Setting up indoor golf practice at home usually starts with one confusing question: do you need a launch monitor, or a full simulator? They get talked about like they're the same purchase, and they're not. Here's how the main options actually split.
1. A standalone launch monitor (Garmin Approach R10, Rapsodo MLM2PRO)
These measure ball speed, launch angle, and spin, and show the numbers on a phone app. No screen, no course software, no room build required. Good for swing feedback in a garage or backyard, starting around $500-700.
2. A camera-based launch monitor (SkyTrak+, Bushnell Launch Pro)
Step up in price ($2,000-4,000) for optical spin measurement, which is noticeably more consistent than radar-only units indoors. Still works standalone, but this is also the tier most people pair with a screen once they're ready to go further.
3. A full simulator build (launch monitor + screen + GSPro or E6 Connect)
This is the setup people picture when they say "golf simulator": an impact screen, a projector, simulation software, and a dedicated room (roughly 10 ft wide, 12-15 ft deep, 9 ft ceiling). It's the only option that lets you actually play a rendered course indoors, and it's a bigger investment, usually $3,000-15,000 depending on finish level.
4. Sequencing it right
The cheapest way to avoid buyer's remorse: buy the launch monitor first, use it standalone for a season, then add the screen and room build once you know the habit sticks. The launch monitor carries over to the full build later, so nothing is wasted.
I wrote a longer breakdown with a full cost table and space requirements at Golf Simulator Hub if you want the side-by-side comparison before buying either one.
