Are Dick`s Sporting Good`s launch monitors accurate?

[ChronicSlicer]

Stopped by Dick`s today so I hit a few different 7 irons. My average carry was between 135-145, with 160 being the longest with roll out.My average swing speed was about 70 ish, 75 with an M2. On the course I usually have no issues flying a 7 around 160-165. That`s a 30 yard difference. According to a chart I saw posted here at 70mph my 7 should carry somewhere around 108ish. My normal 160 carry would put my estimated swing speed at around 105. I`m confused, is Dick`s machine off on its numbers or what?

[games]

Stopped by Dick`s today so I hit a few different 7 irons. My average carry was between 135-145, with 160 being the longest with roll out.My average swing speed was about 70 ish, 75 with an M2. On the course I usually have no issues flying a 7 around 160-165. That`s a 30 yard difference. According to a chart I saw posted here at 70mph my 7 should carry somewhere around 108ish. My normal 160 carry would put my estimated swing speed at around 105. I`m confused, is Dick`s machine off on its numbers or what?

 

Some of us here believe there is a mental barrier about hitting indoors versus outdoors. Bottom line, if you're flying it 160 on the course, that's your number. Look for an outside venue for purposes of club testing or see if your store will let you rent or "check out" a demo club to take to the range.

[suprfli6]

Stopped by Dick`s today so I hit a few different 7 irons. My average carry was between 135-145, with 160 being the longest with roll out.My average swing speed was about 70 ish, 75 with an M2. On the course I usually have no issues flying a 7 around 160-165. That`s a 30 yard difference. According to a chart I saw posted here at 70mph my 7 should carry somewhere around 108ish. My normal 160 carry would put my estimated swing speed at around 105. I`m confused, is Dick`s machine off on its numbers or what?

It probably is not accurate, but you also seem to be mixing up driver swingspeeds with 7i swingspeeds. Somebody who carries their 7i 160 yards would have an estimated 105 mph clubhead speed with their driver, not their 7i. A 105mph 7i is like Jamie Sadlowski fast.

[Hondabuff]

Your going to need ball speed around 112mph to get 160 carry and about 90mph club head speed with a 7 iron. I wouldn't pay much attention to the club head speed on the monitors and look for ball speed and launch angle instead. In the end its not how fast you can swing the club but how fast you can make the ball go.

[FirePro]

depending on the launch monitor and software results my very, some simulators measure ball speed only then use an average smash factor to calculate club head speed so as Hondabuff mentioned I wouldn't pay much attention to this. if the launch monitor also calculates spin rates based off of what club is chosen it can effect the results, select wedge but hitting a 7 iron its possible to hit it less distance with more spin than normal, again this all depends on their launch monitor and software used.

 

I find foresight to be pretty accurate for carry distances which for the most part is really all you need. if you want better ball data when you can look at a location that has trackman but be sure their facility has the right specs to utilize trackman because I could be wrong but it needs to take the ball at a minimum distance to give proper data.

[Hambone1]

Your going to need ball speed around 112mph to get 160 carry and about 90mph club head speed with a 7 iron. I wouldn't pay much attention to the club head speed on the monitors and look for ball speed and launch angle instead. In the end its not how fast you can swing the club but how fast you can make the ball go.

 

That is completely inaccurate. That would give a smash factor of 1.24, which is a very poorly struck 7 iron.

[branover1]

I was at Golf Galaxy the other day and I'm sure the launch monitor there is juiced to give unrealistic results to help sell clubs. I have a Skytrak at home and have used a friends GC2 a bunch. I fly my 7 iron 165-170 max, at Golf Galaxy I was carrying an AP2 demo 180+, a few over 190. I questioned the guy helping me out and of coarse he wouldn't admit to any tampering with the monitor.

[Bonesaw]

I had spent years being fooled by golf store monitors. As mentioned ballspeed and launch are the only reliable numbers on store monitors. Most other stats are calculated/made up by the computer from those.

 

If your looking to gain distance from new clubs get fitted on a radar (trackman etc) with someone who knows what they are doimg. It is well worth it.

 

Otherwise trust your on course carry numbers. If you don't have those findem.

 

 

[Hondabuff]

Your going to need ball speed around 112mph to get 160 carry and about 90mph club head speed with a 7 iron. I wouldn't pay much attention to the club head speed on the monitors and look for ball speed and launch angle instead. In the end its not how fast you can swing the club but how fast you can make the ball go.

 

That is completely inaccurate. That would give a smash factor of 1.24, which is a very poorly struck 7 iron.

 

I'm pretty sure 1.37 smash is optimum for a 6 iron strike and 90% of golfers can never do that consistently. The OP is swinging at 75mph which gives you about 102mph ball speed. That's around 140-142 max yardage.

[phatchrisrules]

Stopped by Dick`s today so I hit a few different 7 irons. My average carry was between 135-145, with 160 being the longest with roll out.My average swing speed was about 70 ish, 75 with an M2. On the course I usually have no issues flying a 7 around 160-165. That`s a 30 yard difference. According to a chart I saw posted here at 70mph my 7 should carry somewhere around 108ish. My normal 160 carry would put my estimated swing speed at around 105. I`m confused, is Dick`s machine off on its numbers or what?

 

Where did you see this chart? It is massively wrong. A perfectly struck 7i at 70mph should fly no more than about 127-130 depending on launch and spin. So if you were swinging at 75mph you should get about 142 carry, again, assuming perfect strike and basically optimal launch and spin. The monitor isn't wrong. For whatever reason, assuming your eyeball of your outside yardages is accurate (and in most cases unless you are using a laser, it isn't) you'd have to have a 10mph faster swing outside than inside. I'm not saying that is impossible but something about the demo irons you were trying must have really been affecting your swing speed. However, I've been fitting for 13 years, and I have never seen someone's swing speed spike 10mph even from a massively ill-fit combination to a perfect combination. My best guess is that a) something about being indoors really caused you to not swing to your normal potential, b) you were having an off day, I know my carry distance fluxes about 7y between 163-167 with my 7i depending on the day according to my GC2, or c) you don't actually hit it 160-165 carry and you finally saw the truth.

 

I had spent years being fooled by golf store monitors. As mentioned ballspeed and launch are the only reliable numbers on store monitors. Most other stats are calculated/made up by the computer from those.

 

If your looking to gain distance from new clubs get fitted on a radar (trackman etc) with someone who knows what they are doimg. It is well worth it.

 

Otherwise trust your on course carry numbers. If you don't have those findem.

 

Store monitors are not inaccurate. I hate posts like these with a passion. Trackman is no more accurate than anything else, radar or not. I can't remember the last time our GC2 units were calibrated, to be completely transparent. I hit my 7i anywhere from 163-167 carry on my GC2 after getting loose, at ~1000ft elevation. I was lucky enough to be taken to Carlsbad for a 2-day intensive fitting training course at Callaway in May. They took us to their tour player fitting range and had us try the new Epic irons against our own clubs, on Trackman, outside, at sea level. I hit two balls, and starting carrying my 7i 161. I whopping 2 yards of difference in the air with the exact same launch and spin I see on my GC2 unit. So if I had suffiecient warm up time, I could easily see myself carrying it 165 outside, at sea level, the exact same numbers I see indoors.

[Smitty1304]

The units I've seen at Dick's don't have the capability to read clubhead speed. They typically fix the smash factor at a fixed value and then use ballspeed to estimate the clubhead speed. What was your average ball speed and launch angle?

[ignitewvu]

Absolutely NOT

 

They are calibrated to make you "Think" you are hitting the clubs further and straighter. It helps them sell clubs........

[phatchrisrules]

Absolutely NOT

 

They are calibrated to make you "Think" you are hitting the clubs further and straighter. It helps them sell clubs........

 

Yes because that makes a whole heck of a lot of sense. So then when the guy gets out on the course and sees they are hitting it shorter and more crooked than they were before they come in screaming at the top of their lungs that they got ripped off and want a refund. That's a real great way to keep the doors open because now they have to refund the guy his money and then sell the used set a discount because nobody is going to pay full retail for a used set of clubs. So in actuality they are losing money on every transaction because they have to keep giving out refunds.

 

That really makes a lot of business sense, doesn't it? :russian_roulette:

[Hambone1]

Your going to need ball speed around 112mph to get 160 carry and about 90mph club head speed with a 7 iron. I wouldn't pay much attention to the club head speed on the monitors and look for ball speed and launch angle instead. In the end its not how fast you can swing the club but how fast you can make the ball go.

 

That is completely inaccurate. That would give a smash factor of 1.24, which is a very poorly struck 7 iron.

 

I'm pretty sure 1.37 smash is optimum for a 6 iron strike and 90% of golfers can never do that consistently. The OP is swinging at 75mph which gives you about 102mph ball speed. That's around 140-142 max yardage.

 

Sorry, this isn't accurate. PGA tour average (30* 6i) is 1.38. As loft decreases, smash increases, so an average amateur with a 27* 6i with decently fit golf clubs can easily attain mid 1.30's with a 6i, which would be low 1.3's with a 7i.

 

Your example is assuming a 1.36 smash factor...which isn't wrong. But the previous statement is.

[ChronicSlicer]

Where did you see this chart? It is massively wrong. A perfectly struck 7i at 70mph should fly no more than about 127-130 depending on launch and spin. So if you were swinging at 75mph you should get about 142 carry, again, assuming perfect strike and basically optimal launch and spin. The monitor isn't wrong. For whatever reason, assuming your eyeball of your outside yardages is accurate (and in most cases unless you are using a laser, it isn't) you'd have to have a 10mph faster swing outside than inside. I'm not saying that is impossible but something about the demo irons you were trying must have really been affecting your swing speed. However, I've been fitting for 13 years, and I have never seen someone's swing speed spike 10mph even from a massively ill-fit combination to a perfect combination. My best guess is that a) something about being indoors really caused you to not swing to your normal potential, b) you were having an off day, I know my carry distance fluxes about 7y between 163-167 with my 7i depending on the day according to my GC2, or c) you don't actually hit it 160-165 carry and you finally saw the truth

I came across the chart on here somewhere a while back.I assume hitting indoors may have an effect, unless of course multiple driving ranges and GPS units are badly inaccurate.

[Bonesaw]

Stopped by Dick`s today so I hit a few different 7 irons. My average carry was between 135-145, with 160 being the longest with roll out.My average swing speed was about 70 ish, 75 with an M2. On the course I usually have no issues flying a 7 around 160-165. That`s a 30 yard difference. According to a chart I saw posted here at 70mph my 7 should carry somewhere around 108ish. My normal 160 carry would put my estimated swing speed at around 105. I`m confused, is Dick`s machine off on its numbers or what?

 

Where did you see this chart? It is massively wrong. A perfectly struck 7i at 70mph should fly no more than about 127-130 depending on launch and spin. So if you were swinging at 75mph you should get about 142 carry, again, assuming perfect strike and basically optimal launch and spin. The monitor isn't wrong. For whatever reason, assuming your eyeball of your outside yardages is accurate (and in most cases unless you are using a laser, it isn't) you'd have to have a 10mph faster swing outside than inside. I'm not saying that is impossible but something about the demo irons you were trying must have really been affecting your swing speed. However, I've been fitting for 13 years, and I have never seen someone's swing speed spike 10mph even from a massively ill-fit combination to a perfect combination. My best guess is that a) something about being indoors really caused you to not swing to your normal potential, b) you were having an off day, I know my carry distance fluxes about 7y between 163-167 with my 7i depending on the day according to my GC2, or c) you don't actually hit it 160-165 carry and you finally saw the truth.

 

I had spent years being fooled by golf store monitors. As mentioned ballspeed and launch are the only reliable numbers on store monitors. Most other stats are calculated/made up by the computer from those.

 

If your looking to gain distance from new clubs get fitted on a radar (trackman etc) with someone who knows what they are doimg. It is well worth it.

 

Otherwise trust your on course carry numbers. If you don't have those findem.

 

Store monitors are not inaccurate. I hate posts like these with a passion. Trackman is no more accurate than anything else, radar or not. I can't remember the last time our GC2 units were calibrated, to be completely transparent. I hit my 7i anywhere from 163-167 carry on my GC2 after getting loose, at ~1000ft elevation. I was lucky enough to be taken to Carlsbad for a 2-day intensive fitting training course at Callaway in May. They took us to their tour player fitting range and had us try the new Epic irons against our own clubs, on Trackman, outside, at sea level. I hit two balls, and starting carrying my 7i 161. I whopping 2 yards of difference in the air with the exact same launch and spin I see on my GC2 unit. So if I had suffiecient warm up time, I could easily see myself carrying it 165 outside, at sea level, the exact same numbers I see indoors.

 

You're right gc2's are pretty good and I'd bet you a dollar the OP wasn't hitting on a gc2. It's great that you have access to a store gc2 that you have verified against a radar but Alot of DSG don't have them . Lots have a machine that has a generic smash factor and wazoo spin numbers. I personally only use those for ballspeed and launch angle since I'm pretty sure theyes actually measure them.

 

I think saying that store monitors are not inaccurate is even more irresponsible than what I said (generalizing them). Especially since the OP was obviously on an inaccurate one.

 

I would not base a purchase solely off numbers seen in a DSG lm.

 

 

[adam667220]

I've got one by work and one on my way home. They don't use the same types of monitors and they yield very different results. Not sure which of the two is accurate, but obviously that leaves one that is not regardless.

[pkshooter]

Always take one of your own irons with you to compare. If you hit on the simulator with your own club and it is close to what you hit in the real world, then you know the monitor is in the ballpark.

[bluedot]

A launch monitor, ANY launch monitor, is really, really good at helping you compare one club to another. And the better the monitor (and the fitter using it, of course) the better and more accurate that comparison will be. Even on a Trackman setup, a fitter would never start a session without getting benchmarks for what you are doing with your current club(s), and then going from there.

 

That said, there is NO way that the LM's in a store like Dick's are comparable to a full Trackman setup. For spin rates alone, the store monitors are notoriously inaccurate. Whether or not they are "juiced" to sell clubs is an open question, but the next guy who says that he hit clubs on a store monitor shorter than he did in "real life" will be the first one I'll have seen.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

Launch angle and backspin! I know people that hit their 7 iron 200 yards by consistent delofting.

[The_Johnny_B]

1. It depends on the type of launch monitor they are using, whether its flightscope, GC2 or a full simulator.

2. Dont ever test a club with the impact tape on it for distance, impact tape reduces spin and youll carry the club 20-30 yards further then one without face tape.

3. Always bring your club in to compare, launch monitors are not perfect for distance reading especially indoors but if you hit your club to compare it it reduces all variables and gives you true data to show which one you hit further on the monitor which will equate to you hitting it further outdoors.

4. It depends on the store and the employees in the store whether or not the numbers are boosted, personally I'd discipline any associate that I find to be boosting the numbers in order to sell a club. Some employees and sales managers have different views then myself, but at the most they probably boost it 10-15 yards based on what I have seen in some stores.

[sjugolf64]

I wouldn't trust them at all unless you are comparing your current clubs head to head on the monitor. They can easy adjust things on them to get the ball to fly farther. You can add a % boost to them if you want. I think it was talked about on the post I saw about Rory's numbers on the range at the PGA Championship. We all know it hits it long, but no where near as long as some of those shots where saying and they were speculating they had the settings set to juice the numbers.

[DatSliceDoe]

The GG I worked at had GC2 (no HMT) and some kind of awful indoor sims. Those are a joke. However, most people don't hit well indoors, myself included. If you want a proper fitting, get it done on a range.

 

We never messed with our GC2s and they were decent. No HMT means you lose a lot of the very accurate data. If they had the $$$ they would get GCQuads and call it a day.

[Cooke]

Yeah, most all Dicks stores I’ve been in use GC2s. No club data. The indoor swing phenomenon is real and having a sim at my house I’ve noticed it took about a month to really work through it. Get outside and you’ll be good to go.

[biker74]

On 8/18/2017 at 4:44 AM, bluedot said:

A launch monitor, ANY launch monitor, is really, really good at helping you compare one club to another. And the better the monitor (and the fitter using it, of course) the better and more accurate that comparison will be. Even on a Trackman setup, a fitter would never start a session without getting benchmarks for what you are doing with your current club(s), and then going from there.

 

That said, there is NO way that the LM's in a store like Dick's are comparable to a full Trackman setup. For spin rates alone, the store monitors are notoriously inaccurate. Whether or not they are "juiced" to sell clubs is an open question, but the next guy who says that he hit clubs on a store monitor shorter than he did in "real life" will be the first one I'll have seen.

Me.I can carry my driver 242-247.Had me carrying it 170

[semarlor]

2 hours ago, Dunk89 said:

Me.I can carry my driver 242-247.Had me carrying it 170

7 years later.... 

[GoGoErky]

4 hours ago, semarlor said:

7 years later.... 

he likes digging up old threads. He pulled up a 5 year old one the other day.

[WristySwing]

Not to mention if there's a 70+ yard delta between the simulator and the on-course performance, my wager goes to the simulator being more accurate than outside.