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    Golf Glossary

    TrackMan numbers explained

    In short

    TrackMan numbers are the data a TrackMan launch monitor records for every golf shot. The device tracks the club and the ball with radar and shows values such as club speed, ball speed, smash factor, launch angle, spin, carry and total distance. The numbers fall into three groups: what the club does at impact, how the ball launches, and how it flies and lands. Once you understand how they connect, you understand your ball flight and can practise with a clear purpose.

    On this page

    What a TrackMan measures and how it works

    TrackMan is the brand name of a Danish manufacturer of launch monitors. A launch monitor is a measuring device placed behind or beside the hitting area that records every shot. TrackMan uses radar: it sends out waves and reads the reflected signals to see how the club head and the ball move.

    Most club data, such as club path and face angle, refer to the moment of maximum compression, when ball and club face are pressed together the hardest. Club speed is measured just before first contact with the ball. Ball data are measured immediately after the ball leaves the face. From launch speed, angles and spin the software then calculates the full flight.

    Depending on the settings, speeds are shown in km/h, m/s or mph and distances in metres or yards. Angles are given in degrees and spin in revolutions per minute. Direction values carry a plus or minus sign. The examples on this page are for right-handed golfers.

    Club data: what happens at impact

    These numbers describe how the club meets the ball. They are the cause of everything the ball does afterwards.

    • Club speed: the speed of the centre of the club head just before it first touches the ball. It is the main engine of distance.
    • Attack angle: whether the club head is moving up (plus) or down (minus) at impact. With irons, most players hit slightly down on the ball.
    • Club path: the sideways direction of the club head relative to the target line. Plus means in-to-out, minus means out-to-in.
    • Face angle: where the club face points at impact. Plus means open, so right of target; minus means closed.
    • Face to path: the difference between face angle and club path. This number mainly decides whether, and how much, the ball curves.
    • Dynamic loft: the actual loft of the face at impact. It often differs from the loft stamped on the club because the hands and shaft tilt the face.
    • Spin loft: the angle between the direction the club is moving and the direction the face is pointing. The larger it is, the more backspin you create.

    Ball data: how the ball launches

    As soon as the ball leaves the face, TrackMan measures its launch values. They show how well the energy of the swing reached the ball.

    • Ball speed: the speed of the ball right after launch. With the same launch angle and spin, more ball speed means more distance.
    • Smash factor: ball speed divided by club speed. It shows how centred and efficient the strike was. With a driver the ceiling is around 1.50.
    • Launch angle: the upward angle at which the ball takes off relative to the ground.
    • Launch direction: the sideways starting angle relative to the target line. It depends mostly on where the face is pointing.
    • Spin rate: how fast the ball rotates, in revolutions per minute. Spin makes the ball climb and stop more quickly on the green; too much costs distance.
    • Spin axis: the tilt of the imaginary axis the ball spins around. A plus value curves the ball to the right, a minus value to the left.

    Flight data: height, distance and landing

    From the launch values TrackMan calculates how the ball flies and where it comes to rest. You need these numbers mainly for choosing clubs on the course.

    • Carry: the distance the ball travels in the air until it is back at the height it was struck from. For shots into the green this is the key distance.
    • Total: carry plus roll to the calculated resting position. How far a ball rolls depends heavily on the ground.
    • Height or apex: the highest point of the flight.
    • Landing angle: how steeply the ball comes down. Steeper landings stop the ball sooner.
    • Hang time: how many seconds the ball stays in the air.
    • Side: how far left or right of the target line the ball lands. Over many shots this gives you your dispersion.

    Collect the carry numbers of all your clubs and you have a personal distance chart.

    Example: reading a slice with TrackMan numbers

    A right-handed golfer hits a 7-iron and sees these numbers: club path minus 5 degrees, face angle 0 degrees, face to path plus 5 degrees. The face points straight at the target, but the club is swinging clearly out-to-in.

    What happens? Because the face largely decides the starting direction, the ball starts roughly at the flag. Because the face is open relative to the path, the ball gets a spin axis tilted to the right and curves right in the air. That is a typical slice. The fix is usually a more neutral path, or a face that is less open relative to the path.

    A second example concerns the driver: club speed 150 km/h, ball speed 210 km/h. That is a smash factor of 1.40. At the same speed, a very good strike could produce up to about 225 km/h of ball speed. In this case it pays to work on where you strike the face before trying to swing faster.

    Which TrackMan numbers to start with

    More than 20 numbers after every shot can be confusing. To begin with, a few are enough. The most useful is the carry distance of each club, because it helps you choose clubs straight away. Add your sideways dispersion, which shows how reliable a club is. Smash factor tells you whether you are striking the centre. Face to path explains why a ball curves.

    More advanced players also look at attack angle, dynamic loft and spin loft. These help, for example, when optimising a driver or during a club fitting.

    A few tips for practice:

    • Judge averages from five to ten shots, not a single shot.
    • Work on one number at a time and watch how the others change.
    • Leave obvious mishits out of your analysis.
    • Only compare numbers under similar conditions. Ball, temperature and ground all affect the results.
    • If needed, work with a coach who can link the numbers to your movement.

    Try it at Golf Lounge

    At Golf Lounge Resort Hamburg, each of the 32 hitting bays on two levels has its own TrackMan monitor. The range is covered and heated, so you can measure your numbers all year round, including carry, total, launch angle, ball speed and height. With the TrackMan Range app you can also see the data on your smartphone. In the indoor simulator bays, TrackMan records more than 20 values, including club speed. In 2017 Golf Lounge became the first facility in the world to introduce TrackMan Range technology.

    View TrackMan options

    Frequently asked questions

    Which TrackMan numbers matter most for beginners?

    Four numbers are enough to start: the carry distance of each club, your sideways dispersion, smash factor and face to path. Carry and dispersion help you choose clubs on the course. Smash factor shows whether you strike the centre of the face. Face to path explains why the ball curves left or right. The other numbers become more important once you work on specific details.

    What do plus and minus mean in TrackMan numbers?

    The sign shows the direction. For attack angle, plus means the club is moving up at impact and minus means down. For club path, face angle and face to path, plus means right, open and in-to-out for a right-handed golfer, while minus means left, closed and out-to-in. For spin axis, a plus value curves the ball to the right.

    What is the difference between carry and total?

    Carry is the distance the ball flies in the air until it is back at the height it was struck from. Total is the full distance, meaning carry plus roll. For shots onto the green or over water and bunkers, carry is what counts. Roll varies a lot with the ground, which is why carry is the more reliable number for your distance chart.

    Does TrackMan show metres or yards?

    That depends on the system settings. TrackMan can display distances in metres or yards and speeds in km/h or mph, for example. Many reference values from the US, such as tour averages, are published in yards and mph. For conversion: one yard is 0.914 metres and one mile per hour is about 1.61 km/h.

    All terms on this topic

    As of: October 2026

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