Golf Glossary
TrackMan Combine
In short
The TrackMan Combine is a standardised test of ball striking. According to common descriptions you hit 60 balls to fixed target distances and with the driver, and each shot receives 0 to 100 points. The result is an overall score that you can compare with other players, including by handicap group.
What is the TrackMan Combine?
The TrackMan Combine is a standardised test that measures a golfer's ability to control the ball. It runs on a TrackMan launch monitor and consists of a fixed sequence of shots to different targets. All players take the same test, so results can be compared well, even when they are produced in different places.
The Combine is neither a tournament nor a handicap test. It says nothing about your course strategy, your putting or your nerves. It shows how precisely you control distance and direction at different yardages. Coaches like to use it to determine strengths and weaknesses in ball striking objectively, and players use it to follow progress over weeks and months.
How it works: 60 shots at fixed targets
According to common descriptions from golf associations and coaches, the Combine comprises 60 shots. You hit several balls to target distances of 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 140, 160 and 180 yards, and additionally with the driver. Typically you hit three shots at each target and three drivers, and then the round repeats. Coaches quote about 30 to 40 minutes for it, plus 10 to 15 minutes of warm-up.
The exact design can differ by version, device and provider. What matters is that distances and order are fixed. That way you see your game across the whole range from short approach shots to the driver, including shots you practise less often.
How the TrackMan Combine scores
Each shot receives a score from 0 to 100. The score depends on how close the ball lands to the target and is based on the measured carry. A full score only goes to shots that finish very close to the target. The shots at the same target are averaged, and all targets together form an overall score.
The TrackMan Combine also offers comparisons: you see where you stand against other players with a similar handicap and how your results compare with those of players at a higher level. In the TrackMan Portal results can also be compared on leaderboards.
TrackMan takes accuracy, consistency and distance control into account in the scoring. A player who controls his carry reliably scores well even if he does not hit particularly far.
Practical example: reading the results
A player completes the Combine and gets these example values per target: 62 points at about 91 metres, 48 points at about 128 metres, 35 points at about 165 metres and 55 points with the driver. The figures are invented examples, used only for illustration.
The picture is clear. On short approaches the player is solid. With growing distance accuracy falls, and the biggest weakness is with long irons. The coach recognises that it is not the technique as a whole but mainly the long irons that need work, perhaps through more clubhead speed, better alignment or a different club in the bag, such as a hybrid.
After eight to twelve weeks of practice the test is repeated. If the value at 165 metres rises from 35 to 45, the progress is measurably documented. That is exactly what the fixed structure of the test is for: it makes development visible that you hardly notice in normal play.
What the TrackMan Combine shows and what it does not
The Combine shows how well you control distance and direction, and it reveals gaps in your club selection. If you have good values at 120 metres and poor ones at 140, you may be missing a club or your speed is uneven. Dispersion, meaning your shot pattern, also feeds into the scoring.
But the test measures only ball flight under ideal conditions. Wind, terrain, lie and pressure, which count on the course, are missing. A good Combine score therefore does not guarantee a good result on the course. It also says nothing about your short game around the green and your putting.
Expect day-to-day swings: form on the day, lack of sleep and fatigue change the values noticeably. Compare only like with like, for example at the same time of day and with the same clubs. Treat the score as a tool, not a verdict. It answers the question of what you should work on, not how good a golfer you are.
Preparation and tips
Go into the test rested and warm up for 10 to 15 minutes. The Combine takes half an hour to three quarters of an hour, and as fatigue builds your swing changes. Use the same routine for every shot, because consistency counts for more than single great shots.
Know your carry for every club. If you know which club flies 128 metres, you choose the right one for a target and do not resort to a three-quarter swing as a makeshift. A yardage chart helps with this. Before the test, practise to fixed targets rather than into empty space.
Do not repeat the test too often. After four weeks little changes, after eight to twelve weeks changes become visible. Discuss the result with a PGA pro, who can derive a practice plan from the numbers.
Combine, target games and handicap compared
The Combine is a test with fixed rules. A target game at the range, such as Nearest Pin, is a game that you choose freely and repeat as often as you like. It trains the same skill but is not standardised and gives no comparable score.
Handicap is something different too. It comes from your rounds on the course under the World Handicap System and reflects your game under real conditions. The Combine does not replace a handicap but can give hints on where your ball striking stands, because it compares your results with handicap groups.
The Combine also differs from statistics such as strokes gained. Strokes gained measures your shots in play, while the Combine measures a defined test.
Try it at Golf Lounge
Every mat on the TrackMan range at Golf Lounge Resort Hamburg has a TrackMan monitor with target games such as Driving Range, Nearest Pin, Longest Drive and Bullseye. The range has 32 covered hitting bays on two levels and can be used all year round. A target game such as Nearest Pin is a good way to practise distance control, which is also what the Combine asks for. You see measurements such as carry, launch angle and ball speed after each shot.
Frequently asked questions
What is the TrackMan Combine?
The TrackMan Combine is a standardised test on a TrackMan launch monitor. According to common descriptions you hit 60 balls to fixed target distances and with the driver. Each shot gets 0 to 100 points. The results produce an overall score that you can compare with other players.
How many shots is the TrackMan Combine?
Usually 60 shots, spread across target distances from 60 to 180 yards and the driver. The procedure can differ slightly by version. Coaches quote about 30 to 40 minutes for the test, plus time to warm up.
How is the TrackMan Combine scored?
Each shot gets a value from 0 to 100 depending on how close the measured carry is to the target. The values per target are averaged and combined into an overall score. TrackMan also compares your result with other players, including handicap groups.
Does the TrackMan Combine replace a handicap?
No. A handicap comes from rounds played under the World Handicap System. The Combine is a test of ball striking under fixed conditions and measures neither putting nor course strategy. It can show where your ball striking stands against other handicap groups.
How often should I do the TrackMan Combine?
Every eight to twelve weeks is a sensible interval, because changes in your swing then show in the values. Repeating it too often brings little, as results hardly change. Go into the test rested and use the same routine each time.
As of: October 2026