TrackMan numbers explained

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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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