Systems and methods for computing strokes gained performance metric from ball flight data taking account of prescribed offline information

Abstract

To address the need for a technique usable for analyzing golf shots along any terrain (not limited to golf courses) and for implementing a function of recommending selection of a club based on how a golfer consistently hits a particular golf club into a target hole and to a target distance along the terrain.SOLUTION: A system for computer-implemented golf shot analysis includes a tracking device 102 and a computing device 108. The computing device accesses ball flight data generated by the tracking device in view of a prescribed gradient map and associated functionality to derive a performance metric that penalizes shots deemed to be offline.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 940,534, filed November 26, 2019, and further claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 782,247, filed December 19, 2018. The contents of all of the above disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to computer-implemented computing and tracking techniques for golf shot analysis and optimal club selection, and more particularly to a computing and tracking system that utilizes ball flight data captured from a tracking device to derive a strokes gained performance metric that takes into account carry information and predetermined offline information that corresponds to a variable penalty parameter that corresponds to a predetermined gradient map. [Background technology]

[0003] Current strokes gained statistics and related methods proposed by Mark Broadie evaluate a golfer's overall performance after a round of golf or a hole of golf. The strokes gained metric relates to a method that considers accumulated professional and amateur data to calculate a predicted strokes value from various starting locations, their corresponding distances from the golf hole, and conditions (tee, fairway, rough, sand, green, recovery, water, etc.) to "hole out." For example, for a driver shot on a golf course, the ball goes from one condition (tee) to another (fairway, rough, etc.). The strokes gained for that shot may be calculated as the predicted strokes from the starting location to hole out minus the predicted strokes from the finishing location to hole out plus one stroke already taken. Current strokes gained methods allow a golfer to evaluate his or her performance as he or she plays a round and determine where shots are lost (i.e., hitting the ball into the water) and where strokes can be saved by improving various aspects of his or her game. The strokes gained method may be implemented by a computing device configured to perform the functions described above.

[0004] However, the strokes gained performance metric does not consider the severity of mis-hits (missed shots) and simply penalizes all shots that miss the target area equally during statistical analysis (i.e., a shot that is one yard off the fairway is considered as bad as a shot that is 30 yards off the fairway). Furthermore, strokes gained metric cannot be applied to all terrains (e.g., driving ranges and digital golf simulators) except for golf courses. Thus, current strokes gained statistics can only be utilized when playing a round of golf and are technologically lacking for the analysis required during practice or fitting sessions.

[0005] There is a need in the art for technology that can be used to analyze golf shots along any terrain (not limited to golf courses) and perform functions to recommend club selection based on how a golfer consistently hits a particular golf club for target holes and target distances along the terrain. It is with these considerations, among others, in mind that various aspects of the present disclosure have been conceived and developed.

[0006] This application contains at least one color photograph. Copies of this patent publication containing the color photograph will be provided by the Patent Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system for generating ball flight data from a plurality of golf shots taken by a golfer and calculating one or more performance indicators from the ball flight data to evaluate the golfer's performance.

[0008] [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a process flow diagram illustrating one process of implementing the system of FIG. 1 to derive a performance index for evaluating an individual golfer based on predetermined characteristics of a penalty parameter function that defines a gradient map that accounts for a particular golf shot that is considered to be offline given a target position and a starting position.

[0009] [Diagram 3] 1 is a graphical image of a pre-defined gradient map or gradient mapping that may be applied to golf ball flight data associated with one or more golf clubs to derive a performance index that takes into account a variable penalty parameter between a start position and a target position.

[0010] [Figure 4A]FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a golfer taking multiple golf shots against natural terrain using one or more golf clubs while being monitored by a tracking device that generates golf ball flight data from the golf shots.

[0011] [Figure 4B] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a golfer taking multiple golf shots against a virtual or artificial terrain using one or more golf clubs while being monitored by a tracking device that generates golf ball flight data from the golf shots.

[0012] [Diagram 5] 1 is a graphic image showing a basic shot dispersion display from ball flight data associated with multiple golf shots hit with two different golf clubs.

[0013] [Figure 6A] FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a computer-implemented method including an algorithm for generating a strokes gained performance index given ball flight data associated with multiple shots with a golf club.

[0014] [Figure 6B] 13 is a graph showing colored dots relating to historical shot information for suggesting a variable offline penalty or function parameters thereof.

[0015] [Figure 7A] FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a computer-implemented method for generating two separate strokes gained performance indicators and comparing the indicators to recommend one golf club versus another.

[0016] [Figure 7B]6 is a graphical image of an improved shot distribution display showing the multiple golf shots of FIG. 5 highlighted with different colors to indicate the application of a gradient map and associated variable penalty parameter to each shot.

[0017] [Figure 7C] 1 shows two separate calculated strokes gained performance metrics for two separate clubs.

[0018] [Figure 8] 1 is a graph plotting shot data to illustrate one scenario useful for applying the strokes gained performance indicators described herein.

[0019] [Figure 9] 1 is a graph plotting shot data to illustrate one scenario useful for applying the strokes gained performance indicators described herein.

[0020] [Figure 10] 1 is a graph plotting shot data to illustrate one scenario useful for applying the strokes gained performance indicators described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding elements in the drawings. Headings used in the drawings do not limit the scope of the claims.

[0022] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a computer-implemented system and associated method for calculating a performance index related to a strokes gained value of a golf shot, the performance index taking into account predefined offline information. The calculation of strokes gained value may be used for many useful applications, including generating computer-implemented recommendations for one golf club versus another. In some embodiments, the performance index is related in part to a predefined penalty function that defines a gradient map that is applied to flight data generated from multiple golf shots monitored using one or more of the tracking devices of a tracking device. The variable penalty parameter effectively penalizes golf shots that are considered undesirable for any reason. More specifically, for example, a golf shot determined to be 10 yards offline relative to a major axis between a start position and a target position (e.g., a golf hole) may define a penalty parameter value of 0.2, while a golf shot determined to be 20 yards offline relative to a major axis between a start position and a target position may define a penalty parameter value of 0.50. The variable penalty parameter thereby penalizes golf shots that are offline for any reason, affecting the overall strokes gained value for that shot. In some embodiments, the slope map and associated penalty parameters may be custom tuned or modified to suit any number of different applications. As a result, the performance index may take into account the inherent characteristics of a particular terrain or a particular course, or any number of desired conditions. In this manner, the computer-implemented system is a technological improvement over prior club selection / shot analysis systems that are unable to penalize offline shots or take into account inherent course characteristics.

[0023] In other words, the performance index assigns a strokes gained numerical value to each of a series of golf shots. A larger strokes gained value typically corresponds to a higher likelihood of success for the golfer. When implemented, the performance index provides data points to assist a golfer in assessing potential success with a particular golf club before playing golf, e.g., in a practice situation. The performance index may be used on any terrain (i.e., driving range, golf simulator, golf course) where shot distances and offline distances defined by slope mapping can be tracked. Furthermore, the gained performance index can assist a computing device in selecting / recommending an optimal club since it can inherently assess the likelihood of success with a particular golf club. Furthermore, the gained performance index can improve a golfer's decision-making when deciding which club to hit off the tee box with (e.g., a larger strokes gained value corresponding to a fairway wood rather than a driver may be used to suggest that the golfer select a fairway wood over a driver).

[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, a computer-implemented system (hereinafter "system") 100 is shown that may be implemented to generate flight data from a plurality of golf shots associated with a golfer 101 and to implement a performance metric that may be used to further generate recommendations between one golf club and another. Generally, the system 100 includes a tracking device 102 that generates ball flight data 104 from a plurality of golf shots taken by the golfer 101, a display device 106 that displays the ball flight data 104 and other aspects described herein, and a computing device 108 that accesses the ball flight data and is in operative communication with the display device 106. The computing device 108 is configured to input the ball flight data 104 and perform functions to generate or otherwise generate a strokes gained performance metric (e.g., 607 of FIG. 6A) that may be used to improve recommendations between golf clubs. The performance metric is derived from improvements to strokes gained statistics and utilizes variable penalty parameters that define a gradient map as further described herein.

[0025] In some embodiments, the computing device 108 includes a processor 110, a memory 112 of the computing device 108 (or implemented separately), a network interface (or multiple network interfaces) 114, and a bus 116 (or wireless medium) for interconnecting the aforementioned elements. The network interface 114 includes mechanical, electrical, and signaling circuitry for communicating data over a link (e.g., a wired or wireless link) associated with a network 120 (e.g., the Internet, a Bluetooth connection, a local area network (LAN), etc.). As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the network interface 114 may be configured to transmit and / or receive data using a variety of different communication protocols.

[0026] As shown, the computing device 108 accesses the ball flight data 104 from the tracking device 102 via the network interface 114 or in other manner. Generally, once accessed and / or stored in the database 122, the processor 110 executes the services 130 to calculate various data points useful for evaluating an individual golfer's performance (e.g., evaluating the golfer's performance for a particular club and / or evaluating the golfer's performance for a particular terrain) based on any number of predefined conditions. For example, the strokes gained value calculation service 130B may be executed to determine an initial strokes gained value from one or more golf ball shots, and the performance index calculation service 130C may be further executed to determine a performance index by modifying and / or transforming that strokes gained value based on a variable penalty parameter as further described herein. The services 130 may include any number of elements or modules executed or otherwise implemented by the processor 110. Thus, in some embodiments, one or more of the services 130 may be implemented as code and / or machine-executable instructions that are executable by the processor 110 and may represent one or more of a process, function, subprogram, program, routine, subroutine, module, object, software package, class, or any combination of instructions, data structures, or program statements, etc. In other words, one or more of the services 130 described herein may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or any combination thereof.When implemented in software, firmware, middleware, or microcode, program code or code segments (e.g., a computer program product) to perform the necessary tasks may be stored in a computer-readable or machine-readable medium (e.g., memory 112) and the processor 110 performs the tasks defined by the code.

[0027] The system 100 is non-limiting and additional elements will be understood by those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, for example, the computing device 108 is in operative communication with a portable device 132, which may correspond to an individual golfer or fitter. The portable device 132 may include a smartphone, laptop, tablet, or other portable device that may be used to run the user interface 134 and access data related to the performance indicators described herein, and may receive club recommendations and other feedback information after a golfer is evaluated by the system 100. Additionally, although not shown, the system 100 may utilize data from external devices, such as professional golfer shot information, course information, club information, and other forms of information that may be used to adjust variable penalty parameters and slope maps or to modify the functionality described herein.

[0028] One way of implementing the system 100 will now be described with reference to the process flow diagram 200 of FIG. 2. Referring to block 202, a gradient map, such as the gradient map 300 of FIG. 3, may be defined, generated, or accessed based on a variable penalty parameter. Generally, the gradient map 300 is a visual representation that may be used to evaluate a golf shot along a terrain 302. The gradient map 300, defined by a variable penalty parameter function (illustrated in FIG. 6A), assigns a particular value for a variable penalty parameter 304 based on where the golf shot falls along the gradient map 300. Generally, the gradient map 300 is configured to take into account the severity of a miss, thus providing a more accurate indication of the likelihood of success for obtaining a longer and / or more accurate golf shot following a particular tee shot along the terrain 302.

[0029] In FIG. 3 , the gradient map 300 is shown using an XY graph with a y-axis corresponding to carry distance along the terrain 302 and an x-axis corresponding to offline distance. In some embodiments, as shown, the gradient map 300 includes or takes into account a starting location 306, such as a tee location, and a target location 308, such as a golf hole. In the configuration of the gradient map 300 shown, golf shots that have a longer carry distance (that land closer to the target location 308) and are more linear (e.g., land at a location along the terrain 302 that is more linearly aligned with the target location 308) are penalized less or not at all. Thus, for shots that are not considered offline between the starting location 306 and the target location 308, the variable penalty parameter 304 defined by the gradient map 300 is reduced.

[0030] In some embodiments, the gradient map 300 defines geometric regions 310 that indicate whether and to what extent a golf shot is "offline" relative to a major axis 312 between a start position 306 and a target position 308. For example, in the gradient map 300, a geometric region 310A extending along the major axis 312 provides a null value for the variable penalty parameter 304 for golf shots that land within the defined region, a geometric region 310B provides a penalty parameter value of 0.25 for golf shots that land within the defined region, and a geometric region 310C provides a penalty parameter value of 0.50 for golf shots that land within the defined region. As shown, the geometric region 310A is generally rectilinear in shape, and the geometric region 310B extends around the perimeter of the geometric region 310B and widens or increases in width proximate the target position 308. In this way, shots hit long distances will have a smaller penalty even if they are considered to be somewhat offline, i.e., shots that are not considered to land within the geometric region 310A in the gradient map 300 that is considered to be an ideal landing location for a golf shot.

[0031] In the example slope map 300, shots hit within the geometric region 310A or less than 10 yards offline (less than 10 yards from the major axis 312B) may be considered to land on the fairway portion of the terrain 302 or may be considered “online” given the location of the starting location 306 and the target location 308. However, shots that land along geometric regions 310 further away from the major axis 312B, particularly those closer to the starting location 306, may be considered to be within the rough portion of the terrain 302 or otherwise require recovery (e.g., dropping in play for a penalty, playing backward or sideways to more forgiving terrain). One goal of the slope map 300 is to reflect that a 50-yard offline shot is worse than a 30-yard offline shot because a 50-yard offline shot is generally more likely to land in a water hazard, sand, tall grass (deep rough), wooded area, or recovery location on the course, or be out of bounds. From Figure 3, it can be determined that a 300-yard carry with 37 yards off-line is almost equivalent to a 250-yard carry with 25 yards off-line. Furthermore, it can be determined that a 290-yard carry with 15 yards off-line is almost equivalent to a 260-yard carry with 0 yards off-line.

[0032] Referring to block 204, once the variable penalty parameters 304 and associated gradient map 300 are defined or configured as desired, ball flight data 104 from multiple golf shots of golfer 101 may be generated by tracking device 102 and made accessible or transmitted to computing device 108 so that ball flight data 104 may be applied to gradient map 300 to evaluate golfer 101 as described further herein. FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate implementations of tracking device 102 for generating ball flight data 104 in different environments / settings. For example, FIG. 4A illustrates the generation of ball flight data 104 when a golf ball shot is hit on a natural or physical terrain (terrain 354A) and FIG. 4B illustrates the generation of ball flight data 104 when a golf ball shot is hit against a virtual terrain (e.g., terrain 354B). In either case, golfer 101 may perform any number of swings to generate ball flight data 104.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 4A-4B, a golfer 101 is positioned along a shot location 350 associated with the tracking device 102 and prepares to strike a golf ball 352 in the direction of a target location 353 located along a terrain 354. The shot location 350 may be a tee box in the form of a mat (e.g., synthetic grass) or a natural grass area of ​​a golf driving range, and the disclosure is not limited in this respect. In general, the tracking device 102 generates ball flight data 104 by capturing various characteristics as the golfer 101 strikes the golf ball 352 toward the terrain 354. More specifically, the tracking device 102 includes multiple tracking devices 356 or ball monitoring equipment, designated tracking device 352A and tracking device 352B, that can record various characteristics of the golfer's swing (390 in FIG. 4B), such as swing path, club orientation, and / or ball flight, and can track or predict the flight of the golf ball from the shot location 350 to a landing location (not shown) along the terrain 354. Additionally, the ball flight data 104 generated by the tracking device 356 may identify or predict a landing location, a total distance traveled by the golf ball 352 from the shot location 350 to the landing location, and a remaining distance to a target location, such as the target location 308. The tracking device 356 may include one or any number of cameras, sensors, video graphic devices, or any other such devices that may be utilized to track the flight of the golf ball 352 along the terrain 354 and identify a final landing location, which may be in the form of latitude and longitude physical coordinates along the terrain 354. In some embodiments, the tracking device 356 may include a radar-based system, such as the TrackMan system, or other such commercial systems that indicate the landing location to a predetermined accuracy value, measure the complete trajectory of a golf shot, and map the three-dimensional (3D) trajectory of the shot in real time, along with impact and launch information.The tracking device 356 may further include an optical system, such as a GCQuad system or other such commercial system with a high speed 4-point camera that identifies the exact launch conditions (such as ball speed, launch angle, and spin rate) of the golf ball 352 shot, which may be combined with a ball flight algorithm to identify or predict the final landing location of the golf ball 352 shot. Additionally, sensors may be provided in the golf ball 352 or in the club 358 used by the golfer 101 to assist in generating the ball flight data 104.

[0034] 4A, information regarding the flight of the golf ball 352 is communicated using a wired or wireless connection and any desired transmission protocol to the computing device 108, which may optionally output aspects of the golf ball strike to an output device 360. In one specific example, the output device 360 ​​may be a monitor and / or computer speakers operatively connected to the computing device 108 to provide an audio and / or digital display. The output device 360 ​​may be located at or near the starting position 350 as shown. If desired, the output device 360 ​​may display launch monitor data, a shot dispersion display, or other information regarding the individual swing and strike of the golfer 101 as ball flight data 104 is being collected to derive a strokes gained performance index, as described further herein. As another example, output device 360 ​​may be the golfer's 101 or fitter's smartphone or other portable electronic device (such as a golf GPS device), and communication therewith may optionally be wireless via a cellular network, the Internet, or other communications network.

[0035] As shown, the tracking device 356 may be placed anywhere around the golfer 101, for example, such that the golfer strikes the tracking device 356, or such a device may be placed behind the golfer's back along the heel side of the golfer 101. Additionally, additional tracking or measurement devices may be placed overhead or virtually anywhere, which may record data such as video images of the golfer's movements, or may track and record data or characteristics related to the movement of parts of the golf club or the ball, such as speed, direction, orientation, and other characteristics.

[0036] The tracking device 102 may include any of a variety of ancillary components and features. For example, as in FIG. 4B, the tracking device 102 includes a net 380 into which the golfer 101 may strike the ball when performing his shot, practice swings, and / or swings for generating ball flight data 104 by the tracking device 356. The net 380 may enable tracking of shots in more limited spaces, such as indoors, in a pro shop, or at a driving range where available land is limited. Although not specifically shown, the virtual terrain 354B may house, protect, or include additional measurement devices, including speed or force sensors, videographic devices, and other devices that may be utilized to track the flight of the ball from the shot location 350 to a virtual landing location (not shown).

[0037] Referring back to block 204 of FIG. 2, the tracking device 102 may generate ball flight data 104 for any number of shots that the golfer 101 takes along a given terrain toward a target or target location. A basic representation of a shot distribution display 500 for multiple golf shots is shown in FIG. 5 (which may be rendered along the display device 106 of FIG. 1). In the illustrated example, the shot distribution display 500 plots multiple golf shots along a given terrain 502 relative to a start location 506 and a target location 508, where the shots correspond to club types 504. In the illustrated example, multiple shots 510 are plotted along the shot distribution display 500 corresponding to a "Club A" type club, and multiple shots 512 are plotted along the shot distribution display 500 corresponding to a "Club B" type club. Further, as shown, shot dispersion display 500 may include a boundary 520 defining a first stat area associated with a plurality of shots 510 and a boundary 522 defining a second stat area associated with a plurality of shots 512. Each of boundaries 520 and 522 may indicate a plurality of shots (e.g., a visual measure of dispersion) struck with a corresponding golf club. Each of boundaries 520 and 522 may further encompass a certain predetermined percentage of shots within a predetermined area (e.g., 90%), while some shots may be outside of that particular boundary (e.g., 10%). Although FIG. 5 illustrates boundaries 520 and 522 having an elliptical shape, the disclosure is not limited in this respect and embodiments described herein may include boundaries having other suitable shapes (e.g., circular, rectangular, etc.).

[0038] In the example of Figure 5, shot distribution display 500 may be used to identify basic strokes to hole value. However, the individual shots shown do not take into account offline information. In particular, shot distribution display 500 does not penalize offline shots, nor does it distinguish shots from one another in a useful way. In other words, shot distribution display 500 and related information are lacking in the art.

[0039] 2, a strokes gained performance indicator in the form of a numerical value is calculated for the plurality of shots 510 and / or the plurality of shots 512 according to the logic and functions of FIG 6A executable by the computing device 108. As shown, in blocks 602 and 604 of FIG 6A, the ball flight data 104 generated by the tracking device 102 may be accessed by the computing device 108 as previously described.

[0040] Next, as shown in blocks 604 and 606, the computing device 108 applies the carry and offline information for each shot to an algorithm 601 to calculate an improved strokes gained value corresponding to each shot. In particular, as a first step, the algorithm 601 processes the carry and offline information provided by the tracking device 102 for each shot and converts this information into an initial strokes gained value, represented in FIG. 6A as "distance performance parameters." For this initial calculation, the algorithm 601 assumes a hole that is 425 yards long, which is where almost all golfers would choose to hit with a driver. The average strokes to hole out for PGA Tour golfers from various distances and starting conditions (tee, fairway, rough, sand, green) are used as baseline information and are set forth in Table 1.

[0041] [Table 1]

[0042] The average strokes gained from 425 yards is 4.04. The strokes gained baseline for the fairway to hole out may then be used to assign strokes gained values ​​for shots that reach the fairway. For example, a shot that travels 305 yards into the fairway has 120 yards remaining and is predicted to be 2.85 strokes from hole out. The average shot should travel from 4.04 to 3.04 strokes from hole out. The driver shot in this example took 2.85 strokes to hole out instead of 3.04, so was 0.19 strokes better than average. The formal equation for strokes gained for a single shot is shown below: Strokes gained = Strokes to finish at start hole - Strokes to finish at finish hole - 1

[0043] The specific function of the algorithm 601 for determining the distance performance parameter value (fairway_sg) may be defined as follows: Formula 1: Input: Carry, Offline Output: SG (stroke gained) starting_sth=4.04 end_dist=425-carry fairway_sth=-3.36089E-15*end_dist 6 +7.05134E-12*end_dist 5 -5.30361E-09*end_dist 4 +1.80822E-06*end_dist 3 -2.83067E-04*end_dist 2 +2.21293E-02*end_dist+2.05282E+00 fairway_sg=starting_sth-fairway_sth-1

[0044] As further shown in FIG. 6A, the algorithm 601 is configured to penalize offline shots by applying an offline penalty partition function 603 that ultimately assigns a variable penalty parameter value based on offline information of the shot. Generally, the offline penalty partition function 603 defines the slope map 300 shown in FIG. 3. In other words, the structure of the offline penalty partition function 603 determines how the system 100 applies the variable penalty parameters represented by the slope map 300. These slope maps 300 vary depending on the course being played, as each course is a unique area of ​​fairways, penalties, and hole / green arrangements. As previously mentioned, the slope map 300 defined by the offline penalty partition function 603 favors distances and shots close to the vertical axis 312, as indicated by the geometric regions 310 and their corresponding penalty parameter values. However, in other embodiments, the offline penalty partition function 603 may be modified as desired to reconfigure the slope map 300 to penalize specific regions along the terrain 302 as desired. In other words, the general slope of the variable penalty parameters, and the final strokes gained value, may be adjusted for different embodiments by applying modifications to the offline penalty segment function 603 as desired.

[0045] In some embodiments, the offline penalty segment function 603 may be defined as follows: Formula 2: For offline values ​​less than 10 yards, offline penalty = 0 For offline values ​​greater than 10 yards but less than 20 yards, offline penalty = (offline-10)*(-1.3 / 50) For offline values ​​over 20 yards, offline penalty = -0.26 + (offline-20) * (-0.59 / 40)

[0046] The offline penalty partition function 603 takes into account that the longer the offline distance of a shot, the more likely it is that the shot will land in the rough, sand, water, or out of bounds. The historical ball flight data shown in FIG. 6B may be used to configure the offline penalty partition function 603 to output a more accurate expected penalty for offline tee shots or other shots. In FIG. 6B, the colored dots are the proposed offline penalties, and the black line is the average observed historical data. The curve suggests that offline driver shots less than 10 yards almost always land on the fairway, and therefore such driver shots do not receive a strokes gained (SG) penalty for landing on the fairway. On the other hand, an offline driver shot 35 yards is penalized by about 0.5 strokes for landing on the fairway. For example, if a 305-yard downline driver shot is assumed to be 35 yards offline, its strokes gained value would be the same 0.19 strokes plus the offline penalty of −0.5 strokes. Thus, the strokes gained value is −0.31 strokes (calculated by Equation 2). This same formula may be applied to determine strokes gained values ​​for any combination of carries and off-lines.

[0047] As further shown in block 606 of FIG. 6A, the computing device 108 further executes the algorithm 601 to derive an improved strokes gained value 605 for each shot by utilizing logic and values ​​from Equations 1 and 2 as follows: Formula 3: (Improved strokes gained value (SG)): SG=fairway_sg+offline_penalty

[0048] It should be understood that Equations 1-3 are merely exemplary, and that deviations from the logic described for ultimately calculating improved strokes gained value 605 are contemplated by the present disclosure.

[0049] Referring to block 608, an improved strokes gained value 605 may be calculated by the computing device 108 for each shot or each portion of a shot in a given condition area based on the ball flight data 104, where the improved strokes gained value 605 takes into account the offline penalty (variable penalty parameter) defined by the offline penalty segment function 603. Further, a sum of the improved strokes gained values ​​605 may be averaged to define a strokes gained performance index 607.

[0050] The strokes gained performance index 607 may be used in a variety of different scenarios to improve the technical evaluation of club selection. For example, the strokes gained performance index 607 may be applied to practice sessions, club fittings (where a certified equipment fitter provides a golfer with a club specifically tailored to the golfer's swing), precision clubs versus distance clubs, specific center of gravity (CG) locations to produce desired shots (i.e., draws, fades, high, low), or specific golf courses (i.e., golf courses with more penalty on the right or left side of the course). Set forth below are a series of examples in which the strokes gained performance index 607 may be applied, modified, or utilized for specific applications. EXAMPLES

[0051] Example 1: Club A vs Club B

[0052] With reference to blocks 702A-702B and 704A-704B of FIG. 7A and applying the general logic described in FIG. 6A , a first example of a strokes gained performance index 607 may be calculated for club "A" and a second example of a strokes gained performance index 607 may be calculated for club "B" by utilizing the first and second portions or first and second data sets of ball flight data 104. In some embodiments, the referenced clubs "A" and "B" may include drivers, although the disclosure is not limited in this respect. In general, the club associated with the larger of the strokes gained performance indexes 607 may be recommended as being the club that allows the golfer to reach the target location (hole) more efficiently. This concept is further illustrated in FIGS. 7B and 7C. FIG. 7B illustrates an improved shot distribution display 720 that improves upon the shot distribution display 500 of FIG. 5 by providing (using the functionality of FIG. 6A ) an improved strokes gained value ("sg_driver") for each of the plurality of shots 510 and the plurality of shots 512, which are shown in FIG. 7B collectively as a plurality of shots 722. Similar to FIG. 5 , the shot distribution display 720 plots the plurality of shots 722 along the same terrain 502 relative to a starting position 506 and a target position 508. As indicated by the variety of colors applied to the plurality of shots 722, the shot distribution display 720 takes into account a variable penalty parameter for offline shots as described in FIGS. 3 and 6A , where shots plotted at different positions relative to a vertical axis 730 between the starting position 506 and the target position 508 are used to calculate different (improved) strokes gained values ​​740. As shown, a strokes gained value of 0.25 is calculated for the portion of the plurality of shots 722 that is highlighted in red and plotted proximate to the vertical axis 730 and the target position 508. Because these shots are considered ideal and typically not offline, strokes gained values ​​calculated for shots within this region will typically be larger than those for shots plotted farther away from the vertical axis 730 and target position 508.

[0053] FIG 7C illustrates that the ball flight data 104 associated with the plurality of shots 510 and the plurality of shots 512 may be applied to the algorithm 601 of FIG 6A and the functionality of FIG 7A to derive two separate strokes gained performance indicators. Specifically, with reference to FIG 6A and FIG 7A, a first performance indicator 750 may be calculated by the computing device 108 for the ball flight information 104 associated with the plurality of shots 510, and a second performance indicator 752 may be calculated by the computing device 108 for the ball flight information 104 associated with the plurality of shots 512. As described herein, because the first performance indicator 750 is determined to be greater than the second performance indicator 752, the club type 504 used to hit the plurality of shots 510 may be recommended over the club type 504 used to hit the plurality of shots 512.

[0054] In this specific scenario comparing Club A and Club B, the underlying function for deriving the Driver Strokes Gained Metric is designed to equally penalize shots to the right and left of a specified target line or vertical axis 730. The first performance metric 750 and second performance metric 752 provide a numerical value to accurately measure a golfer's likelihood of success with either club. This gives the golfer a competitive advantage. A golfer can have the driver with the highest likelihood of success while assessing their performance in terms of raw data (i.e. launch, ball speed, carry, spin, etc.) as well as likelihood of success on the course.

[0055] Example 2: Accuracy vs. Range

[0056] Referring to FIG. 8, and in view of the functionality described with respect to FIG. 6A and FIG. 7A, during a club fitting, a strokes gained performance index 607 may be used to compare the performance of a precision golf club (i.e., a 44-inch driver that averages 275 yards downline and 5 yards off-line) with the performance of a distance golf club (i.e., a 46-inch driver that averages 300 yards and 12 yards off-line). The strokes gained performance index 607 balances the likelihood of success as a golfer hits a golf shot off-line and down-line. In at least some embodiments, the longer the down-line distance of a golf shot, the higher the likelihood of success. Furthermore, the more accurately a golf shot is hit on-line, the higher the likelihood of success. However, it may be difficult to evaluate whether it is better to have a shorter down-line distance but be more on-line, or a longer down-line distance but be more off-line.

[0057] Some golfers play longer shaft drivers (i.e., 46 inch drivers) for distance, while others play shorter shaft drivers (i.e., 44 inch drivers) for accuracy (average driver shaft length is about 45 inches). Strokes Gained Performance Index 607 may be used to accurately assess whether a golfer would benefit more from a precision driver (Driver A) or a distance driver (Driver B). For example, a golfer may hit "X" shots with Driver A to calculate a Strokes Gained Performance Index. The golfer may then hit "X" shots with Driver B to calculate a Strokes Gained Performance Index. Following this test, the Strokes Gained Performance Index of both golf clubs may be compared, and the club associated with the higher index may be selected. In this specific scenario, the Driver Strokes Gained Index (slope) is designed to equally penalize shots to the right and left of a specified target line. The golfer may then have a number to accurately measure the golfer's likelihood of success, whether as a precision driver or a distance driver. This gives the golfer a competitive advantage by allowing them to have the driver with the highest likelihood of success while assessing their performance in terms of raw data (i.e. launch, ball speed, carry, spin, etc.) as well as the likelihood of success on the course.

[0058] Example 3: Specific CG position

[0059] Referring to FIG. 9, in view of the functionality described for FIG. 6A and FIG. 7A, during a club fitting, a strokes gained performance index 607 may be used to compare the performance of a golf club having a particular CG location (i.e., a driver having a heel CG location that draws) with the performance of a second golf club having a second CG location (i.e., a driver having a toe CG location that fades). The strokes gained performance index 607 balances the likelihood of success as a golfer hits golf shots off-line and down-line. In some embodiments, a golf shot with a longer down-line distance corresponds to a higher likelihood of success. Furthermore, the more accurately a golf shot is hit on-line, the higher the likelihood of success. However, in most cases, a draw shot goes further but is more difficult to keep on-line, while a fade shot is easier to control on-line but is difficult to hit farther. Golfers often do not use a golf club that has a proper CG position for their swing (i.e., a golfer with a neutral CG who hits a bad slice, a golfer with a neutral CG who hits a bad hook, etc.). If a golfer who hits a bad slice (i.e., 25 yards off line) hits a driver with a heelside CG position, the weighting of the golf club will counteract the slice and promote a draw, making the driver more accurate (i.e., 12 yards off line instead of the original 25 yards off line).

[0060] Some golfers use club heads with CG positioned closer to the heel (i.e., hit topspin draw shots) to counteract the effect of the golfer's slice swing (and produce straighter on-line shots), while other golfers use club heads with CG positioned closer to the toe (i.e., hit underspin fade shots) to counteract the effect of the golfer's hook swing (and produce straighter on-line shots). Strokes Gained Performance Index 607 may be used to accurately assess whether a golfer would benefit more from a center CG driver (Driver A) or a heel CG driver (Driver B). For example, a golfer may hit "X" shots with Driver A and a Strokes Gained Performance Index 607 may be calculated. Then, the golfer may hit "X" shots with Driver B and a Strokes Gained Performance Index 607 may be calculated. Following this test, the Driver Strokes Gained Performance Indexes of both golf clubs may be compared and the club with the higher index may be selected. In this specific scenario, the Driver Strokes Gained Index (slope) is designed to equally penalize shots to the right and left of the designated target line. A golfer who is prone to slicing will likely have a higher Driver Strokes Gained Index if he uses a driver head with a heeled CG that counteracts the tendency to slice and produces straighter shots. A golfer can have a number to accurately measure his likelihood of success, whether with a centered CG driver or a heeled driver. This gives the golfer a competitive advantage. A golfer can have the driver with the highest likelihood of success while assessing his performance in terms of raw data (i.e. launch, ball speed, carry, spin, etc.) as well as likelihood of success on the course.

[0061] Additionally, the Strokes Gained Performance Index 607 may be used to accurately assess whether a golfer benefits more from a mid-CG driver (Driver A) or a toe-CG driver (Driver B). For example, a golfer may play "X" shots with Driver A to calculate the Strokes Gained Performance Index 607. Then, the golfer may play "X" shots with Driver B to calculate the Strokes Gained Performance Index 607. Following this test, the Strokes Gained Performance Index of both golf clubs may be compared and the club with the higher index may be selected. In this specific scenario, the Driver Strokes Gained Index (slope) is designed to equally penalize shots to the right and left of a specified target line. A golfer who tends to hook swing will likely have a higher Driver Strokes Gained Index using a driver head with a toe-CG that counteracts the tendency to hook swing and produces straighter shots. A golfer can have a number to accurately measure his or her chances of success, whether with a mid-CG driver or a toe-CG driver. This gives the golfer a competitive advantage. Golfers can evaluate their performance in terms of raw data (i.e. launch, ball speed, carry, spin, etc.) as well as likelihood of success on the course while having the driver that provides the greatest chance of success.

[0062] Additionally, during club fitting, the strokes gained performance index 607 may be used to compare the performance of a golf club with a particular launch (i.e., a driver with a forward CG placement with a low launch) with the performance of a second golf club with a particular launch (i.e., a driver with a deep CG placement with a high launch). The strokes gained performance index 607 balances the likelihood of a golfer being successful as the golfer hits golf shots off-line and down-line. In at least some embodiments, the longer the down-line distance, the greater the likelihood of success. Additionally, the more accurately the golf shot is hit on-line, the greater the likelihood of success. However, in some cases, in wet conditions, a high shot with a longer carry distance is preferred, and in dry, windy conditions, a low shot that rolls farther is preferred.

[0063] Some golfers hit with club heads that have the CG located closer to the striking face (i.e., hitting low launch, low spin shots) in order to roll the ball further (often in dry or windy conditions), while other golfers hit with club heads that have the CG closer to the rear of the club (i.e., hitting high launch shots) in order to roll the ball further (often in wet conditions where the ball does not roll much). Strokes Gained Performance Index 607 may be used to accurately assess whether a golfer benefits more from a low launch shot (Driver A) or a high launch shot (Driver B). For example, a golfer may hit "X" shots with Driver A to calculate the Strokes Gained Performance Index for Driver A. Then, the golfer may hit "X" shots with Driver B to calculate the Strokes Gained Performance Index for Driver B. Following this test, the Driver Strokes Gained Performance Index for both golf clubs may be compared, and the club with the higher index may be selected. In this specific scenario, the driver strokes gained index (slope) is designed to equally penalize shots to the right and left of the designated target line. The golfer can then have a number to accurately measure his / her likelihood of success, whether with a low launch driver or a high launch driver. This gives the golfer a competitive advantage. The golfer can have the driver with the highest likelihood of success while still assessing his / her performance in terms of raw data (i.e. launch, ball speed, carry, spin, etc.) as well as likelihood of success on the course.

[0064] Example 4: Course-specific gradient

[0065] 10, and in light of the functionality described with respect to FIGS. 6A and 7A, in some embodiments, the strokes gained performance index 607 may be adjusted (and used) or reconfigured to compare the performance of two golf clubs on a particular golf course during a practice or fitting session, for example, to accurately display the average off-line penalty for 18 holes of a specified course. For example, an exemplary reference golf course has a course layout where the ocean runs along the entire right side of 8 of the 18 holes. This layout dramatically affects the penalty for going off-line to the right. The other 10 of the 18 holes have different fairway widths and different penalties for going off-line to the left and right, but when averaged with a strong penalty for going off-line to the right on 8 of the holes, the strokes gained performance index 607 may be configured to penalize going off-line to the right more than a standard strokes gained performance index. In other words, the off-line penalty segment function 603 of the algorithm 601 may be configured to apply a variable penalty parameter that provides a stronger penalty (loss to strokes gained) for shots that go off-line to the right. This configuration may affect a corresponding gradient map, such as gradient map 300, to indicate the stronger penalty applied by offline penalty partition function 603 as specifically configured in this scenario. Furthermore, when offline penalty partition function 603 of algorithm 601 is configured as described above, this configuration naturally adjusts the calculation of strokes gained performance index 607 that is ultimately calculated in this scenario.

[0066] This adjusted performance index 607 may then be used during a practice or fitting session to compare the performance of the two golf clubs on this exemplary reference golf course before playing the course. As previously mentioned, some golfers prefer a club head with a CG closer to the heel for rolling distance (i.e., hitting topspin draw shots), while other golfers prefer a club head with a CG closer to the toe for accuracy as the ball falls and stops (i.e., hitting underspin fade shots). However, if a golfer who hits with a club head with a CG closer to the toe (to hit fades) tends to miss significantly to the right, the strokes gained performance index may be used to accurately assess whether the golfer would benefit more from a fade bias (driver A) or a draw bias (driver B) on the course. For example, a golfer may hit "X" shots with driver A to calculate the strokes gained performance index for driver A. The golfer may then hit "X" shots with Driver B to calculate the Strokes Gained Performance Index for Driver B. Following this test, the Driver Strokes Gained Performance Index for both golf clubs may be compared, and the club with the higher index may be selected for the exemplary golf course of interest. In this specific scenario, the Driver Strokes Gained Index (slope) is designed to penalize shots to the right more than shots to the left. The golfer may then have a number to accurately measure the golfer's chances of success on the course, whether it be a fade-biased driver or a draw-biased driver. This provides the golfer with a competitive advantage before playing a particular golf course. The golfer may then have the driver with the highest chance of success on a particular course, evaluating his or her performance in terms of raw data (i.e., launch, ball speed, carry, spin, etc.) as well as the chance of success on the course.

[0067] Because the Rules of Golf may change from time to time (e.g., new Rules may be adopted, and old Rules repealed or revised, by golf's standardization and / or governing organizations, such as the United States Golf Association (USGA), the Royal and American Golf Association (R&A), etc.), golf equipment to which the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein relate may or may not conform to the Rules of Golf at any particular time. Accordingly, golf equipment to which the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein relate may be advertised, marketed, and / or sold as conforming or non-conforming golf equipment. The apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein are not limited in this respect.

[0068] The substitution of one or more claimed elements constitutes a rearrangement, not a modification. Furthermore, advantages, other benefits, and solutions to problems have been described with respect to particular embodiments. However, those advantages, benefits, solutions to problems, and any element or elements that may provide or further accentuate any advantage, benefit, or solution to a problem should in no way be construed as a critical, necessary, or essential feature or element of any or all of the claims.

[0069] The above examples may be described or utilized in connection with any type of golf club. Alternatively, the apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture described herein may be applicable to other types of sporting goods, such as hockey sticks, tennis rackets, fishing rods, baseball bats, etc., where it is desired to analyze shot distances using these alternative forms of sporting goods. Furthermore, the embodiments and limitations disclosed herein are not made available to the public under the doctrine of dedication if the embodiment and / or limitation (1) is not expressly claimed in the claims, and (2) is or may be equivalent to an express element and / or limitation in the claims under the doctrine of equivalents.

[0070] It should be understood from the foregoing that, while particular embodiments have been shown and described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Such modifications and variations are within the scope and teachings of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A method of calculating a strokes gained performance metric from ball flight data that takes into account certain off-line information, comprising: accessing, by a processor, a first data set associated with a first plurality of shots from a first golf club; A first performance indicator is extracted from the first data set by the processor, the first performance indicator being calculated by the processor in accordance with the following steps: (i) calculating a set of strokes gained values ​​for each of the first plurality of shots from the first golf club by considering at least a difference between a predetermined predicted hole-out value corresponding to a target distance and a predetermined predicted hole-out value corresponding to an actual carry distance; (ii) performing a predetermined offline penalty function on each of the set of stroke gained values ​​to derive a respective penalty parameter for each of the first plurality of shots from the first golf club, the respective penalty parameter being determined by offline information including a landing position of each of the first plurality of shots relative to the target position; (iii) applying each said penalty parameter to a corresponding stroke gained value; (iv) averaging the set of stroke gained values ​​as modified by each of the penalty parameters; and generating, by the processor, a second performance metric derived by applying steps (i)-(iv) to a second data set relating to a second plurality of shots from a second golf club; recommending a selection between the first golf club and the second golf club by identifying a greater one of the first performance index and the second performance index; A method comprising:

2. the predetermined offline penalty function defines a plurality of predetermined geographic regions comprised of physical coordinates between the target location and a starting shot location; The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of predetermined geographic regions defines a predetermined input value for each of the penalty parameters.

3. the plurality of predetermined geographic regions including a first region extending along a linear path between the target location and the starting shot location and at least one second region extending along a first side of the first region; the second region is at least partially offset from the target location and outside the first region; 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second region defines predetermined input values ​​for each of the penalty parameters for some of the first plurality of shots from the first golf club that fall within the second region and are offline to the target location.

4. 1. A computing system configured to calculate a strokes gained performance metric from ball flight data, the strokes gained performance metric taking into account predefined offline information, comprising: a tracking device providing flight data for each of a plurality of golf shots taken with a golf club from a starting position, the flight data including a post shot distance between a landing position and a target position; a processor in operative communication with the tracking device; the processor is configured to calculate a strokes gained value for each of the plurality of golf shots; the stroke gained value is a predetermined predicted hole-out value from the landing position to the target position, the predetermined predicted hole-out value being defined taking into account the post shot distance and a total distance between the target position and the start position; the processor is configured to convert, for each of the plurality of golf shots, each of the strokes gained values ​​into an improved strokes gained value that takes into account offline information by applying a variable penalty parameter based on the landing position against a predetermined gradient map between the start position and the target position; The improved strokes gained value defines a specific predicted hole-out value based on the landing position relative to the predetermined gradient map, the specific predicted hole-out value taking into account the offline information.

5. 5. The computing system of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to recommend a selection of a golf club used to hit the plurality of golf shots by identifying that the improved strokes gained value is greater than an alternative improved strokes gained value associated with an alternative golf club and another plurality of golf shots hit with the alternative club.

6. 5. The computing system of claim 4, further comprising a display in operative communication with the processor for displaying the target location, the predetermined gradient map, and the landing locations of the plurality of golf shots in a visual indication of an offline characteristic utilized to transform each of the strokes gained values ​​using the variable penalty parameter, in response to direction by the processor.

7. the processor is further configured to calculate the variable penalty parameter for a given landing location associated with a given one of the plurality of golf shots by applying information associated with the given landing location to a piecewise function associated with the predetermined gradient map; The computing system of claim 4 , wherein the piecewise function is configured to output a value for the variable penalty parameter based on where the drop location is located relative to the predetermined gradient map.

8. The computing system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to modify the slope map and the piecewise function to accommodate unique characteristics of a particular course or driving range.

9. a first portion of the gradient map is considered to be offline and corresponds to positive values ​​of the variable penalty parameter; The computing system of claim 4 , wherein a second portion of the gradient map is considered to be online with respect to the target position and corresponds to a null value of the variable penalty parameter.

10. A non-transitory tangible computer readable medium having coded instructions thereon, The instructions, when executed by a processor, accessing flight data associated with a plurality of golf shots from a first golf club, the flight data including a post shot distance between a landing location and a target location for each of the plurality of golf shots; calculating a strokes gained value for each of the plurality of golf shots; The operations include: generating a variable penalty parameter for each of the plurality of golf shots based on the landing position relative to a predetermined gradient mapping between a start position and the target position; applying the variable penalty parameter to the strokes gained value for each of the plurality of golf shots; calculating a performance index of the first golf club by performing A computer-readable medium implementing the above.

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