What is Trackman?
What Is Trackman? How Launch Monitor Data Can Actually Lower Your Handicap
Most golfers practice the same way they always have — head to the range, hit a bucket of balls, hope something clicks. But there's a reason the world's best tour players don't leave their improvement to guesswork. They use data. Specifically, they use Trackman — the same launch monitor technology now available at Back 9 Social in Wallingford, CT. If you've ever wondered what Trackman actually is and whether it's worth your time, here's everything you need to know.
What Is Trackman?
Trackman is a dual-radar launch monitor that tracks over 26 data points on every shot you hit. Originally developed for military use to track projectiles, the technology was adapted for golf in the mid-2000s and quickly became the gold standard for teaching professionals, club fitters, and tour players worldwide. Today, it's what separates serious practice from hitting balls into a net and hoping for the best.
At its core, Trackman captures two types of data: club data (what the club is doing at impact) and ball data (what the ball does as a result). Understanding both is the key to diagnosing and fixing what's actually wrong with your swing — not just what it looks like from the outside.
The Metrics That Matter
Here's a breakdown of the key numbers Trackman tracks and why they matter for your game:
Club Speed
How fast the clubhead is traveling at impact. This is the primary driver of distance. Every additional 1 mph of club speed generates roughly 2.5 yards of carry with a driver.
Ball Speed
How fast the ball leaves the face. The relationship between ball speed and club speed gives you your Smash Factor.
Smash Factor
Ball speed divided by club speed. A perfect smash factor with a driver is 1.50. If yours is 1.40, you're losing serious distance purely from off-center contact — and Trackman will tell you exactly why.
Launch Angle
The angle the ball launches off the face. The optimal launch angle for most golfers with a driver is between 12 and 17 degrees. Too low and you're leaving distance on the table; too high and the ball balloons and falls short.
Spin Rate
Measured in RPMs. Too much spin sends the ball high and short; too little and it falls out of the sky. Trackman shows you exactly where you are and what adjustments will fix it.
Club Path and Face Angle
These two numbers together explain why your ball curves the way it does. If you've been fighting a slice for years, these two metrics will tell you precisely what's causing it — and what to change.
Attack Angle
Whether you're hitting up or down on the ball at impact. This has a dramatic effect on launch conditions and spin, especially with the driver. Most amateur golfers hit down on their driver, costing them significant distance.
Why Data Changes Everything
Here's the problem with traditional range practice: without feedback, you're reinforcing habits — good or bad. You might fix one thing and break two others without realizing it. Trackman eliminates the guesswork. Every swing gives you immediate, objective data — not what your shot felt like, but what actually happened.
This is how tour players practice. They set specific, measurable targets — increase ball speed by 3 mph, reduce spin rate by 500 RPM — and use the data to track progress. You can do exactly the same thing, and you don't need to be a tour player to benefit. Even a single one-hour session with Trackman data can reveal patterns you've never noticed and give you a concrete plan for improvement that no amount of feel practice can match.
How to Use Trackman at Back 9 Social
At Back 9 Social, every simulator bay is equipped with Trackman technology, giving you access to all of this data in real time. Whether you want to work through a structured practice session, take a lesson with a pro while your numbers are on screen, or just play a round on a world-class virtual course while seeing your stats, the data is always running.
The best way to start is simple: bring your driver and a 7-iron. Hit ten shots with each and review the data. You'll likely be surprised by what you find — and you'll leave with a clearer picture of your game than you've ever had after a bucket at the range.
Ready to See Your Numbers?
Book a bay at Back 9 Social and experience Trackman for yourself. Our simulators are available seven days a week, and you don't need to be an experienced golfer to benefit from the technology — beginners often make the fastest progress when they can finally see what the club is doing.
Book a Bay at Back 9 Social
805 N Colony Rd, Wallingford, CT | back9social.com