Archive for March, 2010

Trackman vs Flightscope 2

March 28th, 2010
Trackman Launch Moniter

Trackman Launch Moniter

Almost exactly a year ago, I did a blog post called Trackman vs. Flightscope where I talked about my experience with testing the two machines.  You can follow the previous link the read my initial review.  Basically, it states the Trackman is just more accurate.  This is especially true when it comes to the angle of attack.

I’d heard that Flightscope had come out with some new software and wanted to see how the two compared again.  One of my twitter followers sent me some results from a side by side comparison of the new Flightscope Prime with the new software and Trackman.

I am in the process of loading the data onto my server and will post it here when complete.  Data is located at the end of the post.

Until then, I will tell you what it shows.  For the most part, the two machines tracked the flight and launch of the ball almost exactly.

Flightscope Prime

Flightscope Prime

Some shots had variables in spin but not enough for me to say that one is worse than the other.  This test composed of a sand wedge, 6 iron and a driver.  Once again, the issue with Flightscope was the angle of attack.  Driver comparisons were pretty close but when it came to the 6 iron and sandwedge, the Flightscope was way off.  In 8 of 10 shots, Flightscope returned a positive angle of attack for a club professional.  This is just way off.

We all know that we are supposed to take a divot after the ball with an iron shot.  The only way to accomplish this is with a downward angle of attack.  Not only is the angle of attack incorrect but because it is incorrect, the club path numbers are inaccurate.   The angle of attack has a direct impact on the 3d club path.  Downward angles of attack create a more rightward path relative to the swing and upward angles of attack create a more leftward path relative to the swing.  So when Trackman says 2 degrees down and Flightscope says 2 degrees up, we have a major difference in club path.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again.  Flightscope would work very well as a fitting tool but if you want a fitting tool and a teaching tool you need a Trackman.  Just remember Flightscope is about $8000 and Trackman Pro is about $28000.  Accuracy is what you get for that extra $20000.

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Update:  I had some questions regarding the set up of the test so here’s a picture of the set up:

Trackman vs Flightscope Set Up

Trackman vs Flightscope Set Up

Here is the Data and screen shots from the 6irons in question:

Trackman Screen Shot for 6 Iron Data

Trackman Screen Shot for 6 Iron Data

Flightscope Screen Shot for 6 Iron Data

Flightscope Screen Shot for 6 Iron Data

Here are the screen shots to show that this data is from the newest version of software and firmware that Flightscope offers:

Flightscope Firmware Version

Flightscope Firmware Version

Flightscope Software

Flightscope Software

Golf Training Aid – Tour Striker Pro

March 27th, 2010

The Tour Striker and its partner in crime Tour Striker Pro were developed by PGA Professional Martin Chuck.  I’ve spoken to Martin many times through e-mail and online forums but never tried his product.  I think he’s developed something that will really help the majority of golfers produce an impact position that anyone can be proud of.  Along with this comes more distance and consistency of flight and contact.

His invention is the Tour Striker and Tour Striker Pro.  Coming down the road is also a Tour Striker X and Tour Striker Wedge.  Here are some pictures of the Tour Striker and Tour Striker Pro.

Tour Striker and Tour Striker Pro

Tour Striker and Tour Striker Pro

Tour Striker and Tour Striker Pro from Front

Tour Striker and Tour Striker Pro from Front

You can see from the pictures that these clubs look a little different.  These clubs have the leading edge and first few scoring lines of the club beveled off as well as some of the toe.  The Tour Striker Pro is beveled a little more aggressively making it more difficult to hit well.  Why are these clubs designed this way?  The purpose of the beveling is to force the golfer to create sound impact alignments.  If the club is not in the right shape, the player will not be able to get the ball in the air.  So, what shape should the club be in when it strikes the ball?  Take a look at this picture to see:

Correct Impact Shape

Correct Impact Shape

If you didn’t know the club was supposed to look like this when it hit the ball, now you do.  The handle end should be leaning toward the target for every standard iron shot.  You can see from the above picture that only when the club is in this position does the clubface get into a position to get the ball in the air.

I used the Tour Striker Pro for the first time last week and was very impressed.  I can say that I dribbled a couple too.  I will stall my pivot every once in a while and flip the club through impact.  Whenever I did that with this club, it looked like a cold top.  Good impact alignments with good shaft lean toward the target produced good shots.  No confusing feels.  I think I did it there. Just cold hard results.  Top or flight.

I see this club as the answer to bridging the time between lessons.  If we are working on this aspect of the swing, I can be confident that the student can not fudge the results.  Produce the right shape and the ball will go.  Produce the wrong shape and the ball will not.  I would recommend, as Martin does, to practice from tight fairway lies to get the most benefit from the club.  Try it on a lie board for an even harder test.

I give the Tour Striker Pro rave reviews and will be using them in my teaching on a regular basis.

Click on any of the images above to see the products available from Tour Striker.

AimPoint Golf Green Mapping

March 23rd, 2010

I’ve received a bunch of questions about how to map the green for a tournament round of golf.  I found this picture on the AimPoint Golf Forum showing what a tour players green mapping might look like if they were using the AimPoint Golf Green Reading method.

AimPoint Golf Green Mapping

AimPoint Golf Green Mapping

Here’s what this shows.  The grid in the background represents distance.  You can also see contour lines under the numbers and arrows.  Contour lines represent areas of equal elevation.  The arrows represent the direction of the slope.  Sometimes, these are referred to as flow lines.  The numbers represent the %slope or the grade.

Without a professional yardage book and caddy, a mapping like this would not really be possible.  However, it should give you some ideas of what it could look like.

2010 AimPoint Golf Green Reading Clinics

March 22nd, 2010

AimPoint Golf Green Reading - Certified Instructor Logo

I have completed scheduling for May and June AimPoint Golf Green Reading Clinics.  The information can be found on the John Graham Golf Forum and by following this link:

2010 May and June AimPoint Golf Clinics

Spots are limited to the first 8 players to register so don’t delay.

Golf Lessons – Good Lie / Bad Lie

March 21st, 2010

This Golf Lessons post will talk about good lies and bad lies.  What they are and how they affect shot selection around the green will also be discussed.  To accurately determine what shot to play, the first thing you have to do is determine what options you have available to you.  This begins with an assessment of the lie.  Here is an example of a good lie

Good Lie

Good Lie

and here’s an example of a bad lie

Bad Lie

Bad Lie

For me, I define a good lie as any lie where I know for sure that the club and ball will actually contact each other and a bad lie is when there is a good chance that some grass will get between the clubface and the ball.

A good lie allows for many more options is terms of club and shot selection and a good lie will also tend to be more predictable when it hits the ground. With good lies, you can use various shaft and face positions from a delofted front edge chip to an open faced flop shot.

A bad lie can make all the choices for you.  It can tell you what type of shot you have to do and what club you should use.  Granted, you can choose many options but you’ll learn from experience which ones work and which ones don’t.  Generally speaking, the worse the lie the more loft you should use.  Typically, you will also be restricted to an open clubface and vertical to lay back shaft positions.  Because the ball won’t spin as much(because of grass getting between the face and the ball), we use loft to try and gain control over how much the ball will roll after it lands.

Stay tuned for future posts where I talk about how to create these types of shots.