Golf Glossary
TrackMan Range
In short
A TrackMan Range is a driving range where radar systems follow every shot from every hitting bay. Ball flight data such as carry, launch angle and ball speed appear immediately on a screen or smartphone. That makes practice on the range measurable without a coach standing next to you.
TrackMan Range: what is it?
On a classic driving range you can only see roughly where the ball lands. How far it really flew, what curve it took or how fast it was you have to guess. A TrackMan Range solves that problem: it measures every shot and shows the result at once.
TrackMan is a Danish company that has been developing radar devices for ball sports since 2003. In golf these devices are known as launch monitors and are used by coaches, club makers and on the professional tours. The TrackMan Range transfers that technology to an entire practice facility. Every hitting mat becomes a measuring station.
In German you will also hear the phrase ‘Range mit Ballflugmessung’. It always means a system where you do not just watch your shots but can judge them using numbers.
How the TrackMan Range works
The system works with radar. TrackMan describes it as several radars placed around the range forming an overlapping tracking field. This field follows the flight of every ball from every hitting mat. The system automatically recognises which mat the shot came from and passes the data to the device or screen at that mat.
The radar uses the Doppler effect. It measures how the frequency of the reflected waves changes while the ball moves. From that the software calculates speed, flight path and landing point. The ball flight is then shown in a three-dimensional picture of the range.
Every mat can have its own screen, a tablet or the players' smartphones. Which option a facility uses is up to the operator. For you as a player that means: after the shot you see numbers and flight path without setting up or operating any equipment.
Which values you see on the TrackMan Range
Exactly which values appear depends on the facility and its settings. Typical values are:
- Carry: distance to the first bounce
- Total: overall distance including roll
- Launch angle: starting angle of the ball in degrees
- Ball speed: speed of the ball after impact
- Height (apex): highest point of the flight
- Side deviation: how far left or right of the target the ball lands
These values show how a shot really turned out. An example: you think your 7-iron flies 150 metres. The monitor shows 138 metres of carry and 145 metres in total. Now you know what distance to plan with on the course. If you record these numbers for every club, you build your own distance table, also called gapping.
Games, target games and virtual rounds
Besides analysis, a TrackMan Range often offers game modes. Instead of hitting ball after ball with no target, you play against yourself or against others. That makes practice more varied and builds concentration.
Examples of formats on a TrackMan Range are target games such as ‘Nearest Pin’ (get as close to the flag as possible), ‘Longest Drive’ (hit it as far as you can) or ‘Bullseye’ (hit a target). Virtual rounds are also possible: the ball flight is transferred to a real golf course and you play hole by hole.
For beginners these modes are a good help. You get a clear target for every shot and see at once whether it fits. For advanced players they are a test under pressure because every shot counts. One thing remains true: games do not replace structured practice, they add to it.
TrackMan Range compared with launch monitor and simulator
Several terms sit close together.
- Launch monitor: a single measuring device for one player, often behind or beside the ball. Coaches use it in one-to-one lessons.
- TrackMan Range: a system for the whole facility. Several radars measure all mats at once.
- Simulator: you hit into a screen and software converts the flight to a virtual course. This happens indoors.
At a TrackMan Range you hit real balls over real distance. The advantage over a simulator is the genuine ball flight, outdoors or under cover. The advantage over a classic range is the numbers. Which option suits you depends on your aim: swing work, a game with friends or practice in any weather.
Practical example: a practice session with measured values
A player plans a practice session with four blocks.
- Warm-up with a wedge: ten easy shots, just focus on feel.
- 7-iron: ten shots, the monitor supplies the average for carry and launch angle.
- Driver: ten shots, with side deviation as the main point.
- Target game: a game mode as a finish that simulates pressure.
After the 7-irons the player sees an average of 138 metres of carry but a spread of 15 metres left and right. He realises that distance is right and direction is not. In the next block he works on alignment and stance.
Typical mistakes on the range: too many shots without a plan, always the same club and a focus on single record values. It is better to practise with a fixed aim and look at averages. A PGA professional helps to interpret the numbers.
Origin and development of the TrackMan Range
TrackMan was founded in Denmark in 2003. One of the founders brought experience with Doppler radar for tracking projectiles and missiles. The first customers were club manufacturers. In 2006 the device was first used on the PGA Tour. Since then TrackMan has been one of the best known measuring systems in golf.
The idea of equipping a whole range with radar is considerably younger. By its own account, the Golf Lounge put TrackMan Range technology into operation in 2017 as the first facility in the world, then still at its Elbbrücken site in Hamburg. Since 2022 the facility has been in Hamburg-Moorfleet. There are now other systems for ranges as well, including camera-based solutions.
Today such ranges are an example of how golf becomes more accessible through data. Beginners experience numbers as orientation, advanced players as a tool for targeted practice.
Try it at Golf Lounge
The Golf Lounge TrackMan Range in Hamburg-Moorfleet has 32 covered hitting bays on two levels. At every mat there is a TrackMan monitor offering practice, target games and virtual rounds. The games include Driving Range, Nearest Pin, Longest Drive and Bullseye. The TrackMan Range app also shows the data on your smartphone. The range is covered and heated, so it can be used all year round. Measured values include carry, total distance, launch angle, ball speed and height.
Frequently asked questions
What is a TrackMan Range?
A TrackMan Range is a driving range where several radar units follow every shot from every hitting mat. Ball flight and values such as carry, launch angle and ball speed appear immediately on a screen or smartphone. That makes range practice measurable and comparable.
How does the TrackMan Range work?
Several radars around the range form an overlapping tracking field. They use the Doppler effect, follow the ball from impact to landing and automatically recognise which mat the shot came from. The data is then sent to the screen at that mat or to the player's smartphone.
Which values does a TrackMan Range show?
Typical values are carry, total distance, launch angle, ball speed and the height of the flight. Exactly which values appear depends on the facility and its settings. Flight path and target games are added. Depending on the system, further data such as side deviation or spin completes the picture.
What is the difference between a TrackMan Range and a simulator?
On the range you hit real balls over real distance, and the radar measures the real flight. In a simulator you hit into a screen and the software converts the flight to a virtual course. A simulator is indoors, while a range depends on how the facility is built.
Do I need experience to use a TrackMan Range?
No. The measurement runs automatically and you do not have to set anything up. Beginners use the numbers at first as orientation, for example for the distance of each club. A taster course or a one-to-one lesson with a PGA professional helps to interpret the data.
As of: October 2026