THE NINE BALL FLIGHTS · SPIN AXIS · LAUNCH CONDITIONS
A golf ball can start left and finish right. Explore all nine start-and-curve patterns, see the initial launch ray separately from the target line, then change spin, spin axis, ball speed and launch angle to understand why the trajectory changes.
Start line. Spin axis. Actual finishing side.
Choose one of the nine ball flights or build your own using launch direction, launch angle, ball speed and spin. Watch the ball start left and slice all the way past the target—without confusing its start line with its finish.
Each row is where the ball starts. Each column is how it curves. A shot can curve far enough to finish across the target line.
Positive axis tilts lift right. Backspin supplies upward lift; spin axis shares some of that lift with rightward curvature.
Spin: 3,800 rpm · axis: +20°A negative launch direction begins left. Positive spin axis bends the ball right. If the curve exceeds the leftward start offset, a pull slice can finish right of the target.
More backspin may initially increase lift and climb, but also changes drag and forward speed. Excessive spin is not guaranteed to produce more carry.
Numerical outputs use an uncalibrated, simplified aerodynamic model at sea-level, no wind. No launch monitor or questionnaire data is fetched or stored.
What makes a pull-slice different?
A pull-slice begins left of the target line and curves to the right. If its rightward curve is large enough, the ball crosses the target line and finishes right. If it curves less, it may finish left or near the target instead. Start direction and final position are different observations.
In the default pull-slice example, launch direction is −3.5° and spin axis is +20°. The plotted shot is a modeled illustration: the selected values generate a trajectory, but they were not measured from a golfer.
How does spin change height and direction?
Backspin can generate aerodynamic lift while the ball moves through the air. Launch angle sets the initial upward trajectory; ball speed, drag, gravity, spin rate, and spin decay affect the modeled climb and descent. A tilted spin axis redirects some of the lift sideways, producing curvature. More spin does not guarantee more carry, because drag also matters.
Following TrackMan’s spin-axis sign convention, positive axis values bend the ball right, negative values bend it left, and values near zero tend to fly relatively straight. Shot-shape terminology on this page uses the common right-handed convention; the physical left/right sign stays relative to the target line for every golfer.
How should I use the flight lab?
Choose a preset in the nine-flight matrix, then switch to custom launch data or adjust individual controls. Use the overhead view to separate the target line, initial start ray, and curved flight. Use the side profile to compare launch, apex and landing angle. Pin a flight before changing spin or launch to compare the two modeled results.
What the numbers do—and do not—mean
Carry, apex, curvature, landing angle, flight time and lateral finish are model outputs from a simplified uncalibrated aerodynamic calculation using fixed sea-level air conditions and no wind. Real golf-ball drag and lift vary with construction, speed, spin, altitude, wind, temperature, and dimple behavior. The model is educational, not a launch monitor, an equipment-fitting calculator, or a promise of actual shot performance.
For authoritative parameter definitions, see TrackMan’s launch-direction guide, spin-axis guide, and apex-height guide. Then explore the ball-flight fundamentals or start your free Swing Evaluation.