How To Use a Launch Monitor To Improve Your Game
If the clubfitter has years of experience in fitting many golfers and is knowledgeable in all of the fitting specifications that have a bearing on shot performance, it is possible to perform a very accurate fitting without the use of a launch monitor. It is possible to gain so much experience in fitting and in the identification of the most optimal ball flight for a golfer that it is possible to simply watch the flight of the ball along with the golfer’s swing characteristics and know how to fit the golfer.
However, there are not that many clubfitters who posses such knowledge and experience. In addition, most golfers require quantifiable evidence before having confidence in the results of the fitting, so it very definitely can enhance the accuracy of the outcome to use a launch monitor in the fitting process. But ONLY if the launch monitor is accurate AND MORE IMPORTANT, only if the operator/clubfitter knows how to translate what the launch monitor records into the proper fitting specifications for the golfer.
That last one is where so much of the problem lies in the golf industry. Many retail golf stores that have launch monitors have sales staff who project an attitude to golfers that they know what they are doing, but in reality know very little about how to translate launch monitor data into accurate fitting recommendations. Launch monitors all come with an operation manual, but they do not come with a “here’s how you use one to fit golfers manual.”
Well one does. . . the number one launch monitor in the golf equipment industry is a unit called TrackMan. TrackMan was developed in the mid 2000s by a Danish engineer who decided he no longer wished to apply his Doppler radar knowledge to tracking cruise missiles and other such weapons of destruction. This engineer has also gone the extra mile to develop Driver Fitting optimization charts. Quite simply, these charts show what the optimum driver performance launch monitor parameters are for different swing speeds and different angle of attack into the ball.
If a golfer knows their clubhead speed and angle of attack, it is then easy to use the charts to find his/her most optimum launch monitor readings to ensure the very best possible driver performance. To get a custom clubfitter that can properly use the results of a launch monitor to take your game to the next level, find a clubfitter near you.
Download the TrackMan Driver Optimization 2010 to get the low down on proper driver fitting outputs from an accurate launch monitor.
Tom
Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you could do with some pics to drive the message home a little bit, but instead of that, this is fantastic blog. An excellent read. I will certainly be back.
What would optimal numbers be
On say 145 mph chs
And 215 ballspeed
Think I spin the ball to much
But have a +11 attack angle
Thanks in advance
Andrew Please forgive me but I question the accuracy of the angle of attack at +11*. Are you sure you do not mean your LAUNCH ANGLE? A of A is not an easy parameter to read for a launch monitor and even TrackMan and FlightScope don’t get it accurately with each swing. If you got these numbers from a launch monitor other than a TM or FS, I would seriously doubt the accuracy of that A of A output. If you had a true +11* A of A, your launch angle would likely be at least +7 or 8* or… Read more »
Hello Tom, I have a similar problem / question as Mitch but for Irons and Hybrids fitting (I want a complete set of 775 and 771CSI). I am up to see a Clubfitter without a launch monitor and he said that he will fit me by observing the ball flight. I know my swing speed and can provide some data measured with a flight scope with my 5 Iron. Is that sufficient to get fitted correctly? I understand that the angle of attack will determine the loft and give an indication about for the shaft calibration for the driver. What… Read more »
MIKE Who is the clubfitter? Have you checked with other golfers who have worked with this fitter to find out if they were happy ith the fitting experience and fitting results? All the clubfitters are independent business people. None are tied to any company and all of them are on their own when it comes to their training and knowledge and experience. Yes, over the years I have provided the clubmaker community with more in depth technical information to guide their training, through my books and many articles I have written. But as the old saying goes, “you can lead… Read more »
I’m going to have custom clubs designed for me by a Wishon club fitter in my area. I have recently sent him an e-mail asking which Launch Monitor he uses. Given the price of these apparatus/programs, I doubt very much that he has one. What will be his options if as you say very few fitters have the ability to accurately assess without a launch monitor. Are they encouraged to find someone who does and use theirs?
Thanks,
Mitch
MITCH: It is true that a launch monitor can be very helpful for fitting a driver to see the outputs for the launch angle, ball speed and for a small number of golfers, the spin. But it is also true that a very experienced clubfitter can fit a driver just as accurately from his experience in SEEING the ball flight shape. Granted that takes a lot more experience to do that. May I ask, who is the clubfitter you found in your area? let me know and I can let you know if he has a depth of experience such… Read more »
This site definitely has all of the info I needed about this
subject and didn’t know who to ask.
That is definitely a big reason that we are here and why we are so committed to educating golfers with the absolute facts about golf club performance and clubfitting technology.
Thank you for your nice comment!!
TOM
Tom,
Thanks for the reply. I want to share another (unexpected) benefit of using a launch monitor, though it should have been obvious to even the casual observer (me). The Titleist rep displayed my results and it was as if four different golfers hit my driver. I’ve been making some swing changes and was so wrapped up in “getting the club in the right position” I forgot to concentrate on hitting the ball. The concrete numbers really got my attention.
The dynamic loft (real loft delivered to the ball at impact) is higher then the (vert.) launch angle because the ball will only get around 75% of its launch angle from the dync. loft.
Much like the initial horz. launch angle that only takes around 75% from the face angle at impact.
Typically the actual launch angle is going to be 90 to 92% of the actual loft on the head at impact. So these dynamic lofts are far higher above the launch angle than that. And in the relationship of face angle to swing path, it is closer to 85% for the face angle contribution to horizontal launch angle.
TOM
Tom, Interestingly enough I went through a Titleist ball-fitting session the other day. They use TrackMan. A clubfitter friend you know also went through the session. He uses a FlightScope. The Titleist rep and my friend had a long discussion about the differences between the TrackMan and FlightScope. The Titleist guy had even run side by side tests between the two monitors. The bottom line was that they give virtually identical results. The FlightScope gives a bit more of a Smash Factor, but that is about it. Even the data screens are virtually the same. The biggest difference between the… Read more »
ED: Pretty much the same we have heard as well. The one side by side comparison test done by an independent (meaning with no ties of any sort to either company) showed everything was pretty identical except the spin measurements were a little more consistent with the TM and seemed to be a little tiny bit more accurate when ball flight observation was brought in to play with the numbers. The reason we like the TrackMan is because on top of the measurement accuracy, we have a long and close relationship with their key people which means we bounce things… Read more »
Tom
When you say the Trackman is the number one launch monitor in the golf equipment industry, I assume you’re saying you think it is the best. I know many clubfitters with a FlightScope (myself included), but only a couple with a Trackman.
The Trackman Driver Optimization chart shows a higher Dynamic Loft number than Launch Angle number. What explains the difference?
DALE Very good question you ask. In all honesty I never looked at that column in TrackMan’s data charts, I only focused on the clubhead speed to angle of attack to launch angle and ball speed numbers as elements to look for against a golfer’s launch monitor numbers. Now that you bring this up, I will have to ask Fredrik Tuxen of TrackMan about this. He’s their chief engineer and is the one who created the optimization charts from years of TrackMan research. sorry I don;t have a good answer for you yet, I will find that out and let… Read more »