Guides · Room requirements by launch monitor
How Much Room Does a Garmin Approach R50 Need for a Home Simulator?
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For most home R50 setups, Garmin recommends at least 9 feet of ceiling height, 10 feet of width, and about 8 feet or more from the ball to the net; width rises to 13 feet or more for right- and left-handed play. The unit sits 1 to 2 feet across the ball from the golfer, so it needs no rear radar lane. These recommendations still have to accommodate your swing and the screen maker's clearances.
R50 room dimensions at a glance
| Measurement | Garmin's guidance | What to check in your room |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling height | 9 feet or more for most users | Measure above the finished mat and allow for your full swing. |
| Room width | 10 feet or more; 13 feet or more for right- and left-handed play | Check both hitting positions if the room is shared. |
| Ball to net or screen | About 8 feet or more recommended | This is a comfort recommendation, not a fixed tracking requirement. |
| R50 position | 1 to 2 feet across the ball from the golfer | Keep the ball between you and the R50, with its screen visible. |
| Total room depth | No total room-length figure in this guidance | Add the screen's rear clearance and space for your swing. |
These figures summarize Garmin's R50 setup guidance. They don't guarantee that a particular golfer or enclosure will fit.
The unit sits across the ball from you
Garmin's R50 setup page places the unit 1 to 2 feet across the ball from you, with the ball between you and the device and its screen visible. It doesn't need a rear radar lane.
That matters most in a basement or garage where length is the one dimension you can't change.
About 8 feet to the net
Garmin sets no fixed ball-to-screen measurement requirement for the R50. Its setup guidance recommends a comfortable distance of about 8 feet or more.
The net or impact-screen maker will still want its own clearance behind the hitting surface. The launch monitor doesn't need that space, but the room has to have it.
One golfer or two?
Garmin's width guidance recommends 10 feet or more for most setups, rising to 13 feet or more if right- and left-handed golfers share the simulator.
An offset hitting spot may help a single player fit, but a narrower room needs an individual swing-clearance check. Add a golfer who swings from the other side, and both the golfer and the device move. Sketch both layouts before you build around one.
Ceiling: 9 feet and up
Garmin recommends 9 feet or more for most users, but your own driver swing decides. A tall player, an upright swing, or a raised platform may need more. Measure from the top of the finished mat.
Level enough
Garmin's setup FAQ says the floor doesn't need to be perfectly level, but the ball and the R50 must be on a similar plane. On a tall hitting mat, that can mean propping the unit up.
Keep clear space beside the hitting area so the R50 isn't in a walkway or within reach of a club.
R50 and R10 on paper
A small room still has to be safe. What the R50 does is hand back the several feet behind the ball that a rear-mounted radar would take.
Garmin's R10 guidance specifies a room at least 15 feet long. The R50 guidance gives no total room-length figure, so add the screen's rear clearance and space for your swing to the suggested ball-to-net distance.