Launch monitor glossary / Direction, curvature, and dispersion

Launch Direction in a Driver Fitting

Launch direction shows where the ball starts. The engine uses it with offline distance and spin axis to separate start-line problems from curve problems.

What is Launch Direction?

The ball’s start direction, used to separate face-orientation issues from curvature and strike-location issues. For a fitting, the important part is how this number connects to the rest of the shot pattern, not whether it looks good by itself.

Field	Meaning
Technical definition	Launch Direction is the horizontal angle the ball starts relative to the target line immediately after separation from the clubface.
Common launch monitor labels	FlightScope: Horizontal Launch Angle; TrackMan: Launch Direction
Typical unit	degrees left or right
Role in Smart Golf Fitting	Optional direction signal

How does Smart Golf Fitting use Launch Direction?

Launch direction is optional, but when enough values are present it deepens the direction-pattern read. It helps the engine decide whether a right or left finish is caused by the ball starting offline, curving offline, or both, which changes how strongly draw bias or hosel adjustment should be considered.

Separates start line from curve.
Strengthens or softens draw-bias recommendations.
Improves hosel guidance when direction data agrees with face or spin-axis evidence.

Which related launch monitor metrics should be checked with Launch Direction?

Launch Direction becomes useful when it is read beside the numbers that explain its cause or its outcome. These relationships are what stop a fitting from chasing one attractive number while making the full shot pattern worse.

Related metric	How the relationship works
Face Angle	Face angle is a major start-line influence, so it is the first delivery number to check against launch direction.
Club Path	Club path helps explain the delivery direction, but launch direction is more about where the ball actually started. The engine uses both to avoid overreading path alone.
Face to Path	Launch direction shows the start; face-to-path predicts the curve after the start. Together they describe the full shot-shape pattern.
Spin Axis	Launch direction and spin axis split the shot into start line and curve. That is why the engine can tell a push from a slice.
Offline Distance	Launch direction shows where the ball started; offline distance shows where it finished. Comparing them helps separate a start-line miss from a curve or dispersion problem.

What can be misleading about Launch Direction?

Launch direction describes where the ball starts, not where it curves or finishes. A shot can start on line and still finish offline because of spin axis.

What does the engine do when Launch Direction looks unusual?

A right-starting ball is not the same as a ball that starts straight and curves right. The engine uses launch direction to avoid treating every miss as the same problem.

First check

Check face angle and lie angle first, then compare with spin axis and offline distance to determine whether start line or curvature is the bigger issue.

Fitting principle

The engine looks for agreement across the full shot pattern before changing the recommendation. If the related metrics do not support the same story, the report stays more conservative.

Where does Launch Direction fit in the wider methodology?

Use these pages to connect this launch-monitor-glossary definition to the fitting process, methodology, and practical report interpretation.