Launch Monitor vs. Real Golf

On the occasion, I hit balls at my local golf shop and skewer myself over the numbers. 90% of the shots I hit are a good 10-30 yards shorter than what I play on the course. I know my numbers with each club. The disparity in the launch monitor is a head scratcher.

I play golf once a week at a 10hcp. I'm not crazy, nor am I a hack.

Example with the simplest of clubs:

8i carry 160yds. LM carry 140yds

PW carry 130yds. LM carry 100yds

I think the LM is accurate, lol....

Who knows. I read those things are sometimes rigged to get people to buy new junk.

Take the rangefinder to the range and that’s your answer. I will be a full club longer from the time I start to the time I finish. Just takes me a while to loosen up and start making a good turn.

Its easy to imagine that you are hitting it further than you actually are. Set up properly the launch monitor has no imagination.

I have the same problem with photographs. I much better looking than the photos.

Steve

Its easy to imagine that you are hitting it further than you actually are. Set up properly the launch monitor has no imagination.

 

I have the same problem with photographs. I much better looking than the photos.

 

Steve

its easy to imagine hitting it further? 0%. basically you calling me a liar. my feelings are hurt :stink:

i'm just pointing out that my numbers are off when i use the launch monitor. guess its a me problem.

the photo thing goes 50/50 with me btw...

I don’t have any issues.

My local PGA has two different model launch monitors. The ones in the practice bays are about 10-15 yards short compared to the fitting bays. If I go there to hit it is more for ball striking and direction.

Your original post is incomplete. The most obvious question I have is what launch monitor? Foresight/Trackman/Skytrak/Flightscope or the mickey mouse variety (voice caddie/The Radar/ etc.).

If it's the former, then you may have an "inside swing" block. If it's the former, you really ARE hitting it those distances (indoors).

On the occasion, I hit balls at my local golf shop and skewer myself over the numbers. 90% of the shots I hit are a good 10-30 yards shorter than what I play on the course. I know my numbers with each club. The disparity in the launch monitor is a head scratcher.

 

I play golf once a week at a 10hcp. I'm not crazy, nor am I a hack.

 

Example with the simplest of clubs:

 

8i carry 160yds. LM carry 140yds

PW carry 130yds. LM carry 100yds

Are you using range balls with the monitor? If so, then there is your discrepancy with lost distance.

Its easy to imagine that you are hitting it further than you actually are. Set up properly the launch monitor has no imagination.

 

I have the same problem with photographs. I much better looking than the photos.

 

Steve

 

 

its easy to imagine hitting it further? 0%. basically you calling me a liar. my feelings are hurt :stink:

 

i'm just pointing out that my numbers are off when i use the launch monitor. guess its a me problem.

 

the photo thing goes 50/50 with me btw...

You’re not the only one. I have the same experiences.

I get the same response from launch monitors compared to the course.

On a simulator I used to play on a few years back (can't remember the brand/software) it seemed to really favor low launching shots for distance. I'm sure it wasn't one of the better machines/algorithms for calculating ball flight. But depending on the model/software if could just be that it's older and doesn't have a great algorithm that's close to true flight.

For 3 weeks now I've had the Arccos/Cobra Connect grips and app which has been enlightening. The data is based on actual shots on the course which seems to be the best way to know your distances. Although the sample size is still on the small side, it's shown that the 5W doesn't go anywhere as far as I believed but the irons in general are a bit longer than what I originally thought.

The balls that they use at my local Golf Galaxy are a good 2-3 years old that have been hit thousands of times. I was seeing a good club shorter on GC2 and realized the balls had been beaten to death. Then I found a newish chrome soft mixed in there and I was back to normal. I told one of the employees there that I hope they don't use those balls for fittings because they are done.

Sounds like the calibration on the monitor may be way off.

One of the golf blog sites talked about the launch monitors and such, and the basic ones underestimate the ball flight because they track two-dimensional vs. three-dimensional data. (The article went into details on the mechanics... my apologies for not being able to retrieve the article...)

So, basic launch monitors need a correction factor so they don't underestimate the yardage. BUT... some places correct too much and ( :derisive:) accidentally juice the monitor so it exaggerates distance.

So how are you determining your on course carry numbers?

I'm betting you aren't bringing a gc2/quad/flightscope/trackman out to the course with you.

Assuming you are using some type of accurate distance tracking on the course, you are getting total yardage not carry.

One thing that cannot be argued is the fact that a monitor tells you what it says your ball is doing. if you hit balls on a range or on the golf course your ball is doing exactly what it does and not what a machine is telling you it would do. Now the players perception of what the ball has done could be something different but on the course the ball goes where it goes. There are no questions.

I work indoors and know people swing differently hitting into a screen 15 feet in front of them than they do on the course. I am one of those people... I've taken the GC2 outside and seen the difference.

Also, hitting off of mats vs grass will raise your launch angle 3-4 degrees.

All depends on the type of monitor and ball

Combine that with the difference in turf/mat interaction

On the occasion, I hit balls at my local golf shop and skewer myself over the numbers. 90% of the shots I hit are a good 10-30 yards shorter than what I play on the course. I know my numbers with each club. The disparity in the launch monitor is a head scratcher.

 

I play golf once a week at a 10hcp. I'm not crazy, nor am I a hack.

 

Example with the simplest of clubs:

 

8i carry 160yds. LM carry 140yds

PW carry 130yds. LM carry 100yds

As many have asked, what launch monitor are you using and what balls?

Sounds like the calibration on the monitor may be way off.

Op Aaron you hitting your irons on the launch monitor or a set at the store?