Square Golf Launch Monitor Review: Is It Worth The Hype In 2025?

The Square Golf launch monitor promises a lot for under $1,000.

Camera-based accuracy. Ball and club data. Built‑in simulator play.

Plenty of people are calling it the next big thing in budget launch monitors.

But we wanted to see how it actually holds up in real practice, not just on spec sheets.

Does it read short game properly?

Is putting usable?

How good can virtual courses be on a budget launch monitor?

Here’s everything we noticed once we started using it day‑to‑day.

If you’re comparing what else is out there, we’ve put together a guide to the best launch monitors available right now to help you see how Square stacks up.

Our Review Video

Set up

We set up the Square Golf Launch Monitor using the iOS app on an iPad, but you can also use Android or PC.

Connection was seamless.

It’s obvious money went into the app. This is rare for budget launch monitors, where the software usually feels like an afterthought.

No subscription hoops. No pairing drama.

Keep in mind, Square Golf is an Indoor only launch monitor, though.

Square simply doesn’t work in sunlight, so if you like practicing at the driving range, this won’t be your pick.

Because it’s a camera-based system, placement is to the side of the ball — not behind you like radar units.

That means you only need about 10 feet of room length indoors, compared to something like the MLM2PRO which needs 16 feet.

The downside?

Lefties and righties can’t share without moving it.

If your group mixes both, expect some setup shuffling.

The hitting zone is 5.9″ x 5.9″ — noticeably smaller than other camera monitors like the Uneekor Eye Mini Lite (8″ x 12″) or the Bushnell Launch Pro/LPi (7″ x 10″).

We found this small zone fine for solo use but less forgiving for group play.

And here’s an important detail some people miss:

You need marked balls for accurate spin and ball data.

Square includes three official balls in the box.

They’ve got a unique dotted pattern that ensures precise camera tracking for spin and launch numbers.

Regular balls will still work — but spin data will often be estimated, so accuracy drops fast.

We’ve also tested TaylorMade TP5 Pix balls, and they work just as well (plus, they’re easier to replace).

Out of the box, here’s what you get:

• The launch monitor itself
  
• A remote control (point-and-click to change clubs, targets, navigate menus without touching your phone)
  
• A Swing Stick (covered in its own section)
  
• Reflective stickers (only 20 included, and you need one per club to unlock full club data)
  
• Three marked balls for accurate ball tracking
  
• Charging cable
  
• Instruction manual

There is no carry case included. But that’s not really a big deal as an indoor only device.

A protective case would have been appreciated too as the unit is lightweight (around 1 lb) and could easily be damaged by a stray ball.

Square sells a separate protective case for $99, and we’d recommend it.

Setup is tool-free and genuinely fast.

First-time unboxing to first shot took us under 10 minutes.

Subsequent sessions? Plug it in, place it beside the mat, and you’re ready.

Calibration is automatic — no alignment stickers or extra steps.

The app gives clear on-screen prompts for positioning and profile setup, and it’s easy to save multiple users if you’re sharing.

One annoyance?

Club stickers are mandatory if you want club metrics — and with only 20 included, heavy users will burn through them fast.

Still, for a budget-friendly photometric system, Square’s setup feels simple.

Data Metrics

Square has the following data metrics in July 2025:

Club Data — Angle of Attack, Club Path, Face to Target, Dynamic Loft, 

Ball Data — Launch Angle, Ball Speed, Launch Direction, Spin rates, Apex, Carry Distance, Run, Total Distance.

That’s a strong mix for a sub-$1,000 photometric unit.

Some launch monitors lock club data behind a paywall (Bushnell LPi and Foresight GC3s), but Square includes it out of the box.

Benefits to your game

This combination covers every key piece you need to understand ball flight.

Want to fix a slice? Sidespin + face-to-target shows where the face is at impact.

Want to optimise launch conditions? Dynamic loft + launch angle data makes gapping your irons way easier.

Trying to hit higher wedges? Apex + spin data tell you if you’ve actually done it, or just think you have.

For most golfers, this bridges the gap between casual practice and proper game improvement — enough detail to dial in your swing without drowning you in Trackman-level complexity.

Where it falls short

There’s no clubhead speed reading.

That means no smash factor either — so you can’t measure efficiency of strike like you can on even cheaper units like the MLM2PRO or Garmin R10.

Square also doesn’t measure from the club head itself.

It uses a reflective sticker on the shaft, positioned 20cm from the ground at address.

This method works for path and face data, but it can’t accurately calculate speed from that position, which is why clubhead speed isn’t offered at all.

Marked ball requirement

For ball data, marked balls are mandatory if you want accurate spin numbers.

Square includes three official dotted balls in the box.
We’ve also tested TaylorMade TP5 Pix balls, which work just as well and are easier to replace.

Regular balls do work — but spin becomes estimated, so serious practice really calls for the dotted pattern.

Positioning in the market

This puts Square in an interesting spot.

You’re getting solid ball data and basic club metrics without a subscription — something most competitors still charge for.

It doesn’t give you as much club data as the MLM2PRO, and it lacks features like clubhead speed and smash factor that serious players might want.

But it’s still ahead of radar-based options like the Garmin R10 indoors, thanks to its camera accuracy and included spin metrics.

If you want ball flight, launch angles, and basic path/face insights, it has a balanced mix that gives plenty of feedback without creeping into premium pricing territory.

Square Golf App Modes

The Square app currently offers four modes, plus swing stick training, and we’ve tested all of them sufficiently to gain a real feel for where they excel — and where they still need improvement.

Driving Range

We’re really happy this mode is completely free.

Plenty of launch monitors now lock their range behind subscriptions (looking at you, Bushnell Launch Pro).

The range itself is straightforward — ball flight visualisation, shot shape, distances — no surprises.

Shot shape is reliable (see our accuracy section), which is what matters most for practice.

That said, there are no advanced extras like SkyTrak Plus’s shot optimizer or in-depth club graphics.

At under $1,000, though, we can live with that.

Where it could improve is customisation.

We often want to focus on just four or five key metrics, but Square doesn’t let you edit what’s shown onscreen.

It can feel cluttered when you only want spin, launch, and carry.

There’s also a Data Mode, which strips out ball flight visuals and shows only numbers.

We love this for focused sessions — especially when we’re chasing consistency rather than ball flight shape.

Games

Square Golf comes preloaded with 16 fictional courses and more are promised via updates.

These aren’t throwaway designs either.

Tight tee shots, narrow fairways, varied elevation — they’re challenging in a good way.

Graphics are also noticeably better than Garmin’s Home Tee Hero or Rapsodo’s built-in sim.

But they’re all fictional.

We’d love to see a mix of real-world courses here, even as paid add-ons, to raise the immersion.

The big win? No subscription for sim play.
You use the same credit system as we covered earlier:

• 1,000 credits included (good for 55+ solo rounds)
  
• Range always free
  
• 1,000 extra credits for $20 (bulk discounts available)

We do wish there were a hole select feature.

Being able to jump to a par 3 for focused work or repeat tricky holes would make practice far more efficient.

And for families?

There’s a Kids Tee option — perfect for younger golfers joining a round.

Closest to the Pin

We do like this mode for breaking up long practice sessions or keeping things competitive with friends.

You can play fixed distances, random distances, or progressive distances that increase after each shot. 

Putting also works in this mode so you can do more real-world practice. 

Putting Practice

Here’s the shocker: Square actually nails putting.

At this price point, most launch monitors either skip putting entirely or handle it so poorly we tell people to ignore it.

Not here.

Square gives putting its own practice facility, with accurate roll and pace control.

We’ve used it to prep for actual rounds, and it’s genuinely improved our on-course putting.

Being able to set green speeds is a huge plus — especially before a tournament or when prepping for courses with faster/slower greens.

We like checking our face angle too — seeing whether we’re coming through square has been eye-opening.

On the course side, you can choose to autoputt or set concede distances (2ft, 3ft, 4ft).

The on-green grid showing break and slope feels like something out of a premium sim, not a budget unit.

For once, we can say: this is a budget launch monitor that lets you play every shot of the hole, including the putt — and actually enjoy it.

Swing Stick and Speed Training

Every Square comes with a Swing Stick — a sensor-equipped mini-club that lets us take full swings without ever hitting a ball.

It’s 60cm long (60.5cm if we’re being picky and count the bulge on the grip).

Reflective dots sit on the head, the front, and both sides — so it can pick up our clubface at impact, even in small spaces.

One cool part:

We can use it on GSPro.

That alone gives it more purpose than most swing trainers.

Now, is it helpful?

For some people — maybe.

We’ve used it to work on:

• Swing path
  
• Face alignment
  
• Tempo and speed drills
  
• All without a ball, net, or hitting space
  

It’s also handy for injury recovery or keeping our rhythm during bad-weather stretches.

And as a desk-golf tool in a home office, it could even compete with something like an Exputt (sort of).

But if you’re hoping for true feedback on strike, this isn’t it.

There’s no contact, so we don’t know where we struck the face — and the ball flight we see is often generous to a fault.

We’ve seen wide-open club faces result in mild slices when they probably deserved a full-on banana ball.

Wii Golf vibes? A little bit.

Still, it’s included for free, and Square even throws in strips of the same reflective tape.

Stick them 20cm up our own club shafts, and we can track club face data with real clubs, too.

So is it essential?

No.

But it’s fun, flexible, and surprisingly useful in the right context. And we’ve found ourselves using it more than expected — especially when space is tight.

Our Review Video

Third-Party Simulators 

GSPro and E6 Connect officially support Square, and you don’t need to pay extra to use them. No annual connector fees or credits needed to use them.

That makes it the most affordable way to play GSPro — especially compared to the MLM2Pro who make you pay their $200/year sub as a connector fee. 

Or the Uneekor Eye Mini Lite who also require $199 per year on top of GSPro’s $250/year fee.

It’s getting annoying how much launch monitor brands are now starting to start connector fees for using GSPro so that is a welcome change. 

Square Golf Pricing

The Square Golf Launch Monitor sells for under $1,000 — and that’s not just affordable.

It’s unheard of for a fully photometric system.

Every other unit in this range uses radar.

Great for outdoors. Not always ideal for tighter indoor setups.

But the real win?

There’s no subscription required.

None.

Instead, Square uses something different — a credit-based system.

It’s the only launch monitor doing this right now.

Here’s how it works:

You get 1,000 credits included when you buy it.

Each round of golf costs a set number of credits (based on number of players and holes).

So for solo play, those 1,000 credits are good for around 55 full 18-hole rounds.

And you don’t use credits for range sessions — the driving range is 100% free.

Always.

Need more credits later?
No problem:

• Buy in batches — 100, 220, 440, 770, or 1,000
  
• $20 gets you 1,000 credits
  
• The more you buy, the better the price per round

And here’s where it absolutely buries the competition:

You can connect to GSPro right away with no extra fees.

• No “connector subscription.”
• No “Pro unlock.”
• No “integration upgrade.”
• Just plug in and play.

Compare that to the MLM2Pro, which charges $200/year just to unlock GSPro.

And that’s on top of GSPro’s own $250/year fee. (So yeah, $450 per year before you’ve even hit a ball.)

Square?

Zero of that nonsense.

You’re not being nickel-and-dimed for features you already paid for.

Now, to be fair, if you’re pounding out multiple rounds a week, you’ll chew through credits faster.

But even then, it’s usually still cheaper than a recurring sub.

And if you’re just hitting range balls? You won’t touch your credits. 

This kind of setup is rare.

You’re in full control.

Buy once, and only pay for what you actually use. That swing stick also comes included. 

That’s the kind of pricing model we wish more brands followed.

Accuracy

Accuracy is where Square surprised us — and in some ways, even impressed us.

We’ve tested it side by side with higher-end units, and ball speed numbers were almost identical.

When there was a difference, it was usually 2 mph at most, which is outstanding for a sub-$1,000 camera unit.

Shot shape is also spot on.

Our pro tester is a drawer of the ball — so he always know at impact whether it’s a push or a hook. 

Square picked up the shape correctly every single time.

Short game accuracy

Chipping and pitching impressed us even more.

Rollouts felt realistic, spin reactions on partial wedges were spot on, and even awkward lies were read correctly more often than not.

This alone puts Square ahead of most radar competitors in the same price bracket.

It’s an underappreciated strength for golfers who actually practice scoring shots, not just drivers.

Where it falls short

It’s not perfect — and we wouldn’t expect it to be at this price.

We did see the occasional no-read, especially on partial shots or thin strikes.

It happens roughly 1 in 30 shots — not deal-breaking, but worth noting.

Driver carry distances can also read short on occasion.

If you’re dialling in long game numbers, that could skew your averages slightly.

For us, it wasn’t frequent enough to derail a session, but it’s noticeable if you’re looking for Tour-level precision.

Marked ball and sticker requirement

To get full accuracy, you need marked balls (Square’s dotted balls or TaylorMade TP5 Pix) and shaft stickers for club metrics.

This combo is what unlocks precise spin and path readings.

The good news?

Spin data is far better than radar units under $1,000.

Early Square units had issues here, but software updates have cleaned that up — we’re now seeing reliable spin numbers that line up with expectations.

Overall impression

Instant feedback after every shot is another highlight.

There’s no lag from impact to data — it feels seamless during practice.

Is it Uneekor- or Foresight-level accurate?

No, but for under $1,000, Square nails the core numbers that matter most and outperforms budget radar in spin, shot shape, and short game reliability.

Square Golf vs Uneekor Eye Mini Lite

The Uneekor Eye Mini Lite is simply on another level with impact cameras, ball graphics, and richer data metrics.

But it’s also more than double the price once you factor in subscriptions for GSPro.

Square feels simpler and quicker to use day-to-day.

We can be hitting balls in under a minute, and there’s no ongoing cost beyond credits.

For serious sim golfers chasing tour-level accuracy and features, the Eye Mini Lite justifies its premium.

For budget‑minded players practising indoors, Square’s value and ease of use are hard to ignore.

Square Golf vs Rapsodo MLM2Pro

These two sit in the same budget launch monitor bracket, but they are very different in use.

We compared them in detail in our Square Golf vs MlM2Pro review.

The MLM2PRO gives you more total data metrics including clubhead speed and smash factor, which Square simply doesn’t measure.

If you’re obsessed with efficiency numbers and dialling in strike quality, that matters.

But here’s the trade: MLM2PRO locks most of its best features behind a $200/year subscription.

Even GSPro integration costs extra.

Square Golf, on the other hand, is subscription-free and uses a simple credit system for course play — a setup we’ve grown to like.

Indoors, Square’s camera-based tracking feels more reliable in small spaces.

Shot shape and spin are rock solid, especially on short game shots where budget radar can struggle.

Outdoors? MLM2PRO takes the edge — Square doesn’t work in sunlight at all..

Square suits players who prioritise indoor accuracy and simple pricing, while MLM2PRO fits golfers who want more metrics and don’t mind paying ongoing fees.

Square Golf Vs Garmin R10 

We’ve used both — and indoors, Square wins easily.

Its camera system handles sidespin, short chips, and putting in ways the R10 simply can’t.

Virtual course graphics aren’t even close — Square feels modern, R10 feels dated.

The R10 can be used outdoors so it wins in that category. One thing we noticed in the past 6 months is support seems to have shifted to Garmin’s newer Garmin R50. So don’t expect as much updates or effort put into the R10 going forward. 

If you’re tight on space and want realistic short game and putting, spending a bit more on Square is absolutely worth it.

Pros of Square Golf Launch Monitor

• Camera-based accuracy that works well even in tight indoor spaces
  
• No subscription required for basic use or GSPro integration
  
• Strong spin and shot-shape data compared to budget radar units
  
• Usable putting mode — rare in this price range and actually fun
  
• Quick setup — from unboxing to first shot in under 10 minutes
  
• Credit-based pricing for courses; range sessions are always free
  
• Good value under $1,000 with both ball and basic club metrics included
  
• Compatible with GSPro and E6 Connect without extra connector fees
  

Cons of Square Golf Launch Monitor

• Indoor only — doesn’t work in sunlight or outdoor ranges
  
• No clubhead speed or smash factor, missing for strike analysis
  
• Marked balls required for accurate spin readings
  
• Reflective shaft stickers needed for club metrics (only 20 included)
  
• Small hitting zone (5.9” x 5.9”) can be unforgiving for group play
  
• Occasional misreads and slightly short driver carry vs higher-end cameras
  
• All courses fictional — no real-world layouts currently available

Concluding Thoughts

Square Golf delivers more than we expected for under $1,000.

Camera accuracy, usable putting, and no subscription traps make it feel refreshing in a market full of hidden fees.

Is it missing some pro-level metrics like clubhead speed? Sure.

But for most of us practicing indoors, the balance of price, data, and gameplay is hard to beat.If you’re still unsure, use our launch monitor comparison tool, filter tool, or take our quiz — they’ll help narrow down the best option for your setup.