My ST numbers seem to be off compared to the video of the guy at the ST booth

[Nasdaqsam]

On one of the clips it shows someone hitting a 9 iron which really is irrelevant since the machine reads the ball anyway.

The numbers read 72mph swing speed, 4659 Back spin, 266 side spin, center on the spin with a 27 degree loft getting 144 yds. I hit my 7 iron pretty constantly with very close numbers and am getting 120yds max. Both machines reading the similar data with 2 different outcomes????
What am I missing?

[JackedUpSwing]

Would be helpful if you posted a screenshot of your numbers.

[Nasdaqsam]

I will next time I hit I didn't this past session.

[JackedUpSwing]

You can go to skygolf360 and view all the shots you have hit. Just post a screenshot from the website from one of your 7 irons.

[FaultyClubs]

You're missing ball speed in your list. That's a major parameter. You listed swing speed but Skytrak doesn't measure that plus as you say club data is irrelevant anyway.

Those are wacky numbers for a 9 iron. Spin is way low. Launch angle is very high. They'd be even wackier if they matched your 7 iron. So yeah post your 7 iron data, it'll become clear from that.

[Nasdaqsam]

This is a shot I just took with a 7 iron. Looks like a pretty good shot why only 112 yds? Thanks for the help.

[silverado101980]

Well the numbers match with flight scope I guessed on your elevation but it's close. I would check alignment/level and same height as the mat your hitting off of. If you feel you were swinging harder than that or that you didn't hit it fat there maybe other issues dirt or dust in the mat I've found that causes issues for me from time to time.

https://flightscope.com/products/trajectory-optimizer/

[Nasdaqsam]

And thank you for plugging the numbers in. Just knowing mine is not way off will give me more confidence in it. It could well be I have it my head that I am going to be short with my irons and hitting accordingly.

[silverado101980]

Changing the numbers to match your elevation and lowering your spin rate to 2500 back spin would be 109.2 carry and 127.4 total on flight scope just throwing that out there. I know when I hit a shot short and it's not a shank backspin is what kills my distance.

[JackedUpSwing]

83 ballspeed is the difference. I believe the guy had an 8 iron in the video and the ball speed is around 110.. 17mph ball speed difference is HUGE.

[Nasdaqsam]

Makes sense. Is the difference in ball speed caused by back spin?

[JackedUpSwing]

Lol no man, ball speed is how fast the ball is traveling. You get higher ballspeed by swinging the club faster and hitting the middle of the clubface. For instance, with my 7 iron, i typically get between 118 and 121 and fly it 165 to 170 with a 24degree launch

[Nasdaqsam]

well the numbers match with flight scope I guessed on elevation but it's close check alignment if you feel you were swinging harder than that or that you didn't hit it fat there maybe other issues dirt or dust in the mat i've found that causes issues for me from time to time

We are 700' for elevation and I hit in a temp/humidity controlled garage so should be good there. If it is the same on the flightscope then it has to be the back spin I assume that seems to be the only number I am significantly higher on. I'll take some more shots. I know m alignment is right on I have a whole thing I do before each round then I hit a bunch of short wedge shots to confirm.

Man it just seems like I work a lot harder on the ST to get 150 than outdoors. Thanks I really appreciate it. At least I know its right now that's a good thing.

[sherrow70]

Dumb question but check the ball. I once was using a cracked ball and was getting crazy numbers. Your seven iron ball speed should easily be over 100mph I would think for 140 or 150 yard shot.

[Nasdaqsam]

I use different balls and mostly all fairly new. For this session I am using new Prov's but have been hitting a lot more Snell's. I will keep an eye that though. Thanks

[wbond]

What type of mat are you using? If it's a CCE or similar and you catch it even slightly fat you will see a large reduction in CHS and therefore a reduction in BS.

[Nasdaqsam]

I have a CCE base mat but a cut out with FB insert.

[FaultyClubs]

Your 83 mph ball speed is the main difference. It's far too slow for the distance you want. Swing the club faster and make sure you hit the sweet spot. Try hitting of a small tee to make sure you aren't hitting the mat first. If you can get your speed up a little then less loft at impact would help too.

For reference the LPGA average 7 iron has BS of 104 mph and LA of 19° and carry 140 yards That's a good goal for most amateurs.

[Nasdaqsam]

IRL I hit it 150 yds. I have not had the opportunity to get the ST outside yet but hope to this spring. Maybe that will shed some light on it. Thanks

[skytrakali]

I concur with FaultyClubs. My typical 7I (from lots of shots measured by ST) has ball speed 105, spin 5700 LA 23 and carries about 145 with max height 29 yards. This is with ChromeSofts.

It's true though that if there is a crack this will kill everything (including the ball eventually of course).

[Nasdaqsam]

I believe outdoors those are very close to my numbers. I think the ST is pretty unforgiving with back speed numbers I can see big gains and loses when that number changes. I am not so sure that translates outside as much. Just got off a 5 round weekend in Fl and no issue nice easy swing 150 yds with my 7. I guess that's why it is so frustrating. Thanks

[Lynchdpm]

In short, as others have mentioned.. its ball speed. But its not that simple. Keep in mind we have guys of all ages, flexibility and skill level posting here. For example I am 45, a 5 handicap (outdoor), swing speed around high 90s with driver and closer to 80 with irons (so much slower than most younger guys that bomb it). My ball speed, when flushed in the sim on avg:
pw 94 ....125yds
9 iron 100.... 130yds
8 iron 106.... 145 yds
7 iron 112 ... 155 yds
5 hybrid 118 ...165-170yds
3 hybrid 122 ... 185 yds
3 wood 130 ... 200-210yds
driver 140 ... carry 220-230 yds
People believe they hit the ball further than they do, so one can get frustrated in the sim. Swinging indoors into a screen, off a mat can limit your full potential if not flushing the ball perfectly. There are no flyer lies, no elevation changes and no wind. Guys when playing outdoors shoot a pin at 145, hit 8 iron for example land on the green, perhaps 15- 25 feet short, but non the less its a GIR. Do it over and over and in your head you believe you hit an 8 .. 145. Perhaps on occasion you do hit it pin high and perhaps on occasion you hit it further, but I would bet most guys come up shorter into greens more often than not. The point is, a 145 ..8 iron is not real, it can vary up to maybe 10 yards and still be a GIR when playing outdoors. We get so conditioned that our numbers are exact and they are not. Do yourself a favor, when practicing on ST place a green on the range instead of hitting to nothing. In the 145 8 iron example place the pin at 145. I promise you... will hit the green quite often, whether long (rarely) or short, but you will get positive feedback.. as apposed to obsessing about this predetermined exact number (145) "you" will only reach when hit perfectly off a mat indoors.
Now as far as ball speed goes, keep in mind if your swing speed is 69 mph with a 7 iron a prov is too high compression for you IMO
I used to play prov, zstar etc years ago, but as ive aged and my SS has slowed I cannot compress those firm balls and can actually hit a softer compression ball further.
I personally play Vice pro soft, I believe 65 compression, fantastic ball.
The beauty of ST is you can really fit yourself for a ball, assuming you hit a ball consistently well. If so, you can find a ball that has appropriate spin through the bag... low with long clubs and higher with wedges. if you put in the effort and try many brands and models you will see the difference in trajectory, spin and ball speed. I never believed it but the back of the ball boxes are truthful when describing their product. One must put ego aside. The price of the ball does not necessarily dictate the quality of the ball and not everyone should play a tour ball. For example, I cannot compress a prov well off the tee, but I can get it to spin around 10,000 with full wedge, my vice pro soft I can compress, hit it further than the pro v but can only get around 8000 with a wedge. One ball for your SS you may want to try is 21 dollars a dozen. Maxfli Ufli Soft, when I tested that ball it was consistently 4 mph faster for all my clubs then (TM project, Vice pro soft, callaway chrome soft, Bridgestone E6, Srixon Q star tour) and I could spin it over 10,000 with wedge. Its a 4 piece urethane cover ball for 21 dollars!
Bottom line, ST is awesome, it gives immediate real data feedback. Get a bunch of balls, 2 piece, 3 piece, 4 piece, low to high compression and hit a bunch of different shots with each and keep the stats, you will find the ball that maximizes YOUR potential. Now playing it outside in the wind is another story..lol

[Lynchdpm]

gkkling you are correct. Unfortunately I experienced that as well. I no longer can use them. I use many different brands but the majority of the time I use Bridgestone E6 soft... They feel great, are inexpensive and the ST reads the large B logo really well. Has diminished misreads. Although for guys with similar SS and ball speeds mentioned above, by far IMO the hottest ball with the ability to get substantial spin off full short irons is the Maxfli Ufli soft. Im going to try the Maxfli Ufli speed this week.. another 4 piece urethane ball for 19.99

[Nasdaqsam]

Lynchdpm, have you tried the Snell red or Black? They have a real nice feel on approach shots.

[Lynchdpm]

Yes Nas I have tried the snell mtb red decent ball, but I and most of the guys I play with felt it had an odd sound when hit.
great resource for golf ball info and compressions

https://golf-info-guide.com/golf-tips/equipment-choices/golf-ball-compression-chart-and-rank/

[Nasdaqsam]

Thank you for writing all this up it is very helpful. I tend to believe you are right about the GIR as apposed to pin high. Especially for me as I have been playing for 10 years but 8 of those was 2 or 3 times a year. Two years ago I got out maybe 8 times and this past year maybe 30 times and definitely caught the bug and installed the sim. So being a fairly new player intricacies were not that important. Now that I am hitting hundreds of balls a day and playing 2 or 3 rounds in addition each day I am learning my clubs and course management better.

I am 56 and not a fast swinger but I hit the ball square and straight, most guys out drive me but I am typically safe so end up with better scores. Especially on the sim since I play it were it lies IRL most have a good hand or foot wedge but the sim does not allow that so definite advantage to me there. I was sure my mid irons were all short but it seems I am wrong on that. But with solid knowledge from the forum here at least 'I have a better understanding of the ST and how to use it to improve my game. I am hoping to get the time to join some tournaments soon as well. Thanks again.

[Jwheels9876]

People believe they hit the ball further than they do,


this sums up everyone who's ever come over to my house and played on the sim. They look at the GC2 like it's broken when their drives carry 215 yards instead of the 250 they think they hit a ball.

[Lynchdpm]

Lol.. love it... same here. Guys say the wedges,and short irons are spot on but the driver is short..lol.
wedge shots are tangible. You can see 80, 90, 120 yards.. you can not dicern between 240 and 260 from a tee.. it's a totally made up accomplishment. There are certainly guys putting it out there but they are the exception not the norm. I would guess the avg mid to high single digit handicapper carries driver 220 to 240
Really when u think about it sim golf (distances on the range) is really the purest form of golf. It's golf in a vacuum. Assuming you are comfortable with a confined space, your mat is not punishing, and of course, you are a skilled player. There is no elevation, wind, rough, thin fairways, flyer lies, rollout, bounces, landing in the face or over the hill, wet fairways, dew, fog, rain, scorching temps etc.
it's you a club and a ball.
I have game golf live, best investment I ever made in golf...85 bucks..
prior to tracking over a thousand strokes I would have thought I drive the ball 30 yards further.. I just dont... and the majority of others don't either.

[Nasdaqsam]

Well said. I think what I like the most about sim golf against my friends is it eliminates the hand and foot wedges and re hits that never seem to make the score card.....I know the sim has taken my game in the short time I have had it to the next level for sure but still a long way to go.