Garmin R50 vs Bushnell Launch Pro: Screen and Software Choices
The Garmin Approach R50 and the Bushnell Launch Pro are both camera-based launch monitors for golfers who want measured spin and club data indoors and out. The R50 costs about $5,000 and includes its own 10 inch touchscreen and simulator software that can drive a projector directly. The Launch Pro costs about $3,000 and leans on Foresight software, which runs on a PC or mobile device and is tied to a membership. Most of the decision comes down to screens and software, not the camera hardware.
Research disclosure: This page uses Garmin’s and Bushnell’s product pages, manuals and plan listings, checked October 9, 2026. We have not tested either monitor. Prices are US list prices at the time of writing.
Verdict
Pick the Garmin R50 if you want a simulator that runs without a PC: plug a projector or TV into its HDMI port and play Garmin’s Home Tee Hero courses. Pick the Bushnell Launch Pro if you would rather spend about $2,000 less up front, already have or plan to buy a gaming PC, and like Foresight’s software and its course library.
Specifications side by side
| Item | Garmin Approach R50 | Bushnell Launch Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | About $4,999.99 | About $2,999.99 (Circle B Edition) |
| Sensor | Three cameras | Three-camera system with infrared |
| Built-in screen | 10 inch touchscreen | Small touchscreen LCD (3 by 2 inches) |
| Video output | HDMI to a projector or monitor | None listed; connects to a PC by Ethernet or USB-C, or to mobile by Wi-Fi |
| Battery | Up to 4 hours | 5 to 7 hours |
| Water rating | IPX3 | IPX7 |
| Club data | Club speed, path, angle of attack and face angle, using club stickers (250 included) | Club head speed, smash factor, club path and angle of attack with a Silver or Gold plan |
| Built-in simulator | Home Tee Hero, with a Garmin Golf membership | None; Foresight Premier runs on a gaming PC |
| Third-party software | GSPro and Awesome Golf listed; E6 Connect announced | Requires the Gold plan; GSPro listed at $250 a year |
Sources: Garmin Approach R50 product page, Approach R50 manual specifications and Bushnell Launch Pro product page.
Screens: where you see the shot
The R50’s 10 inch touchscreen is the main difference you notice. You can hit balls and see the data and simulation on the unit itself, then send the picture to a projector or TV over HDMI. Garmin’s Home Tee Hero supports up to four players and, per Garmin, more than 43,000 courses. It requires a Garmin Golf membership.
The Launch Pro has a small 3 by 2 inch touchscreen for basic readouts. For anything more, you connect it to a device. Bushnell lists Wi-Fi for mobile devices and Ethernet or USB-C for a PC, and states that a gaming PC is required to power Foresight’s Premier software. That PC is not included.
Software: what it costs each year
Bushnell publishes its plans clearly. In October 2026 they were:
- Free: ball data, core data views and 10 sessions of history.
- Silver, $199 a year: unlimited history and club data on the Launch Pro, plus some drills. Course Pass eligible.
- Gold, $599 a year: everything in Silver plus swing video capture and multiple profiles. Required for third-party software, which is sold separately.
- Course Pass, $295 a year: 35 courses in Premier. Needs Silver or Gold.
- Course Pass Pro, $595 a year: 111 courses. Needs Silver or Gold.
New devices come with a 30-day trial of these plans. Note that on the free tier, Bushnell lists club data only for Foresight-branded devices, so Launch Pro owners who want club data need at least Silver.
Garmin’s approach is simpler to describe: club and ball data are on the device, and the Garmin Golf membership unlocks Home Tee Hero. Check Garmin’s current membership price when you build your budget.
A three-year look
Using Bushnell’s published prices, a Launch Pro owner who wants club data and course play would pay $2,999.99 plus $199 for Silver and $295 for Course Pass each year. That is about $4,480 over three years, before the PC. Moving to Gold for third-party software raises the yearly cost to $894 with Course Pass, or $599 without it, plus the third-party software itself.
The R50 starts at $4,999.99 with no PC needed for Home Tee Hero, plus three years of Garmin Golf membership. Third-party simulators on the R50 need a PC as well, according to retailers’ setup notes we read.
So the gap narrows over time, and it depends heavily on whether you already own a suitable PC.
Original explainer by Launch Monitor Pro. You may reuse this graphic with visible credit and a link to the source article. This is a planning aid, not product test data.
Embed this graphic on your blog
Placement and the room
Garmin says the R50 sits about 1.5 feet (0.5 m) to the side of the tee, facing it, at the same height as the ball, and does not need leveling. Nothing has to sit behind the golfer, which helps in shorter rooms.
The Launch Pro measures a 7 by 10 inch hitting zone for ball and club data. Follow Bushnell’s manual for its position relative to the ball, and allow space for the cable run to your PC if you use Premier software. Our home simulator setup guide covers room depth and screen distance for both.
Range and outdoor use
Bushnell markets the Launch Pro as outdoor ready and lists an IPX7 water rating and a battery life of 5 to 7 hours. It weighs 5 pounds. It also works with Bushnell’s Pro X3+ LINK rangefinder.
The R50’s manual lists up to 4 hours of battery and an IPX3 rating, meaning it withstands sprayed water. That is fine for a covered range bay but less suited to wet days than the Launch Pro. Garmin also notes the R50 has a barometer for outdoor conditions.
Club data in practice
The R50 needs stickers on the club to measure club speed, path, angle of attack and face angle. Garmin includes 250 of them. The Launch Pro’s club data depends on your plan, and Bushnell includes a club marker pack in the box. Plan on some setup time either way if club data matters to you.
Both measure ball spin with cameras rather than estimating it. Bushnell lists total spin, back spin, side spin and spin tilt axis. Garmin lists spin rate and spin axis.
Who should choose which
- Garmin R50: a dedicated home simulator without a PC, a large built-in screen, and HDMI straight to a projector.
- Bushnell Launch Pro: lower hardware cost, better weather sealing for outdoor practice, and a preference for Foresight’s software, with a PC in the plan.
- Neither yet: if your budget is closer to $1,000, compare the Garmin R10 and Rapsodo MLM2PRO first.
Bushnell also lists a Launch Pro Indoor at about $1,999.99, which we have not covered here. We have not added store links to this page.
What we could not verify
We did not find an independent test comparing these two units under the same conditions, so we make no accuracy ranking. Garmin’s membership price and the status of E6 Connect on the R50 can change; check both before buying.