Garmin Approach R50 is an absolute game-changer. Golf simulators will never be the same. The first all-in-one golf simulator (no phone, tablet or computer needed) features a stunning 10" color touchscreen, elite photometric Club & Ball data & access to 43,000+ stunningly redesigned virtual courses.
The First-Ever Plug-and-Play Golf Simulator
Garmin has just made history (again!) with its new epic, all-in-one Approach R50 golf simulator and launch monitor.
What’s so EPIC and ALL-IN-ONE about it?
You don’t need to be connected to a PC or mobile device to get data or play simulated golf on the R50. Let us say it a different way: All you have to do is push the power button on, and you can be teeing off at the first hole at Pebble Beach—or whatever course you choose from Garmin’s 43K+ library of real-world golf courses. You don’t even need an internet connection (you will for your initial setup & firmware updates—but that’s it).
What’s more, this thing’s got a built-in 10-inch color touchscreen display, that is fully customizable, and that you can also play Garmin’s vastly improved Home Tee Hero virtual golf on—right on the device!
Want to get your virtual golf or your customized launch monitor data on a TV or impact screen? It’s as easy as plugging an HDMI cable into the TV or your projector.
Robust, Accurate Golf Launch Monitor Data—Right Out of the Box
First, let’s talk about what you get …
Ball Data:
- Ball Speed
- Launch Angle
- Launch Direction
- Spin Rate (measured, not calculated)
- Spin Axis (measured, not calculated)
- Smash Factor
- Total Distance
- Carry Distance
- Total Deviation
- Apex Height
Club Data:
- Clubhead Speed
- Path Angle
- Angle of Attack
- Face Angle
- Face to Path
And finally, the Garmin R50’s unique data presentation …
The R50 golf simulator display is fully customizable so you can see your data in multiple ways.
You can choose to see a map, complete with a ball tracer. Or data tiles that you can arrange in whatever order you’d like. You can also get club path, face angle, and spin visuals, showing you exactly how the ball is coming off the clubface for each individual shot. And the R50 automatically records a close-up impact video of each of your shots.
What’s really cool is that you can choose any of these looks as a full-screen display, or any combination of two as a split-screen. And it gets even more impressive when you plug the HDMI into a TV or projector and create even more ways to view your data and play!
Garmin R50’s Golf Simulator Options — Home Tee Hero & Third-Party Compatibility
Let’s zero in on what you can do simulator-wise with this epic golf launch monitor!
You’ve already learned that you can make it the centerpiece of your home golf simulator setup, or take it anywhere—to the range, a buddy’s, to a net set up in your garage or backyard—and play virtual golf as well.
So, what kind of virtual golf can you get on this thing?
As of right now, you have four fantastic options (it’s possible Garmin will add more options later, like they did with the R10):
- Home Tee Hero (Garmin’s proprietary sim software)
- E6
- GSPro
- Awesome Golf
It’s important to note that you will need a PC and Wi-Fi connection to play third-party software—i.e., anything not Home Tee Hero. Third-party sim software will also require additional subscription costs.
Exclusively for the R50, Garmin has run its Home Tee Hero software through a technical boot camp, and it has come out the other side with much more realistic graphics and improved mapping. Translation: it looks far more realistic. This upgrade will not trickle down to the Approach R10. It’s an R50 exclusive! All you need is a Garmin Premium Golf subscription, that is still only $9.99/month or $99.99/year!
The Garmin Approach R50’s Incomparable Suite of Features
So, you don’t need a connection for the R50—amazing! And you can play Home Tee Hero on this thing, anywhere—sweet! But is there anything else special about this self-contained golf launch monitor and simulator? You bet your a** there is!
Here’s what else you get with this magnificent beast:
- Three high-speed cameras, which translates to reliable accuracy and measured, not estimated, metrics!
- Club path metrics—at no extra cost! (Requires Garmin’s club stickers that come with purchase.)
- Built-in, stunning 10-inch color touchscreen display.
- More visible data on the screen than competitors.
- More realistic feel in Home Tee Hero graphics!
- Putting for simulator play.
- The R50 automatically captures impact videos for every shot!
- An HDMI output that lets you mirror to an external display what’s on your R50 display or even different views. For example: See a split screen of a flyover of the hole and your chosen data tiles on the R50 screen, while you have the view from you shot on an impact screen!
- Third-party sim options via a PC and Wi-Fi connection.
- It’s the easiest to set up—no, really! You won’t believe it, until you see it.
- It requires less space than the Approach R10—about 12’ of room depth.
- Shot light indicator that’s nice and visible at the bottom of the unit.
- A carry handle (nice because the R50 is larger than most portable launch monitors).
- All the best launch monitor data (see details in next section).
- An amazing, uber-protective carrying case!
