5 Reasons Not to Buy the Square Golf Launch Monitor

My guess is that you’ve heard plenty of reasons why you should buy the Square Launch Monitor.

And I’ll admit, a lot of those reasons are legit.

The Square is a very solid launch monitor. I mean, for less than $7,000, the elite-level data tracking, no subscription fees, built-in simulation capabilities alone might make the Square a good value. It’s a beautiful device, no question.

But I gotta say, for a lot of golfers, I don’t think the Square is the right fit. I think many of you would be better off with a different launch monitor.

So in today’s video, I’m going to share with you the five reasons I think you want something other than the Square.

So, let’s do it

The Square Golf Launch Monitor has generated more hype than just about any sub-$1,000 golf tech in recent memory.

And on paper, it’s easy to see why:

• The first photometric launch monitor under $1,000.

• No subscription fees.

• Short-game tracking that actually works.

• And the unique Swing Stick that lets you play without hitting a real ball.

At $699, it sounds like a slam dunk.

But here’s the thing. Once you get past the buzzwords and early excitement, the Square comes with some real compromises. And depending on who you are and how you plan to use it, those trade-offs might be deal breakers.

I’ve spent a lot of time with the Square, side by side with competitors like the FlightScope Mevo Gen2, Rapsodo MLM2PRO, and SkyTrak+. And while it’s a clever and disruptive product, it’s not for everyone.

So let’s get into it. Here are 5 reasons not to buy the Square Golf Launch Monitor.

This is the biggest limitation, and it’s not negotiable.

The Square simply doesn’t work outdoors. Sunlight interferes with the cameras and infrared sensors, and worse, prolonged exposure can actually damage the unit. That means no range sessions. No outdoor use at all, period.

If you’re hoping for one device that you can use in your garage sim in the winter and take to the range in the summer, the Square isn’t it. You’ll need to look at radar-based launch monitors like the FlightScope Mevo Gen2, Rapsodo MLM2PRO, or Garmin R10 for that kind of versatility. Or, if you want that in a camera device, you’re going to have to spend a lot more money.

Yes, the Square is great for tight indoor spaces where radar struggles. But the fact that it’s indoor-only puts a hard ceiling on who this product is actually useful for. If your practice routine or improvement plan involves any outdoor golf, this is the wrong tool.

Unboxing the Square is an odd experience. The packaging feels premium with multiple boxes and lots of accessories. But the device itself feels plasticky and insubstantial. It weighs like nothing. Seriously. Less than a can of beer.

That might sound trivial, but it doesn’t inspire confidence when you’re placing it inches away from golf balls you’re hitting at full speed.

There’s no carrying case included, no protective cage, and no safeguard against a shank sending a ball straight into the hardware. For something that sits right next to the hitting zone, it feels like a glaring omission.

Even the alignment stick, meant to help you set up the device, often falls out of its slot. It feels like an afterthought rather than a precision tool.

And because it’s so light, even setting it down doesn’t feel stable. A slightly uneven mat or a bump from a foot can shift its position, and even small misalignments can lead to misreads.

Does it function? Yes. But compared to the more rugged feel of competitors like the MLM2PRO, SkyTrak+, R10, and others, the Square feels like the budget option it is. If durability and longevity matter to you, that’s a red flag.

The Square gives you more data than you’d expect for $699, including some club metrics that usually live behind a paywall on pricier devices. But it also skips some basics. No clubhead speed. No smash factor. And dynamic loft, one of the included metrics, is often wildly inaccurate.

Accuracy is mostly fine on irons and wedges. Ball speed and carry numbers are great. But move up into driver and fairway woods, and the numbers can drift a little. Not terrible, but not the kind of precision a serious player should count on.

On top of that, the Square can be a little flaky with shot detection. I’d say maybe every dozen or so swings, a shot won’t register. That’s not a deal breaker for casual play, but it might be frustrating if you’re really grinding on a session that matters.

So yes, the Square is “accurate enough” for many golfers. But if you’re chasing dependable precision across the bag, or if you rely on clubhead speed and smash factor to measure progress, you’re going to be disappointed.

Beyond the numbers, the small hitting zone and alignment quirks make the Square feel a little fussy in real use. Ball placement can be slow when you’re moving between tee heights or changing clubs, and the alignment stick solution doesn’t inspire confidence when it won’t stay put.

For all the Square gets right on the hardware side, its software is… bare bones.

The app is clean and functional, but it lacks depth. The driving ranges are basic. Closest-to-the-pin and putting modes are serviceable but again basic. And the built-in fictional courses, while surprisingly decent-looking, aren’t of the overall quality you find with other simulator software.

An even bigger issue is that there’s no shot history or session storage. You can’t flag swings, build dispersion charts, or track your improvement over time. Technically, you can export a CSV file, but it’s clunky and impractical for everyday use.

This is a big omission. The whole point of a launch monitor is to track progress, and Square makes that pretty difficult. For players who actually want to use data to improve, that’s a huge miss. Improvement isn’t just about seeing a number once. It’s about spotting patterns over time. Without dispersion maps, bag mapping, or trend lines, you’re stuck guessing whether a tweak actually worked or if today’s numbers were a blip.

Competitors like the Rapsodo MLM2PRO deliver a far richer app experience at a similar price point. If software polish matters to you, the Square feels like a step backward.

The Swing Stick is probably the most polarizing feature of the Square. It’s a short training club with built-in sensors that let you play simulator golf without hitting a ball. In theory, it opens up new ways to practice in tight spaces, or even sneak in a round in your living room.

But in practice, it doesn’t feel much like real golf. Distances tend to be inflated. Shot shapes don’t always match your swing. And while it’s fun for kids or total beginners, serious golfers will quickly realize it’s more toy than training aid.

The bigger frustration is that you’re forced to pay for it. The Swing Stick comes bundled with every Square, whether you want it or not. Some reviewers have said they’d rather have a protective case or a lower price point instead. And I agree. Instead of investing in stronger software, more durable build materials, or even a proper alignment tool, Square chose to bundle a novelty. That says something about the priorities behind the product.

For the right user — families, casual players, or people with zero room to swing — the Swing Stick might be a neat bonus. But for most golfers, it’s just another accessory gathering dust in the closet.

Look, the Square is definitely shaking things up. It’s the first sub-$1,000 optical launch monitor. It connects to GSPro without an additional fee. It reads putts. It makes indoor sim golf accessible in a way that radar units simply can’t match because of room-size requirements.

But it’s also a compromise-heavy device. Indoor-only use, flimsy build, missing data, shallow software, and a gimmicky Swing Stick mean it’s far from a one-size-fits-all solution.

Another wrinkle is future-proofing. Right now, the Square feels innovative, but the affordable launch monitor space is evolving fast. Garmin, Rapsodo, and Swing Caddie are rolling out software updates and hardware refreshes at a rapid pace. Without meaningful upgrades, the Square could start to feel outdated sooner than you’d expect.

That matters if you’re building a simulator setup that you want to last for several years. Saving a few hundred dollars upfront isn’t much of a win if you find yourself itching to upgrade after just a season or two.

The Square’s first few weeks can be thrilling, especially if it’s your first sim. Then you hit a higher-end system and realize what you’re missing. More trustworthy driver numbers, better club data, and software that remembers what you did last time. If you’re the type who upgrades quickly, buying “cheap now, better later” may end up costing you more.

If you want outdoor range work, look elsewhere. If you’re serious about long-term improvement tracking, look elsewhere. If you care about robust software and data storage, look elsewhere.

The Square is best suited for golfers who:

• Have limited indoor space

• Care more about simulator fun than grinding through numbers

• Don’t want to deal with subscriptions

• Are OK with accuracy that’s “good enough” rather than flawless

For that golfer, it’s a cool piece of tech at a breakthrough price. But for everyone else, there are better options, even if it means spending a little more.

Have you used the Square? Know anyone who has? If you’ve got experiences to share, let us know in the comments. I’m sure other viewers would love to hear your perspective.

Please consider liking and subscribing if this content is helpful to you. We’ll have a bunch more of it coming. Until then, I’ll see you out on the course.