Golf Glossary
Launch Monitor
In short
A launch monitor is a measuring device that records golf shots and delivers data on club and ball, for example club speed, ball speed, launch angle, spin and carry. Most devices work with radar or with high-speed cameras. They are used for practice, club fitting and simulators. TrackMan is a well-known example of a radar system.
Launch monitor in golf: what it means
The name says it: launch is the start, a monitor watches. So a launch monitor observes the start of the ball and its flight. The device stands behind or beside the player and measures every shot in fractions of a second.
The result is a list of numbers. It includes club data, such as club speed, club path and face angle, and ball data, such as ball speed, launch angle, spin, flight height, carry and total distance. Modern devices record more than 20 such values.
Why is that useful? The eye sees where the ball goes, but not why. A launch monitor shows the causes: whether the club came from outside, how much spin the ball has or how centred your strike was. That makes practice more targeted and the choice of clubs more objective. Fitters, coaches and manufacturers use the devices every day.
How does a launch monitor work? Radar and camera
There are two main technologies.
Radar systems send out microwaves. These are reflected by the ball and by the club. From the change in frequency, the Doppler effect, the device calculates how both are moving. It is the same effect police use to measure speed. TrackMan is a well-known example of a radar device. Radar follows the ball over a longer part of its flight. The device usually stands behind the player and needs some space.
Camera systems, also called photometric systems, take a great many pictures per second at impact. From the images they work out speed, angles and spin and then calculate the rest of the flight. They usually sit beside the ball and need less space behind the player. Several manufacturers offer such devices.
Both technologies deliver useful data. Radar measures the flight path rather directly, and cameras are particularly precise about what happens at the club at impact.
What a launch monitor measures
Depending on the device, a launch monitor delivers these groups of values:
- Club data: club speed, attack angle, club path, face angle, dynamic loft, face to path.
- Ball data at launch: ball speed, launch angle, start direction, spin rate and spin axis.
- Flight data: flight height (apex), flight time (hang time), landing angle, carry, total and sideways deviation.
- Derived figures: smash factor and spin loft.
Not every device shows everything. Simple models mainly measure ball values, high-end ones club values as well. Which numbers appear on the screen can often be set. The overview TrackMan numbers helps you to place the values.
For right-handers, angles usually have fixed signs, such as plus for right or up. With every device, check which units (km/h or mph, metres or yards) are set before you compare numbers.
What a launch monitor is used for
The main areas of use:
- Practice: you see at once how a change works and check progress with numbers rather than feel.
- Club fitting: fitters compare clubs, shafts and balls under the same conditions and choose what suits your numbers.
- Distance chart: you determine the carry of each club and know your gaps on the course.
- Simulators: the device measures the shot, the software turns it into a virtual course.
- Games and competitions: target games such as nearest pin or longest drive are scored with measured data.
Coaches use the devices too. With the data they show what happens in the movement and save long explanations. On the practice grounds of professional tournaments, launch monitors are an everyday sight.
A practical example: reading a 7-iron
A recreational golfer hits ten balls with the 7-iron and reads off the averages: club speed 110 km/h, ball speed 145 km/h, launch angle 19 degrees, spin 6,200 revolutions per minute, carry 120 metres. The numbers are an example for an average amateur.
Conclusions follow from the numbers. Smash factor is 145 divided by 110, so about 1.32. For a 7-iron that is a good value. The carry of 120 metres goes into the distance chart. Dispersion shows whether the balls fly straight on average.
If the same player had only looked at the result, he would only know: the ball went roughly to the green. With the launch monitor he sees that his speed and strike point are fine, and can work on direction if the balls drift to the right.
Common mistakes and limits
A common mistake is to judge single shots. Averages of five to ten shots without clear misses are what count.
A second mistake is to try to change too many values at once. Choose one value and watch how the others change.
Third, accuracy depends on set-up and conditions. A device that is badly placed or not aligned gives poorer numbers. Weather, light, ball and surface also affect the data. Indoor measurements are usually easy to compare, but do not show wind or how the ball behaves on grass.
Fourth, numbers do not replace the eye. A launch monitor tells you what happens, not how to change it. For that you need feel for the movement, video analysis or a coach. The best results come when data and observation come together.
Launch monitor, rangefinder and simulator
Launch monitor and rangefinder: a rangefinder measures the distance from the player to the flag. A launch monitor measures what the shot does. The two devices solve different tasks.
Launch monitor and simulator: a simulator consists of a launch monitor, software, a screen and a projector. The measuring device supplies the data, and the software turns it into the virtual ball flight on a golf course.
Launch monitor and video analysis: video analysis shows the player's movement. The launch monitor shows the result at the club and the ball. The two complement each other.
Launch monitor and golf app: some apps estimate values from sensors or the phone camera. That is practical, but usually less accurate than a dedicated measuring device.
Try it at Golf Lounge
At Golf Lounge Resort Hamburg a TrackMan III, a radar system that measures ball flight as on the pro tour, works at every hitting bay and in the indoor simulator bays. It records launch angle, ball speed, club speed, flight distance and spin, among others, with more than 20 values in total in the simulator bays. V1 Pro video analysis is available as a complement and shows your movement on screen. By its own account, Golf Lounge introduced TrackMan Range technology in 2017 as the first facility in the world.
Frequently asked questions
What is a launch monitor in golf?
A launch monitor is a measuring device that records every golf shot and outputs data on club and ball, for example club speed, ball speed, launch angle, spin and carry. It shows why a ball flies the way it does and makes practice and club selection more precise.
How does a launch monitor work?
There are radar and camera systems. Radar sends out microwaves and calculates the movement of ball and club from the returning signals. Cameras take a great many pictures per second at impact and work out speed, angles and spin from them. TrackMan works with radar.
Which is better: radar or camera?
Neither is better in general. Radar follows the ball over a longer part of its flight and suits distances and flight paths, while cameras deliver particularly precise data at impact and need less space. The choice depends on the use, such as range, fitting or simulator.
What does a launch monitor measure?
More than 20 values, depending on the device. They include club speed, attack angle, club path, face angle, ball speed, launch angle, spin, flight height, landing angle, carry and total distance. Simple devices mainly measure the ball, high-end systems the club as well. Which numbers you see can often be set.
How accurate is a launch monitor?
That depends on the device, the set-up and the conditions. High-quality systems give very usable values if they are placed and aligned correctly. Single shots always vary. So judge averages from several shots and compare under similar conditions.
As of: October 2026