Best Golf Launch Monitors in 2024

If you have ever wondered about any of the specifics of your golf game, a launch monitor is something you should seriously consider purchasing.

As a Class A PGA Professional, I am incredibly amazed by the information that is now available to the amateur golfer. This type of data and swing statistics were not easily accessible only a few short years ago. 

Having great data about your swing can absolutely help you become a better player.

Here are our thoughts on the best golf launch monitors on the market. It’s incredible how affordable these helpful devices have become!

Best Golf Launch Monitor: Flightscope Mevo

The Flightscope Mevo stands out as the best overall golf launch monitor for a golfer. This is a portable unit that will help you get performance and accuracy as you work to improve your golf game.

If you are like me and have been around the game for several decades, you know how hard it was at one point to get this kind of data about your golf game. 

We are very impressed with the accuracy and depth of information that you can get using the Flightscope Mevo. One of our favorite features is that you can use these golf launch monitors both indoors and outdoors. 

The Mevo allows you to capture video with your phone or computer and then compare the data it collected to the video clips. Your videos can be saved, and you can easily track your progress.

Sometimes seeing where you started and where you are now is all the motivation that a player needs.

 Runner Up 1: Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor

The Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor is a great option because it is one of the most complete solutions for the lowest prices. The Rapsodo Mobile used to have one major downfall, and that was that it could not be used indoors.

The latest edition can be used indoors with the right setup. This is an excellent solution for those looking for an all in one solution.

As a golf professional, I have quite a bit of trust in the Trackman products we use for demo days and golf equipment testing. This Trackman technology is extremely accurate but very expensive and not a feasible solution for the average golfer.

The Rapsodo is one of the closest alternatives to Trackman for the average golfer. The distance accuracy is within 2.5 percent of the Trackman.

The Rapsodo is easy to set up, and you will be up and swinging with a matter of a minute. Features like shot trace and data overlay help people understand what it takes to hit a golf ball well, and what ball flight does to your golf game.

With the data history that Rapsodo keeps, you can check on averages and see how your golf game is actually improving.

Runner Up 2: Swing Caddie SC300 Portable Launch

The Swing Caddie SC300 is a portable launch monitor that has its own screen. This is not a model that you will need to pair with your phone as it will display the data directly on the screen of your launch monitor. 

The good news is that you can still get all the data you want on your phone.

Everything will be accessible via the app, but you won’t have to look at several different devices while you are working on your golf swing and determining your strengths and weaknesses during practice sessions. 

As a lower handicap player, sometimes I don’t want to be messing with my phone or having to wait for results to load to an app.

Looking back and getting the instant information that I need to work on my game in real-time is a much better solution. This is something to keep in mind when you look for the perfect golf launch monitor.

Garmin Approach G80

Best All In One Unit

With all of the gadgets and gear that a golfer needs in today’s day and age, it can be nice to find an all in one unit. The Garmin Approach G80 is an all in one unit that will work as your golf GPS and a portable launch monitor. 

The Garmin products are well known for being easy to use and work with. This Garmin Approach G80 has a 3.5-inch screen that you can read even when it is extremely bright on the golf course.

The screen is a touch screen, and you can navigate back and forth and in and out of the launch monitor with ease. 

The launch monitor will keep track of clubhead speed, ball speed, swing speed, smash factor, and estimated distance.

Truthfully, this is all the information that an average golfer needs. The GPS side of this launch monitor will come with 41,000 preloaded golf courses for you to play. 

As far as launch monitors go, this may not be the most accurate, but for the price and for the availability of the other functions, this is the best option for an all in one unit.

Ernest Sports ES12

Best Cheap Golf Launch Monitor

As great as us golf professionals think the pricing is on some of these launch monitors, the pricing is still considered a bit high for many amateur golfers. Luckily there are options like this Ernest Sports ES12 Portable Launch Monitor. 

This model is priced considerably lower than many other options on the market, and although it may not have the most features, it certainly has enough to make this a great golf swing analyzer.

You will use the Ernest Sports mobile app to get any of your data from the ES12. 

This launch monitor is capable of giving you ball speed and distance, and it sets up within a matter of seconds.

We like the durability of the ES12, but the data that you will get won’t include things like launch angle or spin rate. If you want some basic statistics, however, this is a great choice to consider.

Ernest Sports ES16 Tour

Best Premium Golf Launch Monitor

Ernest makes our list yet again, this time with a premium model that is built for the very serious golfer.

This is going to be a much more expensive unit, and it will be geared more towards those that need a launch monitor for their golf business, or they are making a run at a professional career in the game. 

If you want all the data, this Ernest Sports ES16 can give it to you. You will get information like carrying distance, roll distance, launch angle, spin rate, maximum height, shot dispersion, and so much more.

The ES16 can also give club data like the angle of attack and the face angle. 

This combination of data is necessary for proper club fitting and making sure that golfers are working towards improving their numbers and not falling backward and into bad habits.

If you have the budget, you won’t find a better portable launch monitor for amateurs than the ES16. 

Golf Launch Monitors Buying Guide

Now that you are an expert in all things launch monitors, how will you decide which is going to be the best fit for your game?

Here are some great questions to ask yourself before you make your final purchase. 

What Is The Difference Between Low Priced and High Priced Launch Monitors? 

The major difference between the high priced and the low priced launch monitors is the amount of data they can collect.

Launch monitors that can collect information about launch angle, spin, smash factor, and more are going to be priced higher.

The technology that it takes to collect this information is more expensive and more advanced. 

Read Also: Best Golf Launch Monitors Under $1,000

What Can I Do With All The Data I Collect From My Launch Monitor? 

Golfers love to know their stats, but most have to know what to do with all of these data points. If you have a launch monitor, you need to start to understand how launch angle, spin, and dispersion are affecting your game. 

When you understand how these things affect your golf game, you can then purchase the proper equipment and work on your swing changes to get the best possible results.

It is important to sometimes pair the data you get with videos of your swing so that you can see what a swing with great numbers looks like compared to a swing with poor results. 

Are Golf Launch Monitors Accurate?  

Golf launch monitors have a wide range of accuracy. Generally speaking, the more expensive a launch monitor gets, the more accurate it is as well.

Although this is not always the case, if you purchase a cheap launch monitor, you have to be ready for there to be some inaccuracy. 

One thing to ask yourself is how important accuracy really is. Even the lower priced models are usually accurate to within a few yards.

This type of accuracy should be more than enough for an average golfer. If you are looking to turn professional or opening up a club fitting business, then, of course, the higher levels of accuracy are more important and worth paying for. 

Conclusion

Hopefully, our list of the best golf launch monitors has helped you to narrow down your choices. This type of technology is still kind of new for the average golfer, but it can give you a huge advantage if you are working on improving your game.

The Flightscope Mevo stands out as the best launch monitor because it can give very accurate and reliable results for ball speed, total distance ball flight, and more. This is a very small and portable unit, and it sets up in a matter of seconds.

You can keep your golf swing data and use it to see how your game is progressing. Certainly, this is the technology that all golfers can benefit from.