New SkyTrak Unit Distances

[golfmatt1773]

I received my new unit (not refurbished) about ten days ago and have enjoyed using it indoors. I feel that in terms of shot shape and direction the unit displays exactly what I feel on nearly every shot I hit. However, from the first day I had it I have had issues with the distances, particularly on the short irons. After reading on this forum I took all the measures (leveled/aligned unit, set on mat that I am hitting off of, using new golf balls, set altitude to same as my location, etc.) to ensure that I had the unit set up correctly. I still am seeing readings that are 10-15 yards short on irons from 8-iron down. Once I get to a 7 iron the distances are closer to what I see on the course, but I feel still a bit short. I am also a high school golf coach so it is important that the unit is as accurate as it claims as we are in the midwest and will be using it a great deal indoors during our season (particularly from 100 yards and in). I called tech support and of course was asked about the set up of the unit, which I ensured them I had checked. They then asked if I was swinging easier because it was indoors, etc. I explained to them that I played college golf at the division 1 level and am a 2 handicap, I know when I am swinging hard. I hit 10-15 balls with each club and deleted any that may have been hit fat or otherwise skewed the data. I listed the yardage (with roll) below and am seeking advice from everyone on what you have seen or if you have experienced similar results. Support told me that the new update will help this, my question is how long do I wait before I feel that I just have a unit that is defective. Thank you all for your help, I have enjoyed reading about your experiences with this product! I think this has great potential if I can get this problem solved.

Club Course Skytrak
52 deg 115 102
PW 130 113
9i 140 125
8i 150 135
7i 160 152
6i 170 166
5i 185 177
4i 195 186

[luv2golf]

I received my new unit (not refurbished) about ten days ago and have enjoyed using it indoors. I feel that in terms of shot shape and direction the unit displays exactly what I feel on nearly every shot I hit. However, from the first day I had it I have had issues with the distances, particularly on the short irons. After reading on this forum I took all the measures (leveled/aligned unit, set on mat that I am hitting off of, using new golf balls, set altitude to same as my location, etc.) to ensure that I had the unit set up correctly. I still am seeing readings that are 10-15 yards short on irons from 8-iron down. Once I get to a 7 iron the distances are closer to what I see on the course, but I feel still a bit short. I am also a high school golf coach so it is important that the unit is as accurate as it claims as we are in the midwest and will be using it a great deal indoors during our season (particularly from 100 yards and in). I called tech support and of course was asked about the set up of the unit, which I ensured them I had checked. They then asked if I was swinging easier because it was indoors, etc. I explained to them that I played college golf at the division 1 level and am a 2 handicap, I know when I am swinging hard. I hit about 10 balls with each club and deleted any that may have been hit fat or otherwise skewed the data. I listed the yardage (with roll) below and was seeking advice from you all on what you have seen or if you have experienced similar results. Support told me that the new update will help this, my question is though how long do I wait before I feel that I just have a unit that is defective. Thank you all for your help, I have enjoyed reading about your experiences with this product! I think this has great potential if I can get this problem solved.

Club Course Skytrak
52 deg 115 102
PW 130 113
9i 140 125
8i 150 135
7i 160 152
6i 170 166
5i 185 177
4i 195 186

I would suggest trying the PC APP if you can and upgrade the firmware to V1.4 and see if your results improve. If they don't then definitely put in for warranty support and see what happens.

I like my skytrak, but wish I would of bought a GC2 instead. Just my 2 cents. Again, it's a great product when you have a good unit.

[Joko]

I agree with luv2golf give the new app and firmware a shot. I just picked up golfing again after not playing since high school so I have a harder time saying my exact yardages. I do feel it does a pretty good job with all clubs in the e6 demo. I havent tried the new skytrak pc app yep, but will tomorrow.

I too would have liked to buy a gc2, but I feel ultimately it was either get a skytrak or wait for something newer to come out. I just don't want to spend $3500 or so on a used unit knowing that this tech is just going to get better and cheaper. It's a moving target right now. In a few years it should look a fair bit different.

[golfmatt1773]

I am currently using the Skytrak with an iPad Air 2 and not a PC. Unfortunately at this time upgrading to a PC or to a gc2 is not an alternative with our current budget. I would love to hear if anyone is experiencing similar shortages with the SkyTrak unit and an iOS app.

[TorchRedRob]

What launch conditions is the unit reporting? It would be helpful to see if one of the numbers seems way off.

[golfmatt1773]

Here are the launch conditions that I have recorded. The problem is I believe that they are off as well as I have compared them to a trajectory optimizer.

9i 98 mph ball speed 88 club speed 25.6 launch angle 8322 spin 126 total
4i 120 mph 85 18.6 4491 186

I guess my dilemma is that after 20+ years of playing golf competitively I know what my distances are and this device does not seem to represent those numbers.

[Jimsol]

Im far from a instructor but had 2 years of lessons through Golftech. I also just received my skytrak a couple days ago and have even been trying different things knowing my yardage this for me is also off 15 to 20 yards. I also have the Skypro and that is showing. You club head speed anywhere from 7 to 10 mph faster than skytrak . There's my 10 to 15 yards. I will be talking to a tech monday. Not sure what else to do.

[Shardak]

>>You club head speed anywhere from 7 to 10 mph faster than skytrak . There's my 10 to 15 yards.

Not true.

Club-head speed has nothing at all to do with the issue. Skytrak does not measure clubhead speed, it only measures ball speed. Clubhead speed is not part of the calculation that Skytrak uses to calculate distance.

The reason its showing lower clubhead speed than SkyPro, is because Skypro actually measures it, and Skytrak can only calculate it based on the assumption that you hit the ball in the sweet spot. If you are mis-hitting balls the accuracy of the skytrak clubhead speed number will be very bad.

Your best bet at confirming accuracy is taking the Skytrak to a driving range and hit balls, then measure distance with a laser rangefinder. See how they compare.

[paschmann]

Hey Guys, for reference I also have a ~10 yard difference in my yardages, this has been discussed in good length on here over the past couple of months.

I have come to accept it, and while playing WGT, hit 1 "more" club to accommodate the difference. When I am in the range I increase the elevation to offset the difference but its a pain to do every time.

I would like to see a profile option to "boost" ball speed by a percentage to accommodate minor issues like this.

[Dax]

Im far from a instructor but had 2 years of lessons through Golftech. I also just received my skytrak a couple days ago and have even been trying different things knowing my yardage this for me is also off 15 to 20 yards. I also have the Skypro and that is showing. You club head speed anywhere from 7 to 10 mph faster than skytrak . There's my 10 to 15 yards. I will be talking to a tech monday. Not sure what else to do.

Skytrak does not measure club head speed and I thought people had come to expect that the irons were pretty close and thus I suggest reading a discussion that just wrapped up with a GC2 owner who felt that his unit was off when compared to what he saw at the same retailer.

[luv2golf]

Here are the launch conditions that I have recorded. The problem is I believe that they are off as well as I have compared them to a trajectory optimizer.

9i 98 mph ball speed 88 club speed 25.6 launch angle 8322 spin 126 total
4i 120 mph 85 18.6 4491 186

I guess my dilemma is that after 20+ years of playing golf competitively I know what my distances are and this device does not seem to represent those numbers.

I'm NOT suggesting to keep it connected to a PC, just to use the computer your typing on now, download the PC app and do a firmware upgrade.

Also, go into your app setting and boost your elevation to 5000 or 8000 feet. See if that makes a difference.

ALSO, LASTLY, are you in network or direct mode? Have you preformed a firmware update, if you and Jimsol just got your units and didn't do a firmware update, then this possibly might lead to your SHORT yardages.

[Tekbud]

These numbers are very close to my own IRL and on the Skytrak. I have also learned to just adjust but I also wish that they were more accurate as well in the more lofted clubs.

[golfmatt1773]

The firmware version on the unit is 1.350, I am unsure if the is the most recent one, and I always connect via network mode. I understand that adjusting the elevation will make a difference, but I don't want to do this as a long term "fix" for the unit. We purchased this unit because of the accuracy it had the ability to calculate. In my eyes if it is giving back numbers that are 10-15 yards off from inside of 150 yards that is not very accurate. Rather than adjusting or getting used to the numbers being off I'd like to try to either get a unit that seems to be more efficient or return the product altogether. Has anyone gone either of those routes (particularly exchanging the unit) and if so how did it work? Also, luv2golf - do you find your unit to be pretty spot on on shorter distances?

[luv2golf]

The firmware version on the unit is 1.350, I am unsure if the is the most recent one, and I always connect via network mode. I understand that adjusting the elevation will make a difference, but I don't want to do this as a long term "fix" for the unit. We purchased this unit because of the accuracy it had the ability to calculate. In my eyes if it is giving back numbers that are 10-15 yards off from inside of 150 yards that is not very accurate. Rather than adjusting or getting used to the numbers being off I'd like to try to either get a unit that seems to be more efficient or return the product altogether. Has anyone gone either of those routes (particularly exchanging the unit) and if so how did it work? Also, luv2golf - do you find your unit to be pretty spot on on shorter distances?

Yep, my unit is great up to 6 iron, for some reason (I know it's me, I have a hard time making good contact on my 5 and 4 irons, but that's just me), Woods are spot on too.

Your firmware version is fine, there was a small update in the latest 1.4.

Your probably better off to get it RMA'd, get a new one, see if you have the same problem or not and then decide from there. At the end of the day it's up to you if you want to muck with it or not. For my use it's just fine until I either get a used GC2 or and ES16 (obviously price dependent).

Yes, for me too, price was a factor.

[TorchRedRob]

Here are the launch conditions that I have recorded. The problem is I believe that they are off as well as I have compared them to a trajectory optimizer.

9i 98 mph ball speed 88 club speed 25.6 launch angle 8322 spin 126 total
4i 120 mph 85 18.6 4491 186

I guess my dilemma is that after 20+ years of playing golf competitively I know what my distances are and this device does not seem to represent those numbers.

The reported distance numbers are pretty much correct for the launch conditions (without knowing your altitude). Check out the free trial / download of Optimal Flight to double check. 195 yds with 120 mph ball speed and 18 launch is not going to happen in real life unless you are in Colorado, for example. same for the 98mph 9i launch conditions.

Based on this, I'd say the issue is either:
1) the unit is not measuring ball speed correctly (other launch numbers sound reasonable for those clubs)
2) the unit is working fine and you are not actually getting the ball speed that you think you are

Since you are a much more accomplished golfer than I am, I would say the issue is #1 and not #2. Get the RMA going and see what happens, if you ask me. There was another guy on here that went back and forth forever with distances, and finally got a new unit and everything was fine. So, I'd start the process now instead of second guessing yourself.

Also, if you haven't, I would try putting the skytrak on a separate piece of mat or on blocks or something at the same height, so that it wouldn't potentially move around during the hit.

I can definitely say that there are units out there that work exactly as they should and are very accurate- I guess I got lucky when I got mine. So get a good one in your hands, and you'll be fine. It can certainly be the tool you want it to be based on my experiences. Good luck!

[foggedz]

Here are the launch conditions that I have recorded. The problem is I believe that they are off as well as I have compared them to a trajectory optimizer.

9i 98 mph ball speed 88 club speed 25.6 launch angle 8322 spin 126 total
4i 120 mph 85 18.6 4491 186

I guess my dilemma is that after 20+ years of playing golf competitively I know what my distances are and this device does not seem to represent those numbers.

What type of ball are you using? I have been under the impression for a long time that Skytrak overcompensates distance loss when spin numbers get in the 6500rpm+ range.