Indoor distances, a little short?

[acn684]

When I tested my skytrak outdoors, it seemed like the yardages were perfect.

However, I'm noticing that hitting indoors, i'm getting about 1 club-length short of where I expect it to be. I'm fairly certain it is not an "indoor" swing thing as I'm hitting inside a fully enclosed cage and with the ball slightly teed up to eliminate any issues with turf.

I can easily get my SW about 100-105 yards outdoors but struggle to get 90, avg 80 indoors.
8 iron normal carry on my relaxed swing is 140-45; 150-155 if I go at it....141 max on what I thought was a 9.5/10 swing avging 133.
Same with woods, I'm getting 205 max when I normally carry this 225; 240 flush.

What the heck? I haven't gotten to test it again outdoors cause its 15 degrees outside...but does anyone else have issues with their skytrak indoors or with just distances in general?

[Doug Doty]

Best advice always ends up being to take your SkyTrak to an indoor range for some comparison swings. I know you said it is not about swinging indoors but most of the threads I have ever read end up there. I match up outside when I last tested but fall short indoors, and I am fairly certain the unit doesn't possess the ability to differentiate since it is photometric based on ball motion. Give it a try and let us know.

[hardboiled]

Exactly the same issue here. The Skytrak is about a club shorter indoors in my garage, and spot on outdoors.
For me, it's definitely indoor swing vs outdoor swing. For some reason I just can't get the clubhead speed indoors. I was blaming the Skytrak until I got both swings on video, and the indoor swing was very different, less rotation.

[Doug Doty]

I like you mention of video !!!, that is real telling of what is happening. I was videoing my daughter's swing today so she could play it back in slo mo on iphone, we all start lifting and topping when having not played in a while. Just got my ST back in use today with a SPDR net in my office at work, nice to have it going again.

[acn684]

Could be indoor vs outdoor swing but I'm playing in a 16 foot ceiling area with full nets. Clubhead speed calculations seem correct. my 6 iron is about 90 mph and its showing that my 8 iron at a very good swing was 88 mph. The thing that seems to be off is the launch angle. avg nearly 25 degrees for an 8 iron on some of the ones I thought were flush. Looking at some "pro figures" they are launching their 8 irons at 18 degrees carrying 160, the women are launching it at 21 degrees carrying 130...which means I need to be somewhere in between that to optimize my carry for the 8 iron. i'm assuming something like 2 ish yards per degree of launch so if I get it down to 4 degrees, i'll be at the launch i thought I would be at.

It could be entirely due to how I'm hitting off my matt as well. What I might do is just try to take a video and measure it out where it strikes my net and make a small calculation about that. Perhaps I am launching it at a point on my net which is promoting the higher launch angle.

The other thought I have might be the turf that I'm hitting off of, it's not nearly as "spongy" as the turf at the range and the ball might be popping up quicker than say grass. But I'm not sure that would have such a major impact overall but who knows.

[acn684]

Updates to distance issues. Seems like the height of the skytrak has a pretty significant influence to the distance . First thing I did was take it off the tee and just try to take a clean hit off the mat (I avoid hitting off this mat cause its on the harder side so clipping it stings the elbows and it has very little give). On a perfect strike the ball carried 150 rolled 160, spin was 6,000 which is what I expect from my 8 iron. Off a tee, ball carried 141 rolled 150 with 8,000 spin. So I contemplated if it was the mat or the difference in height.

Tested a raised up 4W. This time I compared the skytrak raised another 1/2 inch vs no raise. 205 carry not raised, 225 carry raised.

There is definitely some influence on the height of the skytrak relative to the ball and launch angle. I didn't think it would have a difference since 20 degree is 20 degree regardless of where you start, but it seems like it somehow influences the shot data. Perhaps there is an established "low point" set by skytrak.

[SomaPLR]

http://blog.trackmangolf.com/the-dif...all-distances/

Difference on hitting balls of a mat vs grass - mat balls always go shorter and have more spin

[wbond]

Or not.

http://blog.trackmangolf.com/mats-vs-grass-whats-difference/

http://blog.trackmangolf.com/the-dif...all-distances/

Difference on hitting balls of a mat vs grass - mat balls always go shorter and have more spin

[SomaPLR]

not a tell all - I shouldn't have said always. That's not a very extensive test though on either side...mine spin more off a mat. It would be very user independent. It's just another variable in the equation most people don't think about.

[SomaPLR]

Both studies do show consistently less swing speed off of a mat vs grass.

[goatbarn]

Yes, and that is definitely mental. People must just get amped up to crush the ball when they know they need to take a divot.

I think this adds to the indoor swing symptom. Swing slower because of confined space and also no need to take divot...maybe.

[waltertyler]

I have my skytrak on the ground next to my 5x5 mat. Skytrak with FMJ cover is raised to mat height then leveled. also made sure mat was leveled. Doing this carefully has solved all problems with distance and especially misreads. went 2 rounds in tgc so far with no misreads. 7 yard chips up to 280 yard drives. Tee for driver on the red dot. I didnt need to move it back like others.

[wbond]

I don't move it around either. I play every shot from the laser dot. I think alot has to do with swing speed as well. I'm sure there is a sweet spot for this system for swing speeds.