Launch monitors have helped golfers gain more distance than any other technological advance over the past two decades. These benefits do not come cheap, with prices ranging from £2,000 right up to £20,000, but it is only with a launch monitor that club fitters find the fine details of a golf swing.
Just as every golfer has a unique swing, they also have their own optimum launch angle and spin rate, and this is what a launch monitor can identify with great accuracy, meaning club specifications can also be established to fit perfectly.
There are five major factors in optimising launch and spin:
1. Loft
Loft is the major influence on backspin. The greater the loft, the higher the launch angle and higher the back spin. Most golfers use drivers that have insufficient loft for their swing speed.
2. Shaft flex and kick point
The correctly fitted shaft will result in the right dynamic loft at impact for all levels of golfer.
3. Angle of attack
The optimum strike with a driver is ‘on the up’. This will help launch the ball higher without spinning too much. A descending angle of attack could result in too much backspin.
4. Ball position
To achieve an ascending strike with the driver, the ball needs to be positioned in line with the leading heal (for right-handed golfers, in line with the inside of the left heel), although with 360cc drivers, teeing up the ball in line with the big toe might help.
5. Tee height
With most driver heads now measuring 360cc in volume, it is imperative that the ball is teed high. Low strikes on the clubface can result in too much backspin.
