Garmin R10 - Personal Launch Monitor

[Darkfrog]

2 hours ago, ncates00 said:

Both of these should be directly measured. Carry, of course, is only directly measured if it’s a Doppler-based system with full range enabled. 
 

Thank you for providing your thoughts on the video. 

You're right, I am pretty sure spin is measured directly. I'm just guessing here, but the guys in the video mentioned the Trackman measures the ball until it lands. I assume the R10 only measures a portion of the flight, so I wonder if it doesn't measure enough of the ball flight to determine curve and carry as accurately as the Trackman. There were a few shots where the spin axis on the R10 was in the opposite direction as shown on the Trackman.

[The Flush]

This video shows a difference in side spin between the R10 and GC2.

Other numbers are relatively close.

 

[ChetlovesMer]

Okay, I pre-ordered one of these and I got it about 2 weeks back. 

Cutting to the chase. I just returned it today for my money back.

Now, here's my review.

The Good: 

1 - Everything in the box seems high quality. The case, the stand, even the clip designed to hold your phone on your bag is really well made and seems very robust. 

2 - It could not have been easier to set up and get running. 

3 - Within a few minutes I had it set up at the driving range and I hit the fist shot. The first shot I hit was just a punched 7 iron with a half swing. I faded it to the right and it flew around 130 yards. Sure enough, the driving range feature on the ap showed a shot about 130 yards faded to the right. I was immediately excited. 

The Bad:
1 - That first shot was one of the very few that seemed even remotely accurate. 

2 - I tried it many times over a period of about 2 weeks. I probably brought it to the range about 10 times. Once in a while the shot I hit looked like the shot shown on my phone. Maybe 1 out of each 5 shots..... No exaggeration. 

3 - I hit shots that were all landing about at the 130 yard marker on the range. I was getting readings literally between 60 and 150 yards. >>>> WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4 - I experimented with everything. How far back or forward I set it up. Trying to vary the speed and type of backswing I took. I even contacted the company, who sent me a list of tips. Which included (I kid you not) making sure the level of sunlight is even over the course of the shot.... huh? 

The Frustrating:

1 - When I hit driver it was about 50/50 in picking up the shot at all. And almost never seemed even reasonably close on shot shape and/or distance. I mean ridiculously wrong. If I thought I was hitting 270 yard drives and it was saying I was hitting 240 yard drives, I might be able to make the case that my eyes are bigger than my skills. But I would hit a 220 yard fade and it would show a 110 yard snap hook. ... Again, WTF???? 

2 - The other thing that drove me crazy was it kept losing bluetooth connection to my phone. This device does NOTHING without a phone or tablet. So, I'd loose connection and there's no warning shown on your phone. You just see the empty driving range. There is a flashing light on top of the device that will tell you if you are connected. But it only flashed once and then goes back to the ready flashing. If you miss that one flash you will not be connected and have absolutely no way of knowing it until you hit a bunch of shots that don't register. 

3 - I got to the point where every shot that didn't register, about 1 in 10. You'd have to go through this diagnostic process. Is it still connected to my phone? Do I need to reconnect? Okay, I'm connected, it just missed that shot. Okay got the flashing light going again. Let's hit a ball. Looks like about a 150 yards, slight fade. Oh, the device shows 67 yard snap hook. F#@%!!!

 

I never tried it into a net. It was so bad outside that it seemed pointless to even try hitting it into net. 

I packed it up and sent it back. 

For a moment I toyed with selling it on ebay. As they are currently selling for 100 to 300 bucks more than I paid for it. But, mine worked so poorly that I thought perhaps its damaged or defective? I can't, in good conscious, sell a known damaged or defective device on ebay. 

I just returned it. 

 

 

[The Flush]

Thanks for the review.  Sounds like it is definitely not ready for its intended use. I had high hopes that it could be used into a net to at least tell me direction/shot shape, but I guess it can't do that yet.

[billchao]

5 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I even contacted the company, who sent me a list of tips. Which included (I kid you not) making sure the level of sunlight is even over the course of the shot.... huh? 

Wait, what? Isn’t it a radar unit?

1 hour ago, The Flush said:

Thanks for the review.  Sounds like it is definitely not ready for its intended use. I had high hopes that it could be used into a net to at least tell me direction/shot shape, but I guess it can't do that yet.

I’d use a LM primarily into a net as well, so I’m still in the market (not looking real hard) for one. As I understand it, the camera systems are more accurate than the radar systems with limited flight.

[The Flush]

Hype Meter: Garmin Approach R10 | MyGolfSpy

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The Garmin Approach R10 has caused a lot of hype in the industry. We put it to the test against a GC Quad and Rapsodo. See how it performed.

 

[iacas]

1 hour ago, billchao said:

the camera systems are more accurate than the radar systems with limited flight.

Meh. I'm not a big fan of the SkyTrak and would choose a Mevo+ over it all the time. Plus the camera ones both need a lot of light and also stink in bright light.

[billchao]

Just now, iacas said:

Meh. I'm not a big fan of the SkyTrak and would choose a Mevo+ over it all the time. Plus the camera ones both need a lot of light and also stink in bright light.

I’m not either, that’s why I haven’t bought anything yet. Mevo+ would be fine but I have read that it’s not that good in the ~7’ of ball flight I have.

[ChetlovesMer]

12 hours ago, billchao said:

I’m not either, that’s why I haven’t bought anything yet. Mevo+ would be fine but I have read that it’s not that good in the ~7’ of ball flight I have.

I have the same issue. I can hit into a net all winter, but very limited space. It's either in the basement or the garage... neither of which is only going to provide a ton of ball flight. 

I am hoping that the partnership between Bushnell and Foresight produces something that will work for me. 

LAUNCH PRO: Bushnell and Foresight Join Forces | MyGolfSpy

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Bushnell have teamed up with Foresight Sports to make a Personal Launch Monitor. Introducing the Bushnell Launch Pro launching in the fall of 2021.

 

 

[ncates00]

15 hours ago, iacas said:

camera ones both need a lot of light

No, not really. Depends on the unit maybe. 

 

15 hours ago, iacas said:

stink in bright light.

Same answer. I have no issues other than the fact that foresight tends to exaggerate the carry distance of low spin (anything lower than around 3,000 rpm) shots. 

[iacas]

8 hours ago, ncates00 said:

No, not really. Depends on the unit maybe.

Yes, really.

You may define “a lot” differently, but they certainly don’t work in the dark.

And I am specifically talking about home units, not $15,000 devices.

[ncates00]

5 hours ago, iacas said:

Yes, really.

You may define “a lot” differently, but they certainly don’t work in the dark.

And I am specifically talking about home units, not $15,000 devices.

I can’t speak for all camera-based units (as I said, I suppose it depends on the unit), only those I’ve tried and the one own. No problems with mine in the dark with a projector and all that. 

[iacas]

1 minute ago, ncates00 said:

I can’t speak…

I can. For example, the SkyTrak.

[pganapathy]

I just saw a review on YouTube where a guy used a Mevo or SkyTrak or some such similar doppler/radar based device along with the R10.  What he found was if the ball wasn't lined up perfectly with the centre aim line on the R10 device, the stats tended to be off.  Unlike the other device, admittedly far more expensive, but that is also bigger and more accurate.

That seems to be the reason people are getting varied readings and accuracy, according to the video

[iacas]

14 minutes ago, pganapathy said:

I just saw a review on YouTube where a guy used a Mevo or SkyTrak or some such similar doppler/radar based device along with the R10.  What he found was if the ball wasn't lined up perfectly with the centre aim line on the R10 device, the stats tended to be off.  Unlike the other device, admittedly far more expensive, but that is also bigger and more accurate.

That seems to be the reason people are getting varied readings and accuracy, according to the video

That wouldn't explain the wrong distances, the wrong shot shape/curve, etc.

And if the ball goes 10° right and the thing says it went 5° left that's a pretty big start line error, too.

[Darkfrog]

It seems to me that maybe the hype/expectations of the R10 exceeded the capability of the product.

For now, I am happy with my Mevo (not +). Even though it doesn't measure curve or provide club data, I know the numbers it does provide are pretty darn accurate compared to the GC4 where I take lessons and occasionally practice.

[ChetlovesMer]

1 hour ago, pganapathy said:

I just saw a review on YouTube where a guy used a Mevo or SkyTrak or some such similar doppler/radar based device along with the R10.  What he found was if the ball wasn't lined up perfectly with the centre aim line on the R10 device, the stats tended to be off.  Unlike the other device, admittedly far more expensive, but that is also bigger and more accurate.

That seems to be the reason people are getting varied readings and accuracy, according to the video

I tried that. A LOT!!!!!

Again, I don't know if I just got one that was particularly bad. But my numbers were rarely believable and really bad with the driver. With the unit I had I'd very often hit a 200 and something yard fade and it would show a 60 something yard snap hook. If I couple that with the fact that it missed 1 in 5 of my shots all together and then the number of times it lost bluetooth connectivity with my phone. ... Very frustrating.

For every 10 shots:

• 2 would be believable
• 2 or 3 it would "not see" and give me no reading at all. 
• 4 or 5 would give me readings that I'm positive weren't close. (My test was just half-swinging some 7 irons out at a 130 yard stick on the range. I'd literally get everything from about 60 to 150 yards. even though they were all landing reasonably close to the 130 flag. Granted I don't have Tiger Woods like iron accuracy, but I think I can tell the difference between a 130 yard shot and a 60 yard shot.) 
• 1 or more would be wasted because I'd lose bluetooth connectivity to my phone... even though it was sitting right next to the unit. It also doesn't really tell you whether or not you have connectivity. So, you don't know if you lost connectivity to your phone or if the unit "missed" the shot. Again, I found it frustrating. 

 

Here's the thing. The unit sells it self on how easy it is to use. Take it out of the box, set it 8 feet back from the ball and go to work. For a unit that sells itself on easy set up, I was always fussing with it. Incredibly frustrating. 

Believe me, I was trying to give it the benefit of the doubt. Hell, I pre-ordered the damned thing. I really wanted it to work. I would have lived with numbers that were just in the ball park. But after a week and a half of f-ing with it out there on the range. I was just done with it. I sent it back for a refund. I'll keep my extremely reliable, fairly accurate SC300. 

[TL308]

My golfspy has a pretty good review on the Garmin.  If I remember correctly they said it has significant trouble with longer clubs.