Can an iPhone be a golf launch monitor? With the ShotVision app, it can: the phone sits on a small tripod beside the ball, its camera reads the shot, and the numbers go to the app or to GSPro on a PC. Jay Lasco, host of Golf Simulator Videos, tested it in GSV's simulator in September 2026 with wedges, a 9 iron, chips and putts. Here is what ShotVision is and costs, how to set it up for GSPro, what it reads well and what it does not, and the launch monitors that use an iPhone as their screen when the phone alone is not enough.
ShotVision has no GSV code. For a launch monitor that pairs with an iPhone, GSV5OFF takes 5% off a first order at Shop Indoor Golf, GSVMEVO takes 5% off the Mevo Gen 2 at FlightScope, and GSVSQUARE takes 5% off at Square Golf.
Launch monitors that work with an iPhone
- Garmin Approach R105% off at Shop Indoor Golf with code GSV5OFF.First-time buyers only, one use. Not valid on a standalone Trackman, the Square Golf launch monitor or the ProTee VX.
- FlightScope Mevo Gen25% off at FlightScope with code GSVMEVO.
- Rapsodo MLM2PRO5% off at Shop Indoor Golf with code GSV5OFF, first-time buyers.
- Square Golf Home Edition5% off at Square Golf with code GSVSQUARE.
Will it fit? See each in your room in the free GSV Sim Builder, in 3D: Garmin R10, Mevo Gen2, MLM2PRO, Square Golf HE.
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The short answer
- ShotVision on an iPhone: a real way to play GSPro and work on distances with no launch monitor at all. Carry and ball speed on wedges and irons looked right in Jay's test, and putting speed was good. It reads no spin axis, so shots do not curve, and the left and right direction on chips and putts read close to zero.
- A launch monitor with the iPhone as its screen: the next step up. A Garmin R10 with Home Tee Hero, a Mevo Gen 2 with E6 Connect for iOS, a Rapsodo MLM2PRO or a Square Golf Home Edition all read shot shape and play courses on the phone.
What ShotVision is
| ShotVision Launch Monitor | |
|---|---|
| Maker | Jetblack Media |
| Hardware | The iPhone camera only, on a tripod |
| iPhone needed | iPhone 11 or newer, iOS 18 or later; no iPad or Android |
| Price | Free with 30 shots; Pro by subscription, or Pro Access for $149.99 once on the App Store |
| What it reads | Ball speed, club speed, carry, total, launch angle and spin |
| Spin axis | Not read |
| In the app | Shot Analysis, Quick Shot, bag mapping, drills, Virtual Golf and impact video |
| GSPro | Through GSPro's Open API connector on the same Wi-Fi; not on GSPro's list of supported launch monitors |
From ShotVision's site and its App Store listing, read October 17, 2026. ShotVision says its readings average less than 3% from a Foresight GC3; GSV has not checked that claim against a launch monitor. The App Store lists several Pro subscription prices, so the one offered in the app is the one that counts. ShotVision the app is not Rapsodo's Shot Vision, the swing video feature of the MLM2PRO.
What Jay found in GSV's simulator
Jay first tried ShotVision in 2020, in a test against the FlightScope Mevo+. In September 2026 he called the app finally fine-tuned and set it up again, this time for GSPro.
- Wedges in the app: a 58 degree wedge he hits 95 to 100 yd read 100 yd of carry, then 95, then 89 yd on a softer swing at 77 mph of ball speed. Backspin read 8,769 rpm, with club speed and launch angle on the same screen.
- A 9 iron in GSPro: on a 140 to 145 yd shot playing 8 yd downhill, it read 143 yd, then 141 yd with 8,000 rpm. Shot after shot landed in the 140 to 145 yd range Jay expects from that club.
- Chips: the up and down angle was good, 41 degrees on a flop and 25 on a low chip. The left and right angle mostly read zero or near it, even on chips Jay pulled and pushed; one read 4 degrees. Spin on chips is estimated.
- Putting: speed was impressive, in Jay's word. Direction is not read, so aim in GSPro first and the putt goes on that line.
- Speed: it locks on fast, with a sound when it is ready, and calls out the numbers aloud.
His verdict: this is for fun, not a high-grade launch monitor and not for learning to curve the ball, but a way to play GSPro and work on distances when there is no launch monitor in the house. He had not hit a driver with it yet. In October, after the video, ShotVision released an update with fixes to its horizontal launch angle; GSV has not tested that version.
How to set it up for GSPro
- Mount the phone. A short tripod beside the ball, facing it, squared to the target line. Jay used a small magnetic tripod mount. ShotVision's app notes put the ball about 2 ft 4 in to 2 ft 7 in from the phone.
- Choose the settings. Right or left handed, yards and mph, and the Fixed ball zone for a phone on a tripod; Dynamic is for a moving ball spot. ShotVision reads the barometer and the weather for temperature and altitude.
- Map the bag. Enter the clubs in the bag, so the app knows what is being hit.
- Start ShotVision first, then the GSPro connector. With the app in Open API mode and the phone and PC on the same Wi-Fi, the connector finds it by itself. In Jay's test it connected in seconds.
- Keep the session awake. The app pauses a session to save the battery; tap Resume to carry on.
GSPro runs on a Windows PC and costs $250 a year, paid to GSPro. See the GSPro guide for the PC and the courses, and the best computer for a golf simulator for what to buy.
What an iPhone cannot do yet
- Curve the ball. With no spin axis, a fade or a draw flies straight in GSPro. Direction comes from the launch only, and the phone sees only so far left and right.
- Direction on chips and putts. In Jay's test it mostly read zero, so short shots go where they are aimed.
- Driver. GSV has not tested it.
- Android or iPad. ShotVision runs on an iPhone only.
Other launch monitor apps for the iPhone
GolfTrak is the other camera-only app most often named. Its maker lists launch angle, spin rate, club speed, carry, total, ball speed, direction and smash factor; GolfTrak PRO is $14.99 a month or $99.99 a year on the App Store, it needs iOS 26, and it is on GSPro's list of supported launch monitors, with E6 Connect as well. GSV has not tested GolfTrak.
Launch monitors that use an iPhone
A launch monitor of its own reads more of the shot, and these use the iPhone as their screen and their course software. Prices are the makers' list prices.
| Launch monitor | List price | On the iPhone |
|---|---|---|
| Garmin Approach R10 | $599.99 | Garmin Golf: shot data and range free; Home Tee Hero, 43,000+ courses, with the $99.99 a year membership |
| Square Golf Home Edition | $699 | Square Golf app: range and putting practice; courses on credits, 1,000 included, no subscription |
| Rapsodo MLM2PRO | $699.99 | MLM2PRO app with swing video; Rapsodo courses with Premium, $199.99 a year |
| Rapsodo MLM2XPRO | $899.99 | Rapsodo Golf app, with a screen on the unit and putting in Rapsodo's simulator |
| FlightScope Mevo Gen 2 | $1,299 | FS Golf app with swing video; an E6 Connect bundle of 8 courses for iOS and PC to keep |
Not every launch monitor plays courses on a phone: SkyTrak's course play runs on a PC, a Mac, an iPad or Android, and GSPro needs a Windows PC. Jay played Home Tee Hero from an iPhone 12 Pro to a projector with a Lightning to HDMI adapter in the Garmin R10 review. See also the MLM2PRO review, the Mevo Gen 2 guide, the Square Golf review and the best launch monitors under $1,000.
Which to choose
- Curious, with a PC and GSPro already, or none of it yet: try ShotVision's 30 free shots. It costs nothing to find out how it reads in your room.
- Want shot shape and courses on the phone for the least: the Garmin R10 with Home Tee Hero.
- Want putting read and courses that are yours to keep: the Mevo Gen 2.
- Want no subscription and a launch monitor beside the ball: the Square Golf Home Edition.
The launch monitor finder narrows it by room and budget, and the GSV Sim Builder checks the room in 3D.
Launch monitors that work with an iPhone
- Garmin Approach R105% off at Shop Indoor Golf with code GSV5OFF.First-time buyers only, one use. Not valid on a standalone Trackman, the Square Golf launch monitor or the ProTee VX.
- FlightScope Mevo Gen25% off at FlightScope with code GSVMEVO.
- Rapsodo MLM2PRO5% off at Shop Indoor Golf with code GSV5OFF, first-time buyers.
- Square Golf Home Edition5% off at Square Golf with code GSVSQUARE.
Free consultation with GSV's partner builders
Ready for more than a phone? Jay works with official partners: master builders he hand-picked, who get on a call quickly and make sure the room, the launch monitor, the screen and the PC fit before you buy anything. They offer package deals on the whole build, DIY packages, full installation, and more. The consultation is free.
iPhone launch monitor questions
Can an iPhone be a golf launch monitor?
Yes, with a camera app such as ShotVision: the iPhone sits on a tripod beside the ball and its camera reads ball speed, launch angle, carry and spin. In GSV's test it read wedge and 9 iron distances well and played GSPro, but it reads no spin axis, so shots do not curve.
How much does ShotVision cost?
ShotVision is free to download with 30 free shots. Unlimited shots need a Pro subscription, or Pro Access, listed on the App Store at $149.99 once. The App Store lists several subscription prices, so check the one offered in the app.
Does ShotVision work with GSPro?
Yes, through GSPro's Open API connector with the iPhone and the PC on the same Wi-Fi. In Jay's test it connected in seconds. ShotVision is not on GSPro's own list of supported launch monitors, and GSPro is $250 a year from GSPro.
Is ShotVision accurate?
For carry on wedges and irons, it looked right in Jay's test: a 9 iron read 141 to 143 yd on a 140 to 145 yd shot, and putting speed was good. Left and right direction on chips and putts mostly read zero. ShotVision says its readings average less than 3% from a Foresight GC3; GSV has not checked that.
Can you hit a draw or a fade with ShotVision?
No. ShotVision reads no spin axis, so a fade or a draw flies straight in GSPro. Jay called it a way to play and work on distances, not to learn to curve the ball.
Which iPhone do you need for ShotVision?
An iPhone 11 or newer on iOS 18 or later. ShotVision does not run on an iPad or on Android.
What is the best launch monitor to use with an iPhone?
For course play on the phone for the least, the Garmin R10 with Home Tee Hero, $599.99 plus $99.99 a year. The Mevo Gen 2, $1,299, reads putts and comes with 8 E6 Connect courses for iOS to keep, and the Square Golf Home Edition, $699, plays courses on credits with no subscription.
Build the rest of your sim
- Enclosure and screen$250 off at Shop Indoor GolfShop
- Carl's Place enclosure5% off, code sent by emailShopGet the code
- Hitting mat$20 off at Shop Indoor Golf. GSV5OFF is more on a first order over $400Shop
- Projector5% off at Shop Indoor Golf. First-time buyersShop
- Simulator computerSurfThing: $100 off applied automatically, no codeShop
- TouchscreenGSV code for TouchscreenGuruShop
- Complete package$250 off at Shop Indoor Golf. GSV5OFF is more on a first order over $5,000Shop
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