The Quick Verdict
Get the Garmin Approach R50. The SkyTrak+ has been discontinued, which means you're hunting for closeout stock on a unit that won't see future software updates — that's a real risk at $2,495. The R50 costs more, yes, but it's a complete, self-contained simulator with a built-in 10" touchscreen and 43,000+ courses available through Garmin Golf. It's a serious investment at $4,999.99, but you're buying something that will actually be supported going forward. The SkyTrak+ is worth considering only if you find it at a significantly reduced closeout price and you're comfortable with the discontinued risk. Check price at The Indoor Golf Shop →
What They Have in Common
Both units use camera-based technology (the R50 is pure photometric; the SkyTrak+ blends dual Doppler radar with photometric cameras). Both work indoors and outdoors, both skip the special-ball requirement, and both connect to E6 Connect and GSPro. If you already have a GSPro license, either unit will get you there.
Where They Differ
Technology and Tracking Approach
The R50 uses three photometric cameras to capture the moment of impact and early ball flight. Camera-based systems are generally strong on spin accuracy indoors, where radar can struggle without specialized balls. The SkyTrak+ takes a fusion approach — dual Doppler radar plus photometric cameras — which is designed to give you the best of both technologies.
Both track a solid spread of metrics. The R50 covers ball speed, launch angle, spin rate, spin axis, carry, total distance, apex height, lateral landing, club speed, smash factor, and angle of attack. The SkyTrak+ covers ball speed, launch angle, backspin, side spin, spin axis, carry, total distance, offline, club head speed, smash factor, club path, and face angle. The SkyTrak+ explicitly reports club path and face angle, which the R50 data doesn't list — though the R50 does capture angle of attack.
One meaningful difference: the R50 requires reflective club stickers for club data. The SkyTrak+ doesn't require stickers or special balls at all. Stickers work fine in practice, but they're not legal in competition, so if you use your launch monitor at a club event or fitting, the R50 loses that club data.
The Built-in Display — and Why It Actually Matters
The R50 has a 10" color touchscreen built in. The SkyTrak+ has no display — it's app-only, connecting via Wi-Fi to your phone or tablet.
This is a bigger deal than it sounds at the range. If you're working on carry distances outside without a tablet mount, the R50 gives you instant feedback on a proper screen. If your sim room setup doesn't include a dedicated tablet, the R50 is effectively a standalone simulator — just add a hitting mat and a screen. The SkyTrak+ requires a connected device in your workflow, every time.
The R50 also has HDMI output, so you can push to a TV or projector directly. For a dedicated sim room build, that's a useful option.
What You're Actually Paying
This is where it gets complicated.
The R50 is $4,999.99. Home Tee Hero with 43,000+ courses is included with a Garmin Golf subscription at $99.99/year. Over three years: $5,300. Over five years: $5,500.
The SkyTrak+ is $2,495 at closeout — if you can find it. Course play requires a SkyTrak membership, but SkyTrak doesn't publish a current subscription tier on the discontinued unit's product page, so I can't give you a clean three-year number. I'd guess it's somewhere in the $200–$300/year range based on SkyTrak's historical pricing, but don't take that as fact — check before you buy.
Even if the SkyTrak+ membership runs $300/year, the five-year total would be around $3,995 vs $5,500. That's a real gap. But a discontinued product at the end of its software support life changes the calculus — you might be buying two years of updates rather than five.
High-Speed Impact Video
The R50 captures high-speed video at impact. That's not just a spec — it's genuinely useful if you're working on ball position, face contact, or any part of your setup. Being able to see the actual strike alongside the ball data closes a loop that numbers alone can't close. The SkyTrak+ doesn't offer this.
Who Should Buy Which
Garmin Approach R50
- You're building a dedicated sim room and want a single unit that does everything — display, course play, video, and data — without hanging a separate tablet.
- You care about long-term software support and don't want to worry about your $2,500 investment going dark.
- You value swing video feedback alongside your launch data and want that integrated, not as an add-on.
- You're okay with reflective club stickers as part of your workflow.
SkyTrak+
- You find it at a meaningful discount from the $2,495 closeout price — say, $1,500 or under — and you're comfortable with the discontinued risk.
- You already have a tablet or device in your sim setup and don't need a built-in display.
- You want club path and face angle without stickers, and your current budget doesn't reach $5,000.
- You're not counting on the unit for the next five years — you'd be fine replacing it in two or three.
The Bottom Line
The SkyTrak+ is a capable unit that, in its time, offered a genuinely compelling fusion-tracking approach without special balls or stickers. But it's discontinued, stock is shrinking, and there's no clear future update path. At $4,999.99, the R50 is a significant spend — but you're getting a self-contained simulator with a real screen, high-speed video, and a product that Garmin is actively supporting.
The price gap is real. The discontinued risk is also real.