Approach R50 - Recent Threads

Future Direction

shaungab — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:21:58 GMT

The launch monitor market is moving incredibly quickly at the moment. Since the R50 was released, we've seen a number of new products enter the market, many offering similar feature sets at lower price points.

Over the last few years I've owned several launch monitors including a SkyTrak, Garmin R10, and a FlightScope Mevo+ with the Pro Package. Each has strengths and weaknesses depending on how you use it.

I bought the R50 very early because I saw it as a platform with huge potential and expected Garmin to continue developing the software and feature set over time. While there have been some improvements since launch, progress feels slower than I had anticipated, particularly when compared to the pace of innovation elsewhere in the market.

Reading through this forum, there are numerous feature requests that users have suggested which, in my view, would add significant value to the product.

Looking at the market, it feels as though there are two broad groups of users:

Simulator golfers who primarily want to play virtual golf using platforms such as GSPro.
Practice-focused golfers who use a launch monitor primarily for game improvement, skill development and structured practice.

When the R50 launched, I felt it was well positioned to serve both groups. For me, the practice side was always the primary attraction, while Home Tee Hero and simulator play were useful additions. I already had GSPro available, but I spend far more time practising than playing simulator rounds.

This leads to my question for Garmin's future direction.

Since release, Garmin appears to have focused much of its development effort on the all-in-one simulator experience. Do people think Garmin intends to significantly expand the practice and game-improvement side of the product as well?

Features such as randomisers, combines, more detailed practice modes, additional performance metrics, historical analysis and structured training tools feel like areas where the platform could become much stronger. Much of this appears to be software-driven rather than requiring new hardware.

SkyTrak, for example, does a good job of serving both simulator and practice users, while FlightScope has traditionally been very strong on the data and improvement side. At the moment, the R50 feels to me as though it is leaning increasingly towards the simulator market.

I'm genuinely interested in hearing other owners' views. Do you think Garmin sees the R50 primarily as a simulator product, or do you expect significant investment in the game-improvement and practice experience over the next 12-24 months?

The answer will probably influence whether I stay with the Garmin ecosystem or eventually move to a platform that is more focused on player development.

Plans for Updates, Implementing Customer Requests

uofi1998 — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:51:47 GMT

Team Garmin,

I've been on this forum for over a year, and use the R50 just about every day. Generally speaking, it's a solid 8.5/10.

However, it seems as though this forum isn't moderated like it used to be. It used to be there was a guy named Cody that would interact and respond to questions, and it at least seemed like our product requests would find their way into the next iterations of software.

Now when we make a request, we get directed to another site where you put in a product suggestion, and it goes into what appears to be a black hole.

A lot of what folks have requested - especially things like Scrambles and beefed up range features - don't seem like crazy requests when taken in totality with what the unit can do. The problem is nobody knows what is being reviewed and attempted to be implemented so we just keep asking for the same things and don't really get any kind of response.

It wasn't this way previously, but now it is...

Would somebody from Garmin please offer us some kind of insight into what will be added next, and when?

Thank you.

-DP

What does my R50 shut down in practice mode?

3471128 — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:41:01 GMT

My unit began to shut down in practice mode after I align and prepare to hit the first shot??

Low point measurement

jjzunc — Sat, 30 May 2026 18:17:31 GMT

Low point measurement would be incredibly useful in addition to the other metrics the Approach R50 is already measuring. Is this something Garmin is working on rolling out in a near term software update? Thanks!

Left Handed Golfers Order of Play

troymosley — Fri, 29 May 2026 18:24:03 GMT

Hello Team Garmin!

First off, thank you for the updates and continued support for the unit. I am very happy with it.

Recently an update allowed for the change in order of play so that players can play an entire hole and not have to switch back and forth to accommodate left handed players.

Can we take this one step further and when a left handed player finishes a hole, can they also just play first on the next tee regardless of the score? This will also reduce the need to switch back and forth. It would require left handed players to either be first or last in the order but would greatly increase speed of play.

The flag direction is often wrong. Blows in the wrong direction.

rtottley — Fri, 29 May 2026 18:17:24 GMT

The flag on the greens doesn't blow according to the wind direction. Often it is opposite to the wind direction.

wrong spin direction in garmin golf app

Fvdw — Tue, 19 May 2026 17:01:07 GMT

when uploading a training session on the R50 and opening it in the garmin golf app it seems the spin direction is wrong. When spin axis has Right angle it mentions a left side sin and the other way aroud. The spin axis direction seems to be correct and matches the face to path

direction.

PurePlay Golf Integration

JAM050821 — Wed, 13 May 2026 13:42:09 GMT

Has there been any talks with the PurePlay golf simulation team and is there future integration planned?

IMPACT VIDEO - LES PRE more POST-IMPACT

Flemming.Allan.Andersen — Wed, 13 May 2026 07:37:03 GMT

I have noticed that the impact-video reply too many pre-impact frames and too little post-impact frames.

Both are annoying as you have to wait for your video to play and then it is almost over before it began; a couple of proposals:

- configurable pre/post impact buffer
- longer post-impact replay
- user-selectable replay window

I have seen similar requests which are more than one year old, is it that difficult to fix in a firmware update or do I miss the bigger picture.

Green/target on driving range

HoboGTS — Thu, 07 May 2026 08:12:43 GMT

I'm sure I've seen it asked before, but I think it would be a great addition if you could set a green/pin whilst using the driving range/practice mode at any chosen distance. Most other launch monitors out there seem to have this feature, so am unsure why Garmin have not chosen to include this on the R50.

If you watch any club reviewer, or fitting video, they all seem to be using software hitting to a green/pin to which they have set the distance, and the screen seems to follow the ball flight rather than just show a tracer line (although I suspect both are used in reality).

The reason I bought the R50 was for the practice element as opposed to for SIM golf, so just want Garmin to make the practice elements as good as physically possible, which I think this would assist with, whilst being a simple addition.

Not able to switch between left and right handed hitters anymore

3548497 — Wed, 06 May 2026 14:26:02 GMT

I no longer see the toggle switch at the bottom to switch between left and right-handed users in Home Tee Hero after the latest update!

Unit not aligned when perfectly setup parallel to my target.

9383359 — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 09:04:31 GMT

Found a few others on Facebook with this issue so finally posting. When I measure everything out perfectly for my garage setup. alignment sticks, unit is 90° square to my hitting mat/impact net, floor is level and unit placed at the same height of my hitting mat. Lighting is good with no glare, etc… Every single ball all still starts wildly (but consistently) off line. About 8° left launch direction for me as a left hand player. As if I’m just aimed straight out that way. All other ball data is seemingly fine.

I’ve resorted to just physically rotating my unit so that it sits crooked, 8° open relative to my target line. Others are doing the same. Ive tried for countless hours testing different positions and adjustments reading different forums but nobody seems to have problems like this. Reached out to garmin support but was asked to compare using another launch monitor. Helpless. All I have is videos of my setup showing everything setup perfectly and balls starting way left of target on basic punch shots that hit dead centre of my target.

Seller could not refund my purchase because I used the cardboard from the box for a project. I now have less hope than money, and am losing sleep thinking about how I can’t get my 7300$ golf game to work right. Side note: when I move my device I can hear a very small screw rolling around in the base of the machine. Leads me to believe this unit is defective from the factory.

Practice ranges not displaying previous shots.

Sndman — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:02:23 GMT

For me in all practice modes the previous shots locations will not display on the overview consistently. About one in nine sessions display previous shot data. Primarily on crooked creek most attempts only show last shot even with display all shots selected.

Tee Box Selections Don't Work

HRCARMICHAEL — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 19:17:50 GMT

I did the update the other day and now when we pick a foursome and then select the ladies for the red tees and the men for the white tees, we all seem to be still hitting from the tips?? Anyone else notice this?

Shots tracing in reverse

PD — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:45:38 GMT

Does anyone else have the bug where you hit a shot and it will trace it in reverse? the data seems correct, but the shot starts from 160 yards out and traces back to the tee off spot. It’s been happening increasingly for me.

HDMI - Need to reconnect to hear sounds

JGritten — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:17:49 GMT

For my projector's speaker to work, I always need to disconnect the HDMI from the R50, then reconnect. Is anyone else experiencing this?

Unplugging and plugging back in the hdmi has just become part of my routine after 6 months, but I would like to submit this as a bug or feature request on the R50 to Reset the output with a button or something instead of wearing out my one lead. Thanks

Switching from Left/Right Hitters gone after latest Update

3548497 — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 13:58:40 GMT

I’ve lost the ability to switch hitting left or right after the update yesterday.

There used to be a little toggle at the bottom that made this quick and effortless. Anyone else seeing the same thing?

Im on Version 4.9 and GLM Versions 4.1.1

I now have to quit the round, switch to a left hitting user and start it again.

Am I missing something?

Home Tee Hero Course selection

Dave — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 08:13:53 GMT

Really like the new option to select courses within Home Tee Hero.

Could you also add an option for Par 3 courses?

This would be great for people like me who don't have the option to hit the longer clubs

Cheers

On course Practice - Distance missing

JGritten — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 02:46:30 GMT

First, love the new On Course Practice mode +1

Quick change suggestion however; please give us the distance of the shot we made

thanks

Proposal: "Garmin Station" – A Hardware Hub to Unlock the Next-Gen Golf App Ecosystem

4715624 — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 02:43:32 GMT

The Approach R50 is an incredible piece of hardware, but to truly dominate the market and solve current processing limitations (blocking, slow UI, and lack of complex data fusion), I propose a dedicated hardware expansion: "Garmin Station."

What is Garmin Station?
An external high-performance processing hub (Mini-PC or Smart Dongle) that offloads heavy image processing and AI analysis from the R50.

Key Strategic Benefits:

Multi-Device Data Fusion: Seamlessly integrate R50 (Side-view), R10/Mevo+ (Rear-view), and CT10 (Automatic Club Recognition) to create the most accurate data set in the industry.
"Garmin Golf App Store": By providing a high-performance OS environment, Garmin can launch a dedicated App Store. This allows 3rd party developers (Creative Golf, Awesome Golf, etc.) to sell high-fidelity software directly on the Garmin platform.
AI-Driven Experience: Enable real-time "Wedge Matrix" generation and "AI Narrative Coaching" that requires more CPU power than the current standalone unit provides.
Future-Proofing: Users can upgrade the "Station" without discarding their expensive R50 sensors, creating a loyal, long-term subscription and hardware ecosystem.

Why it matters:
While new competitors are flooding the market with low-cost sensors, Garmin can win by becoming the "Platform Provider." By offloading processing to the Garmin Station, we can eliminate load times, simplify UI (like a touch-responsive Wedge Matrix), and integrate fitness tracking (Walking Mode) into the golf experience.

I believe "Garmin Station" is the missing piece to turn the R50 into the heart of a professional-grade, yet consumer-friendly golf ecosystem. I would love to hear from the development and strategy teams regarding this vision.

Bag mapping, wedge matrix anytime soon?

8345696 — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 23:58:32 GMT

Any chance of adding bag mapping, wedge matrix anytime soon? Kinda absurd not to already have that built in at this price point. Would be awesome to have that info talk automatically with garmin watch and range finder.

Putting Speed/Distances

5133373 — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:51:29 GMT

I agree with the other thread that a putting green feature would be really nice. Since the on-course practice feature was introduced, I've been practicing putting there. The R50 seems to register ball speed and angle pretty well, but it seems like something in the distance formula is off as you attempt longer putts.

I'm mostly trying to work on speed and start line, so I found a long flat spot on a green (Bethpage Black hole 3) and experimented on ball speed vs distance. I have speed set to stimp 11 to match my home course. Here is what I've found in trying to map speeds to distance on the R50:

5'	2.8mph
10'	4.0 mph
15'	5.2 mph
20'	6.5 mph
30'	9.3 mph
40'	12.1 mph
50'	15.0 mph
60'	18.0 mph

A stimpmeter rolls a ball at 4.1 mph (11 foot rollout = stimp 11). So on the low end it's fairly accurate. It also matches my real-life feel for distance. But once you get out beyond 20', it seems like you have to hit the ball way too hard on the R50. After practicing on the R50 a couple times, I found I was blasting longer putts way past the hole on a real course.

I haven't found anything official online that corresponds speed/distance/stimp, but I did find a site where someone mapped it out on GSPro (link to chart & data). For stimp 11, the speeds they provide are this:

5'	2.7 mph
10'	3.9 mph
15'	5.0 mph
20'	6.0 mph
30'	7.9 mph
40'	9.5 mph
50'	11.0 mph
60'	12.5 mph

Not sure if these are perfectly accurate to real-life, but they seem more realistic.

I don't really want to, but I could take the R50 to my course and put it out on the putting green and hit some 30-60 footers and see what the R50 shows for speed. I guess I wanted to see if anyone else has noticed needing to hit longer putts much harder on the R50 than they normally would. There also has to be some real world data out there on this but so far I haven't found it.

Approach R50 - GLM Version 4.1.1

Garmin-Jim — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:52:00 GMT

Good Morning Approach R50 Users,

We are now 100% live GLM version 4.1.1 for the Approach R50.

Change Log

Added support for browsing Enhanced and Tour courses.
Added dynamic text for metric cards in On-Course Practice.
Fixed issue where all shots would show when Current Club is selected in Shot Tracer settings.
Fixed split view always defaulting to Overhead/Map View after each shot.
Fixed issue with ball detection not working after going into standby mode.
Fixed weekly tournament issue where powering off during round results in putting and no gimme zone around green.
Fixed issue where nearby courses may not be nearby.
Fixed overlapping text in standings.
Improved target icon tap and drag aiming.

Continued request for more detailed/immersive practice range options; Other stuff

uofi1998 — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 21:30:55 GMT

Hi... have owned the R50 for about 1 year now... despite its limitations, I still absolutely love it and don't feel the need to go buy a computer for GSPro, and generally don't use Awesome Golf or E6 that often. I use my R50 on a daily basis, and I am not complaining... but I would like to see more depth for practice.

HOWEVA... I made many of these requests probably 10+ months ago, and none of these have been brought forth over the past year of software updates. It shouldn't be that difficult from a programming standpoint to allow for any/all of the following:

1) On the specialty ranges, the ability to place the ball anywhere on the teeing ground to produce different length shots to the greens.

2) On the specialty ranges, the ability to move the pins around the greens to practice moving the ball to buried targets

3) On the specialty ranges, a practice shot randomizer where you don't just get muscle memory, but you're challenged to keep hitting different shots without a bunch of prep swings.

4) On the specialty ranges, more short runway type shots so a player can practice bump and runs, low spinners, etc.

5) True driving fairway(s) on the specialy ranges so you don't have to close out of a range to go hit driver on the basic range.

6) On the specialty ranges, the ability to address/manipulate vertical height so a player can practice hitting uphill or downhill.

7) On the specialty ranges, more greens with different shapes, obstacles, pin placements, etc. just for more variety.

I am no tech wizard, but with the amazing technology built into this unit, and the unit's ability to read a golf shot from anywhere on a course, i cannot imagine these are difficult items to add, and they would make practice *SO MUCH* more useful and valuable.

Now... layering on top... green hardness, green speed, different lies for different spin... all of that is harder, but not impossible...

Finally...

1) DYING for some party-type games like scrambles... best ball... maybe a skins game or match play... none of that should be that difficult, but I recognize there is a time element.

2) Keep enhancing courses... Augusta is significantly better than it was previously.

3) I know this won't change... but I would like the ability to putt from on the green if I'm outside of the 2-putt zone on HTH tournament mode... an auto 3-putt kinda sucks - especially this past week where the pins are buried and you are penalized for playing smart.

Thanks, and please keep up the good work. Looking forward to the next updates.

Blank screen on power up

9020887 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:04:45 GMT

Hello,

My new R50 is having issues when I power it on. When I press the power button, the system turns on, and the screen backlight comes on, but there is no display. If it’s connected to my projector, it’s still sending the display to the projector and the touch screen works but nothing displays on the R50. I turn it off and on, power supply in and out, and HDMI in and out. Nothing seems to work specifically. Eventually, with no rhyme or reason, the display just works after a number of attempts. Any one have any suggestions? Pretty irritating for such an expensive piece of equipment to do this after only having it for a couple days.