What is the VLM?
How does the VLM work?
How do the different variables affect how far my ball will go?
I don't know my launch statistics. How can I use the VLM?
I know my swing speed. How can I derive ball speed from this?
How do I read the results after I hit "BOOM"?
How accurate is the VLM?
Tips that would make your ball go further.
How much will the Pure Power Program increase my ball speed?
What is the VLM?
The Virtual Launch Monitor (VLM) is an interactive ball flight simulator that you can use to quickly and easily see how altering different variables involved in producing distance can affect your ball flight, trajectory and overall distance. It gives you the ability to develop what-if models to see how improvements in certain areas, such as club head and ball speed, can help your distance off the tee.It also gives you the ability to account for variables that are outside of your direct control, such as elevation, temperature, humidity, air pressure and wind. All these variables come together to create an extremely accurate model of how far your ball would really travel on the golf course.
How does the VLM work?
When you hit the "BOOM" button the VLM reads the inputs that you enter and calculates both how high and how far your ball will travel under the conditions you have specified. The variables you can alter in the VLM are:
- Ball Speed
- Launch Angle
- Spin Rate
- Tee Height
- Wind Speed
- Temperature
- City
You can adjust the values for each variable by left clicking on the slider (the blue box with the arrow in it) and holding the left button down as you move the slider back and forth. You can also enter the number you wish to use directly into the fields on the right.
You can also click on the "HINT" link to get a quick reminder on exactly what each variable means.
How do the different variables affect how far my ball will go?
There are 4 factors that you can directly control that determine how far the ball will go when you hit it. While it is difficult to determine the exact value that each factor plays in achieving distance, we can say with certainty that some factors are more important than others. The Fantastic Four, in order of importance, are:
- Club Head Speed
Clubhead speed is the single most important factor in maximizing distance. When you hit a golf ball, energy and momentum from the clubhead are transferred to the golf ball. Clubhead speed represents the amount of energy/momentum that the club has. Higher clubhead speed equates into more energy available to be delivered to the ball.
- Quality of Contact
You can swing like a gorilla, but it will not mean anything at all if you don't make quality contact with the ball. When we talk about quality of contact we are talking about how close the ball comes to striking the center of gravity of the club, or as it is typically called, the "Sweet Spot". When you hit something directly on its CG, you transfer the maximum amount of energy and cause the object to move straight away from the point where contact occurred.
- Launch Angle
Measured in degrees relative to horizontal, launch angle refers to the initial angle at which a ball leaves the clubface. Launch angle is determined by a number of factors, including angle of attack, swing speed, loft, and shaft flex.More loft creates a higher launch angle, causing the ball to go higher, but more swing power is used on the vertical component, meaning less distance. Less loft causes the ball to fly lower (meaning it is going to be pulled down faster due to gravity), but more swing power is used on the horizontal component, meaning potentially greater distances, if you hit the ball fast enough.
- Spin Rate
The amount of spin on the ball also has a considerable effect on the amount of distance the ball will travel. A ball with less spin cuts through the air better than a ball with more spin. If there is too much spin then the ball will rise quickly and lose forward momentum.This is what happens when your shots start out low and then "balloon" way up and come down on a very steep angle. If there is too little spin then the ball will not stay airborne long enough to realize maximum distance.
Remember, backspin helps a launched ball stay airborne longer, but too much will cause the ball to rise quickly and lose large amounts of distance. There is an optimal spin level for your swing in order to maximize distance.
One final point is that as you decrease loft, you decrease the potential for backspin and increase the potential for side spin, which could potentially cause accuracy issues.
I don't know my launch statistics. How can I use the VLM?
We have provided the sample launch statistics for both male and female golfers of various levels, from beginners and PGA/LPGA pros to long drivers. We have Tiger Woods' and Annika Sorenstram's launch stats here. Even my launch stats are in there! Click here to view these stats so you can get an idea of where your launch stats stand relative to a golfer of similar skill.
If you do not know your launch stats then it is safe to say that you are probably missing an incredible opportunity to drastically increase your distance without doing anything different in your swing.
Getting a properly fitted club, one which launches the ball at an optimum launch angle and gives you the correct shaft so maximum energy is released into the ball, is probably the most immediate thing you can do to increase your distance by 10 yards.
If instantly getting 10 more yards off the tee interests you then try to get onto a launch monitor and find out if your driver is holding you back off the tee. A good club fitter, along with their high tech launch monitor, gives them the tools they need to put the perfect driver in your hands.
I know my swing speed. How can I derive ball speed from this?
The difference between your club head speed and your ball speed is referred to as the "Smash Factor". It is a ratio that you get when you divide your ball speed by your club head speed and is an excellent indicator of the quality of contact you are making. Here is a sample calculation to get your Smash Factor.
Club Head Speed: 100 MPH
Ball Speed: 150 MPH
Smash Factor: 1.5 (150 MPH/100 MPH)
A higher Smash Factor suggests a more efficient energy transfer from club to ball. A Smash Factor of 1.5 is believed to be near perfect for most golfers. The average amateur has a Smash Factor around 1.25
Also be sure to check out our Distance Optimization Dashboard. This tool will help you estimate your ball speed based on your swing speed and quality of contact.
How do I read the results after I hit the "BOOM" button?
After entering your information and hitting the "BOOM" you will get back 4 pieces of information.
Distance: The distance, in yards, that your ball carried. No roll is included.
Hangtime: The amount of time, in seconds, that your ball was in the air.
Jason's Comments: Comments from yours truly.
Graph: This is a graphical representation of your shot from a side perspective.
Vertical Axis: The height of the shot (in yards)
Horizontal Axis: How far the shot goes (in yards)
For an optimal golf shot the pinnacle will be reached around 2/3rds of the total distance. Using my actual launch monitor data in the VLM, you can see in the graph above that my ball peaks around 250 yards and ends up traveling around 370 yards.
How accurate is the VLM?
It is about 98% accurate to how far you would hit a ball in real life based on the inputs you enter. The VLM assumes that you are making perfect contact and are hitting the ball dead straight. It does not account for distance losses associated with slices or hooks. In addition, the yards returned by the model are carry distance only
Tips that would make your ball go further...
While most people don't know it, there is an optimal launch angle for your swing speed. On this page there is a chart showing what your optimum launch angle and spin rate will be given your ball speed. You can find out your driver ball speed by hitting some balls on a launch monitor.
Higher ball speed is by far the easiest way to increase distance.
For every extra mile per hour you can gain in ball speed you will gain between two and three yards in distance.
As a general rule, the faster your swing speed and the higher your ball speed the lower the optimum launch angle. Unfortunately, many amateurs play with a loft that is far to low for their swing speed, which robs them of distance.
By using the correct loft for your swing speed you will gain both distance (due to optimum launch angle) and greater accuracy (due to increased spin), and I don't know of anyone who wouldn't mind having a little more distance AND accuracy.
Every ball speed has an optimal spin rate.
The general rule is the faster you hit the ball the less spin you need. For lower than average swing speeds more spin can actually help you gain more distance while less spin may cut your hangtime and overall distance.
If you have too much spin for your swing speed then you give up distance. If you have too little then you give up control. When you strike the right balance of spin for your specific ball speed you get the best of both worlds.
An optimal launch angle and optimum spin rate tend to go hand in hand.
Most amateurs could hit much farther and more become more accurate simply by teeing off with a three wood versus their driver. The three wood increases launch angle and also increases spin, which gives more control and more distance for the slower swinger.
For big hitters it is important to get a higher launch angle with a lower spin rate so the ball can power through the air.
Long drivers know very well the importance of hitting the ball very high and with little spin. This is part of the reason why long drivers, myself included, use extremely low lofted drivers.
Technically, my long drive club head has six degrees of loft, but its dynamic loft at impact sends it on a 13-15 degree launch angle with around 2,000 RPM's of spin. Needless to say the ball slices through the air and runs like mad when it hits. You should aim for your shots to do the same and getting properly fitted equipment is a great first step.
How much will the Pure Power Program increase my ball speed?
Sonic Boom Golf's goal is to drastically improve the one measurement that is above all others when it comes to increasing distance: ball speed. Ball speed is a result of club head speed and you increase your club head speed by getting in better golf-specific shape and honing your technical skills.
During the first 3 months the average Pure Power Program participant realized an increase in ball speed of 9.5 MPH (6.8%) over their initial ball speed. This translated into an average distance increase of 20.9 yards (9.6%)!
After one year in the Pure Power Program the average participant realized an increase in ball speed of 17.3 MPH (12.4%) over their initial ball speed. This gigantic increase in ball speed translated into a whopping 37.1 yard (14.7%) improvement over their initial distance.
Want an idea of how much you will improve when you follow the Pure Power Program? Get your launch monitor stats and enter them in the VLM. Now add 15 MPH in ball speed (as a conservative estimate) and run the VLM again. Note the extra distance you gain in your specific situation by realizing a very reasonable increase in ball speed.
Also include the fact that as you exercise to increase your ball speed your body fat and weight will keep going down. If hitting farther off the tee, losing weight and shooting better scores sounds like a good deal to you then you should sign up for the Pure Power Program now.
Suggestions & Comments
If you have any suggestions on how we can improve this VLM tutorial or if you have ideas for things you would like to see either here or elsewhere on the site, please feel free to contact me at jason.krantz@sonicboomgolf.com.
