and an app interface that even the least tech-savvy golfer out there should be able to grasp. It isn't the smallest device on this list but it is portable thanks to the included carry case that clips on to your bag and the fact it is very lightweight.
The Flightscope Mevo+ comes in the mid-range of the monitors we tested in terms of price but still provides players all the data they would need from a launch monitor. Set up is simple and the app interface is even easier to navigate. It's a bit bulky in comparison to some of its comeptitors, but can clip onto your golf bag and weighs next to nothing.
Althought the Mevo+ can work outdoors, it performs best indoors on the likes of a simulator or driving net where it can double up as an impressive simulator in which you can virtually play some of the most famous golf courses from around the world.
We also liked how it works with the FS Skills app, which provides a multitude of skills challenges to test different areas of the game and provide points based on your performance for you to then try and beat next time. You can even create your own challenges and see how you compare to a PGA Tour player.
- Read our full Flightscope Mevo+ Launch Monitor Review
Best handheld
This doppler radar option is so handy that it will fit neatly in your pocket, providing you with the ultimate in portability as well as all the data metrics needed to help you understand your game, such as speed, distance and smash factor. The graphics and buttons are fairly basic but you get all the information you need on a screen that is easy to read.
Another launch monitor using the technology of the doppler radar, the PRGR Portable Launch Monitor is so small it can fit in your pocket. It's ultra-portable as a result while giving you all the data sets you need to work on and understand your game - speed, distance and smash factor. The graphics and buttons are relatively basic in comparison to competing monitors, but all your information is there on the screen and is easily digestible.
The latest version has a higher-quality dual radar sensor, an improved processor and algorithm to increase accuracy, a larger, high-resolution display and improved wedge measurement (especially on higher-lofted shots) to capture more shots, as well as the ability to switch between yards and meters. You can also use it with any SuperSpeed swing training clubs to see if your exercises are increasing the amount of speed you can generate.
Although there is no app to connect with this monitor to record your data, the device will log your last 500 shots which allows players to go back and analyze your shot data manually if you want to note it down with the old fashioned pen and paper. This is ideal starting place for the golfer purchasing their first launch monitor or who have never properly recorded their yardages.
- Read our full PRGR Portable Launch Monitor Review
Most compact
The Garmin Approach R10 packs a formidable punch at a low price. It's one of the most compact portable launch monitors out there and gathers an enormous amount of real time data which is then displayed on the accompanying Garmin Golf App - an app created by a trusted brand who make some of the best GPS devices in golf.
The R10 provides players feedback on both club and ball speed, smash factor, spin, club path and club face angle which will helps golfers learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of their golf swing and how far they hit the ball with each club.
Players can also use the Driving Range Mode, which automatically records video clips, to further analyze their golf swing. The Home Hero Golf feature also allows golfers to play over 42,000 golf courses worldwide on simulation which is a fantastic added bonus to an already solid launch monitor.
- Read our full Garmin Approach R10 Launch Monitor Review
Best photometric
Built on the same advanced photometric technology found in the company’s flagship launch monitor, the GCQuad, the GC3 features a three-camera system that measures ball and club performance data, both outdoors and indoors, with precision and accuracy. It's arguably the closest thing you can get to tour-level data analysis of your golf swing.
What makes the GC3 so accurate is the Barometric Sensor which factors in temperature, humidity and altitude to give you data as accurately as possible.
It's portable and small, measuring just over 30cm and weighing just over 2kg, but may not fit into your golf bag as well as other units in this buying guide. It shares a lot of features with it's bigger, more expensive brother - the GCQuad, including the ease of use and speed of measurement and feedback. It doesn't measure face angle, loft and lie, impact location or closure rate like the GCQuad, nor does it provide full putting data, but you can access basic data for the latter by applying a simple sticker to your putter face.
Factor in the indoor and simulator experiences and the GC3 is an appealing prospect for the serious golfer.
- Read our full Foresight Sports GC3 Launch Monitor Review
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 portable launch monitors also get used a lot because we do so much club testing as well.
Our tests are done for golfers, by golfers - it's a system we pride ourselves on. Manufacturers cannot 'buy' a good review, nor can we give preferential treatment to certain brands or manufacturers. Simply put, the only reason we say a certain product is good is because we've put it through a thorough, seasoned testing process and it has passed it!
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
What do you want to know most about your golf swing? How far you hit each club? Smash factor? Club path? Or are you new to the data game and just want to find out your general numbers? Knowing what specifically what you want from a launch monitor is important before making a purchase - these pieces of kit usually aren't cheap.
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.
Features
Are numbers all you want, or do you want a bit more from your launch monitor? Advanced models come with simulators, allowing you to play some of the most famous golf courses in the world. 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.
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.
Ease of use
Some people don't want the hassle of setting up an advanced launch monitor - they simply want to hit shots and look at the numbers. This makes the smaller devices like the Swing Caddie SC300 and Rapsodo particularly appealing.
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.
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.
FAQs
What launch monitors do pros use?
Professionals out on Tour use a variety of launch monitors right now. We regularly see players carrying around models from Trackman and Foresight Sports, whilst we also know some professionals use launch monitors at home, like the Full Swing Kit Launch Monitor used by Tiger Woods.
Are portable launch monitors worth it?
We think a portable launch monitor is worth it because of the benefits available like a great understanding of your golf game, more efficient practice, convenience, and importantly, there are really good models out there that do not have to cost thousands of dollars.
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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