Radar vs High-Speed Camera Tech: What Golf Clubs Really Need to Know

If you’re planning the next stage of your club’s practice, coaching or simulator offering, the launch monitor you choose will quietly decide everything: How accurate your data is. How practical your setup feels day-to-day. How many members actually use it.

Most clubs quickly bump into the same question:

Do we go radar-based, or high-speed camera-based?

Both technologies are brilliant when used in the right environment. Radar has become synonymous with outdoor tour ranges, while modern high-speed camera systems (like Uneekor) now underpin many of the best indoor and covered-bay simulators worldwide.

This guide breaks down how each works, where they shine and why camera-based systems are increasingly becoming the smarter, more flexible choice for golf clubs - indoors and outdoors on the range.

The Basics: What a Launch Monitor Is Actually Doing

Whether radar or camera-based, every launch monitor is trying to do the same thing:

• Measure what the club is doing into impact

• Measure what the ball does off the face

• Use that data to calculate a realistic ball flight

  
  

The difference is how they see that information:

• Radar: tracks the ball through space as it flies

• High-speed cameras (photometric): capture impact and early ball flight in incredible detail, then model the rest of the shot with physics-based algorithms.

  
  

Both approaches can be extremely accurate - but the environment (indoor bay, covered range, open range, shared space) heavily favours one or the other.

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How High-Speed Camera (Photometric) Systems Work

High-speed camera systems capture thousands of frames per second at impact, using advanced computer vision to measure:

• Club path and speed

• Face angle

• Dynamic loft and lie

• Strike location

• Ball speed, launch and spin

  
  

Modern solutions like Uneekor’s EYE Series are specifically engineered for indoor and covered environments, delivering:

• Unmatched impact and club data

• Crystal-clear high-speed video

• Overhead mounting for the cleanest footprint

• Consistent performance in controlled lighting

Indoor vs Outdoor: Which Tech Wins in Which Environment?

Indoors & Enclosed Bays

In simulator rooms, coaching studios or indoor performance labs, camera-based systems win comfortably:

• Don’t require 2-3 m behind the golfer

• Overhead mounting = no floor clutter

• Superior face/path/impact data

• Better consistency in limited ball-flight windows

  
  

Radar can work indoors, but the space and environmental requirements make it a compromise in most club settings.

Outdoor Ranges & Covered Bays

On a wide-open range, radar performs brilliantly. But many modern clubs are shifting to hybrid structures:

• All-weather coaching studios

• Covered range bays

• Indoor–outdoor swing rooms

  
  

In these environments, Uneekor’s camera-based systems still excel, because the area is semi-controlled, protected from glare and ideal for overhead mounting.

Book in for a consultation to determine the best solution for your club

Space, Workflow & Member Experience

Space & Installation

Radar

• Needs depth behind the tee

• Sensitive to room geometry

• Not ideal for multi-bay indoor designs

  
  

High-Speed Camera Systems

• Mount overhead (EYE XO / EYE XO2)

• Clean, safe, minimal footprint

• Perfect for high-traffic club environments

  
  

Coaching & Fitting

For coaches and fitters, camera-based tech offers:

• High-speed impact footage

• Strike mapping on the clubface

• Full club delivery data

• Better repeatability indoors

  
  

This makes Uneekor a favourite for clubs building high-performance coaching studios.

Member Playability

Camera-based systems deliver:

• Lightning-fast shot feedback

• Natural indoor ball flights

• Seamless simulator play (GSPro, etc.)

  
  

Radar can also be enjoyable, but it’s more dependent on perfect spacing, calibration and environmental stability - something clubs can’t always guarantee day-to-day.

Uneekor: The High-Speed Camera Tech Built for Clubs

At Golfsim Australia, we exclusively build our premium club installations around Uneekor’s camera-based systems because they deliver:

• Elite-level club + ball data

• Ultra-fast overhead tracking

• Industry-leading indoor performance

• Clean, commercial-ready installation

• Consistency across all spaces - indoor bays, covered ranges, coaching studios and simulator lounges

  
  

See Uneekor in action inside a Golfsim installation

Radar vs Camera Tech for Clubs - Quick Comparison

Radar (Doppler)	High Speed Camera (Uneekor)
Best for: Open outdoor ranges Strengths: Full ball-flight tracking Excellent dispersion mapping Limitations: Needs depth behind player Sensitive to reflections, movement, lighting Less ideal for enclosed or shared bays	Best for: Indoor bays Coaching studios Covered ranges Simulator lounges Strengths: Elite impact + club data Works in tight or shallow spaces Overhead mounting Superb for coaching, fitting and simulation Limitations: Requires controlled lighting outdoors

Chat with our team about what’s right for your club

So, Which System Should Your Club Choose?

If your club has:

• A wide-open grass range

• A dedicated outdoor-only coaching zone

• No plans for indoor or hybrid spaces

  
  

…radar can be a powerful addition to your coaching arsenal.

But if your club is planning:

• An indoor performance studio

• A hybrid indoor-outdoor space

• Under-cover range bays

• A simulator room for coaching, members and revenue

• A single system that works all year, in all weather

  
  

Then high-speed camera tech, especially Uneekor is your most versatile, consistent and future-proof choice.

The Golfsim Perspective

We work with clubs across Australia that are upgrading their performance facilities, building indoor–outdoor coaching studios or adding simulator spaces for members.

Our experience is clear: Radar shines outdoors. Camera-based tech (Uneekor) shines everywhere else and often outdoors too, under cover.

For clubs wanting one platform that supports coaching, fittings, simulator play, all-weather practice and commercial usage, Uneekor is the system we back, install and support daily.

Book your private consultation with Golfsim Australia

FAQs

Can camera-based launch monitors work outdoors?

Yes, especially in covered bays or indoor–outdoor hybrid studios. With controlled lighting, Uneekor overhead systems perform extremely well outside.

Is radar more accurate than camera tech?

Outdoors over full flight, radar is superb. Indoors or in semi-enclosed spaces, camera-based systems are typically more reliable, consistent and flexible.

Which is better for coaching and fitting?

Camera-based tech delivers deeper club and impact data, making it the preferred choice for coaches and fitters operating in enclosed or hybrid spaces.

Does radar need more room?

Generally, yes. Most radar systems need several feet behind the golfer and a longer ball-flight window.

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