DATA YOU CAN USE
More numbers are only helpful when you know what they describe.
Launch monitors can reveal patterns that are difficult to see with the naked eye. Not every device measures every variable directly, and some readings may be calculated or estimated. Learn which number describes the ball, which describes the club, and how the results connect.
Ball data
Ball speed
How fast the ball leaves the clubface. It is influenced by clubhead speed, delivered loft, strike efficiency and equipment.
Launch angle
The ball’s initial vertical angle. It is different from the static loft stamped on the club.
Spin rate
The total revolutions per minute of the ball. A spin number alone does not tell you how the shot curves or whether it will stop quickly.
Carry distance
How far the ball travels before first contact with the ground. Total distance can differ depending on bounce, roll, turf and landing angle.
Start direction and spin axis
These help describe horizontal initial direction and the tilt associated with curvature. Device naming and sign conventions may differ, so check your monitor’s reference definitions.
Club delivery
Club path
The horizontal direction in which the clubhead is traveling at impact relative to the device’s reference line. It is one piece of the flight puzzle.
Face angle
The face orientation relative to the chosen target line. Its relationship to path is a useful influence on curvature, subject to strike and other variables.
Attack angle
How the clubhead is traveling vertically at impact. A positive or negative value has different implications depending on club, strike and intended shot.
Descent angle
The angle at which the ball approaches the ground. Combined with spin, speed and the landing surface, it helps describe stopping behavior.
How to use the numbers
Begin with your on-course goal. For example, a driver task may focus on keeping a useful start line and dispersion, while an iron task may focus on consistent carry and playable landing conditions. Compare repeated shots rather than chasing a single ideal measurement.
No monitor? You can still start
Our free Swing Evaluation accepts self-reported ball-flight observations. If you enter launch-monitor data, use measurements from your own shots and avoid treating the report’s illustrative examples as real readings.