Going to get Trackmanned!
- Thread starter dannyc
- Start date
- Status
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
How long are you going to work? If you can do a wedge test from maybe 100 yds or so (ten minutes), hit 10 drivers (ten minutes), and get club delivery data for your entire set (it only takes 3 balls or so for each club), you should be able to find a weak spot in your game that needs attention.
Remember, its your dime. Get what you want from it.
Remember, its your dime. Get what you want from it.
softconsult
New
If it were me, I would be finding out how well equipped they are relative to fitting carts. What brands to they have? Do they have the low end or high end fitting carts? If you sign up for a Driver Fitting, how much do they deduct if you end up buying a Driver.
I am basing my recommendation on my experience being fitted for a Driver on Trackman discussed in previous post.
I am basing my recommendation on my experience being fitted for a Driver on Trackman discussed in previous post.
Kevin,
i plan on about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs. he said that is how long a normal full set fitting takes. i told him i was more interested in the club delivery data than a traditional fitting, and he seemed fine with that.
thank you for the excellent suggestions!
thanks bigwill (although i usually try to kill it on the course
).i am curious to see how far from optimal my driver is...pretty sure it's a good ways off. for example i know my angle of descent is well above the recommended 35 to 40 degrees. could be a shaft lean issue though, we'll see!
sc,
i will be sure to find this out. although i am more interested in the delivery/swing analysis, i know that equipment can be a big influence, so i'll be open to suggestions.
high end would be ping/titleist?
when you say wedge test and driver test, do you mean the using the short game/driver fitting applications they have in the tman software?
softconsult
New
Dan, what I meant was that, for instance, Titleist has different levels of fitting equipment. Depends on how much the customer, i.e. the fitter, wants to spend. Place I went to had the plenty of choices in Titleist, Ping, Cobra, and ?? didn't get around to worrying about the rest of the brands.
You mentioned Angle of Descent. Can't remember the correct term, but essentially the angle of the shaft to the ground at impact. My fitter didn't mention this to me even though mine was 50 degrees. The Angle of Attack was discussed. This was changed simply with the different head/shaft combinations. I also was able to change it simply by looking at the screen, seeing -2.0 and swingly flatter through impact.
If they have Titleist, recommend trying the new 909H hybrid. Just got a 21 with stock Voodoo Stiff shaft. Big improvement over my former 985H.
You mentioned Angle of Descent. Can't remember the correct term, but essentially the angle of the shaft to the ground at impact. My fitter didn't mention this to me even though mine was 50 degrees. The Angle of Attack was discussed. This was changed simply with the different head/shaft combinations. I also was able to change it simply by looking at the screen, seeing -2.0 and swingly flatter through impact.
If they have Titleist, recommend trying the new 909H hybrid. Just got a 21 with stock Voodoo Stiff shaft. Big improvement over my former 985H.
sorry, i meant landing angle (i.e, optimal carry and roll)
as in quality of components? screw on systems?
softconsult
New
Has nothing to do with quality. Go to Titleist.com - Titleist Official Site: learn about Titleist golf balls, golf clubs and accessories and look under locate a fitter. Explore a little and you will understand what I mean. It has to do with how many different heads and how many different shafts. The golf companies don't give these fitting carts away. They are expensive.
softconsult
New
Here's the link. FittingWorks.com - Find a Fitter
Move mouse of Advance Fitting. Click on SureFit Irons&Driver.
Move mouse of Advance Fitting. Click on SureFit Irons&Driver.
ok, so not quality - quantity. i will look into the links...thanks a bunch!
Jim Kobylinski
Super Moderator
no range balls
softconsult
New
No Range Balls.
Now there is an interesting exercise in economics! My Driver fitting 3 years ago was indoor launch monitor, then outdoor range hitting. The indoor fitting was ball specific, but of course, they just went into a net.
My fitting in Michigan last month used range balls. However, the fitter pointed out that the range balls they use produce accurate spin results, and actually go a little farther than top end balls. In essence, their balls are not you average run of the mill range ball. Hell, they actually heat all the range balls during the winter. I have no way to know the validity of what I was told.
I would think that if you, as a Trackman owner/operator, insisted on using, Pro V1's, and not range balls, then you would have some issues. A few that come to mind are: 1) Initial and replenishment cost for the balls 2) Theft, unless you pick them up every night 3) Theft, in general, as in in the pocket of the customer 4) Lost balls on the range. 5) The customer that now insists on Callaway, or Taylormade, or .... 6) If you are also running a Driving Range, then you have the additional expense of sorting premium balls from range balls.
This would mean that you would have to charge more to recover the additional expenses. That is, unless you could advertise this approach and increase traffic. Maybe yes, maybe no. My thought would be that most customers would accept range balls. After all, what choice do they have.
Trackman installations are few and far between.
There is a Trackman installation, in Plymouth, Indiana (Swan Lake Academy) that did offer ball fitting. I forget the cost, but you got two dozen of the fitted ball along with the cost of the fitting. Presume this utilized Trackman.
Now there is an interesting exercise in economics! My Driver fitting 3 years ago was indoor launch monitor, then outdoor range hitting. The indoor fitting was ball specific, but of course, they just went into a net.
My fitting in Michigan last month used range balls. However, the fitter pointed out that the range balls they use produce accurate spin results, and actually go a little farther than top end balls. In essence, their balls are not you average run of the mill range ball. Hell, they actually heat all the range balls during the winter. I have no way to know the validity of what I was told.
I would think that if you, as a Trackman owner/operator, insisted on using, Pro V1's, and not range balls, then you would have some issues. A few that come to mind are: 1) Initial and replenishment cost for the balls 2) Theft, unless you pick them up every night 3) Theft, in general, as in in the pocket of the customer 4) Lost balls on the range. 5) The customer that now insists on Callaway, or Taylormade, or .... 6) If you are also running a Driving Range, then you have the additional expense of sorting premium balls from range balls.
This would mean that you would have to charge more to recover the additional expenses. That is, unless you could advertise this approach and increase traffic. Maybe yes, maybe no. My thought would be that most customers would accept range balls. After all, what choice do they have.
Trackman installations are few and far between.
There is a Trackman installation, in Plymouth, Indiana (Swan Lake Academy) that did offer ball fitting. I forget the cost, but you got two dozen of the fitted ball along with the cost of the fitting. Presume this utilized Trackman.
Jim Kobylinski
Super Moderator
You are missing the point, the trackman owner/operator doesn't HAVE TO supply them i am telling YOU to supply them. It would go a long way in a proper fitting ESPECIALLY if you are going to do be doing anything with fitting your gap distances are wedge distances.
Also if i owned my own trackman i'd do it with the ball that the player preferred and charge them in the fitting or tell them to supply your own and explain to them the differences in what a range ball does and what a real ball does and ask them how much does an extra $75 really mean to them when they are most likely spending $X,XXX a year on their golf?
THEN
Keep all those balls you bought as a "shag bag" to practice your short game with....novel idea there eh?
softconsult
New
Yes, in a perfect world, but, and it's a big but.
So you now have 30 big ones invested, and need it to have a decent payback. That means you need to book it, and book it. If you price the thing based on customer bringing his own balls, I contend you will shrink your market.
Let's say the place doing my fitting had told me that I had to bring my own balls. I hit maybe 5 - 8 shots with each combination. Pro V1's are $50 a dozen or around $4.00 a ball. That would have added $300 - $400 to the exercise. Pretty much a deal killer, in my opinion. I believe that a Driver Fitting can be done with high quality range balls.
If I was paying to have my clubs gapped, then I would want to use the balls I play with. However, I would take the retired balls from my shag bag.
Maybe Kevin will opine, since he owns a Trackman.
So you now have 30 big ones invested, and need it to have a decent payback. That means you need to book it, and book it. If you price the thing based on customer bringing his own balls, I contend you will shrink your market.
Let's say the place doing my fitting had told me that I had to bring my own balls. I hit maybe 5 - 8 shots with each combination. Pro V1's are $50 a dozen or around $4.00 a ball. That would have added $300 - $400 to the exercise. Pretty much a deal killer, in my opinion. I believe that a Driver Fitting can be done with high quality range balls.
If I was paying to have my clubs gapped, then I would want to use the balls I play with. However, I would take the retired balls from my shag bag.
Maybe Kevin will opine, since he owns a Trackman.
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
Yes definately.
Dude, you're either being obtuse or have never heard of Ebay.
It's not like the ball magically winks out of existence when you fire one out onto the driving range. If I had a Trackman, I would buy a good supply of fresh premium balls on Ebay, or somewhere I could get a substantially reduced rate. If you can throw down $30,000 for a Trackman, I'm pretty sure you can spend a couple hundred to ensure that the customer doesn't have to bring his own balls. That's weak.
Having worked as a range picker, I know that almost any ball hit onto the driving range will end up in the picker baskets. If I was a pro with a Trackman, I would make some kind of a deal with the range staff where, in return for the prompt and regular return of my premium balls, I slip the guy a twenty every once in a while. Or give him some time on the Trackman, if he's a golfer. Or whatever, use your imagination. Bartering is a useful skill.
In any event, I don't see why the balls have to be a limiting factor.
- Status