Level Hitting Surface. Does it matter?

[JWK]

I know how important it is to level the SkyTrak but should the hitting surface also be perfectly level?

[allen2be]

I might be wrong (someone correct me if you think differently please)... but I have always thought that your skytrak should be aligned with your stance mat, not 'level' with the earth. In other words, if your stance mat has a 1 degree decline (probably like mine, since my garage floor slopes towards a drain), then the skytrak should also have a 1 degree decline. If not, then the skytrak will show a ball with 1 degree LESS launch angle. Clear as mud?

Now, obviously this is just for 1 or 2 degree incline,decline, or else you're going to be altering your weight and stance.

I sleep fine at night, regardless

[Little_Stickner]

SkyTrak_Seth does this sound right? I was under the impression that you always want the skytrak unit dead nuts level?

[mdniBruce]

As I understand it the device wants to be truly level regardless of the surface you're hitting off. I, personally, would rather know what my numbers relative to a true level are. I'm not sure how else you could get reasonably accurate carry distance.

I think about this problem as hitting a shot across a hypothetical Lake from a negative slope at the shore. I want to know my launch angle relative to the flat plane of that Lake, not to the shore . If you want to practice angle shots that's all well and good, but for repeatability's sake, I would think you would want a true level reference for your launch angle etc .

I would imagine that if your hitting area where the laser actually shines is within tolerance for the height and distance specified, it wouldn't really matter a whole lot what the actual angle is . With extreme angles that could take some doing (to get that launch zone dialed in), but I don't see why you couldn't do it .

Granted I also have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about .

[allen2be]

haha, hopefully we'll get a good answer from somebody.

As far as your lake example, if you're hitting from a downslope IRL, your carry distance will be greatly diminished (lower launch = less carry with the same club - assuming ball speed stays the same). I would only use the skytrak as getting my 'flat lie' distances... therefore I would want to align my skytrak to be level with my stance mat, not level with the earth (otherwise the skytrak thinks you are hitting from a flat lie... when you are actually hitting from a slope - e.g. my garage floor). I know this has been discussed immensely, but I am just trying to think of it from the skytrak's point of view.

[bennyg211]

Why not just level the stance mat?

[allen2be]

True, could shim it up, but I've had awesome results compared to my IRL game, so I've just left it.

[SkyTrak_Seth]

You want the SkyTrak unit level with your hitting surface. But really we are just comparing one image(s) against another, so unless you get over 5 degrees difference we can compensate.