Garmin R10 Review and thoughts

[Babydaddy]

I have had the opportunity to spend a few outdoor range sessions with my Garmin R10.

About me: I turned 50 in June, HCP somewhere between 3 and 6 at the moment. I’ve been playing since I was 6 and have had the fortune of being around great mentors in the game. I run and stretch 6-7 days per week along with swinging a weighted club and some light weight training. I just started the golf forever fitness program last week because I saw my driver carry go down and wanted to understand what was happening along with the fact that I am getting older.

I have been tracking my shots on the course using a notebook and my Sky Caddie SGX400. I also have a little rangefinder that I use on the driving range to check mostly wedge distances.

I wanted to test drivers and golf balls and that was the original impetus for getting some sort of personal launch monitor. I am the type of person who will research something for weeks obsessively (I am a little bit on the spectrum). After using our pro’s Ernest Sports ES14, which is a really basic radar-based LM I started to see some value in measuring what I was feeling versus what was actually happening.

Now because I had been tracking my shots with GPS and rangefinder over time on the course, I knew basically what my driver swing speed was and typical carry distances, but I wanted to understand what was happening to make that the case. Not just swing speed, but what is my attack angle with my driver? Does my Srixon spin more than my TSI 3? I was curious about ball speed as well as face to path. How efficient am I with my driver?

I also wanted some idea if I hit my irons too high and why specifically my wedge game is so streaky.

The key element to me is measuring over time, which is where the Garmin R10 comes in.

A few things I have learned not only researching online and talking to people about launch monitors, but spending time with various kinds of them outdoor on a range.

1. Radar units are good for outdoor use on a driving range where the ball flies down range.
2. Even with Flightscope Mevo +, a lot of the user experience and accuracy depends on how the unit is set up and the software itself.
3. In order to get accurate information, you must pay attention to how level the ground is, alignment of the unit and objects around the unit etc…
4. Ease of use is a BIG deal to me in whether I will use a gadget. The Garmin R10 PITA factor is very low. It has been dead easy to set up and use. The blinking green indicator light on the front is helpful and easy to see. I can see when it turns solid red and is registering a shot. 
5. The best use for me of a PLM is to see trends over time where impact is concerned in order to check feel vs real. I will never be a pure number chaser, but I do love being able to confirm that a swing thought actually changes parameters. For example, I knew I was sweepy with my wedges and I wanted to know what was happening at impact. I was able to see how different set up changes and swing thoughts affect AOA, smash factor and trajectory.
6. Smash factor has been handier than I would have imagined. Most of the time if I think I nutted one, the R10 confirms with a smash factor, but when I scrape one I can see what happened.
7. Confirming what I felt with ball flight and data is a powerful combination. I tend to hit low on the toe when I get sloppy, and the R10 shows less spin with lower trajectory along the AOA and F2P. It’s really helpful to see that come together.
8. A lot of supposed issues with accuracy with these radar-based units seem to be because of set up issues, whether indoor or outdoors. Individuals (newbies & non- professionals) like me are more likely to make small mistakes in setup and calibration versus professionals who teach for a living. Furthermore, the people who have invested in those high-dollar units are more likely to be vigilant in setting up and calibrating them and they are more likely to have proper, closely mown, level ground with which to use them. I know for me I just wanted to put the thing down and get to swinging, and you need to have a system for set up. On the way more expensive units, the actual radar is higher fidelity and capable of more accurate and consistent measurement but that is only one part of how reliable the data is. 
9. I am making better use of my practice time than I ever have. I have learned a lot about my game in just a few days. Yesterday I realized that I have totally lost concept of what square is, and because of that, my swing path and face angles are a guess. These are affecting my AOA and resulting in inconsistencies with different clubs. I actually went to the practice green, grabbed my 50 degree wedge and an alignment stick and started hitting 20 foot chips. I realized that I had lost the concept of inside to square to inside. I have lost the inside part, and this explains everything about what I am seeing. Literally, I must go back and learn this. The R10 showed me this in a tangible way.

Apps for the Garmin.

I have used Awesome Golf and the Garmin app with the R10. I feel that the Garmin app has improved enough where I trust it and it’s easier for me to use in range sessions. I like that it saves the data in full, which you cannot do with the Awesome Golf App. Personally, I love the Garmin app. It makes sense to me and most importantly, I can use it easily on the range.

The R10 has been rock solid on the range for me. It never misses a shot unless I do something to cause it to. I love the green indicator light on the front.

Set up tips and tricks:

I have learned how to diagnose ground and alignment issues and once you learn how un-level ground, distance and alignment affect the readings, you can get very accurate information repeatedly.

I bought a little leveling stand for the R10 off of Etsy, which I know will help me dial in my set up system.

 I use two 36” alignment sticks to measure distance from the unit to the hitting area. Then I put a tee in the ground and mark laterally.

Even if I have an area of the range where it’s a little barer, with a lot of divots, I will go there if it’s level. The AOA and other parameters can get weird if the ground is not level. If the grass is high, that can affect things.  I try to stay around the same 30 inch square as long as possible. Sometimes I will use a tee with my 7 iron so I can hit multiple shots in the same spot (I make a note that I used a tee on the note section for the shot).

Very rarely, do I get a result that doesn’t make sense. I mean like maybe one out of 40. I think this has to do with set up.

Final Thoughts: The R10 has exceeded my expectations. I was prepared to hate it and think it wasn’t worth the trouble. It’s obvious that whoever designed this has insight into what is important to a guy like me. The set up was unbelievable easy and seamless. The unit has been absolutely rock solid. It is not cumbersome to carry or use on the range. It integrates into a practice session seamlessly. Because I have been on more expensive systems and I track and know my game, I can say with confidence that this unit is very accurate when set up properly. If this was a PITA I would use it for about two weeks and then give up. Everything about the R10 makes it usable to me without feeling like it’s a pain. The battery life is as advertised.

I wasn’t sure if I would actually use the data provided by a launch monitor, but then even using a basic one for a session, I began to see how useful it could be. Now having practiced with the R10 several times I realized that I have wasted a lot of practice time chasing “solid” with no real grasp on what was actually happening. Because of hand eye coordination, and a long history in the game, I am able to manufacture “solid” in different ways, which while a blessing, is frustrating on those days when I feel like a total stranger to the game. What the R10 has shown me is why; a cold, hard measuring stick, which it turns out was exactly what I needed.

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by Babydaddy

[Bike_Voucher]

Awesome Golf just had an update that saves your data to the Awesome Golf Community App. Hate that it is a separate app, but at least the saved session data is there now.

[Babydaddy]

1 hour ago, Bike_Voucher said:

Awesome Golf just had an update that saves your data to the Awesome Golf Community App. Hate that it is a separate app, but at least the saved session data is there now.

Does it save all data ?

[Bike_Voucher]

17 minutes ago, Babydaddy said:

Does it save all data ?

Have not done a deep dive, but first glance it seemed to pick up everything from range to mini games to stroke play on the courses. 

edit: and those are old sessions it picked up. I have not even tried a new session yet- cold snap in TN lol 

Edited March 14, 2023 by Bike_Voucher

[Babydaddy]

9 hours ago, Bike_Voucher said:

Have not done a deep dive, but first glance it seemed to pick up everything from range to mini games to stroke play on the courses. 

edit: and those are old sessions it picked up. I have not even tried a new session yet- cold snap in TN lol 

Yeah I’m visiting up your way- clubs have remained in the car!

[nupezb]

On 3/8/2023 at 10:45 AM, Babydaddy said:

I have had the opportunity to spend a few outdoor range sessions with my Garmin R10.

About me: I turned 50 in June, HCP somewhere between 3 and 6 at the moment. I’ve been playing since I was 6 and have had the fortune of being around great mentors in the game. I run and stretch 6-7 days per week along with swinging a weighted club and some light weight training. I just started the golf forever fitness program last week because I saw my driver carry go down and wanted to understand what was happening along with the fact that I am getting older.

I have been tracking my shots on the course using a notebook and my Sky Caddie SGX400. I also have a little rangefinder that I use on the driving range to check mostly wedge distances.

I wanted to test drivers and golf balls and that was the original impetus for getting some sort of personal launch monitor. I am the type of person who will research something for weeks obsessively (I am a little bit on the spectrum). After using our pro’s Ernest Sports ES14, which is a really basic radar-based LM I started to see some value in measuring what I was feeling versus what was actually happening.

Now because I had been tracking my shots with GPS and rangefinder over time on the course, I knew basically what my driver swing speed was and typical carry distances, but I wanted to understand what was happening to make that the case. Not just swing speed, but what is my attack angle with my driver? Does my Srixon spin more than my TSI 3? I was curious about ball speed as well as face to path. How efficient am I with my driver?

I also wanted some idea if I hit my irons too high and why specifically my wedge game is so streaky.

The key element to me is measuring over time, which is where the Garmin R10 comes in.

A few things I have learned not only researching online and talking to people about launch monitors, but spending time with various kinds of them outdoor on a range.

1. Radar units are good for outdoor use on a driving range where the ball flies down range.
2. Even with Flightscope Mevo +, a lot of the user experience and accuracy depends on how the unit is set up and the software itself.
3. In order to get accurate information, you must pay attention to how level the ground is, alignment of the unit and objects around the unit etc…
4. Ease of use is a BIG deal to me in whether I will use a gadget. The Garmin R10 PITA factor is very low. It has been dead easy to set up and use. The blinking green indicator light on the front is helpful and easy to see. I can see when it turns solid red and is registering a shot. 
5. The best use for me of a PLM is to see trends over time where impact is concerned in order to check feel vs real. I will never be a pure number chaser, but I do love being able to confirm that a swing thought actually changes parameters. For example, I knew I was sweepy with my wedges and I wanted to know what was happening at impact. I was able to see how different set up changes and swing thoughts affect AOA, smash factor and trajectory.
6. Smash factor has been handier than I would have imagined. Most of the time if I think I nutted one, the R10 confirms with a smash factor, but when I scrape one I can see what happened.
7. Confirming what I felt with ball flight and data is a powerful combination. I tend to hit low on the toe when I get sloppy, and the R10 shows less spin with lower trajectory along the AOA and F2P. It’s really helpful to see that come together.
8. A lot of supposed issues with accuracy with these radar-based units seem to be because of set up issues, whether indoor or outdoors. Individuals (newbies & non- professionals) like me are more likely to make small mistakes in setup and calibration versus professionals who teach for a living. Furthermore, the people who have invested in those high-dollar units are more likely to be vigilant in setting up and calibrating them and they are more likely to have proper, closely mown, level ground with which to use them. I know for me I just wanted to put the thing down and get to swinging, and you need to have a system for set up. On the way more expensive units, the actual radar is higher fidelity and capable of more accurate and consistent measurement but that is only one part of how reliable the data is. 
9. I am making better use of my practice time than I ever have. I have learned a lot about my game in just a few days. Yesterday I realized that I have totally lost concept of what square is, and because of that, my swing path and face angles are a guess. These are affecting my AOA and resulting in inconsistencies with different clubs. I actually went to the practice green, grabbed my 50 degree wedge and an alignment stick and started hitting 20 foot chips. I realized that I had lost the concept of inside to square to inside. I have lost the inside part, and this explains everything about what I am seeing. Literally, I must go back and learn this. The R10 showed me this in a tangible way.

Apps for the Garmin.

I have used Awesome Golf and the Garmin app with the R10. I feel that the Garmin app has improved enough where I trust it and it’s easier for me to use in range sessions. I like that it saves the data in full, which you cannot do with the Awesome Golf App. Personally, I love the Garmin app. It makes sense to me and most importantly, I can use it easily on the range.

The R10 has been rock solid on the range for me. It never misses a shot unless I do something to cause it to. I love the green indicator light on the front.

Set up tips and tricks:

I have learned how to diagnose ground and alignment issues and once you learn how un-level ground, distance and alignment affect the readings, you can get very accurate information repeatedly.

I bought a little leveling stand for the R10 off of Etsy, which I know will help me dial in my set up system.

 I use two 36” alignment sticks to measure distance from the unit to the hitting area. Then I put a tee in the ground and mark laterally.

Even if I have an area of the range where it’s a little barer, with a lot of divots, I will go there if it’s level. The AOA and other parameters can get weird if the ground is not level. If the grass is high, that can affect things.  I try to stay around the same 30 inch square as long as possible. Sometimes I will use a tee with my 7 iron so I can hit multiple shots in the same spot (I make a note that I used a tee on the note section for the shot).

Very rarely, do I get a result that doesn’t make sense. I mean like maybe one out of 40. I think this has to do with set up.

Final Thoughts: The R10 has exceeded my expectations. I was prepared to hate it and think it wasn’t worth the trouble. It’s obvious that whoever designed this has insight into what is important to a guy like me. The set up was unbelievable easy and seamless. The unit has been absolutely rock solid. It is not cumbersome to carry or use on the range. It integrates into a practice session seamlessly. Because I have been on more expensive systems and I track and know my game, I can say with confidence that this unit is very accurate when set up properly. If this was a PITA I would use it for about two weeks and then give up. Everything about the R10 makes it usable to me without feeling like it’s a pain. The battery life is as advertised.

I wasn’t sure if I would actually use the data provided by a launch monitor, but then even using a basic one for a session, I began to see how useful it could be. Now having practiced with the R10 several times I realized that I have wasted a lot of practice time chasing “solid” with no real grasp on what was actually happening. Because of hand eye coordination, and a long history in the game, I am able to manufacture “solid” in different ways, which while a blessing, is frustrating on those days when I feel like a total stranger to the game. What the R10 has shown me is why; a cold, hard measuring stick, which it turns out was exactly what I needed.

 

Excellent write-up. You are right in line with my thoughts about getting one. I haven’t made the purchase, but I plan to in the future to set up a mini range in my garage and to take out to the driving. 
 

[minteq]

Can you connect an iPad to the R10 and see a virtual driving range on the screen?  I want to use this outdoors in my backyard.  I can hit full shots outdoors, so no need for a net.  Thanks

[kiwihacker]

11 hours ago, minteq said:

Can you connect an iPad to the R10 and see a virtual driving range on the screen?  I want to use this outdoors in my backyard.  I can hit full shots outdoors, so no need for a net.  Thanks

Yes, either the Garmin Golf App range or the E6 Connect range. There is also the Awesome Golf app range but you have to purchase the Awesome Golf software separately to use that. 

[minteq]

Thanks, I ordered the R10 today, I believe it had the most features for the money.  Hopefully it works well enough for me.

[Babydaddy]

On 3/14/2023 at 10:48 AM, Bike_Voucher said:

Awesome Golf just had an update that saves your data to the Awesome Golf Community App. Hate that it is a separate app, but at least the saved session data is there now.

Can we have video swing capture with Awesome Golf like we do with the Garmin App?

 

[Bike_Voucher]

13 hours ago, Babydaddy said:

Can we have video swing capture with Awesome Golf like we do with the Garmin App?

 

 

Not that I have seen yet... I run Awesome Golf on iPad and film with my phone while practicing at home.

[Babydaddy]

On 3/19/2023 at 9:53 AM, Bike_Voucher said:

 

Not that I have seen yet... I run Awesome Golf on iPad and film with my phone while practicing at home.

That’s what I’ll be doing on the range

[SoCalTitleist]

can i use it with a home laptop for range sessions.

[WipeyFade]

22 hours ago, SoCalTitleist said:

can i use it with a home laptop for range sessions.

You will either need a tablet/smartphone or a gaming computer. The tablet/smartphone will work with Garmin’s own app or there are a couple of others you can get. If you have a gaming computer you can use GSPro. 

[big10blue]

On 3/16/2023 at 2:49 PM, minteq said:

Can you connect an iPad to the R10 and see a virtual driving range on the screen?  I want to use this outdoors in my backyard.  I can hit full shots outdoors, so no need for a net.  Thanks

Do you collect the balls?

[DblJ]

Can someone help with why I can't get my R10 to work with every swing? I set my simulator in my garage. Is it a lighting issue? Does the measurement from the ball to the R10 have to be precise? does the R10 have to level?

[petero]

On 12/31/2024 at 5:37 PM, DblJ said:

Can someone help with why I can't get my R10 to work with every swing? I set my simulator in my garage. Is it a lighting issue? Does the measurement from the ball to the R10 have to be precise? does the R10 have to level?

 

 

When I had my R10, the only issues I had was if there was a motor (refrigerator, AC, ceiling fan, box fan, heater, projector fan, etc...) that was in front (between the r10 and the screen) of the R10.   Then it would screw up all the time.   
 

Does it have to be exact measurments... no.  I usually ran mine like 6" less than recommended as it seemed more accurate.

Does it have to be level... maybe.   I had one of the first run batches (several years ago).   I found it worked much better if level.   I've heard they fixed this now though so I don't know.     I first had a wood board with a bubble level on it with screws in it to level it, then I designed and 3d printed something.    

[petep52]

Awesome write up. I find the r10 useless indoors with lots of other radar. Outdoors I think it’s much better. I ordered the alignment stand today, so I’m looking forward to much more accurate readings. 

[VincentV]

The garmin  r10 is a fun little unit but you need to already know your numbers to dial it in to be accurate