Why can't there be Launch Monitor standards ?

There is a customer of mine who I built a set of irons for earlier this year, and he was OBSESSED with launch monitor numbers. What should have been a fairly simple process which would normally take no more than maybe one or two visits, turned into a several month debacle because he wanted to hit every single shaft in existence and crunch numbers and calculate which would give him closest to "ideal" numbers for launch angle, distance, ball speed, spin, etc. I tried to tell him time and time again that he could hit the exact same setup on the exact same launch monitor on 5 different days and get 5 different results, but he just kept at it. In the end I made a set for him that he was happy with for about 3 months, then just last week he came in telling me he wants to put a new set together because he's not entirely happy with the launch monitor numbers he is getting with his set. I asked him how he plays with them and he said great, he loves the way they feel and he's scoring really well, but he just doesn't like the launch monitor numbers he is getting with them and he thinks he play better with a set that gives him better LM results. SMH.....

Bangoman Nice!! I like it too. Can't wait to see what you have coming!

customgolfcenter

Pain in the ass but he is buying sets so let him have his fun...lol

I remember a LDer like that only it was F/A and loft. I would just pull 3 or 4 boxes of 6* heads and plant him next to L&L machine and he would be there for 8 hours looking for perfect specs

customgolfcenter

If you don't have spare time to BS with this neurotic customer, best to lose him. He might ended up costing you more than you could make from building the set ( or 2) for him.

Probably already did cost you more with all the time you have to spend with him. No one could ever make this type of client happy.
When I meet this type of client in my business, I'd ask "how many" first. Get the message across that they couldn't do enough business to own you.

Launch monitors are like using a Dynamometer on a racing engine. Sheer overall numbers don't equate how quickly the engine makes HP, etc. Torque is needed to get an object moving, etc.

Throw wind into the equation and the perfect launch angle you had at the range literally just blew out the window.

Covering two subjects: Sometimes a customer needs to be fired as they end up not being worth one's time.

I believe use of any swing machine is good for a comparison of "clubs" you are considering buying. As an example does it show me ClubA is better suited for me than ClubB or ClubC and at best, only that day between those 3 clubs. Any other variable (ClubD, the day, compare machine to machine, etc.) is not valid.

I believe they can also be useful in training one to repeat a given swing. Harvey Penick once said (paraphrasing) be wary of a person who can repeat their swing each time as they can learn to control it no matter how bad. Want "bad swings" that worked well for them? Look at Palmer and Trevino.

Don't lose your mind over the number fluff. Of you've got the game for a few hundred RPM of spin to make a difference that's awesome, but once you're hitting the ball 280 and under control, a little less spin or a few more yards aren't making a difference on the scorecard.

I've got a driver I can mash DEEP but I feel like it launches a little lower than what would be ideal. Guess how many strokes I lose because my driver might launch slightly low? Zero.

The numbers aren't useless, but if you've got a setup that you hit well and can control they're going to be more trouble than they're worth. Lots of time and money and stress just to gain no strokes.

Here is a quote from the US Open this year (I think -- it was definitely one of the majors) from Curtis Strange (I think -- the commentators were not on the screen at the time and it was just a couple of them talking). They were discussing Zach Johnson's driver set-up and how his launch was 13*. One of the commentators said that he could hit it further with a a higher launch, but that Zach said he didn't do that because he couldn't hit fairways with it. Strange (I believe) said, "There is a window that these players like to see their ball go through. You start looking for optimums and, well, let me tell you, the hall of fame is full of players who never saw optimum."

What happens in the cage is not necessarily what will happen on the course. I think all that data just over complicates things and causes players to think too much. When the driver you selected based on the data doesn't behave on the course, how do you troubleshoot? Was it the machine? Is it the shaft? Is it the current hosel adjustment? Is it you?

The conditions in that building, on that day, with that setup and ball,etc, etc...will never be the same as the actual conditions outside on the course that you cannot control. Plus, on the course you are not "give myself a half hour away from wanting to cut someone's head off and stuff it in a bowling bag." Therefore, your entire demeanor and attitude is different. Just go out and have fun. Sounds like to me, from reading these comments, that your game is quite good, unless you make your living at, just go with it. Those numbers on the machine are just some computer geek's way of messing with you because they can't play very well...And why are the numbers different - because the computer geek's are different.

Par4QC

If I had his game the last place I would be is hitting a ball into a wall and trying to figure out how to fuck that all up with a different head-shaft combo, based on shit that even that computer doesn't know.

I'm not suggesting Ty is the Chuck Norris of golf.

But neither am I denying it.

Bangoman

It's from a long list of Chuck Norris quips