Skytrak Owners - Have you noticed this....

[JohnJacobs]

I purchased a SkyTrak but I returned it after about 2 weeks because the distance recorded wasn't accurate BUT I'm starting to think it might have had something to do with my Skytrak setup in my garage. The distance was always about 20 yards short compared to my shots hit outside using a laser range finder.

I would really appreciate SkyTrak owners or the SkyTrak Reps to chime in - Have you noticed if the lighting of your indoor setup has affected the distance that SkyTrak displays? The reason I'm asking is because I just read that SkyTrak uses infrared and the lightbulbs in my garage are fairly high powered CFL bulbs that produce a decent amount on infrared light and some shadows.

Only read these boring details if you’re interested in what I tested before returning the SkyTrak because I really wanted it to work out for me.
-I made a separate platform for the SkyTrak so it wouldn’t move when I was hitting off my mat.
-I made sure it was level with my hitting mat and I made sure it was aligned correctly.
-I set the altitude and humidity correctly.
-I always used brand new golf balls. Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x’s.
-I hit off of a Real feel golf mat as well as a regular “hard” golf mat but I had the same results.
-I never tested it outside, only in my garage.

** I attached a picture of my setup in my garage from an overhead view just to give an example to see if that's my problem.
Thanks!

[wbond]

Have you hit inside before? If so, are you able to produce the same swing as you do outside? I have this issue for some reason I just don't hit it as well inside as I do out. I see the same results on both skytrak and gc2.

[Mazenblue]

I agree my outside distances are about 20 yards longer. I have changed the elevation and it does not seem to have an affect. The flight, launch angle, spin and ball speed seem to be good. I'm now playing at 6000 ft on my local course, the ball really travels.

[Mazenblue]

Played a Tournament today in Utah......I was about 20 yards short so apologies to SkyTrak it's right on the money!!

[apljb]

Actually, quite the reverse, I'd say that the figures I see are very accurate, most measured data (ball speed, spin, launch) is extremely close to what I've seen on a couple of other LMs, and distances (for me) seem to be pretty much spot on, to the extent that I'm tending to rely on the Skytrak data to give me clubs on the course, based on carry. As others have said in other threads, the curvature of the flight pattern seems to be exaggerated, but that's my only real, noticeable difference.

In fairness, I might see slightly lower carry distances with the driver on the Skytrak data (there's a carry over water I can make on my home course that Skytrak suggests I wouldn't), but it's close.

I do agree with others that there's a little less tendency to swing as freely inside, unless you've got masses and masses of room to swing and you completely trust whatever it is you're hitting into. I've been doing that on and off for years in various environments and I'm still not sure I'm absolutely 100% confident to just let rip.

Of course, if you're looking at total distance, rather than carry, all bets are off, because then it's just about the guesswork inherent in the roll out model.

As a more general observation, the first few times I ever hit on Trackman, I was completely unbelieving of how short it said I carried the ball, until I learnt to believe it through absolute evidence. Skytrak's numbers, for me, seem to be very much in line with TM - just at a tenth of the price !!
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[JV17]

I think ap is spot on. We tend to think of our outdoor swing in terms of total distance, and our indoor swing in terms of carry. I've seen this with myself as well as friends and family. Tough to reconcile the two, but once you do you are all the better for it. I know that may be hard to believe, but it's true. The diffence in roll will vary greatly, whereas your roll is more consistent on your home course. The other point made by a few guys is also true... Your indoor swing can be consistently 2 clubs off from your outdoor swing. Mine was when I first began hitting inside. I thought it was my GC2. Finally took it out to the range and it was accurate and I was back to normal. I did this a couple of times. It took me a while to realize I was truly swinging much faster outside, and I only got there by taping my swings and comparing. I'm now just 1 club length off. part of that is probably swing speed, and partly the reaction between ball and hitting mat. Not sure about the lighting effects on Skytrack, but it would seem to me that the effect wouldn't be small... I'd think it would be devastatingly large or not at all. Good luck JJ.

[Mazenblue]

I do feel my indoor swing feels restricted especially going from a 12 wide enclosure to a 10 wide and my ceiling is lower by a foot. I think it is more of an indoor vs outdoor issue. What I do like is the immediate feedback in regards to direction, and flight and the swing changes you can make. I have hit several hundred balls a day. I have not hit off a mat much. I did notice when I play on the course my ball had a lot of back spin and I made much better contact. I am struggling with my distances with my irons. I have wedges from 48 degrees through 60 and still have been trying to dial in the best 4 wedges. Going from 1200 ft elevation to 6000 ft. takes getting use to also. I've been trying calibrate the SkyTrak to the elevation. I have 6 drivers and don't want to mention how many shafts. The difference between all of the combinations have been 1-2mph and 3-4 yards. Its funny when I go to a Golf store those drivers and shafts all seem to fly much farther there.

[davray666]

indoor lights such as CFL or halogen produce IR light but they are so weak that it has no influence. Sunlight also contains a lot of IR and that is definitely strong enough to disturb the image processing.
The numbers I get on my ST are pretty much so that what I get in yards indoor is what I get in meters outdoors. That works for me since absolute distance is not the most important part when practicing as long as you have tuned the diff and accept it.

[JohnJacobs]

Thanks for the responses. I'm starting to think that maybe my distances were coming up short on SkyTrak because I hadn't played any golf since last October. I live in northern Minnesota so I don't usually get on the course until May. When I got the Skytrak in April my swing was probably a little rusty and not as fast. I also have a window in my garage that was facing the SkyTrak that lets in a decent amount of light so that might have also messed with the infrared on the SkyTrak. I will be purchasing a SkyTrak again once the course simulators I are added. Thanks again!

[nyb72]

For what its worth, initially I was about 2 clubs short hitting into a cheap net in my backyard in a densely populated residential neighborhood. Once I got a Net Return system with the side barriers, I immediately gained 1 club without feeling I purposely changed my swing. I'd be curious to see what would happen when I put a shield on the SkyTrak, perhaps I'll get that last club's worth of distance back. At some point, I want to dust off my swing speed radar and see if I'm indeed losing MPH hitting in constrained conditions.

I'm a double digit handicapper, so I'm still prone to bad mishits. I think I've read other posts where more advanced players were getting pretty good matches with their TrackMan. So, right now, I'm attributing these distance disparities to my mental fear of causing damage.

[SkyTrak_Seth]

Thanks for the responses. I'm starting to think that maybe my distances were coming up short on SkyTrak because I hadn't played any golf since last October. I live in northern Minnesota so I don't usually get on the course until May. When I got the Skytrak in April my swing was probably a little rusty and not as fast. I also have a window in my garage that was facing the SkyTrak that lets in a decent amount of light so that might have also messed with the infrared on the SkyTrak. I will be purchasing a SkyTrak again once the course simulators I are added. Thanks again!

THIS! Indoor lighting should not have any effect on the ball data. Looking at ball images, you really can't tell the difference between a fully lit room vs all the lights turned off. A lot of people swing differently indoors than outdoors without realizing it...or swing differently after not playing for 8 months

[Brettster]

Great post - I've never put together that I'm swinging that differently indoors versus outdoors, but it makes sense! It's probably the claustrophobic feeling of hitting in the enclosure/stall that I swing in at my local Sim/bar, either way, it's not comfortable.

Check out the beta video of the ST from Par2Pro where they are hitting using TGC software - that setup is fantastic, and something I cannot come close to at my local Sim/bar, meaning, if I want to get advantages from an indoor Sim play in the Winter, I'm going to have to build out my own.

> Mazenblue says: Its funny when I go to a Golf store those drivers and shafts all seem to fly much farther there.

I guess that shows you how they have their smash factor turned up, to make it look like you're hitting it better! Bizarre...

On that note, last night I played with Callaway supersoft balls - as I've heard good things about them, and WOW, I hit 2 drives further then I've ever hit a driver in my life. Still using my older clubs on the GPS I was finding them at 265 yards, and that means if I can upgrade my driver, and maybe gain another 10-15 yards, I'm finally closing in on 300.

Has anyone tested the ST with those balls, in particular, compared to others? I've hit other soft balls (Titleist NXT Tour S, and Nike PD), but these Callaways seem to be blowing by the other soft balls on the market.

[doublebogey]

yeah coz it was raining her i tried v1.9.1 using callaway foam balls and was surprised at how well they work vs. real balls (distances seem accurate enough and you can really let it rip bypassing that fear of swinging too hard indoors which i'm sure is causing lots of users to think ST distances are off - just wish they made these balls in white instead of yellow as people have mentioned yellow balls might cause bad readings).

[Hoosierdaddy]

THIS! Indoor lighting should not have any effect on the ball data. Looking at ball images, you really can't tell the difference between a fully lit room vs all the lights turned off. A lot of people swing differently indoors than outdoors without realizing it...or swing differently after not playing for 8 months

Amen brother. The room size has a lot to do with it too.

[luv2golf]

Yes, I agree. I haven't played with the new 1.9 indoors yet, but my last house had 9' ceilings and I definitely didn't "go at it" like I do in my new house.
The new house sim Room/Theater is 20' deep x 15' x 11' high.

[Brettster]

yeah coz it was raining her i tried v1.9.1 using callaway foam balls and was surprised at how well they work vs. real balls (distances seem accurate enough and you can really let it rip bypassing that fear of swinging too hard indoors which i'm sure is causing lots of users to think ST distances are off - just wish they made these balls in white instead of yellow as people have mentioned yellow balls might cause bad readings).

I am talking about 'real balls', the Callaway Supersoft is a new ball that is out with great reviews. See the balls at Amazon from the link I pasted in below in this message...

When I took them to the course, I'm hammering my tee shots, so what I'm wondering is if you have tried hitting those balls with your ST (doublebogey) and if they show different yardages - carry / distance, because they are a very low compression (38%, I think)?

[doublebogey]

sorry for the misunderstanding. wow these callaway supersofts seem quite reasonably priced too - well def give them a try (and provide feedbacks). thanks.