Distance is way short

[wjf67]

just installed skytrak. Tried my normal ball (titliestnTruSoft) and 2 types of rubber balls (almost
golf, callaway hx) and all come up short by 25 - 30 yards (for 8 iron). The longer the club, the greater the shortfall. On range, I get the expected distance.

id this a calibration issue, or something else?

[sb944]

I'll bite. many of us have gone through a similar phase and setup didn't make a big difference. the difference was getting your outside swing confidence. that said, also eliminate as many white or reflective objects in the background as possible, the camera could be getting confused.

[wjf67]

Thanks. Could the mat be a factor? I am hitting off of an artificial (plastic) grass mat, rather than a golf mat?

[jrz]

I have come to accept that the SkyTrak doesn't seem to like shots with low backspin rates. For me, less than 4000 RPM seems to be the point where distances become questionable. For example, IRL my 5 iron will carry about 200 yards when hit well. In the ST range I can barely get a 5i to carry 180. Things are a little better in TGC, but I have noticed that for lower lofted clubs will not carry as far as IRL but will roll to about the correct distance (if there is nothing in the way).

I'm sure not everyone agrees with me, and I have seen posts by low handicappers recently that indicate their distances in ST match their distances IRL. Maybe the precision of each ST unit is slightly different? Regardless, it's not a big enough of a problem to really bother me.

[wjf67]

Thanks for that. That theory, whilst I cannot prove it, fits with what I am seeing.

any other interventions, or thoughts, from other contributors, would be gratefully received.

[ajax5184]

Some things to check and consider:
1. The indoor swing thing is real. The longer the club the harder it is not to swing tentatively indoors. I still have trouble with driver. It is just so long and loud inside it is really tough to just swing free.
2. Golf shoes make a difference. I started off standing on smooth concrete with tennis shoes. Once I got a surface that didn't allow my feet to slip and twist, it made a big difference. Also check that your whole mat or stance area is secure so it can't move. This also caused me problems.
3. Probably some debate on this one, but some golf mats make a huge difference. I use a cce. I feel like i get penalized a lot more on slight fat shots on the cce than i do on real grass. However it seems like really big fat shots have less penalty on cce. I know that sounds odd, but it has been my experience with the cce mat.

none of the above may apply to you, but these have been my experiences.

[wbond]

Is your skytrak on the same mat that you are hitting from? If so, that could be some of the problem as well.

[Lefty]

I had the same distance issue. In my case, I was hitting the ball fat. The mat I use (country club elite) reduces the carry distance significantly if you hit slightly fat compared to grass or more forgiving commercial mats. I would hit an 8 iron outdoors 140-145 carry, but my skytrak would consistently show a carry of 120. Once I learned to consistently make ball first contact, the skytrak readings were spot.

[wjf67]

Thanks all. Great ideas.

[jje87]

I noticed there can be a big difference in the type of ball used. I was using a Wilson at one point and was at least 15 yards shorter then when I using a Titleist or Srixon. Also, if I'm hitting it even the slightest bit fat the distance really suffers. I was actually ready to send it back because I felt I had to swing ridiculously hard to get it to match my playing distances and so I figured it would cause bad swing habits and possible injuries. I eventually started hitting it better and got rid of that Wilson so now I can hit my playing distances for the most part.

[Dave Lee]

May not be the most easiest thing to do but not hard either...but try taking the skytrak to the range or course. Pick 100, 150, and 200 yard targets and fire away. (assuming it's not crazy windy) That's the most direct way to see if it's the skytrak or some other factor.

That being said, I have seen big hitters on the range claim the skytrak is short on their normal drive distances. Others on here with high swing speeds have noticed as well.

[mikeingp]

I’ve had my Skytrak for a little over a year and often thought my driver distances were measuring short. Wedges through long irons have seemed relatively close, maybe a few yards short but close. I ’upgraded’ to a gc2 a few weeks ago and, to my surprise, the distances are very similar. For me, I’m now 100% positive it’s because of the indoor swing. Lot of love for the Skytrak, it’s a great product!

[ScottH]

I'll chime in but not with an answer. But maybe furthering the question a bit.

I installed Skytrak a couple of weeks ago..

For the last six months I have seen a local teaching pro who uses an indoor hitting center with a Skytrak as one of his tools.

I am at least a club shorter on my new Skytrak that on my teaching pros. The teaching pro's Skytrak numbers match my on course numbers fairly well.

Also, the ball speed and spin rates seem erratic on mine. Now I don't profess to be scratch but I think I'm proficient enough to expect ball speed to be in a normal range as well as spin rate. For instance, in 20 shots on one club ball speed range from 80 to 105 and spin from 4500 to 9500. This seems abnormal. Maybe not.

What I do know:
1.Setting are the same on both mine and my teaching pro.
2.Ball is the same.
3.While different brand mats, they are supposedly top of the line.
4.The swing area of both is more than ample and I'm used to hitting inside.

What could it be? I feel like it's me not the technology. Just feel like I need to tweak something. Ball position in relation to laser? Lighting?

[GmanJeff]

I'll chime in but not with an answer. But maybe furthering the question a bit.

I installed Skytrak a couple of weeks ago..

For the last six months I have seen a local teaching pro who uses an indoor hitting center with a Skytrak as one of his tools.

I am at least a club shorter on my new Skytrak that on my teaching pros. The teaching pro's Skytrak numbers match my on course numbers fairly well.

Also, the ball speed and spin rates seem erratic on mine. Now I don't profess to be scratch but I think I'm proficient enough to expect ball speed to be in a normal range as well as spin rate. For instance, in 20 shots on one club ball speed range from 80 to 105 and spin from 4500 to 9500. This seems abnormal. Maybe not.

What I do know:
1.Setting are the same on both mine and my teaching pro.
2.Ball is the same.
3.While different brand mats, they are supposedly top of the line.
4.The swing area of both is more than ample and I'm used to hitting inside.

What could it be? I feel like it's me not the technology. Just feel like I need to tweak something. Ball position in relation to laser? Lighting?

I wouldn't discount the potential effect of different mats. Any differences in how the club interacts with the hitting surface might result in a difference in drag and a corresponding reduction/increase in clubhead speed. Maybe try using your ST at a lesson at the indoor center and see how readings compare with the pro's ST unit on the same mat, same club.

[bennyg211]

You can put yours in L.H Mode and have it between you and the ball to check the same shot.

[SkyTrak_Seth]

If it's with the normal ball you play outside, then my guess is either the "indoor swing" or the mat. For me, many mats dramatically decrease the amount of back spin on my irons, which ironically make them go farther, but not my true ball flight. Have you tried with driver? (fyi, almost golf balls or any other limited flight ball will definitely show decreased distance...we just measure what the ball is doing at launch - so typically less ball speed and more spin)