Looking for accuracy and direction practice ideas with skytrak. I’m a user of Adam Young’s NLG, and he uses a finger system for range practice, any ideas on how to incorporate that indoors? It would be great if there was a way to set the range markers at different widths.
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Great question, I’m going to reach out to Adam (he’s a good friend) and see if I can get him on here to answer.
As for SkyTrak, many of you know this is the product I use for testing on the site, and I love it. Here are some articles I’ve done to show you ideas on how to use it effectively:
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Adam would definitely have a better, more specific answer than this, but what I’d argue is that SkyTrak’s data makes the finger system a bit unnecessary. As I understand it, the finger system is a way to get some objective measurement of your accuracy of shots on a range, where you can’t walk out there and see how far left or right you were of the target.
Because SkyTrak tells you the yards offline of every shot you take, replicating the intent of the finger system should be relatively easy. My guess is that the best system would be done in percentages of the distance to which you’re hitting, perhaps in increments of 5% or so. So if I’m hitting at a target of 100 yards, any shot offline ±5 yards is the highest score, ±10 yards is second highest, and so on.
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great response, and glad to see you on here! I know SkyTrak has been huge for your little boy. Man I wish I could swing it like him 
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I’m hoping my club finishes a simulator install this winter… I’ve been thinking a lot about how I want to use it… listening to jons last podcast about accuracy, I’ve been thinking a ton about path.
If your simulator gives you path data, I think focusing on consistent path (and intentionally varying path) could be a great way to improve accuracy and control. If used correctly, it should give you a way to in grain what different paths “feel” like without face angle and strike changing the result.
My goal is to better develop path feel on a simulator and then really hone in distance control with wedges by focusing on clubhead speed consistency.
Overall, I think launch monitors give us access to data that we don’t normally get… using that to improve processes regardless of results seems to be a no brainer for me…
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Hi guys.
When practicing, I like 2 different approaches. I use a 6% rule for most distances over 100 yards - pick a target and try to get it to average 6% from the target. For example, at 180 yards, getting to 11 yards (33ft) is a tour level shot.
Typically, anything within 10% is acceptable.
However, I MUCH prefer the finger system from The Accuracy Plan (or NLG)… as it is very translatable to the course.
For example, if I am on the course and 180 away, it doesn’t help me much to know that I average 10 yards left, or that my standard dispersion is 20 yards wide. With the visual illusions that can occur on the course, it can be hard to put that information into a “therefore aim here” way.
However, if I know I average 2 fingers left and have a 4 finger dispersion, That is very actionable when it comes to selecting targets on the course.
Hope that makes sense.
FYI, 1 finger is roughly 5 yards for ME at 180 yards. With a driver, it’s roughly 10 yards.
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Thanks Adam, great stuff as always. Sounds like my pattern, 2 fingers left (only wish my dispersion was 4 fingers)
Thanks Jon, these are great articles. In reference to the article “you don’t have as much control over the golf ball as you think”, how are you getting those numbers on Skytrak? Did you do anything special with the settings or positioning? My clubhead speed is a little slower than yours, with an 8 iron for example I might be 73-74 and I’m not hitting any where near as far as that on Skytrak, maybe carrying it 125 tops at that speed. On the course its a different matter, I carry it 140 (verified with shotscope v2 which I’ve been using for a couple of years now)
This is invaluable when transferring sim data to play on the course. I haven’t put this to use, but once the SkyTrak is up and running this Winter (God and wife willing) I’ll be sure to gather this sort of data to put in play next season. Thanks so much.
Clubhead speed is estimated on SkyTrak, they are working backwards from what they measure directly from the ball flight. My irons tend to go farther because my spin rates are fairly low.
I love playing courses on Skytrack - especially the Par 3s at Bandon. Lets you step away from any block practice. You have to think about every shot, select a new club and make a good strike. It tracks fairways and greens so it will help you hone in on accuracy as you do it.
Another way I practice on Skytrack is I ask siri for a random number between 40-130 and practice wedge distance on the range. Each shot is different and I get to practice distance control with all my wedges.
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I think that’s perhaps the best benefit of simulation in general. It gets you changing clubs, targets, and refocusing before each shot. I love playing WGT on my SkyTrak.
I have my simulator set up so that the finger system is representative of real-life - at least if I stand a consistent distance from the screen.
That way I can get both bits of data
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I’m just hoping that by the time I:
a.)have space for a simulator setup
b.)can afford to do it
that SkyTraks will actually be in stock again. Say two years? 
I have a Skytrak and play quite a few games to keep things fresh and challenge myself. A few below for example:
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Using the greens target area, I’ll choose a medium or hard green and use the yardage randomizer between whatever set yardages I want to work on. Typically I’ll do 35yd-115yds to work on wedges and 115yds-180yds to work on longer approach shots. When you set the green, SkyTrak starts tracking your hit and miss percentage on the left hand side. I’ll set a goal of hitting 18 greens with at least a 60-70% hit rate. If I’m successful, I win. If I’m not successful, I’ll owe pushups, squats, or some chore I’ve been putting off
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Tee shots - same idea as above but I’ll set it to a medium or hard fairway and switch clubs between my 3i-3H-3W-D. I usually set a goal of 10 fairways hit with a 50-70% hit rate for success. Same losses ideas.
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I’ve begun implementing the Go To Shot from Will Robins’ “The Scoring Method”. Select a 40 yd wide fairway in Skytrak. Starting with a 8i or 7i, hit 9 shots and record how many hit the fairway. As I hit 8 or more fairways with each club, I move up clubs until I’m through to driver. I record my fairways hit for each club and try to beat that the next time I practice.
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Wedge system - again using Will Robins’ idea for wedge distances. I’ll hit 10 shots each with a 9 o clock backswing for my 54, 50, pw, and 9i. Those are my stock wedge yardages as a 9 o’clock swing produces a launch angle around 27 with appropriate spin. I record those stock distances. That way, when I’m on the course and I know my yardage is 96 yards to the pin, I can choose my 54 degree(91yds stock) and add a smidge more back swing than 9 o’clock or choose my 50 degree (104yds stock) and take a smidge off my 9 o’clock swing.
These are just a few exercises I use my Skytrak for and happy to share more of folks are interested!
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these are great suggestions, and similar to what I do (particularly w/ shot randomizer) - thanks for sharing!
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Id love to hear more… I should have access to a simulator next month.
Oh man, there’s a lot of other stuff you can make games out of. Here’s the general measurements that Skytrak has that you use
-backspin rate
-launch angle
-side spin rate
-degrees of launch left or right
-shot height
-carry distance
So some games using those metrics I like are:
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Mechanics swing - using an 8i, I’ll use a full SIZE swing but send the ball 50yds, 70yds, 90yds, 110, 130, 140, 150. Every swing is full size but I change the intensity. If you can send solid shots to all those yardages with full swings, your mechanics start sorting out.
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Trajectory - using a variety of clubs, I’ll send a stock shot with one club. I’ll make note of the height of the shot. Then I’ll make two more swings with that club. One will be attempting to send the ball higher than the first shot, the second will be trying to send the ball lower than the first shot. Learning trajectory skill helps with many aspects of the game (playing in wind, hitting over trees, punch outs, etc)
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Curvature - I’ll play a grid game. Pick a club (switch it up session to session), and determine which shot shape you’d like to play. I play a draw with everything except my driver. So on an iron I set three goals. 1. Send 10 shots that start right of my target 2. Send 10 shots that start right of my target and curve left and 3. Send 3 shots that start right of my target, curve left, and do NOT cross my target. I’ll give myself 15-20 attempts at each level and if I succeed I move on, if I miss, I owe pushups, squats, chore, or even go put a dollar in my daughter’s piggy bank
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One of my favorites, Guess the Number. I’ll pick a metric that Skytrak measures and try to guess the number right after I send the shot +/- a number. For example, I’ll send an 8i iron, and based off my initial strike I’ll make a guess on the carry yardage or number of yards offline left/right. I’ll usually give myself at 5 yard cushion. For every correct guess, I subtract a pushup, for every incorrect guess, I owe a pushup. I think this helps me dial in feel.
A big piece you’ll probably notice in these is the win/lose reward or punishments. I think putting something in the line when I practice whether it’s a chance to buy something I like or do something I’ve been putting off (exercise, chores, etc) puts competitive pressure on me so I can carry that to the course.
Would definitely love to hear people’s thoughts and other ideas!
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More great ideas, very creative!
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