The Golf Launch Monitors & Simulators That Defined the 2026 PGA Show
Ready to see what launch monitors and golf simulators are coming to PlayBetter in 2026? We saw them at the PGA Show in Orlando—and we're stoked! Find out why you might be too.
Watch a Video of PlayBetter's Golf Sim Expert Daniel with the New Square Omni!
Another year, another PGA Show — and this one hit different.
If 2025 felt big, 2026 feels like a full-blown turning point.
The innovation happening in golf technology right now is borderline absurd. Not incremental updates. Not spec bumps. Real, honest-to-goodness breakthroughs that redefine what these products are capable of.
We saw more tech than we could ever reasonably cover. Way more. But a handful of products made us stop mid-aisle and say, “Holy sh*t… this changes everything.”
This wasn’t about polishing last year’s ideas. It was about tearing up the playbook and starting over.
The competition is fierce — and golfers are the real winners. More options. Better performance. Lower prices.
These are the standout launch monitors and golf simulators from Orlando.
Square Disrupts Sim Market Again with Omni Edition Indoor/Outdoor $1,600 Launch Monitor
Square Golf follows up their breakthrough sub-$1,000 indoor launch monitor with the Omni Edition ($1,600), a four-camera photometric unit that works both indoors and outdoors on grass. This addresses the original Square’s biggest limitation while adding critical missing metrics like clubhead speed and smash factor. The Omni now delivers complete ball data and full club data. A built-in display shows five key metrics without needing the app. No annual subscription fees. Expected to ship March 2026, the Omni becomes the most affordable reputable camera-based indoor/outdoor launch monitor available. Square’s improved build quality and expanded functionality establishes them as a legitimate long-term player disrupting launch monitor pricing.
Watch a first look of the Square Omni at the PGA Show!
Blue Tees Rolls Out $599 Rainmaker Launch Monitor with Built-In Display
Blue Tees enters the launch monitor game with the Rainmaker ($599), a radar-based unit that directly challenges the Swing Caddie SC4 Pro’s dominance in the sub-$600 category. The standout feature is a 4.3-inch full-color built-in display delivering instant feedback on 20-plus metrics without needing your phone. You get ball speed, launch angle, spin data, clubhead speed, attack angle, and more. The integrated handle cleverly doubles as a stable stand, while IPX7 waterproof construction means you can practice anywhere, rain or shine. Three standalone training modes (Target Distance, Practice, and Swing Speed) work independently or connect to the Blue Tees Launch app for deeper analysis. The Rainmaker integrates with GSPro and E6 Connect for simulator pay, and syncs with Blue Tees’ Captain rangefinders and Player Pro speaker to deliver personalized club recommendations based on your actual data.
Watch a first look video of the Blue Tees Rainmaker at the PGA Show!
Shot Scope’s $199 LM1 Redefines “Affordable Launch Monitor”
Shot Scope finally has a launch monitor, and it’s sure to make major waves. At $199.99, the LM1 brings the company’s value-driven philosophy to practice tracking. The radar-based unit features a 3.5-inch color display, significantly larger and more readable than competitors like the PRGR, delivering instant feedback on five core metrics without needing a phone. Ball speed, clubhead speed, smash factor, carry distance, and total distance are what you get. And the LM1 stores up to 1,000 shots internally for later syncing with the Shot Scope app. Battery runs five hours on USB-C charging, setup is six feet behind the ball, and it works both indoors and outdoors. No subscription fees! This isn’t a simulator or tour-level device. It’s a straightforward practice tool that delivers the fundamentals at a price point that makes launch monitor data accessible to anyone serious about improvement.
Watch this video of the Shot Scope LM1 from the PGA Show!
TruGolf’s LaunchBox Is a Camera-Based Launch Monitor with No “Shot-to-Show” Delay
TruGolf’s new LaunchBox ($2,299) delivers camera and infrared-based shot tracking with a built-in display and maybe the fastest “shot-to-show” ball flight tracer in the industry. The ball is already flying on the screen as soon as it leaves your clubface, creating an immersive simulation experience. The LaunchBox includes 27 owned E6 Connect courses (no mandatory subscription), works indoors and on outdoor range mats for ball data collection, and runs for 4.5 hours on battery. Upgrade to the $3,499 bundle for three premium courses including Pebble Beach and Oakmont. While full club and ball data is available in-game, on-screen metrics are limited. The LaunchBox connects to projectors via HDMI and pairs with iOS devices via WiFi, with compatibility across E6 Connect and E6 Apex software platforms.
TruGolf Apogee: Ceiling-Mounted Simulator Without the Need for Special Golf Balls or Club Stickers
TruGolf’s Apogee ($9,000) is a photometric ceiling-mounted launch monitor using two cameras to capture club and ball data without any special golf balls or club stickers required. This product has been out for a couple of years but is new to PlayBetter. What has us so excited is the data quality without need for any special artifacts (club stickers only required for dynamic loft and lie), the voice-controlled commands, and the fact that the shot-to-show on this thing is crazy (as in zero delay). Includes first-year E6 Apex subscription, self-diagnosis tools, and automated support. Optional E6 Connect Home license provides 27 owned courses with no annual fees.
See Danny at the TruGolf Range at the PGA Show featuring the Apogee overhead launch monitor!
Rapsodo Debuts First Overhead Launch Monitor and Native PC Sim Software
Rapsodo, makers of the amazingly popular MLM2PRO floor-standing launch monitor, enters overhead launch monitor territory with the CLMPRO, a six-camera optical unit designed to hang from 9-foot ceilings. Plus, Rapsodo developed its first native PC simulation software featuring licensed courses scanned to one-centimeter detail. This marks a significant evolution beyond Rapsodo’s tablet-based driving range practice modes, delivering full round play on a gaming PC. The software will also support the MLM2PRO via direct USB connection (additional subscription cost), simplifying PC pairing for existing users. Launch timeline and pricing remain to-be-determined, but Rapsodo confirmed a target release for later in 2026.
Watch Daniel in the new Rapsodo CLMPRO golf simulator at the PGA Show!
New Company Par Breaker Unveils $799 Swing Pulse X10 Golf Simulator
Par Breaker’s Swing Pulse X10 launch monitor (shipping later this year) delivers 16 ball and club data metrics and complete swing analysis through dual camera systems — a high-speed camera for swing video and a slow-speed camera capturing impact. The radar-based unit sets up quickly with a flat bottom (magnetic mounting plate coming) and connects directly to your phone via Wi-Fi. Native software includes free practice modes and a 3D driving range, with paid options for handicap challenges and simulator play. The Swing Pulse X10 also integrates with third-party platforms like E6 Connect, GSPro, and Awesome Golf. Most notably, it syncs with Par Breaker’s Yard Sync rangefinders and Green Vector golf watches to deliver personalized club recommendations based on your actual swing data. These are premium ecosystem features at a sub-$1,000 price point.
Garmin’s G82 May Be the Most Versatile Product in Golf Tech
After seven years, Garmin finally upgrades its beloved G80 with the new G82 ($599.99), a handheld GPS and launch monitor combo that remains in a category of its own. The 5-inch transflective touchscreen modernizes the dated display, while a built-in magnetic cart mount replaces the clunky rubber bands and clips. The radar-based launch monitor still tracks ball speed, clubhead speed, smash factor, and swing tempo, but now adds putting metrics (stroke length, tempo, club/ball speed) and bag mapping that integrates with a new virtual caddie feature. The caddie recommends clubs based on wind, elevation, and your actual swing data captured during practice. On-course GPS includes 43,000-plus preloaded courses, full-color CourseView maps, slope-adjusted yardages, and Green View. Battery delivers 25 hours in GPS mode, 8 hours in radar mode. Perfect for golfers who want portable practice data and a handheld GPS all in one.
Get a first look at the Garmin Approach G82 in this video from the PGA Show!
About PlayBetter Golf Reviewer Marc Sheforgen
Marc "Shef" Sheforgen is a golf writer whose passion for the game far exceeds his ability to play it well. Marc covers all things golf, from product reviews and equipment recommendations to event coverage and tournament analysis. When he's not playing, watching, or writing about golf, he enjoys traveling (often golf-related), youth sports coaching, volunteering, and record collecting.