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Q&A: Building a launch monitor at home from scratch

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If you spend any time on golf TikTok, you may have come across Coleman Rollins documenting one of the more ambitious DIY projects in the space: building a home golf launch monitor completely from scratch.

With regular real-time video updates shared with his 11,000+ followers, Coleman has built a dedicated audience to see just how far you can push a garage build when curiosity, persistence, and a bit of engineering obsession collide.

I caught up with Coleman for a quick Q&A to dig into the realities behind the project: the time invested, the true cost, the technical challenges, and the advice he’d give to GolfWRXers tempted to try something similar themselves.

@colemangolfs (Reupload) Part 16 – building a launch monitor. Did we just do this??? #diy #golfgear #diyproject #golftok #golf @Foresight Sports @Bushnell Golf @Garmin Official ? original sound – Coleman Rollins

  • Follow Coleman’s journey on TikTok here, and Instagram here.

Gianni: What made you decide to try and build your own home simulator instead of buying one?

Coleman: I was going through a cycle every 3-5 months of wanting to buy a launch monitor. Every time I went to look back over the options, every single one had a downside. Either too expensive, requires a subscription, or doesn’t have the metrics I wanted. Not only that, but they all have proprietary software that is often pretty bad. With my background as a software engineer, I decided to just give it a shot and see what happens.

Gianni: How daunting was it at the start, figuring out all the parts you’d actually need?

Coleman: It was really daunting at first, since I knew nothing about hardware projects or radars! But thanks to the power of AI and LLMs, I was able to get a jumpstart on what I might need. It became pretty clear right away that the most cost-efficient and quick-to-start option was a radar-based device (rather than a camera-based).

Gianni: How many total hours are you into this build so far, including the parts that didn’t make the final cut?

Coleman: This is a tough one to estimate, but probably at least 150 hours. I had some PTO left at the end of last year and spent a considerable amount of time every day in December on it.

Gianni: What’s the real all-in cost right now, and how far off is that from your original budget?

Coleman: The all-in cost for the parts currently in use is around $350. I’m really happy with this number. Originally, I wanted to do it for around $200, but I decided early on to go with a nicer radar that cost a bit more, and it has been worth it. I would say another $200 – $300 has been spent on parts that aren’t used, various software-related services, and training machine learning models.

In Part 38, Coleman improved the ball tracking capture from 30 to almost 180 frames per second.

Gianni: What sensing method are you using at the core of the launch monitor, and what trade-offs did that choice force you to accept?

Coleman: The core method is Doppler radar. There’s a lot of debate (including in my comment section) about whether or not the camera is better than the Doppler. Trackman devices are proof that Doppler is a viable high-end option, despite the majority of other high-end launch monitors being camera-based. The biggest tradeoff I have found is that camera-based methods need much more computing power and higher-end hardware. You need very high frame rates to track the ball, and a lot of computing power to process each frame quickly. For one guy on a budget, Doppler was the clear choice.

Gianni: What part of the system is currently limiting the overall accuracy the most?

Coleman: Right now, I’m spending most of my time dialing in the radar. Something cool I have learned is that each moving object has a unique radar frequency. If you make a bunch of swings with a golf club in front of the radar while recording the frequencies you see, you can start to see a pattern in what a swing looks like. Then our job is to get our software to recognize that and process the data.

Gianni: Where do you think most people trying to copy this build would get it wrong?

Coleman: There can be small nuances between various pieces of hardware or small differences in radar models, so that’s something to look out for. But I’ve spent a lot of time documenting everything that people need, steps to get started, and where the code lives, so I hope it will be easy to follow!

Gianni: What’s the biggest piece of advice you’d give to a GolfWRX member inspired to try this themselves?

Coleman: Get in there and go for it! It may require some patience at times, but I have learned so much in the three months I’ve been at it, which has been amazing. All the steps I have taken and the code for the device are all free, so if it’s something that sounds fun and interesting, the tools are there.

@colemangolfs Part 40 – building a launch monitor. Will this be our final form? ??#golf #golftok #golftech #claude ? original sound – Coleman Rollins

Gianni is the Managing Editor at GolfWRX. He can be contacted at gianni@golfwrx.com

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Leftshot

    Feb 4, 2026 at 6:07 pm

    Is there a Heathkit or Radio Shack kit version in our future?

  2. Coleman

    Feb 4, 2026 at 11:41 am

    Thanks Gianni for having me!

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Equipment

Tour Edge unveils all-new Exotics mini driver

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Tour Edge Golf has today introduced the all-new Exotics mini driver, engineered to deliver a powerful combination of speed, control, and versatility in the long game. 

The Exotics Mini combines a titanium face with a stainless-steel body in design to balance ball speed with stability and control, creating a versatile option at the top end of the bag. 

At the core of the design is Tour Edge’s proprietary Combo Brazing technology, a high-precision thermal bonding process that seamlessly fuses a titanium cup face to a stainless-steel body into a single, continuous structure. By eliminating energy loss found in traditional multi-piece constructions, Combo Brazing is designed to deliver faster face response, more efficient energy transfer, and a uniquely powerful yet controlled feel.

The multi-material construction also allows mass to be positioned lower and deeper in the head in a bid to increase stability, while the thin titanium face is engineered to maintain ball speed across a wider impact area.

“While the initial goal was to enhance control and versatility in the long game, Combo Brazing ultimately drove measurable gains in ball speed and distance within the mini driver category. In robot testing, we’ve documented higher ball speeds, higher launch, reduced spin, and increased carry and total distance compared to leading models.” – Vice President of R&D Matt Neeley

In addition to distance performance, the Exotics mini emphasizes forgiveness through a heavier stainless-steel body that shifts mass toward the perimeter. This configuration increases MOI relative to traditional all-titanium mini drivers, helping preserve ball speed and directional stability on off-center strikes. Paired with Pyramid Face Technology from the Exotics metalwood line, the design is intended to support consistent speed across the face.

To further enhance MOI, a lightweight carbon fiber crown frees additional mass that is strategically repositioned low and deep in the head in design to improve stability and promote optimal launch with controlled spin.

“We designed the Mini to be about five millimeters shallower than other mini drivers on the market. That change improves playability off the deck. From a clean fairway lie, it can function as a strong 3-wood alternative while still providing control off the tee.” – Tour Edge CEO David Glod

An adjustable hosel system allows for loft and lie tuning to dial in trajectory and shot shape, while a fixed 13-gram rear weight helps stabilize the head through impact to improve dispersion consistency. The Exotics Mini Driver is available in 11.5 and 13.5-degree lofts in right-handed models.

Pricing & Availability

The Exotics Mini Driver is available for pre-order beginning today for $399.99 USD at touredge.com, and will be available for purchase at retail outlets worldwide on May 22, 2026. 

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Equipment

Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, our members have been pitting a Srixon ZXi combo against a TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo. WRXer ‘edutch22’ is on the hunt for a new set of irons and kicks off the thread saying:

“Looking at picking up a new set of irons and think I’ve narrowed it down to Srixon ZXi combo or Taylormade P7CB/770 combo. I am currently a 5 cap and allbeit I feel irons are my weakness. My miss is a little to the toe side. I am decently steep at 4-5 down. Always thought I am high spin but recently on trackman my 7 was spinning at 5800 roughly. 

My question or looking for thoughts on which one would benefit me more from a forgiveness standpoint? Or is there another iron is should be looking at entirely? I only get to play about once or twice a week, if I am not playing a 2-3 day event. Thanks in advance.”

And our members have been sharing their thoughts and suggestions in response.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • manima1: “You just can’t go wrong with Srixon ZXi7.”
  • MattM97: “You have to hit them to know, the V-Sole on the Srixon can be make or break for many.”
  • dmeeksDC: “P7CB is more forgiving for me than ZXi7 because my main miss is low middle and the P7CB still flies and spins great on that miss. These are both really nice irons but I like the P7CB more than the Zxi7 and the P770 (or P790) more than the Zxi5. The Srixons are larger so if that gives you confidence that is the way to go. I don’t feel like I get any benefit from the V-sole and the P7CBs live up to their high Maltby forgiveness rating so the TaylorMades have been great for me.”

Entire Thread: “Srixon ZXi combo or TaylorMade P7CB/770 combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”

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Equipment

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @pianoman0123 has a 2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade combo up for grabs.

From the listing: “2024 Wilson Staff CB/Blade Combo.  4-8 irons are CB’s and the 9,PW are Blades.  5-PW have Project X 6.0 Shafts and the 4 Iron has a Steelfiber CW110 Stiff Shaft.   Standard Length, Lie and Lofts.  These are in very good condition the shafts just don’t work for me.  Like new Lamkin Grips on the 5-PW and a stock Golf Pride on the 4 Iron. $525 OBO.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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