When Garmin released the G80 GPS unit with built-in radar for practise at home or on the range it was only a matter of time before they ventured further into the launch monitor category. With the R10 personal launch monitor you will be glad they did.
The R10 takes affordable performance to a new level and given the popularity of the game, and player’s desire to get better, the timing couldn’t be better. And there are a few things in particular that Kippa recommends we should focus on.
WHAT WE LIKE
+ Technology in a compact package
+ Swing metrics measured
+ Value for money
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
× Spin numbers are only a guide
× Tolerances on some key metrics seem high
× Needs an alignment aide of some sort
Technology
What’s new
The whole thing.
This is Garmin’s first big leap into the world of personal launch monitors and they have done it very well. The key is to remind yourself that you haven’t paid $20,000, or even $2,000 for this unit. Given what it delivers for the cost, it’s amazing.
And it’s all powered by Doppler radar, hence the fact it works best when the radar is given room to shine, i.e. flight longer than 20m.
Looks
Sleek and portable, the R10 will be a handy addition on the practise fairway, or net at home, without making you look like a golf nerd.
It comes with a tripod that is easy to clip on (magnets are wonderful things), and also a very handy phone holder so you can record your swing and overlay it with the numbers. More on that later.
The Key Metrics it measures include Attack Angle, Carry and Total Distance, Club Face, Club Path, Face to Path, Ball Speed, Club Speed, and Apex Height. Plus more as you can see in the video.
Performance
The focus of the R10 is game improvement; understanding where you went right and where you went wrong. With his years of experience coaching, Kippa is most excited by a few key metrics: swing path, face angle to path, face to target, and attack angle. These are the elements he would ask his students to focus on, rather than get caught up in launch and spin numbers, which can be misleading.
The fact that you can video your swing and overlay it with these numbers, gives you a very strong visual reference for keys you may be working on; an awesome feature.
As negative, perfect alignment is difficult to achieve and it could probably do with an extendable rod/alignment stick to assist, but we’re sure Garmin is onto that already.
The functionality extends beyond the fairway to. The R10 can become a course at home, in fact 40,000 courses, with the Home Tee Hero subscription. For the premium experience, it can also be linked to TruGolf E6 connect so you can immerse yourself in the world of virtual golf.
conclusion
The first thing you need to remember is what you’re paying for vs what you’re getting. The R10 is incredible value for what it delivers, absolutely incredible. It delivers club metrics close to that of units 10x and often 20x the price. Conceding that this is not designed for PGA Tour players, it will deliver on everything you need to celebrate your passion, and more. The Garmin Golf app is a dream to use, and when the R10 is coupled with video from your phone, it is quite the package.
Perfect? No. Perfect for the vast majority of us hunting performance improvement? Absolutely.
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