Launch monitor figures, how accurate are they really ?

[Hendo007]

So for my birthday back in October the missus got be a groupon block of 5 sessions on the launch monitor at a nearly local Affordable golf outlet. Having hardly picked up a golf club all winter I thought it about time I used them up before I lost them. I went over there a couple of weeks ago and rattled balls for an hour but at the end they were unable to print out my stats.

I went back on Tuesday and rattled me second hours worth of balls however this time at the end I wrote down the important figures.

Heres the outcomes for the clubs that I hit,


Swing Speed Carry Total distance
Sand wedge - 53 92 101
52* AW - 58 111 125
9 iron - 68 133 148
7 iron - 78 167 185
5 iron - 72 170 197
3 Hyb - 88 195 225
Driver - 97 240 280


With the exception of the 5 iron above as I didn't hit many and the ones I did hit weren't all brilliant there is a deff trend with regards the swing speed, It seems to go up about 10mph every other club.

The distances also seem to be in proportion roughly as well.

However it never really feels like I hit those kinda numbers on the golf course. I mean if I'm looking at a shot of about 170 yards on the course I will reach for the 6 iron first. If i'm faced with a shot of about 140 I'd take an 8 iron and not a 9. For me on the course my 150 shot is my 7 iron.

I guess it could be down to the ball as on the course I use a ProV1x instead of the random balls at the AG place.

I will go back again next week and do the clubs I never done this week just to complete the picture and so I have a better average for each club. But just how accurate are these figures and what factors need to be taken into account when translating this onto the actual golf course ?

Anyone else use launch monitors to gauge their distances and what did you find when out on the course ?

 

[SVB]

I'm sure others will be along soon but from custom fit threads, I think folks have talked of settings on the launch monitors for ball type, temperature, altitude and other corrections that will all effect the numbers it gives as a final distance so can depend significantly on how it is set up.

Out of interest, what brand / model of monitor is it?

Simon

 

[fastboy]

Some of the swing speed numbers look a tad off (probably more the lower ones) but I guess it may depend to some degree whether you are swinging very smoothly with the short sticks deliberately.

I've only been on the American golf simulators (which I always take with a massive pinch of salt) and also trackman at Precision Golf in Egham.

I found trackman to be very accurate with numbers and the numbers that appeared on screen are generally what I hit my irons on the course to as well in normal conditions (in fact, trackman did me a massive favour and by adjusting a few lofts actually helped identify and cure a gapping issue)

With the driver say vs a 6 iron it is expected that your swing speeds with the driver will be 10 - 12 mph more then an iron.

 

[patricks148]

So for my birthday back in October the missus got be a groupon block of 5 sessions on the launch monitor at a nearly local Affordable golf outlet. Having hardly picked up a golf club all winter I thought it about time I used them up before I lost them. I went over there a couple of weeks ago and rattled balls for an hour but at the end they were unable to print out my stats.

I went back on Tuesday and rattled me second hours worth of balls however this time at the end I wrote down the important figures.

Heres the outcomes for the clubs that I hit,


Swing Speed Carry Total distance
Sand wedge - 53 92 101
52* AW - 58 111 125
9 iron - 68 133 148
7 iron - 78 167 185
5 iron - 72 170 197
3 Hyb - 88 195 225
Driver - 97 240 280


With the exception of the 5 iron above as I didn't hit many and the ones I did hit weren't all brilliant there is a deff trend with regards the swing speed, It seems to go up about 10mph every other club.

The distances also seem to be in proportion roughly as well.

However it never really feels like I hit those kinda numbers on the golf course. I mean if I'm looking at a shot of about 170 yards on the course I will reach for the 6 iron first. If i'm faced with a shot of about 140 I'd take an 8 iron and not a 9. For me on the course my 150 shot is my 7 iron.

I guess it could be down to the ball as on the course I use a ProV1x instead of the random balls at the AG place.

I will go back again next week and do the clubs I never done this week just to complete the picture and so I have a better average for each club. But just how accurate are these figures and what factors need to be taken into account when translating this onto the actual golf course ?

Anyone else use launch monitors to gauge their distances and what did you find when out on the course ?

Maybe you have gained 20 yards without knowing it?

I aways take these store launch screens with a pinch of salt, The American Gold one up here was giving me 20 yards more per club last time i went in one of those and i remember trying a Burner Driver in 2007/ in a place in Edinburgh and they was telling me i was carrying the ball about 70 yards further than i did on a course.. with a diff shot shape

 

[Hendo007]

I'm sure others will be along soon but from custom fit threads, I think folks have talked of settings on the launch monitors for ball type, temperature, altitude and other corrections that will all effect the numbers it gives as a final distance so can depend significantly on how it is set up.

Out of interest, what brand / model of monitor is it?

Simon

I'm not sure Simon, I will check it out next time I am over.

 

[garyinderry]

It's either on rock hard or moon setting.

 

[3565]

I find it strange that your 52* pitches at 111 but goes out to 125, 14 yds before the spin kicks in to stop it.??? I'd bet if you had 125 to the pin and took your 52 out and landed 111, you'd have a lengthy putt....... Unless you use a rock as a ball.

 

[moogie]

The "roll out" figures are very high IMO
40 yds with a driver
30 yds with hybrid
Even
14 yds with a gap wedge......which surely would be landing softly with very little roll out...??

 

[Dan2501]

What launch monitor was it?

edit: Ignore that. Didn't see it had already been asked. But if it's a GC2, they're incredibly accurate!

 

[moogie]

What launch monitor was it?

edit: Ignore that. Didn't see it had already been asked. But if it's a GC2, they're incredibly accurate!

I had a yardage, gapping session last year on GC2
I found it very much the numbers I thought I'd be at
Only exception being the lob wedge, (further), but to be honest I never use for a full shot on the course, so didn't really know what would be at

 

[Hendo007]

I know what it looks like so I searched pictures on google, couldn't fine a trackman that looked like it so tried GC2 and found this pic,



So looks like its a GC2

 

[Hendo007]

Also, I agree with the comments regarding the run out to total length. 9/10 of my wedge shots stop pretty quickly or even screw back so I'm not sure on if its possible for the thing to work that out going by what it goes by, whatever those figures may be.

 

[duncan mackie]

a launch monitor such as this is

1. incredibly accurate at measuring the data it's set to measure
2. never makes mistakes in it's arithmetic
3. er - that's it.

in terms of the computed results, their relevance to the real world is dependent on
1. the relationship between the programming and the real world conditions
2. the relationship between what the player does on the monitor and on the course (many people have fantastic ball striking capabilities on the range (and good practice swings!) but frequently timing suffers when a ball has to be struck.

So, they are great when dealing with issues such as relative performance of shafts and heads for a particular golfer; highlighting weaknesses within in a range of clubs being hit (eg failure to be able to deliver centered hits with a driver but fine with a 5 wood and nearly the same swing speed)

Completely pointless with regard to actual individual club carry distances on course - you get these from your individual club carry distances on the course!!!

btw getting 240 from 97 suggests that not only are the roll out factors programmed a little on the hot side but that the temperature is up and/or the air density isn't at sea level. 240 @ 100 is a reasonably common output. Whilst it's only a few percent it's indicative.

 

[garyinderry]

Even if you hit it poorly, it would be unlikely that you would swing a 7 iron 6mph faster than a 5i due to the difference in shaft length.

 

[Alex1975]

I believe that GC2 without the HMT unit does not give accurate club head speed and that its worked back from ball speed. However that is not the important part, your carry numbers will be correct.

 

[Jimaroid]

The numbers don't look right to me. 7iron at 78mph is more like 150 yards carry. Basically the numbers all look to be almost 20 yards longer.

Here are the tour averages - look especially at the LPGA stats, which are closer to the club speeds us mortals are looking at. http://blog.trackmangolf.com/pga-tour-averages-stats/

 

[chrisd]

I did a session on one yesterday and the pro said that he could " beef up " the readings on the system but assured me that he hasen't

 

[Hendo007]

I believe that GC2 without the HMT unit does not give accurate club head speed and that its worked back from ball speed. However that is not the important part, your carry numbers will be correct.

Whats the HMT unit part ?

 

[Stuey01]

The numbers don't look right to me. 7iron at 78mph is more like 150 yards carry. Basically the numbers all look to be almost 20 yards longer.

Here are the tour averages - look especially at the LPGA stats, which are closer to the club speeds us mortals are looking at. http://blog.trackmangolf.com/pga-tour-averages-stats/

Good point. I swing my 7iron at around 85mph and wouldn't expect to carry it 167.

 

[Hacker Khan]

I think Duncan makes a good point. How many of us hit shots on the course as well as we hit say the 25th shot we have hit in rapid succession on the driving range/launch monitor?

On the launch monitor the pressure is off, you have a perfect lie, you do not have any hazards in your eye sight that will mess with your brain slightly, no narrow greens you need to hit which will probably influence if you give it the full beans, if it's indoors the climate/environment is artificial and to your advantage, you have hit a few practice shots in rapid succession allowing you to make small changes pretty quickly.

On the course it is a lot different and a change in any of those factors will influence your distances. I'd say something like Game Golf will be a lot more realistic in finding out how far you actually hit your irons in the real world.