Teachers who use Tech: What metrics help the most?

[wmblake2000]

I am going to put something together to practice at home. I can see 3 kinds of technology that are available at reasonable price for home practice:

• Video analysis of swing
  
• Something like skypro that measures the shaft/head (plane, squareness, AoA, clubhead speed, etc)
  
• Something like skyteck that measures the ball (ball speed, spin, trajectory, carry, etc)
  

What do you teachers who use technology think provides the most useful feedback for indoor practice?

[iteachgolf]

Skypro measures none of that stuff accurately. They are toys and nothing else. Launch monitor measuring ball data with video would be plenty

[lhahn]

Club data not necessary?

[wmblake2000]

Does anything for the consumer give good 3D shaft/head feedback?

[Matt J]

Video is only as useful as the pair of eyes that sees it.

 

I don't think there a launch monitor that is reliable enough to help that is available at consumer prices, but I might be wrong. I've been wondering the same thing, so not to thread jack as I think it's in-line with your original intent...

 

iTeach Dan or anyone else: is there a launch monitor that is accurate and would be helpful that is affordable?

[iteachgolf]

Club data not necessary?

 

Wasn't listed as an option. You're going to have to spend $5k+ to get anything that is remotely accurate club data wise

[YoungJedi]

Video is only as useful as the pair of eyes that sees it.

 

I don't think there a launch monitor that is reliable enough to help that is available at consumer prices, but I might be wrong. I've been wondering the same thing, so not to thread jack as I think it's in-line with your original intent...

 

iTeach Dan or anyone else: is there a launch monitor that is accurate and would be helpful that is affordable?

 

Flightscope is the most affordable accurate one that I have researched.

[iteachgolf]

Video is only as useful as the pair of eyes that sees it.

 

I don't think there a launch monitor that is reliable enough to help that is available at consumer prices, but I might be wrong. I've been wondering the same thing, so not to thread jack as I think it's in-line with your original intent...

 

iTeach Dan or anyone else: is there a launch monitor that is accurate and would be helpful that is affordable?

 

Skytrak is affordable and give good ball data. Used flightscope a can be had for under $5k.

 

Does anything for the consumer give good 3D shaft/head feedback?

 

Not that I've seen

 

Does anything for the consumer give good 3D shaft/head feedback?

 

Not that I've seen

[wmblake2000]

Video is only as useful as the pair of eyes that sees it.

 

I don't think there a launch monitor that is reliable enough to help that is available at consumer prices, but I might be wrong. I've been wondering the same thing, so not to thread jack as I think it's in-line with your original intent...

 

iTeach Dan or anyone else: is there a launch monitor that is accurate and would be helpful that is affordable?

 

I don't mind being thread jacked. Learn what you can!

 

Skytrack is $2K and reportedly pretty good. Lesser priced devices are less consistent is what i have read elsewhere here.

[Matt J]

I think the Skytrack is probably the lowest price point that is useful.

 

I'd love to have one. I'm a geek though. Metrics: club head speed, angle of attack, trajectory, patch - all awesome ways to "see" what's going on. If I could afford a Trackman I'd have it just to use outdoors at the range.

[wmblake2000]

Yeah, I'd really like to get good club data, too. But video (which i have used already for a long time) with ball data is ok. One guy posted that he used skytrack to get zeroed in on partial wedge distances, and that would be great. I mean, I know for certain my range/range balls (limited flight balls) give me zero feedback on distance. Now I have played long enough I can feel distances and so on, but it would be great to have data on the real range of each club, and average, etc.

 

Kind of this was my intent below the question - what metrics help you improve your scoring. And now that I think about it, my opinion is shifting from swing/club data to ball data (even thought the ball is the dependent variable).

[Matt J]

Sorry for reiterating what you were saying there, Dan.

 

Am I going to be disappointed if I buy Skytrak to use outside?

[iteachgolf]

Sorry for reiterating what you were saying there, Dan.

 

Am I going to be disappointed if I buy Skytrak to use outside?

 

Iirc skytrak can have issues with sunlight so I'd double check that but if using outdoors you can get flightscope xi+ with more data for almost the same price

[Matt J]

Nice, thanks. Trackman still seems to be king, but is too rich for my blood.

[iteachgolf]

Nice, thanks. Trackman still seems to be king, but is too rich for my blood.

 

Depends on how you're judging. Flightscope outsells Trackman more than 5/1.

[YoungJedi]

Nice, thanks. Trackman still seems to be king, but is too rich for my blood.

 

Depends on how you're judging. Flightscope outsells Trackman more than 5/1.

 

Iteach,

 

Do you think the XI would be worth it simply to lock in wedge distances and work on 50,60,70 yard wedges etc + iron distances?

 

Or do you feel the xi+ would be better investment for added data I.e. Spin, launch, AOA?

 

I'm scratch handicap looking for best investment in my game.

[iteachgolf]

Nice, thanks. Trackman still seems to be king, but is too rich for my blood.

 

Depends on how you're judging. Flightscope outsells Trackman more than 5/1.

 

Iteach,

 

Do you think the XI would be worth it simply to lock in wedge distances and work on 50,60,70 yard wedges etc + iron distances?

 

Or do you feel the xi+ would be better investment for added data I.e. Spin, launch, AOA?

 

I'm scratch handicap looking for best investment in my game.

Xi isn't available new anymore I don't think. I think for most ams xi is plenty.

[drewtaylor21]

Nice, thanks. Trackman still seems to be king, but is too rich for my blood.

 

Depends on how you're judging. Flightscope outsells Trackman more than 5/1.

 

Iteach,

 

Do you think the XI would be worth it simply to lock in wedge distances and work on 50,60,70 yard wedges etc + iron distances?

 

Or do you feel the xi+ would be better investment for added data I.e. Spin, launch, AOA?

 

I'm scratch handicap looking for best investment in my game.

Xi isn't available new anymore I don't think. I think for most ams xi is plenty.

 

Xi owner, and agree with Dan here. IF you can find an Xi, it's definitely enough to dial in distances. It's great for that! However, if you are using it indoors, IMO you need to see spin (Xi+ or greater, officially). Indoor use requires little metallic stickers you put on the ball, and after some use, they become a little hit or miss where spin accuracy is concerned. That obviously affects the carry distance that the unit calculates, so if you have no idea about spin, dialing in carry yardages becomes a guessing game (it'll be close, just not precise). Xi outdoors will be spot on though.

[Skedaddle]

Used X2 s seem to be going for about $5k and you get everything with these. Many would say this is as good as Trackman

 

Or use Skytrak and learn up what you can learn of club data from the ball data. You'd be surprised at the assumptions that can be worked out

[wmblake2000]

 

Or use Skytrak and learn up what you can learn of club data from the ball data. You'd be surprised at the assumptions that can be worked out

 

Would you elaborate? ... thx.

[Skedaddle]

Well assuming centre hit (though gear effect plays little effect with irons) the horizontal launch will be closely aligned to where the club face points at impact and the size of the spin axis will then give an idea of the disparity between the face and the path. Then you've decent idea on face and path. If you went with Xi+, then you'd pretty much have all you need.

 

Read up on Trackman's newsletters which are essential reading for those interested in launch monitors (or ineed ball flight)

[wmblake2000]

Thanks for the explanation. Makes sense.

 

So, here's one more basic question for people. If you get ball speed, trajectory, spin, etc but no shaft/club data (other than maybe video), how do you 'reverse engineer' back to 'therefore I want to (make this change in what the club is doing)'? My question is the ball is the dependent variable. The swing/club is the independent variable. Tying the two together is the key thing to improve. It just seems like if you're going to use tech to do this, your starting point is $5k+.

 

Or am I just being stubborn and stupid?

[iteachgolf]

No launch monitor gives shaft data. It tracks the clubhead. You can buy a used x2 for around $4k if you're patient, 2 for sale in Canada right now for under $4k.

[wmblake2000]

Here's the essence of my question. Like most of us, I've gone to some retail shop with some kind of launch monitor and seen flight numbers. And have grunted and swung some way or another to see if I could get better numbers. But this isn't a way to learn. Of course, these machines don't have club head numbers, but i am just kind of drawing a blank as to how to tie the desire to know 'did i swing the way I intended' and 'what did it do to the ball'

[Krt22]

Thanks for the explanation. Makes sense.

 

So, here's one more basic question for people. If you get ball speed, trajectory, spin, etc but no shaft/club data (other than maybe video), how do you 'reverse engineer' back to 'therefore I want to (make this change in what the club is doing)'? My question is the ball is the dependent variable. The swing/club is the independent variable. Tying the two together is the key thing to improve. It just seems like if you're going to use tech to do this, your starting point is $5k+.

 

Or am I just being stubborn and stupid?

 

If you have horizontal/vertical launch and spin axis you can at least get a rough idea of face and path conditions at impact assuming you fully understand the modern ball flight laws and how face angle, swing path, and loft will impact the ball flight, As someone has mentioned trackman has a lot of information on this, you just have to dig through it all and read it. Will you get the exact info as measured by the higher end models? No you will not, so if you have a glaring swing flaw that you are trying to fix a lot of the data is very useful, especially if you back it up with some full data/lessons

 

With that being said, getting the top of the line unit with all of the data isnt useful at all if you don't understand the data and how/why your swing is producing those numbers.

[SunkTheBirdie]

I had a hockey shooting lesson today.

The sloMo analysis was fun.

I loved that the guy gave me a video analysis right on the ice !

[leekgolf]

Nice, thanks. Trackman still seems to be king, but is too rich for my blood.

 

Depends on how you're judging. Flightscope outsells Trackman more than 5/1.

 

Iteach,

 

Do you think the XI would be worth it simply to lock in wedge distances and work on 50,60,70 yard wedges etc + iron distances?

 

Or do you feel the xi+ would be better investment for added data I.e. Spin, launch, AOA?

 

I'm scratch handicap looking for best investment in my game.

Xi isn't available new anymore I don't think. I think for most ams xi is plenty.

 

I would check with Flightscope. When I last spoke with them they still had some new Xi's for $2500.

[Golfrnut]

Just had a discussion with a guy in another thread about the same thing. Even though the website(it seems for some but not all) doesn't show the Xi, he confirmed through email to their CS that they are still available.

[mikpga]

Depends what needs to be worked on! Accuracy and Distance? Reliable launch monitor.