On the Range Protracer @ PGA - Juiced Numbers for TV...

[Sean2]

QH Range

 

I would be thrilled just to clear the bunkers with my drive.

 

Don't shortchanged yourself!!

 

Lol! Thanks. :-)

[R.Tobes]

Yeah, don't get me wrong, I know he hits it a long way. He posted Trackman numbers on Twitter when he was battling Chamblee that was like 330y carry. Maybe the range is downhill and their capitalizing on it. I still think it makes for good TV for the majority of golf fans, but I also think it's a deceptive attempt of the whole "These Guys are Good" campaign.

 

Considering every other sentence from these guys was "Now take into consideration this range is downhill..." yeah I'd say the range is downhill.

[AEAB1105]

Tommy Armour III is averaging 295 off the tee this year, he is 58 years old.

 

 

Rory can smack the ball.

[OnOff]

The carry distances at the range definitely seemed a bit out of whack today and yesterday. However, if the range is downhill and there is a good 10-15 mph helping breeze up there, that could explain it. But I wouldn't be surprised if they're inflated.

 

My issue with Protracer is the ball speed numbers, I think they're inflated slightly. I often see numbers that are a bit high than those calculated by the PGA Tour's radar partner Shotlink. For instance, I have seen DJ hit 186mph ball speed multiple times on the telecast but per Shotlink his highest recorded mph is 184.65. Further, I've seen Jon Rahm around 181/182mph a few times per Protracer but per Shotlink his best is 180.32. Now Shotlink is only recording drives on a limited basis, so it could be possible that these discrepancies are simply due to a limited sample size done by Shotlink, but I find that to be unlikely. See Shotlink stats below.

 

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.02402.html

[Bomber_11]

Frustrated is a unique term to use....it can't possibly bug you that bad does it?

 

In my time watching, Rory hit a couple of draws/pulls over 360 carry, which that shot shape is going to naturally go a little longer.

 

Not to mention downhill 10 yards helps out.

 

The dude smokes the ball a long ways.

[jr99945]

Kuchar swings 108.10 mph on average this year. No way he is carrying it 312 unless the conditions are favorable (downwind, downhill).

[DLiver]

These guys kill it. We have a ton of threads where WRXers are in denial. Everyone needs to accept that today's pros hit it a loooooong way. My teaching pro and I were discussing that, and he said he gets a lot of disbelief about how far the elite players hit it. He tells the disbelievers to just go out and watch the top college players play.

[Outlier]

Anyone else frustrated with the "On the Range Protracer" on display at the PGA Championship right now?

 

Look, don't get me wrong, I think it's a really cool addition to watching the players practice. But someone must have juiced up the numbers on there because they are totally inaccurate. Twitter went crazy over Rory Mcilroy carrying 3-woods over 300y and carrying his driver 360y. I know he hits it long, but he does not hit it that long. It's not like I'm in denial here, it's just a fact that Rory doesn't routinely carry his driver over 360y.

 

It's clearly juiced up when watching Matt Kuchar too. Matt was hitting driver, and was sort of spraying a few right. He was not hitting it well. Yet Protracer said Kuchar was carrying his driver on average of 312y LOL. Guys, c'mon, Matt Kuchar doesn't carry his driver 312y.

 

Obviously it's juiced up, because it would have a very negative effect if people watched and go, "Oh, Matt Kuchar is only carrying his driver 275y? That's boring." Even though that's relatively accurate. People want to believe these guys are hitting it 300y+ every time.

 

These guys are long, but they aren't that long. Hence why the Long Drive Contest on the Par 5 10th was won with like 321y. Where was Rory with his "360y drive" then?

 

I think it's bad for the game for TV to keep making these guys superhuman. They're very, very good players. But exaggerating their skillset is being a little unauthentic if you ask me.

 

I know what you saw, and I know the course. The tee box is on top of a hill. The driving range is massive with sort of a valley in the middle. The side they are hitting from is easily 15+ feet higher than the side where the balls were landing. I would say the numbers were accurate "as the crow flys". However subtract perhaps as much as 15-20 yards,

 

 

Remember last week Charlie Hoffman hit his 3 wood to 18 which as I recall was 283 carry over a pond. Obviously Rory drops mail on Charlie.

[Outlier]

Kuchar swings 108.10 mph on average this year. No way he is carrying it 312 unless the conditions are favorable (downwind, downhill).

 

Exactly....it is downhill. They even said it on the broadcast. So subtract 15 and Kuch is at roughly 288....about right wouldn't you say?

[PowerPlayer]

The carry distances at the range definitely seemed a bit out of whack today and yesterday. However, if the range is downhill and there is a good 10-15 mph helping breeze up there, that could explain it. But I wouldn't be surprised if they're inflated.

 

My issue with Protracer is the ball speed numbers, I think they're inflated slightly. I often see numbers that are a bit high than those calculated by the PGA Tour's radar partner Shotlink. For instance, I have seen DJ hit 186mph ball speed multiple times on the telecast but per Shotlink his highest recorded mph is 184.65. Further, I've seen Jon Rahm around 181/182mph a few times per Protracer but per Shotlink his best is 180.32. Now Shotlink is only recording drives on a limited basis, so it could be possible that these discrepancies are simply due to a limited sample size done by Shotlink, but I find that to be unlikely. See Shotlink stats below.

 

http://www.pgatour.c...stat.02402.html

 

You may be a bit confused. Shotlink is used for measurement of distances between shots. (http://www.shotlink.com/about/background). The disparity between the stats you can find on PGAtour.com and the numbers you see on TV arises from differences in sample size. Only two holes are measured per round - one uphill and one downhill - and in many of those measured holes players don't hit Driver. In all instances the numbers are collected by Trackman/Radar.

[JD3]

Range was downhill, possibly downwind, possibly monitor juiced up. In the long drive contest he was no where near 350+ carry. They didn't give the exact number for him but judging from the others looks like around 300

 

http://youtu.be/lzYwVRsauPM

[Santiago Golf]

It doesn't bother me at all. It really shouldn't bother you either. It doesn't effect your day to day life.

[Frostfield]

Trackman ballspeeds seemed jacked on TV to me....

[jr99945]

Kuchar swings 108.10 mph on average this year. No way he is carrying it 312 unless the conditions are favorable (downwind, downhill).

 

Exactly....it is downhill. They even said it on the broadcast. So subtract 15 and Kuch is at roughly 288....about right wouldn't you say?

 

 

yes he could have been flying it that far because of how far downhill it is, also the wind was probably behind them.

 

it's simply impossible to carry the ball that far with 108 mph club speed on a flat range with no wind. Kuchar is averaging 285.7 (total , not carry) this year with 120 measured drives on trackman.

[billh17]

Would we REALLY be surprised ,if the ball speed and carry were juiced? NO.

But,having watched the range at other sites,these guys can get it way out there.

And like others said,the range is downhill...Dont worry about it and just enjoy the

experience. If you try to compare yourself with them,you will be in for a bad afternoon !

As the commercial used to say: These guys are good !

[DBill]

This is what I say to on the range protracer.

[Thrillhouse]

I just watched it and I'm not buying it either. 365 carry on 120mph clubhead speed? Is that even possible? Seems like it might produce 320 carry at sea level on flat ground with perfect launch characteristics. Unless that range is way downhill and way downwind (it was slightly, not way) you aren't getting those numbers.

 

Also even normalized kuchars carry was at 288? Yeah he doesn't fly it that far on flat ground at sea level, more like 270.

[BearQ]

The long hitters on all pro tours can move it out there. I regularly play with D1 college kids who fly it 300ish under normal circumstances.

 

However, the numbers for these monitors and range tracers are jacked up yes. Kuchar flies it 270. Rory probably around 310-320. No one on tour is flying it 350+ in normal conditions no wind no downhill, no one is doing that. Except sadlowski if you count him.

[fowlerscousin]

Yep it's bs, sometimes they have the pro tracers on a big tv screen at the range. The pros don't even look at their own shots on the screen. They kno it's wired like the ones at golf galaxy

[grm24]

Range was downhill, possibly downwind, possibly monitor juiced up. In the long drive contest he was no where near 350+ carry. They didn't give the exact number for him but judging from the others looks like around 300

 

[media=]http://youtu.be/lzYwVRsauPM[/media]

Rory went 313.

 

[Always_rough]

Just to add a few more coals to this flame, the announcers constantly get clubs wrong. Or say stuff like, Rory's hitting a soft wedge from 180. And then the camera shows the top of the club and it's clearly an 8 iron. Don't get me wrong, I know pro's hit it much further than my wimpy 105mph club head speed self.

 

Just annoys me when they say stuff on 200 yard par 3's that aren't downhill/downwind like "should be an easy 7 or 8 for Dustin", and then you see he's hitting a 6 iron. There's nothing wrong with hitting a 6 iron 200 yards, let alone 190. Why push this narrative that the pro's have to hit it these ridiculous distances.

[bladehunter]

im an hour from there as the crow flies and we had a stiff wind all day... if it was down wind and down hill i can see the numbers being skewed 20 yards plus easy .

[Need4spd]

Ummm, yeah, I'm or buying 360+ on the fly. Bear this in mind too, it's humid as all get out at Quail right now which does not aid in carry distance. I played in the US Am qualifier last month with a kid from Ohio State who hit it distances I have never seen in person. The 3rd hole measured 338 and he flew it green high onto the cart path which then propelled it 30 yards past the green and darn near OB. I was not hitting the ball my normal distances that day due to some neck pain I've been experiencing which was particularly bad that day, but I'm not exaggerating when I say he was 80 yards past me on a few holes. It was down right bananas. So I openly acknowledge that there are dudes out there who can move the ball.

[bscinstnct]

Range was downhill, possibly downwind, possibly monitor juiced up. In the long drive contest he was no where near 350+ carry. They didn't give the exact number for him but judging from the others looks like around 300

 

http://youtu.be/lzYwVRsauPM

 

Nice, thanks.

 

Wonder how JB did? Weird he is not up there.

[2putttom]

I just watched it and I'm not buying it either. 365 carry on 120mph clubhead speed? Is that even possible? Seems like it might produce 320 carry at sea level on flat ground with perfect launch characteristics. Unless that range is way downhill and way downwind (it was slightly, not way) you aren't getting those numbers.

 

Also even normalized kuchars carry was at 288? Yeah he doesn't fly it that far on flat ground at sea level, more like 270.

Trill! well there ya have it from the regional Prime Minister non the less ! I deem this thread kaput!

[Punchdraw]

I was thinking that yesterday when I saw Kutcher carrying out 315 and normally is probably around 265-270 carry. The Rory 360 carry confirmed it even more.

[sbeduckman]

I just watched it and I'm not buying it either. 365 carry on 120mph clubhead speed? Is that even possible? Seems like it might produce 320 carry at sea level on flat ground with perfect launch characteristics. Unless that range is way downhill and way downwind (it was slightly, not way) you aren't getting those numbers.

 

Also even normalized kuchars carry was at 288? Yeah he doesn't fly it that far on flat ground at sea level, more like 270.

Here's trackman data on 122mph, 5 mph tailwind, dead level range, 900ft above sea level, and pretty darn optimal numbers. Not me, but a kid I coach. 365 carry isn't happening without juiced up settings or VERY favorable conditions.

 

FYI, kid is a lefty, so he's not coming over the top of it. Darn lefties and path numbers always get confusing.

 

[shot-savior]

Professional golf is entertainment. As such, the PGA tour promotes and hypes its entertainers. Remember, [their] motto is "these guys are good." Audiences are to be dumbfounded by the super-human abilities of the talent. The whole world is a stage, including PGA tournament grounds. [We] can make them bigger, better and stronger.

 

Club head speed would need to be around 140 mph to carry the ball a mere 350 yards, absent extraordinary conditions. 350 to 400 yard drives are wind-driven, downhill, high altitude, firm fairway outliers. Seemingly we're having more of these outlying conditions each week on tour.

[lowheel]

Range was downhill, possibly downwind, possibly monitor juiced up. In the long drive contest he was no where near 350+ carry. They didn't give the exact number for him but judging from the others looks like around 300

 

[media=]http://youtu.be/lzYwVRsauPM[/media]

 

Nice, thanks.

 

Wonder how JB did? Weird he is not up there.

 

Not everybody does the full practice round just a few holes here and there or a nine per day. JB would easily be up there. Ive seen his carnage up close, dudes an animal

[Frostfield]

Ummm, yeah, I'm or buying 360+ on the fly. Bear this in mind too, it's humid as all get out at Quail right now which does not aid in carry distance. I played in the US Am qualifier last month with a kid from Ohio State who hit it distances I have never seen in person. The 3rd hole measured 338 and he flew it green high onto the cart path which then propelled it 30 yards past the green and darn near OB. I was not hitting the ball my normal distances that day due to some neck pain I've been experiencing which was particularly bad that day, but I'm not exaggerating when I say he was 80 yards past me on a few holes. It was down right bananas. So I openly acknowledge that there are dudes out there who can move the ball.

 

Humid conditions = the most distance. Water vapor is less dense than air. Just an FYI.