Skytrak will not read driver accurately

[DocW]

I'm a new skytrak user. Overall I am happy with it. However I am having major issues with the driver. I can not get it to ready accurately. I have read all the posts on what could be causing the issue. I have not had the skytrak outdoors but I am very familiar with my numbers on Flightscope and Trackman. My typical clubhead speed its 115+ with carry around 280+. My Skytack is reading my SS around 104-105 and I cant get it to carry much more than 240-250. Sometimes I will get a crazy week slice that travels about 220 when it feels solid. I'm a scratch golfer and have a pretty good feel for a solid shot vs. a skank slice that goes 220. This happen on both practice mode and TGC.
My irons seems to be fairly accurate. For reference my reading with the 9 iron on skytrack are 90-91mph ss and carry between 150 and 155. Seems like I would be able to get the driver up a little faster than 104, even being indoors.
Any suggestions on what could be the cause? My unit is new and came with the label not to remove the protective cover on the sensor but I think I read on another forum that there may be a think plastic cover that is to be removed and then another protector under that that stays---true? Could that have anything to do with it. I also have not figured out a good way to keep my mat from sliding yet but I can't imagine that as being the cause.
Just to add more info three wood and hybrid read a little short also but I don't get the crazy shot flights. SS with my 3 wood also reads 104 and is closer to 114-115 on trackman at my club

All help is appreciated

[jut111]

as stated 9-10 times this is from not swinging as fast or well indoors. Simple way to troubleshoot. Take it to the range, hit balls outside on the skytrak. Bet you see your distance come back.
I've hit A TON of balls indoors in my life. I still can't hit a decent driver indoors, and thats on skytrak, GC2 and trackman. It's not the tech.

[trumb1mj]

I am hitting balls outdoors with a white fence behind me. During the day when the sun is above me, I see reduced distance on all of my clubs. In the evening, things seem much more accurate. I wonder if my issue is with sunlight and my fence..?

[Clevited]

SkyTrak_Seth can a white background mess with ball speed numbers? Have you experienced this? Also, if it can, could a person benefit from using "reflective" golf balls when there is a white background (have you tried them before?) My experience so far shows that the shot shows up faster after a hit with one and i more often have expected ball speeds. This is just observations, and not proven out yet though.

[jkugizaki]

Can't help you with driver tips, but try heavy duty double-sided tape to keep your mat in place Doc.

[SkyTrak_Seth]

I am hitting balls outdoors with a white fence behind me. During the day when the sun is above me, I see reduced distance on all of my clubs. In the evening, things seem much more accurate. I wonder if my issue is with sunlight and my fence..?

SkyTrak_Seth can a white background mess with ball speed numbers? Have you experienced this? Also, if it can, could a person benefit from using "reflective" golf balls when there is a white background (have you tried them before?) My experience so far shows that the shot shows up faster after a hit with one and i more often have expected ball speeds. This is just observations, and not proven out yet though.

Certainly anything white in the background will make it harder for the software to analyze the white golf ball in the image. Sunlight will only intensify this issue. What do you mean by reflective...like Chromax balls?

[Clevited]

By reflective I mean like a highway sign. My wife has Nike balls that are purple with reflective particles in it. I know one can also find this feature in yellow Titleist NXT Tour balls.

[SkyTrak_Seth]

Interesting that those work well...I'll see if I can pick some up and try it here.

[Clevited]

Excellent, looking forward to your results.

[trumb1mj]

Certainly anything white in the background will make it harder for the software to analyze the white golf ball in the image. Sunlight will only intensify this issue. What do you mean by reflective...like Chromax balls?

What are the effects of having the unit above or below the hitting surface? How does SkyTrak know how high the ball is teed up to measure launch angle?

[Stiggity]

I found that the white birtee's have an issue with not registering shots. I spray painted them black and had 0 issues since except the paint does come off the tee from time to time.

[SkyTrak_Seth]

What are the effects of having the unit above or below the hitting surface? How does SkyTrak know how high the ball is teed up to measure launch angle?

The effect of having the unit sitting too high or too low is that you run the risk of the ball being cut off the bottom or top of the images. SkyTrak is designed to capture both shots off the deck and off a tee if it sits level with the hitting surface. If a ball is cut off, then that's where accuracy can suffer because we don't have the full circumference of the ball to work with.

[SkyTrak_Seth]

I found that the white birtee's have an issue with not registering shots. I spray painted them black and had 0 issues since except the paint does come off the tee from time to time.

Most definitely. When that white tee kicks up in the image, it makes it very hard for our image analysis to clearly pick out the white golf ball.

[trumb1mj]

The effect of having the unit sitting too high or too low is that you run the risk of the ball being cut off the bottom or top of the images. SkyTrak is designed to capture both shots off the deck and off a tee if it sits level with the hitting surface. If a ball is cut off, then that's where accuracy can suffer because we don't have the full circumference of the ball to work with.

So the height has no effect on launch angle?

[wbond]

I don't believe so. I think it's comparing two images and measuring the distance between them to determine launch angle, ball speed, spin rotation as well as side deviation based on differential image size of the pictures.

So the height has no effect on launch angle?

[SkyTrak_Seth]

What he said

[trumb1mj]

Gotcha. This is very interesting. Anyone have any idea what the tolerance is for +/- the hitting mat? The reason this is so critical to me is because I have a metal jacket for mine with leveling feet. I was thinking the difference added by the metal case would affect launch.

[jut111]

it's measuring an angle, the exact starting height doesn't matter. So long as the camera can pick up the whole ball as it passes through it's field of vision.

[Shawn Foley]

You need to make sure to point the laser indicator to the bottom of the tee and if this still doesnt work, we have seen success from slightly raising the system. A clean, white ball definitely works best and try to make sure there is no light shining directly into the lens...hope this is helpful!

[Clevited]

DocW
Any updates on this? Have you figured out what is going on?

[mikemcd22]

I'm truly interested in any solutions that come from this discussion. I am really enjoying my Skytrak and E6 combo but, FOR SURE, the Driver is registering far shorter than IRL. I have read through multiple threads (indoor swing vs. outdoor swing, Trackman/GC Quad, etc.,). I have tried multiple fixes (raise/lower ST, Black Backround, etc.). I even bought a new driver (ok, I was going to do that anyway!).

In any case, it's become infuriating to play courses when your driver is reading correctly and every second shot on a par 4 is over 200 yards! I recently got on a Trackman (when I bought my driver) and numbers were significantly higher (SS, Carry and Distance). The only thing I didn't take note of was ball speed. Point is, I think ST has a Driver issue. Also, I hit the range (and the course) a lot... It just doesn't add up.

By the way... does anyone have any suggestions for lighting? Florescent vs. incandescent, etc? LED? Spot light vs. Flood light? Direction of lighting? I recently bought a desk lamp with a goose-neck and set it behind and over the ST to see if it made a difference registering putts (hard to say as putting is my second but equal most frustrating thing with ST!) One thing we did discover is that there may be some reflection of the laser from the mat we are using. We tap down the mat with the putter when a put doesn't register and it seems to solve the issue most of the time).

Signed,
Frustrated

[Clevited]

I know my skytrak tends to read 3-5 (sometimes more) mph lower ball speed with driver. Are you a high swing speed player? I think it can have a hard time with ball speeds over 160. Don't bother looking at the club speeds, those will rarely be accurate.

For an example, I have been on Trackman multiple times and i can get ball speeds in the high 170s to mid 180s (with range balls!). I am hard pressed to get anything in the low 170s or so on Skytrak with premium new balls (I have, but its much more rare). I will get those higher ball speeds every time I hit a ball solid on Trackman, but Skytrak its like an anomally to get a reasonable ball speed on a good hit. I have a suspicion that higher speeds may create some motion blur of the ball, enough to cause problems. It may require a prestine ball against a dark background to pick up.

One thing to experiment with is a golf ball with the reflective particles in it. I have had some potentially interesting results with those. Almost like the Skytrak picks them up better and gives more reasonable speeds more often. Nxt tour high visibility balls, or nike purple ladies balls are the ones I know of with the reflective particles.

Good luck to you.