Do the decreased length separation of a

True Length Technology TM Set

cause a loss of distance?

Todd Kos of Quality Golf Stats and I have worked on a project together to dispell the myth that a reduced length club will cause a distance loss. The Optimal Flight fitting engine allows any Launch Monitor Data to be collected for irons as well as woods. Please review the Optimal Flight Web site for more information

I want to thank Todd Kos, Colby Webber and our Precision Ball Striker for the opportunity to dispell the myth that the shorter length increment of TLT irons will reduce the distance separation of ball carry. Not only does it dispell it but it proves that the superior contact of a properly fit set of True Length Technology TM irons will actually increase the overall distance, tighten the accuracy and create a desireable ball spin.

Optimal Flight is an exciting breakthrough for anyone using a Launch Monitor and I encourage you to add iron fittings as a service - aided by the Quality Golf Stats ' Optimal Flight' software. The graphs are easy to read and your customers will thank you for fitting to True Length Technology TM and Optimal Flight.

Please review the data below and send any inquiries to myself or Todd.

http://www.optimalflight.com/

 

A special launch monitor project was done on a player’s current iron set and a True Length TechnologyTM fitted set.

The fitting process was done in a completely unbiased way.  The player did not know what fitting system was being used.  Launch monitor data was gathered on both sets of irons.  

Results:

  • OptimalFlight was used successfully to illustrate set-to-set differences. 

  • The TLT set produced improved control overall and longer distance with the long irons.
  • On course results validated Optimal Flight’s carry estimates for irons.

  • Bonus discovery

The myth of a reduced length club (due to TLT fitting system) will cause a distance loss was dispelled.

Why this project was done?

Launch monitor studies are mostly done for Driver.

  • Very few studies focus on irons. 

 

True Length TechnologyTM fitting system has been generating positive press coverage in the past few years.

  • Little was known about TLT results from a Launch Monitor perspective.

OptimalFlight was upgraded to handle Iron launch monitor data.

  • It was an opportunity to validate Optimal Flight’s carry estimates for Irons with on course results. 

Project requirements:

Clubfitter with a Launch Monitor

  • Colby Webber

True Length TechnologyTM fitter

  • Dan Connelly (inventor)  

OptimalFlight user

  • Todd Kos (creator and developer of OptimalFlight)
  • A (+) Handicap golfer who shoots under par regularly and plays golf at least 2-3x per week. 

Project Timeline:

July 2007               

A golfer was discovered who had very exceptional ball-striking skills.  He has a great command of his shots and with amazing repeatability.  This golfer is a pure feel player who is hesitant to make changes in his golf bag.

September 2007         

Todd Kos contacted Dan Connelly to see if he would be interested in doing a special project to document this player’s progress from his Ping ISI iron set of 12 years to a custom fitted TLT set.

October 2007             

Launch monitor data on Ping ISI set.

November 2007          

Launch monitor data on TLT fitted set.

December 2007          

Results presented at the Association of Golf Clubfitting Professional December 2007 Roundtable in Columbus, Georgia.

Player ball and club speed summary:

The player produced extremely consistent club and ball speed results even though the time between each set of iron launch monitor data was a month apart. 

 

As a result, he became an ideal candidate to provide insight on how launch condition differences with his current set and a TLT fitted set.

Iron head and shaft selection:

The golfer’s current set was Ping ISI nickels (2670kg/cm2 MOI average).  He tested many heads and shafts on the range.  The Maltby M45 irons suited his eye and liked the feel from the FST Pro White Lite's with ProSoft inserts shafts. The True Length TechnologyTM set of irons were built to a 2670kg/cm2 MOI target with a very tight "tolerance" of +/- 3kg/cm2.

The following graph summarizes the lofts of both sets of irons:

 

The iron lofts were similar for both sets and allows for a meaningful and objective launch monitor comparison of both iron sets.

Results of True Length TechnologyTM fitted set:

  • 2-3 degrees higher launch conditions.
  • Steeper and more consistent landing angle.
  • Small but insignificant decrease in spin (300rpm)
  • 5-10 yards longer distance for the long irons (on-course results, validating OptimalFlight estimates.)

 A special OptimalFlight sample database of 28 reports was set up to document this project.

  • It helped summarize individual shot results and identified the most similar 3 of 4 or all 4 shots for club average.
  • It helped create Club Averages and Comparisons.
      • Iron distance profile for all clubs.
      • Side by side comparison

Summary Reports from OptimalFlight:

 

Launch Monitor #’s:

 

Ping ISI Set – PW-7I:

 

TLT Fitted Set – PW- 7I:

 

Ball Flight comparison:

 

Ping ISI Set – PW-7I:

 

TLT Fitted Set – PW-7I:

 

Launch Monitor #’s:

 

Ping ISI Set – 6I-4I:

 

TLT Fitted Set – 6I-4I:

 

Ball Flight comparison:

 

Ping ISI Set – 6I-4I:

 

TLT Fitted Set – 6I-4I:

 

•  5-10 yards longer distance for the long irons (on-course results, validating OptimalFlight estimates)

 

 Long Iron Comparison (Old vs TLT):

6I-5I:

 

Long Iron Comparison (Old vs TLT):

 

4I:

Dispersion graphs

Original set 7 - PW

TLT set  7 - PW

Original set 4 - 6

TLT set 4 - 6

Overall accuracy showed improvements in the short / scoring irons by near 50%

Results of True Length TechnologyTM fitted set:

  • Steeper and more consistent landing angle
  • 2-3 degrees higher launch conditions.
  • Small but insignificant decrease in spin (300rpm)
  • Comparable distances for short irons.
  • 5-10 yards longer distance for the long irons (on-course results, validating OptimalFlight estimates.)
  • The myth of a reduced length club (due to TLT fitting system) will cause a distance loss was dispelled.
  • The player successfully switched over to the True Length TechnologyTM fitted iron set.
  • Likes the irons a lot !
  • Follow-up feedback from OptimalFlight and on course distance validation helped achieve a smooth adjustment with confidence to new clubs in 1-2 weeks instead of 4-8 weeks.

Golfer’s feedback on his custom fitted TLT set:

 What do you like most about the irons?

•  It feels solid when I hit balls with it, and it feels like I have more control.

Was the longer distance in the long irons something you wanted to improve on your previous set? 

•  No, I wanted better control (to hit balls straighter).

Is there anything else that you noticed?  Is it easier to hit?  How's the shot making (making draws, fades, etc)? 

•  Yes, I can control the draws and fades better, and also I can hit balls straighter when I want to.

What did the clubfitter do on this project that made you feel comfortable with this project? 

•  I am glad that he gave me the best match in iron and shaft. He took the time to test my swings using his launch machine.

•  It was hard for me to find an iron set that I liked, and needed to test many, many different irons and he let me test as many as I wanted.

•  He let me take demos out to the driving range so I could really test them out to see if the results matched the launch test.

Appendix:

Launch monitor testing information.

4 good strikes were recorded with each club.

“The ball was placed in the same spot on the mat for each iron as we went through his set. I asked him after each shot, whether the contact was solid or not.  If it was, the shot was added to our list.”

The most similar 3 or all 4 shots were selected and averaged. 

Each launch monitor session time took approximately 90

minutes to gather the data.

The results were entered and saved into an OptimalFlight database.