Use a Launch Monitor?

Why use a launch monitor in clubfitting? The cliche "If you don't test it's just a guess" sums it up nicely when it comes to the key data you need to optimize a club's performance. You require an unbiased, reasonably accurate test instrument if you want to know why one shaft/clubhead combination is better than another for your swing. 

The best launch monitors will measure ball speed, clubhead speed, ball spin, launch angle, path of the club through impact. Good instrument software will make some reliable calculations based on that data including carry distance, angle of attack, spin axis, angle of descent, smash factor, shot dispersion, and other parameters that help you think about what's important in evaluating clubs and balls. 

Your eyes are not as accurate as a launch monitor, and sometimes they tell you what you want to hear not what actually happened. The proof is in just about everyone's estimate of the distance they hit a ball with their driver. And that's the easy measurement to make. 

We thought the use of launch monitors by professionals in the industry was well-established, but we were surprised to find that OEM demo days often don't use the technology. We have a couple of funny stories about it. One sales rep we asked said he could tell everything that was important just by watching the trajectory of the ball. That's why he didn't bring the company's launch monitor with him. Too much trouble to set up and use.

Another sales rep had a high end launch monitor on the range, but after he made some unexpected recommendations to a couple of golfers who were testing drivers I was curious about the data. That's when I noticed the launch monitor and the computer with the software were both off. Maybe the batteries ran low and lost their power. It's probably best to show up early at demo days.

Unless you are just rummaging around the trade-in barrels for a bargain, we think it's best to use a good launch monitor for evaluating or fitting any clubs if you want to maximize distance, accuracy, consistency. That's why most golfers buy new clubs. We also recommend that golfers take a look at the launch monitor results and ask a few questions. It's helpful to have a sense of what's being measured and how the feel of the club matches with the data. It's part of the enjoyable experience you should have in getting new clubs.