The R&A, organizers and controllers of The Open Championship, used the TrackMan™ technology owned by Danish company ISG A/S to measure and analyze ball flight and club movement data during The Open Championship 2006 held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club between July 16 and July 23. The data collected, some of which was also broadcasted live to television viewers around the world, included among others the following:
- Club head speed
- Ball launch speed
- Ball launch direction (both vertical and horizontal)
- Ball launch spin
- Carry distance and dispersion
- Full trajectory information
Klaus Eldrup Jorgensen, president of ISG A/S, stated, “We are proud to have been selected by The R&A to measure and analyze ball flight and club movement data during golf’s oldest and most important event. At ISG, we have made it our mission to develop the world’s most useful and accurate measurement and analysis technologies to be used during the world’s top sporting events. TrackMan™’s selection by The R&A and inclusion during The Open Championship 2006 provides the ISG team a feeling of great accomplishment.”
Dr. Steve Otto of The R&A remarked, “TrackMan™ has proven itself over several test events and accuracy assessments. We use this technology as part of our ongoing extensive research and testing. We are highly confident in the system and we were eager to utilize the TrackMan™ technology in The Open Championship so that we may further understand how today’s players approach our golf courses and play the game. Further, the use of the data by the BBC during their live coverage of the tournament greatly increased the value for viewers. The wealth of information provided to us during the Championship will prove to be very useful.”
Headquartered in Vedbaek, Denmark, ISG A/S is the developer and owner of the TrackMan™ system. Based on Doppler radar technology, TrackMan™ measures exact 3-dimensional club movement and provides highly-accurate data on the ball launch, ball flight, and ball landing coordinates of any golf shot. In addition, TrackMan™ measures actual spin rate of the ball without marking it and features outstanding portability, reliability, and ease of use.
As such, TrackMan™ has set a new standard for golf ball and golf club measurement and is currently in use worldwide by almost every major golf club, golf shaft, and golf ball manufacturer, as well the USGA and the R&A. With recent software upgrades, an improved price, and both FCC and CE approval, ISG is making the TrackMan™ technology available to a wider range of customers including golf clubs, golf academies, golf ranges, club-fitters, tour professionals, and serious players.
TrackMan www.trackmangolf.com
R&A www.randa.org