TopTracer Everywhere

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Do you ever watch the PGA Tour golf on tv where they have a coloured line that "traces" the flight of the ball? Allows you to better see the trajectory and provides data on carry distance etc. Lots of ranges now have these screens so you can see your own shots.

Golf is a recreational sport to me. I used to watch the professional game but lost interest with the younger players. Do live ranges have them or just simulator ranges?

For me, I'd rather have the pepper steak sandwiches. I'm American, remember?

 

[Sully]

Golf is a recreational sport to me. I used to watch the professional game but lost interest with the younger players. Do live ranges have them or just simulator ranges?

For me, I'd rather have the pepper steak sandwiches. I'm American, remember?

It’s used on a live range.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Sounds very high tech. Maybe someday we'll catch up to you.

I still use a 1990s flip phone, by the way, and have never sent a text message. I use the phone if I don't feel like cooking and want to pick up Chinese take-out or pizza on my way home.

 

[larmen]

Golf is a recreational sport to me. I used to watch the professional game but lost interest with the younger players. Do live ranges have them or just simulator ranges?

This is where I use it: https://www.silvermere-golf.co.uk/golf/toptracer/
You hit the ball towards a target on teh range and they track the flight and simulate on a screen where it would go. You can then play virtual courses or do other challenges.

 

[rudebhoy]

I've got 2 ranges within 20 minutes drive. Neither has Top Tracer. One is always busy, the other is normally very quiet. The busy one is nicer, 50 balls costs £3.50, so 7p a ball. if you buy a book of 10 vouchers, the cost goes down to 6p per ball. Quite often it's so busy, you have to wait to get on.

The other range is pretty shabby, but if you buy a vending card for £30, you get 750 balls (dispensed at 25 balls a time), which works out at 4p a ball. However they have a happy hour (actually 2 hours) every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, where it's BOGOF, so ends up costs 2p a ball for 50. It's always quiet, the most people I've seen there at any time is 4 or 5.

For me it's a no-brainer, the shabby one wins every time for me.

 

[harpo_72]

Looks interesting but the costs sound extortionate ! I am beating the wife down about a golf simulator.. not sure why I cannot have something in my life that I want .. she will come round when I say no to all her wants, I have been saying yes but life is a two way street.

 

[Sully]

Looks interesting but the costs sound extortionate ! I am beating the wife down about a golf simulator.. not sure why I cannot have something in my life that I want .. she will come round when I say no to all her wants, I have been saying yes but life is a two way street.

Easier to seek forgiveness than permission. Buy it!

 

[harpo_72]

Easier to seek forgiveness than permission. Buy it!

That will be the tv update .. but it’s not the right time yet

 

[Imurg]

Apparently the TT thingy at crendon gives you the data as if you were using a premium ball as well as the data for the range ball.
No idea how this works, I was told by a guy last week.
Also it’s a tenner for a basket of 90 balls apparently.

Not interested in trying it personally at the moment, maybe in the depths of winter I might have a look.

Went down early this week to see what it's all about.
If it gives you data based on using a premium ball how does this happen.....
They have decent Srixon range balls but they are limited for length
I was knocking down some 7 irons and thought the distance was a bit down on normal but it was cold and I was wrapped up so....
Then I found an old Titleist in the basket, a velocity that had seen some action
Knocked it down and gained 25 yards with the same swing speed .
So it was actually measuring the balls hit and not extrapolating the data.
So its completely useless.......as I hit a range ball shorter than a real one...
Who'd have guessed....
Maybe it wasnt set up properly but there was nobody to ask and limited instructions.....won't be going again...

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I enjoy the novelty on the rare occasion I go to a range with this technology

However the range near me is £2.50 for 50 balls, the only downside at this time of year is that it’s not floodlit

 

[Orikoru]

I want to try a TopTracer at some point, but it seems a bit pointless to go in winter. If it's overly cold and windy you'll get some rubbish results on the tracer won't you? Can't see that being of benefit. I'd only use it when the weather and temperature was some way decent.

 

[howbow88]

Went down early this week to see what it's all about.
If it gives you data based on using a premium ball how does this happen.....
They have decent Srixon range balls but they are limited for length
I was knocking down some 7 irons and thought the distance was a bit down on normal but it was cold and I was wrapped up so....
Then I found an old Titleist in the basket, a velocity that had seen some action
Knocked it down and gained 25 yards with the same swing speed .
So it was actually measuring the balls hit and not extrapolating the data.
So its completely useless.......as I hit a range ball shorter than a real one...
Who'd have guessed....
Maybe it wasnt set up properly but there was nobody to ask and limited instructions.....won't be going again...

I'm a bit confused by this? The 'normalizer' is basically taking what the ball is doing and adding a percentage, eg 10%. So if you hit a real ball, it's going to effectively exaggerate on what's happening. have I misread your post?

How accurate is it... I think that really depends on how it is set up. At my local Toptracer range, my ball speed off the driver is usually 145-150mph. I ended up a different Toptracer range recently that was using very crappy looking balls, and my driver speeds were 155-160mph. My guess is that the normal range I use is calibrated quite well, but the other one is a bit 'generous'...

 

[Imurg]

I'm a bit confused by this? The 'normalizer' is basically taking what the ball is doing and adding a percentage, eg 10%. So if you hit a real ball, it's going to effectively exaggerate on what's happening. have I misread your post..?

How does it know what sort of ball you've hit ?
Surely it assumes that you're hitting the same kind of range ball every time so any adjustment is going to be consistent.
I dont remember the exact numbers but I normally hit a 7 iron around 150 yards.
The system was showing around 125.
With a similar swing and a "proper"ball the distance returned to around 150...
I think it was just showing actual yardage for the balls being hit..
So unless I'm hitting proper balls all the time its irrelevant.

 

[patricks148]

heard Newmacher put it in all the bay at their Driving range, cost a fortune and the club are now struggling

 

[Imurg]

What annoyed me as well was that the prices have gone up regardless of whether you're using the system or not.

 

[howbow88]

How does it know what sort of ball you've hit ?
Surely it assumes that you're hitting the same kind of range ball every time so any adjustment is going to be consistent.
I dont remember the exact numbers but I normally hit a 7 iron around 150 yards.
The system was showing around 125.
With a similar swing and a "proper"ball the distance returned to around 150...
I think it was just showing actual yardage for the balls being hit..
So unless I'm hitting proper balls all the time its irrelevant.

It sounds like your 'normalizer' wasn't turned on. All it does is just cranks up what your ball is actually doing. As you've said, it does rely on all of your balls being the same in terms of the accuracy. If you usually hit your 7 iron 150 and your range balls were going 125, then I daresay if a normalizer was turned on, it would need to add 20% and it would be fairly accurate. It isn't Trackman, but it isn't bad for what I pay at my range.

 

[Chris1967]

Utter tosh. Ranges are for everyone not for stuck up selfish people who don't think everyone has the right to use them. Whether there is shenanigans going on or not people can pay money and use them. Ranges are for fun and to allow people of all walks of life and ability to try golf.

Get over yourself trying to say a bit of Tom Foolery isn't allowed or part and parcel of going to a range.

You sound like one of the people that turn up at the range and think it’s ok to act like an idiot,screaming and shouting,with no respect for anyone else trying to practise,which is what a driving ranger is actually for.

 

[Jacko_G]

You sound like one of the people that turn up at the range and think it’s ok to act like an idiot,screaming and shouting,with no respect for anyone else trying to practise,which is what a driving ranger is actually for.

Why thank you.

I disrespect everyone on the range love nothing better than shouting to my mates 8 bays away.

 

[OneEyeRon]

It sounds like your 'normalizer' wasn't turned on. All it does is just cranks up what your ball is actually doing.

I was at pineridge, Surrey this morning and experienced my first 'ball normaliser' session, (FYI £9.50 for 100 balls) I can't believe the difference it makes, results in me believing it a load of nonsense.

 

[nickjdavis]

Where do you find the "normaliser" function(ality)?

I was at my local to work range the other day and had a poke through the menu options on the TopTracer and couldn't see any reference to such a function.