Side, Curve and Offline (Launch Monitor)
Also known as: curve on trackman, side on trackman, side total, offline distance, how far offline, side distance golf
On TrackMan, curve is how far the ball bends sideways in the air, from its launch direction to where it lands. Side is how far that landing spot is from the target line. Side total, which other systems call offline, is how far the ball finishes from the target line after it rolls.
These three numbers describe sideways ball flight. TrackMan measures curve from the launch direction line, not from the target line. So it tells you how much the ball bent, whatever line it started on.
Side measures where the ball landed compared with the target line. Side total measures where it stopped. Toptracer uses the word offline for that final sideways distance from the target line.
Used together, they tell the story of a shot. A ball can start left, curve right and land on the target line, giving zero side but a lot of curve.
Tips by skill level
Check side for results and curve for shape. A small side with a big curve is a fragile shot.
Track curve over a session. A steady curve you can aim for beats a straight average with a wide spread.
Example
Her drives land in the fairway, but curve reads 30 yards. She learns she is starting the ball far left and slicing it back, which explains her big misses.
Why it matters
Side tells you the result. Curve tells you the shape. You need both to know what to fix.
Common mistakes
- Reading curve as distance from the target
- Ignoring roll when judging offline misses
- Mixing up terms between systems
- Changing aim to hide a big curve
Frequently asked questions
What does curve mean on TrackMan?
Curve is how far the ball bends sideways in the air. TrackMan measures it from the launch direction line to where the ball lands, so it shows the shape of the shot, not where it finished.
What is the difference between side and curve?
Side tells you where the ball landed compared with the target line. Curve tells you how much it bent after launch. A ball can land on the line with zero side but a big curve.
What does offline mean on a launch monitor?
Offline is how far left or right of the target line the ball finished. TrackMan calls it side total, and Toptracer calls it offline.
Sources
Related terms
- Launch Direction (Horizontal Launch)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.
- Curve Ball FlightA curve ball flight is any shot that bends noticeably left or right in the air. It happens when clubface angle and swing path differ enough at impact to tilt the ball's spin axis away from horizontal.
- DispersionDispersion is how spread out your shots are, plotted as a pattern. A tight dispersion means repeatable contact; a wide one signals inconsistency in face, path, or strike.
- Carry DistanceCarry distance is how far the ball travels through the air before it first lands. It is different from total distance, which includes roll.
- 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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