Launch Direction (Horizontal Launch)
Also known as: launch direction, horizontal launch angle, horizontal launch, start direction of the ball, launch direction on trackman
Launch direction is the horizontal angle the ball starts on, compared with the target line, measured right after it leaves the face. It tells you where the ball started, left or right. It comes mostly from where the clubface points at impact, plus a smaller effect from club path.
Launch monitors split ball flight into start and curve. Launch direction is the start. TrackMan defines it as the horizontal angle the ball takes off at relative to the target line, measured right after separation from the face.
The ball starts much closer to where the face points than to where the club travels. So a ball that starts well left usually had a face pointing left at impact. The path then mainly decides how much it curves.
Use it with curve. A ball that starts right and curves left can finish on target. A ball that starts right and curves more right is a push-slice.
Tips by skill level
On a launch monitor, look at launch direction first. It tells you if the ball started where you aimed.
Compare launch direction with face angle. The gap between them shows how much path is pulling the start line.
Example
His shots finish right. Launch direction shows they start on target and then curve right, so he works on face-to-path, not on aim.
Why it matters
Knowing the start direction separates face problems from path problems. That points you to the right fix.
Common mistakes
- Treating launch direction as club path
- Fixing curve when the start line is the problem
- Ignoring how the target line was set
- Reading one shot instead of a pattern
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between launch direction and club path?
Club path is the direction the club moves at impact. Launch direction is where the ball actually starts. The ball starts closer to where the face points than to the path.
What is a good launch direction?
Near zero for a straight shot. For a draw or fade, the ball should start on the opposite side of the target to the curve, so it bends back.
Sources
Related terms
- Face AngleFace angle is where the clubface points at impact, relative to the target line, in degrees. It determines roughly 75–85% of the ball's starting direction.
- Club PathClub path is the horizontal direction the clubhead is moving through impact, relative to the target line, in degrees. Positive is in-to-out (a draw bias); negative is out-to-in (a fade or slice bias).
- Face-to-PathFace-to-path is the difference between face angle and club path at impact. It is the single number that determines how much, and which way, the ball curves.
- Ball Flight LawsThe ball flight laws are the impact variables that decide how a shot flies. They are face angle, swing path, attack angle, strike location, dynamic loft, and clubhead speed.
- Launch MonitorA launch monitor uses radar or camera sensors to measure ball and clubhead data at impact. It quantifies a shot instead of relying on how it looked.
Related guides & benchmarks
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