This compact launch monitor is ready to take on the road

Wwelcome to I triedGOLF.com’s series about golf gear – apparel, gear, equipment and more – that we just took out for a spin. We are here to offer our reliable, non-golf or near-golf items. So, scroll down to read about our favorite new (or new to us) golf products.

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With all the testing I’m doing right now as part of Fully Fit 2026, I’m seeing the ball fly again Getting monitoring data for the same startup is rare.

Seeing data indoors while waiting out a brutal northeast winter is one thing, but it’s hard to get that data whenever I’m traveling and playing in a warm environment.

But as I found out on a recent trip to South Carolina, the Garmin Approach R10 is the perfect companion to take with me.

What is the Garmin Approach R10

The Garmin Approach R10 has been out since 2021 and it was a GPS and the very first tracker launched by the giant. Five years later, it’s still one of the best launch monitors in its price range.

What I think sets the R10 apart from other competitors in the sub-$500 market is its ability to capture spin data without radar golf balls.

The unit itself doesn’t have a data display, but all you need is a phone or iPad with the Garmin Golf app on it to take full advantage of the 14 different metrics captured by the radar. My favorite use is to take it to the range to test things out when trying out a new club. I’m not trying to use it to measure myself, but what I can do is use it to confirm what I’m seeing with my ball flight is what the numbers are telling me.

On my last ride, I was testing a new shaft on my little driver, and while I could easily see which shaft was better, it was nice to get confirmation from the launch guard that I was going in the right direction. There are many different viewing options, but just with my iPhone, I like to select three data points to display in large numbers while my phone is lying on the floor.

I also used it to help a friend who wasn’t getting much out of his driver. I thought his ball was spinning in the air, we put him in the R10 and we saw his very low attack style with his driver.

Although I’m not a golf coach, we made a few tweaks to his setup and driver and the front and rear numbers were pretty amazing. It was easy to see that we were on track, thanks to the R10 measuring the angles of twist and attack.

Departure on Approach R10

Not only is the R10 very cheap compared to many of the big-name units out there, but it’s also very travel-friendly.

It includes a case that takes up about the same space as a box of golf balls (smaller, but deeper), which I can easily throw in my backpack.

In my experience with TSA PreCheck, I shouldn’t have taken it out of my bag. The same cannot be said for larger units.

Then when I get to my destination, all I need is six feet of flat space behind wherever I hit the balls to set up, which I can do in seconds.

After that, I can get the numbers on the range, or if I wanted to, play golf on the range with Garmin’s native Home Tee Hero app or another compatible simulation app.

Bottom line

Garmin Approach R10 Portable Launch Monitor

Small and easy to take from home to the driving range, the Approach R10 is a portable launch monitor that brings the course to you.

The Garmin Approach R10 fills a really nice hole in the market for an affordable and portable run monitor that can measure spin and many other important data variables.

If you’ve been looking for a solid monitor that’s easy to use and won’t break the bank, it’s hard to go wrong with the R10.