Tour players trust the same numbers.
Accuracy depends entirely on the tracking hardware. At the top end, TrackMan, which we run in one of our three bays, is the same radar-based technology used on the professional tours, at televised events and by club fitters worldwide. When a tour player checks their carry distances, these are the numbers they trust. A phone-app simulator and a TrackMan bay are not the same product.
How the tracking actually works.
Radar, not guesswork
TrackMan tracks the club and the ball directly using Doppler radar paired with camera imaging. It measures what the ball actually did at and after impact. It doesn't infer your shot from the swing alone.
Indoors, flight is modelled from measurement
In a bay, the ball flies a few metres before the screen. The system measures launch speed, angles and spin in that window, then computes the full flight from those physics, the same method used for fittings, where the resulting distances have to be right.
Real balls, your clubs
You hit standard golf balls with your own clubs (or ours; club hire is at the venue). No foam balls, no sensors taped to your glove, nothing that changes how the shot feels.
The numbers on your screen.
Every shot reports club speed, ball speed, smash factor, launch angle, spin rate, attack angle, face angle and carry distance. Together they explain not just where the ball went, but why. The difference between practising and improving. New to the jargon? Our FAQ walks through which TrackMan numbers actually matter, and we're happy to talk you through your data on the day.
For improvers
Real carry distances for every club in the bag. Most golfers discover their "150 club" carries 137. Knowing your true numbers changes how you play approach shots forever.
For course play
The same measured physics drives full rounds on over 2000 full-size courses, so the 7-iron you flush on the simulator behaves like the one you flush outdoors. See how that compares to mat-and-guess practice in our simulator vs driving range guide, or read what your numbers mean.
For complete beginners
Accuracy isn't just for low handicaps. The instant feedback is what makes learning fast. You see the effect of every change immediately, in numbers and ball flight, with no one watching from the next mat.
What TrackMan reads on each swing.
| Metric | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Club speed | How fast the club head is moving at impact. Your power source. |
| Ball speed | How fast the ball leaves the face, and the biggest driver of distance. |
| Smash factor | Ball speed ÷ club speed: how efficiently you transferred energy. |
| Launch angle | The vertical angle the ball starts on. Too low or high costs carry. |
| Spin rate | Backspin in rpm, which controls how the ball climbs, holds and stops. |
| Attack angle | Up or down on the ball at impact. Key to launch and compression. |
| Face angle | Where the face points at impact, and the main cause of curve. |
| Carry distance | How far the ball flies before landing: your true yardage per club. |
Carry: the one to learn first.
Carry distance is how far the ball flies before touching the ground, which matters when you need to clear a bunker or water, and the honest measure of each club in your bag. TrackMan reports it on every single shot, to the yard.
Poster from TrackMan's "Know Your Numbers" series, the same readouts you'll see on screen in our TrackMan bay at Virtual Fairways.
See your real numbers.
Book a TrackMan bay in Darlington from £27/hour and find out what your shots are actually doing. First time? Read the first-visit guide for 10% off.
Book a bay View Pricing