Rapsodo’s new app, middle, challenges you with meters, it doesn’t expect you to practice that often.
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If there’s one thing struggling golfers can almost always take advantage of, it’s a reality check.
Even for a somewhat experienced player like myself – I hover around scratch – I often find myself looking for eureka moments to get myself back on track.
Join a new range of Rapsodo mobile launch monitors that will help you identify where your game is weakest and what you need to work on. (If you’re not familiar with Rapsodo’s mobile units, check out our review here).
The new feature, called “Performance Combines”, is available to Rapsodo’s premium subscribers and walks users through a series of 24 shots to determine their strengths and weaknesses while, as the company describes it, “provides advanced insight into what needs to be done.” adapted to improve their skills.”
A launch monitor that fits in your pocket? Try Rapsodo’s MLM
Sean Zak
Advanced Insight! I had to try this app myself.
But first a little more about how it works:
The 24 shots are split into three challenges: you each hit eight balls at two different distances and also eight tee shots.
You can choose the two target distances yourself or let the device select them based on your handicap. The app selects distances on purpose and doesn’t expect you to practice that often. In my case, I was assigned 50 yards and 209 yards (swallow).
When the test is completed, you will receive a Combine Report, which gives a score from 0 to 100. The formula for the score was created by biomechanist and Rapsodo advisor Dr. Sasho MacKenzie, with advice from GOLF Top 100 teacher Mark Blackburn. To create the feature, MacKenzie relied on 100,000 shots of data from the PGA Tour and more than 20 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels.
The test takes about 15-20 minutes and there are tips to follow to ensure you get the best experience. The session provides you with a few warm-up shots to find your targets and make sure the device is properly aligned. I suggest taking a few practice shots first using the “Practice” mode to set up your positioning to the device and its alignment.
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Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor
$399.99
The only launch monitor that uses your mobile device to provide instant feedback on your swing. The Rapsodo MLM analyzes everything from launch data, club and ball speed to club recognition and shot tracking visualization, all with the ability to instantly play video. It uses satellite technology to map distance range for accurate distances. The MLM gives you the opportunity to train like the pros, with insightful data to help you develop your game with every stroke. This device cannot provide accurate information when hitting into a net, only when the ball can make a full flight.
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The other key is to visualize a target in range at your assigned distances. This can be tricky, as some ranges don’t have straight-line targets to which you can align the launch monitor. My suggestion is to find a line that has two distinguishing points on your selected range targets. Unfortunately, I only came to this realization halfway through my test!
Now, to my humiliating results:
T-balls
I started with the long ball, and it wasn’t pretty. I felt like I was hooking every shot off the toe, perhaps swinging too hard trying to impress my launch monitor.
But my driving score, presumably in part because of my height, averaging 295 yards per pop, was actually a respectable 69.2 or the skill level equivalent of a handicap of 3.9. This was a few taps higher than my handicap, but much closer than I thought it would be, especially considering how badly I was swinging.
The author’s Rapsodo Performance Combine driving results.
209 meters of shots
My score of 209 yards was more alarming.
I scored a 55.3 and all but one swing fell woefully short with a 4-iron. The only ball I caught solid from a distance was a dead pull.
Maybe I was working too fast or maybe, as was the case with my driver, I was swinging too hard. It’s laughable that I was talking about hitting a 5 iron for this gauge (you pick which clubs to use for each gauge in front of the combine).
The author’s Rapsodo Performance Combine result from 209 yards.
50 yards shots
What For real shocked, however, was my performance on 50-yard shots. Where I was on my driving range and where I set up the unit, I didn’t have a specific 50m target to aim for – and the results showed that. My Score: A dismal 45.8, or what a handicap of 19.1 would be expected to score. Ouch!
I trust my short game from within 30 yards, but have long had a gap in my confidence of between 40 and 80 yards. The app confirmed this with cold, hard data; my average distance to the hole was 15 feet, while the average for someone with my handicap is 6.3 feet. Obviously, I struggle with half and three-quarter wedges, where I’m too far away to spin the ball, but too close to hit a basic chip or pitch shot. There was one positive point – three of my four closest shots were my last three shots – but there’s no doubting where to focus my practice now either.
The author’s Rapsodo Performance Combine result from 50 yards.
Total score
My overall score (drum roll, please) was a humiliating 59.9, suggesting my skill level is roughly equivalent to a handicap of 10. I know my play can be inconsistent from tee to green, but hey!
The author’s Rapsodo Performance Combine result.
But most importantly, I was able to focus on parts of my game that don’t get as much practice, such as long irons and short-range wedges. For the record, I tried another custom spacing combine, picking 70 yards and 180 yards (aka a stock 7-iron to me), and despite not feeling like I mashed every shot, I scored a 65.8 or the estimated score of a 6.1 handicap – still not great but just changing to more comfortable distances made a huge difference.
The Performance Combine feature is available to Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor users with a premium subscription, which costs $99.99 per year and can be purchased in the app. You can buy an MLM device for $499.99 in the GOLF.com Pro Shop.
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