Golf club fitting system and method

Abstract

This invention provides a system and method for generating fitting recommendations for golf clubs. [Solution] A system for generating putter fitting recommendations includes a processor and a memory storing instructions, and when an instruction is executed by the processor, the processor is made to perform the following operations: receive ball shot data for each of at least one putts, wherein the ball shot data includes path angle data and at least one of ball velocity data or path length data; generate at least one simulated ball shot data based on the ball shot data, wherein the simulated ball shot data includes simulated path angle data and at least one of simulated ball velocity data or simulated path length data; plot at least one simulated putt on a virtual hole based on each of the at least one simulated ball shot data; determine simulated shot success data for each of the at least one simulated putts; and generate putter fitting recommendations based on the simulated putts and the simulated shot success data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application is a continuation - in - part of U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 487,977, filed on October 16, 2023, which is a continuation - in - part of U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 147,425, filed on December 28, 2022, which is a continuation - in - part of U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 566,553, filed on December 30, 2021, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. To the extent appropriate, this application claims priority to the above - mentioned reference applications.

Background Art

[0002] A golf club includes a shaft and a golf club head at an end of the shaft. The shaft and golf club head of a metalwood golf club can have various characteristics such as shaft weight, shaft length, golf club head model, and loft, which can improve or enhance a golfer's game when properly fit. However, a typical golfer needs assistance in making this selection, and the current fitting process for metalwoods is generally an outdoor setting, and there has been no excellent way to perform metalwood fitting in an indoor setting such as a golf pro shop.

[0003] Aspects disclosed herein are made with respect to these and other general considerations. Also, while relatively specific problems may be considered, it should be understood that the examples should not be limited to solving the specific problems identified in the background art or elsewhere in the present disclosure.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a system and method for generating fitting recommendations for golf clubs.

[0005] In one embodiment, the technology relates to a system for generating putter fitting recommendations, the system comprising a camera configured to capture ball shot data of putts, and a computing device communicatively coupled to the camera, wherein the computing device comprises at least one processor and a memory for storing instructions, and when an instruction is executed by at least one processor, the system causes the camera to measure ball shot data for each of a first plurality of putts made with a first putter on a putting surface; at least one processor to simulate a first plurality of simulated ball shot data based on the ball shot data of the first plurality of putts; at least one processor to plot the first plurality of simulated putts on a virtual putting surface corresponding to the putting surface, based on the first plurality of simulated ball shot data; at least one processor to calculate a first performance benefit value for the first putter based on the first plurality of simulated putts; and generate a putter recommendation based on the first performance benefit value.

[0006] In some embodiments, the first performance benefit value includes a first stroke gain value. In some embodiments, ball shot data includes path angle data and at least one of path length data or ball velocity data, and simulated ball shot data includes simulated path angle data and at least one of simulated path length data or simulated ball velocity data. In some embodiments, calculating the first performance benefit value is further based on ball shot data from multiple putts. In some embodiments, the operation further includes: measuring ball shot data for each of a second plurality of putts made using a second putter on a putting surface using a camera; simulating a second plurality of simulated ball shot data based on the ball shot data of the second plurality of putts using at least one processor; plotting a second plurality of simulated putts on a virtual putting surface based on each of the second plurality of simulated ball shot data using at least one processor; and calculating a second performance benefit value for the second putter based on the second plurality of simulated putts using at least one processor, and generating putter recommendations based on the second performance benefit value. In some embodiments, the system further includes a display, and the operation further includes displaying a virtual putting surface on the display; and plotting a first plurality of putts on the virtual putting surface using at least one processor. In some embodiments, the camera is wirelessly coupled to a computing device.

[0007] In another embodiment, the technology relates to a system for generating golf club fitting recommendations, the system comprising at least one processor and a memory storing instructions, wherein when an instruction is executed by at least one processor, the system causes at least one processor to perform operations including receiving ball shot data for each of at least one golf shots made with a first golf club on a golf hole, wherein the ball shot data includes path angle data and at least one of ball velocity data or path length data; generating at least one simulated ball shot data based on the ball shot data of at least one golf shot, wherein the simulated ball shot data includes simulated path angle data and at least one of simulated ball velocity data or simulated path length data; plotting at least one simulated golf shot on a virtual hole corresponding to a golf hole based on each of the at least one simulated ball shot data; determining simulated shot success data for each of the at least one simulated golf shots; and generating a golf club fitting recommendation based on the at least one simulated golf shot and the corresponding simulated shot success data.

[0008] In some embodiments, ball shot data includes path length data. In some embodiments, the operation further includes calculating the ball velocity at cup of a golf shot for each of at least one golf shots, based on path length data and a velocity metric for the surface of the golf hole, where the ball velocity at cup is the velocity of the ball as it passes through the cup of the golf hole, and the simulated ball shot data includes simulated ball velocity at cup data based on the ball velocity at cup data of at least one golf shot, where the simulated ball velocity at cup corresponds to the velocity of the ball as it passes through the cup of a virtual golf hole. In some embodiments, the simulated ball shot data includes simulated path length data based on the path length data of at least one golf shot. In some embodiments, ball shot data includes ball velocity data, and the simulated ball shot data includes simulated ball velocity data based on the ball velocity data of at least one golf shot. In some embodiments, simulated path angle data is generated based on path angle data of at least one golf shot. In some embodiments, the path angle data of at least one golf shot is based on the starting position of the golf shot, the position of the cup on the golf hole, and the position of the ball at the cup as it passes through the cup. In some embodiments, the ball shot data includes trajectory data for the path of the golf shot on the golf hole, and the simulated ball shot data includes a simulated trajectory based on the trajectory data of at least one golf shot. In some embodiments, determining the successful simulated shot data includes, for at least one simulated golf shot, calculating the effective cup size of a virtual cup on a virtual golf hole based on the corresponding simulated ball shot data, and determining whether the simulated golf shot intersects with a cup having an effective cup size.

[0009] In another embodiment, the technology relates to a system for generating putter fitting recommendations, the system comprising at least one processor and a memory storing instructions, the instructions being executed by at least one processor, the system displaying a user interface on a display that includes a virtual putting surface corresponding to an actual putting surface to at least one processor, and for each of a plurality of different putters, receiving ball shot data via the user interface for each of a plurality of putts made by the putter on the actual putting surface, the ball shot data including shot success data, and shot success The success data is either a success where the ball goes into the cup of the golf hole, or a miss where the ball does not go into the cup, and for each of the multiple putts for which the shot success data is a miss, path length data and path angle data are included, the path length data includes the distance between the starting position of the golf shot where the putt was made and the ending position where the ball stops, and the path angle data includes the angle based on the ball's position at the cup corresponding to the starting position of the golf shot, the position of the cup, and the position of the ball as it passes through the cup, and the system includes calculating a putter performance benefit value based on the ball shot data of the multiple putts and generating putter recommendations based on the performance benefit values ​​of the multiple putters.

[0010] In some embodiments, the ball shot data includes lip-out data, where the lip-out data is either a lip-out shot, where the ball touches the cup and does not fall into the cup, or a non-lip-out shot, where the ball does not touch the cup. In some embodiments, the operation further includes generating a plurality of simulated ball shot data for each of a plurality of putters, where the simulated ball shot data includes simulated path length data based on path length data for a plurality of putts, and simulated path angle data based on path angle data for a plurality of putts, and calculating the putter performance benefit value is further based on the plurality of simulated ball shot data. In some embodiments, receiving ball shot data includes receiving a selection at a virtual putting surface position corresponding to the actual putting surface position where the ball of the corresponding putt stopped.

[0011] Non-exclusive and non-overall embodiments are described with reference to the following figures. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This shows the head of a gap wedge golf club. [Figure 2] This shows the head of a sand wedge golf club. [Figure 3] This shows the head of a sand wedge golf club. [Figure 4] This shows the head of a lob wedge golf club. [Figure 5] The diagram shows an iron-type golf club head 1 in the direction from toe to heel, with the golf club head 1 in a standard address position. [Figure 6] Figure 5 shows the back view of the golf club head 1. [Figure 7] Figure 5 shows a front view of the golf club head 1. [Figure 8]A block diagram showing the components of a system for generating fitting recommendations for golf clubs according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 9] This document provides an example method for generating fitting recommendations for golf clubs. [Figure 10] A first user interface according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 11] A second user interface according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 12] Figure 11 shows the golf shot prompt in the second user interface. [Figure 13A] Figure 11 shows the golf shot analysis segments of the second user interface at different stages of hitting a golf shot. [Figure 13B] Figure 11 shows the golf shot analysis segments of the second user interface at different stages of hitting a golf shot. [Figure 13C] Figure 11 shows the golf shot analysis segments of the second user interface at different stages of hitting a golf shot. [Figure 13D] Figure 11 shows the golf shot analysis segments of the second user interface at different stages of hitting a golf shot. [Figure 13E] Figure 11 shows the golf shot analysis segments of the second user interface at different stages of hitting a golf shot. [Figure 14] Figures 13A-13E show the upper portion of the golf shot analysis segment when multiple options are displayed. [Figure 15] A third user interface according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 16A] This document provides an example method for generating fitting recommendations for golf clubs. [Figure 16B] This document provides an example method for generating fitting recommendations for golf clubs. [Figure 17]Shows a simulated diagram of an image captured by a launch monitor that depicts the impact of a golf swing. [Figure 18] Shows an enlarged view of an image captured by a launch monitor that depicts the golf club before impact with the golf ball. [Figure 19] Shows an enlarged view of an image captured by a launch monitor that represents the golf club at the exact moment of impact with the golf ball. [Figure 20] Shows an enlarged view of an image captured by a launch monitor that depicts the golf club immediately after impact with the golf ball. [Figure 21] Shows an exemplary method for generating fitting recommendations regarding a golf club. [Figure 22] Shows a first user interface according to one embodiment. [Figure 23] Shows some input fields of the first user interface of FIG. 22 according to one embodiment. [Figure 24] Shows some other input fields of the first user interface of FIG. 22 according to one embodiment. [Figure 25] Shows some other input fields of the first user interface of FIG. 22 according to one embodiment. [Figure 26] Shows some other input fields of the first user interface of FIG. 22 according to one embodiment. [Figure 27] Shows a second user interface according to one embodiment during the shaft fitting recommendation phase. [Figure 28] Shows the second user interface of FIG. 27 during the shaft fitting recommendation phase. [Figure 29] Shows the second user interface of FIG. 27 during the shaft fitting recommendation phase. [Figure 30] Shows the second user interface of FIG. 27 during the shaft fitting recommendation phase. [Figure 31]Figure 27 shows the second user interface during the head fitting recommendation stage and according to one embodiment. [Figure 32] Figure 27 shows a second user interface based on one embodiment during the fine-tuning stage. [Figure 33] Figure 27 shows the second user interface during the fine-tuning stage. [Figure 34] Figure 27 shows the upper portion of the second user interface when multiple options are displayed. [Figure 35] This displays several virtual golf holes from an actual golf course. [Figure 36] Figure 35 shows the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1) among several virtual golf holes. [Figure 37] Multiple ball flight data plotted on the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1) are shown together with the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1). [Figure 38] Both the multiple ball flight data plotted on the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1) and the multiple simulated ball flight data are shown together with the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1). [Figure 39] An enlarged section of Figure 38 is shown. [Figure 40] Figure 35 shows the second virtual golf hole (Hole 2) among several virtual golf holes. [Figure 41] Both multiple ball flight data points plotted on the second virtual golf hole (Hole 2) and multiple simulated ball flight data points are shown together with the second virtual golf hole (Hole 2). [Figure 42] Figure 35 shows the third virtual golf hole (Hole 3) among several virtual golf holes. [Figure 43] Multiple ball flight data plotted on the third virtual golf hole (Hole 3) are shown together with the third virtual golf hole (Hole 3). [Figure 44]Both multiple ball flight data points plotted on the third virtual golf hole (Hole 3) and multiple simulated ball flight data points are shown together with the third virtual golf hole (Hole 3). [Figure 45] The operation of the method for generating fitting recommendations is shown in several examples. [Figure 46A] The operation of the method for generating fitting recommendations is shown in several examples. [Figure 46B] The operation of the method for generating fitting recommendations is shown in several examples. [Figure 47A] A user interface having a first exemplary set of player data is shown, according to some embodiments. [Figure 47B] A user interface having a first exemplary set of player data is shown, according to some embodiments. [Figure 47C] A user interface having a first exemplary set of player data is shown, according to some embodiments. [Figure 47D] A user interface having a first exemplary set of player data is shown, according to some embodiments. [Figure 47E] A user interface having a first exemplary set of player data is shown, according to some embodiments. [Figure 48] A second example user interface with a set of player data is shown. [Figure 49A] A third exemplary user interface with a set of player data is shown. [Figure 49B] A third exemplary user interface with a set of player data is shown. [Figure 49C] A third exemplary user interface with a set of player data is shown. [Figure 50A] A user interface with a fourth exemplary set of player data is shown. [Figure 50B]A user interface with a fourth exemplary set of player data is shown. [Figure 50C] A user interface with a fourth exemplary set of player data is shown. [Figure 50D] A user interface with a fourth exemplary set of player data is shown. [Figure 51A] A user interface with a fifth exemplary set of player data is shown. [Figure 51B] A user interface with a fifth exemplary set of player data is shown. [Figure 52A] A user interface with a fifth exemplary set of player data is shown. [Figure 52B] A user interface with a fifth exemplary set of player data is shown. [Figure 53] In relation to Figures 52A to 52B, a representation of speed targeting improvement according to some embodiments is shown. [Figure 54] This document describes a method for generating fitting recommendations based on some examples. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] This disclosure relates to systems and methods for fitting golf clubs. In some embodiments, the systems and methods herein are for fitting wedge-type iron golf clubs having lofts in the range of 46° to 64°, examples of which are shown in Figures 1 to 4 and discussed below with reference to Table 1.

[0014] Figure 1 shows a gap wedge golf club head 1 with a 50-degree loft and a sole 13 with an 8-degree bounce and an F-grind. Figure 2 shows a sand wedge golf club head 1 with a 54-degree loft and a sole 13 with an 8-degree bounce and an M-grind. Figure 3 shows a sand wedge golf club head 1 with a 56-degree loft and a sole 13 with a 10-degree bounce and an S-grind. Figure 4 shows a lob wedge golf club head 1 with a 58-degree loft and a sole 13 with a 12-degree bounce and a D-grind.

[0015] Figure 5 shows a diagram of an iron-type golf club head 1 in a toe-to-heel direction, with the golf club head 1 in a standard address position. Figure 6 shows a rear view of the golf club head 1 of Figure 5. Figure 7 shows a front view of the golf club head 1 of Figure 5. Referring to Figures 5-7, the golf club head 1 includes a body having a striking surface 11 in the front portion of the body, a rear surface 18 facing the striking surface 11, a heel side 15, and a toe side 16 facing the heel side 15. The striking surface 11 and the rear surface 18 are at least partially connected between the heel side 15 and the toe side 16. A hosel 17 is disposed at the heel end 15 of the body and is configured to connect to a golf club shaft (not shown).

[0016] The striking surface 11 of the golf club head 1 is configured to strike a golf ball. Grooves are machined into the striking surface 11 and extend along the direction from toe to heel. The grooves may be rounded at the toe and heel ends. A round cutter or saw cutter may be used to form the grooves such that the toe and heel ends of the grooves are rounded about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grooves. Having rounded groove ends eliminates corners that can trap dirt, grass, sand, and other materials that typically enter the grooves of the club during normal use, making them easier to remove. Further details relating to grooves and groove manufacturing can be found in detail in U.S. Patent No. 7,758,449 by Gilbert et al., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Any definitions, terms, or characterizations used herein shall prevail over any conflicting information provided in any material incorporated by reference.

[0017] The striking surface 11 has an upper topline edge 11A and a lower leading edge 11B opposite the upper topline edge 11A. The upper topline edge 11A and the lower leading edge 11B are each connected between the heel side 15 and the toe side 16. The body includes an upper portion 14 connected between the upper topline edge 11A and the back surface 18 of the striking surface 11. The body further includes a sole 13 extending from the lower leading edge 11B of the striking surface 11 to the back surface 18. The upper portion 14 and the sole 13 are each connected between the heel side 15 and the toe side 16 of the body. The sole 13 may have one of several combinations of bounce angle and grind type. The bounce angle may be approximately -5 degrees to approximately 20 degrees. Examples of several available combinations of wedge-type golf club heads are shown in Table 1.

[0018] [Table 1]

[0019] The loft α of a wedge, as shown in Figure 5, generally determines the launch angle of the golf ball when struck with a wedge, and therefore, at least partially, the distance the golf ball travels after being struck. For example, a wedge with a 46-degree loft will strike the ball at a lower launch angle than a wedge with a 60-degree loft. A full shot with a wedge with a 46-degree loft will typically travel further than a full shot with a wedge with a 60-degree loft.

[0020] Golfers may use multiple wedges for their game of golf. Pitching and gap wedges are often used for full shots on the green and bump-and-run type pitch shots around the green. Sand wedges are usually more versatile and are used to hit the ball out of the sand trap, as well as for higher loft shots around the green. Lob wedges are generally used for short shots where the player needs the ball to roll very little after it lands on the green.

[0021] Wedges generally serve multiple purposes, and players use them for different purposes, so wedges offer numerous options, including sole configurations (or grind types). For example, the F-grind sole configuration, as shown in Figure 1, is a relatively flat sole with a small camber radius from front to back and from heel to toe. The F-grind sole is a multi-purpose grind particularly well suited for full shots and shots struck using the square surface. The F-grind is generally preferred by players who desire a more conventional wedge sole.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, the M-grind sole configuration has a crescent-shaped, relatively flat front portion surface with a large relief surface extending across the sole, heel, and toe. The M-grind is generally better suited for players with a shallower, more sweeping swing who play shots from a variety of clubface positions.

[0023] As shown in Figure 3, the S-grind sole configuration has a small camber radius from front to back and from heel to toe, with some relief surfaces crossing the rear portion of the sole. The S-grind sole is generally ideal for square-face shots like the F-grind, but is more versatile than the F-grind.

[0024] As shown in Figure 4, the D-grind sole configuration has a crescent-shaped, relatively flat front surface and a large bounce angle with a large relief surface extending to the rear, heel, and toe portions of the sole. The D-grind is generally preferred by players who hit the ball at a steeper angle due to the higher bounce of the wedge. The D-grind is similar to the M-grind in that it has a crescent-shaped front portion of the sole, but the D-grind provides greater bounce in the front portion.

[0025] The K-Grind sole configuration is a high-bounce wedge sole with a large camber radius from front to back and from heel to toe. This sole configuration is particularly useful for bunker shots. The K-Grind is a wide, full-sole wedge with enhanced camber for greater forgiveness across various sand and turf conditions.

[0026] The L-Grind sole configuration features a narrow, crescent-shaped forefoot section with steeply sloped relief along the underside, heel, and toe, maximizing versatility on the greenside. The sole configuration is ideal for firm conditions and is designed for skilled players who open and close the clubface to execute various types of shots around the green.

[0027] The bounce angle β is the angle that the sole makes with the plane when the hosel is in a vertical plane, as shown in Figure 5, and is the standard address position. The bounce angle β can also be measured by measuring the face-to-sole angle μ when the wedge is in the standard address position and subtracting the face-to-ground angle Ω (equivalent to 90°-α). Some wedges have soles defined by a cambered surface from the front and rear. Using these soles, the bounce angle β can be determined from the tangent of half the curved surface between the leading edge and the trailing edge.

[0028] Figure 8 shows a block diagram illustrating the components (e.g., hardware and software) of a system used to generate fitting recommendations for golf clubs according to one embodiment. The system includes a computing device 800 communicatively coupled to a launch monitor 840. The launch monitor 840 may be communicatively coupled to the computing device 800 via a network 830, a wired connection, or a wireless connection such as Bluetooth. In some embodiments, the launch monitor 840 and the computing device 800 may be integrated as a single device. The launch monitor 840 and / or the computing device 800 may be communicatively coupled to a server 820, for example, via the network 830.

[0029] The launch monitor 840 may be used to analyze the swing of a golf club shot and / or measure ball flight characteristics and communicate the measurements to the computing device 800. The launch monitor 840 includes at least one sensor 846 configured to measure the swing analysis and / or ball flight characteristics. For example, sensor 846 may include an optical sensor that optically tracks the golf club as it is swung by the golfer. A radar component may also be used as sensor 846 to track at least one of the golf clubs during the swing or during the flight of the golf ball after it has been struck by the golf club. The swing analysis for the golf club may include at least the attack angle and / or shaft inclination. The ball flight characteristics may include at least the total distance of the golf ball (e.g., longitudinal distance of the golf ball along the length of the fairway), carry distance, lateral distance of the golf ball (e.g., distance of the golf ball from the centerline along the width of the fairway), golf ball velocity (e.g., golf ball velocity after impact with the golf club), golf ball launch angle, golf ball smash factor, and / or golf ball spin.

[0030] The launch monitor 840 also includes memory 842, a processor 844, and a communication connection 848. The processor 844 is configured to control the operation of the launch monitor 840. Memory 842 is configured to store, for example, measurements acquired by at least one sensor 846, and software used by the processor 844 to control the operation of the launch monitor 840. For example, memory 842 may store operations that cause the launch monitor 840 to perform the operations described herein when executed by the processor 844. The communication connection 848 is configured to communicate with the network 830 and / or computing device 800 in any manner described herein. Thus, the launch monitor 840 is configured to measure the swing analysis and / or ball flight characteristics of a golf club shot using at least one sensor 846, store the measurements in memory 842, and communicate the measurements to the computing device 800 via the communication connection 848.

[0031] The computing device 800 may be any computing device suitable for use in a system for generating fitting recommendations for golf clubs, as described herein. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 is a desktop computer, a portable computer, a mobile phone, a tablet, and the like.

[0032] In a basic configuration, the computing device 800 may include at least one processing unit 802 (e.g., a processor) and system memory 804. Depending on the configuration and type of the computing device, the system memory 804 may include, but is not limited to, volatile storage (e.g., random access memory), non-volatile storage (e.g., read-only memory), flash memory, or any combination of such memories. The system memory 804 may include an operating system 805 and one or more program modules 806 suitable for running a software application 850, such as a fitting recommendation application 851. The fitting recommendation application 851 may include instructions that, when executed by the processing unit 802, cause the system to perform the operations described herein for generating fitting recommendations for golf clubs. The operating system 805 may be suitable for, for example, controlling the operation of the computing device 800. Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may be carried out in conjunction with a graphics library, another operating system, or any other application program, and are not limited to any particular application or system. This basic configuration is illustrated in Figure 8 by its components within the dashed line 808. The computing device 800 may have additional features or functions. For example, the computing device 800 may also include additional data storage devices (removable and / or non-removable), such as magnetic disks, optical disks, or tapes. Such additional storage is illustrated in Figure 8 as a removable storage device 809 and a non-removable storage device 810.

[0033] As described above, several program modules and data files may be stored in system memory 804. While running on processing unit 802, program module 806 may perform a process that includes one or more steps or operations of the method described herein, but is not limited to these steps or operations. Other program modules that may be used according to embodiments of the present invention may include applications such as email and contacts applications, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, database applications, slide presentation applications, drawing or computer-aided application programs.

[0034] Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in electrical circuits including individual electronic elements, packaged or integrated electronic chips including logic gates, circuits utilizing a microprocessor, or a single chip including electronic elements or a microprocessor. For example, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented via a system-on-a-chip (SOC), where each or many of the components illustrated herein in Figure 8 may be integrated into a single integrated circuit. Such an SOC device may include one or more processing units, graphics units, communication units, system virtualization units, and various application functions, all of which are integrated (or "burned") on a chip substrate as a single integrated circuit. Embodiments of the present disclosure may also be implemented using other techniques that can perform logic operations, such as AND, OR, and NOT, including but not limited to mechanical, optical, fluidic, and quantum techniques. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in a computer or in any other circuit or system.

[0035] The computing device 800 may also have one or more input devices 812, such as a keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, or touch input device. The computing device 800 may also include a display 820 and other output devices 814, such as a speaker or printer. The devices described above are examples, and others may be used. The computing device 800 may include one or more communication connections 816 that enable communication with other computing devices 818 and / or the launch monitor 840. For example, the computing device 800 and the launch monitor 840 may communicate with each other via the communication connection 816 of the computing device 800 and the communication connection 848 of the launch monitor. Suitable examples of communication connections 816 and 848 include, but are not limited to, RF transmitters, receivers, and / or transceiver circuits, Universal Serial Bus (USB), parallel, and / or serial ports.

[0036] As used herein, the term "computer-readable medium" may include computer storage medium. Computer storage medium may include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technique for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, or program modules. System memory 804, removable storage device 809, and non-removable storage device 810 are all examples of computer storage medium (i.e., memory storage). Computer storage medium may include RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage, or any other manufactured product that can be used to store information and can be accessed by computing device 800. Such computer storage medium may be part of computing device 800. Computer storage medium does not include carrier waves or other propagated data signals.

[0037] Communication media may be embodied by computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in modulated data signals such as carrier waves or other transport mechanisms, and include any information delivery medium. The term modulated data signal may describe a signal having one or more characteristics set or modified in a manner that encodes information in the signal. For example, but not limited to, communication media may include wired media such as wired networks or direct wired connections, and wireless media such as acoustic, radio frequency (RF), infrared, and other wireless media.

[0038] Here, a method for generating fitting recommendations will be described with reference to Figures 8-16B. The method may be carried out or implemented by the system depicted and described with reference to Figure 8. The systems and methods for generating fitting recommendations described herein may be used indoors or outdoors.

[0039] Figure 9 shows the operation of a computer implementation method 900 for generating fitting recommendations for a golf club according to one embodiment. The fitting recommendations may include bounce and / or grind for the golf club and may be generated by the computing device 800 based on a combination of player input data and swing analysis of one or more golf club shots measured by the launch monitor 840 and received by the computing device 800.

[0040] In operation 901, player input data is received. For example, player input data may be received by computing device 800. The player input data may include information such as the loft of the player's pitching wedge, the highest loft the player wants to play with, the player's handicap, the player's confidence in hitting the ball out of bunkers, the golf course conditions (e.g., the softness or hardness of the golf course the player intends to play, the type of grass, etc.), and / or the bunker conditions (e.g., the softness, hardness, and type of sand in the bunkers on the golf course the player intends to play). The player input data is not limited to combinations of the listed information items above, and other information items may be included in the player input data, with or without the information items described above. The swing analysis may include, but is not limited to, the attack angle and / or shaft inclination (e.g., attack angle only, shaft inclination only, or attack angle and shaft inclination).

[0041] In operation 902, when at least one golf shot is struck, a swing analysis for at least one golf shot is measured by the launch monitor 840. A golf shot is struck by one player and may be struck by multiple different golf clubs with the same or different lofts. Golf shots may be the same or different shot types, such as a full swing shot, a pitch, a partial swing shot (e.g., a shot between a full swing and a pitch), a chip, a greenside shot (e.g., a pitch shot of about 20 yards), a bunker shot, and / or an open-face shot.

[0042] In operation 903, the measured swing analysis is received. For example, the measured swing analysis may be received by the computing device 800 from the launch monitor 840.

[0043] In operation 904, at least one fitting recommendation is generated based on the received swing analysis and / or player input data. The fitting recommendation may be generated by the computing device 800. Each fitting recommendation may include bounce and / or grind for a golf club with a specific loft. For example, the computing device 800 may generate a first fitting recommendation for a golf club with a 56-degree loft, including a 10-degree bounce and an S-grind sole; a second fitting recommendation with an 8-degree bounce and an M-grind sole; and a third fitting recommendation with a 12-degree bounce and a D-grind sole.

[0044] In operation 905, the computing device 800 ranks the fitting recommendations generated in operation 904 from most recommended to least recommended, based on the player input data and / or swing analysis. For example, of the first to third fitting recommendations for the 56-degree loft described above, the computing device 800 may rank the first fitting recommendation as most recommended, the third fitting recommendation as least recommended, and the second fitting recommendation between the first and third fitting recommendations.

[0045] In operation 906, fitting recommendations are presented. For example, the computing device 800 may present fitting recommendations on the display 820. The presented fitting recommendations may be based on the ranking performed in operation 904. For example, of the first to third fitting recommendations for the 56-degree loft described above, the computing device 800 may provide the first fitting recommendation as its final fitting recommendation, which is ranked as the most recommended. In other embodiments, more than one fitting recommendation may be presented, and the fitting recommendations may be presented in their ranked order.

[0046] Method 900, described with reference to Figure 9, is a non-limiting example, and the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, although operation 901 is described as occurring before operation 902, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the time sequence of these operations may be reversed in some embodiments. That is, at least one golf shot may be hit, and the launch monitor 840 may measure the swing analysis of at least one golf shot before receiving player input data. Also, although operations 904 and 905 are described as separate operations in the embodiment of Figure 9, these operations may occur simultaneously or in unison, for example, as a single operation.

[0047] Further details regarding fitting recommendations according to embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to the first, second, and third user interfaces illustrated and described with reference to Figures 10–15. Figure 10 shows the first user interface according to one embodiment. Figure 11 shows the second user interface according to one embodiment. Figure 12 shows the golf shot prompt of the second user interface of Figure 11. Figures 13A–13E show the golf shot analysis segments of the second user interface of Figure 11 at different stages of hitting a golf shot. Figure 14 shows the upper portion of the golf shot analysis segments of Figures 13A–13E when multiple options are displayed. Figure 15 shows the third user interface according to one embodiment. As described herein, the controllable features of the first, second, and third user interfaces 100, 200, and 300 may be controlled by any suitable means, such as input devices including a keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, and / or touch input device (e.g., touchscreen). The controllable features of the first, second, and third user interfaces 100, 200, and 300 can, for example, be controlled by a golfer or a professional fitter using the system to obtain fitting recommendations for the golfer.

[0048] Referring to Figure 10, the first user interface 100 may be used by a computing device 800 to receive player input data. The first user interface 100 may include one or more input fields, and the computing device 800 is configured to receive player input data as input to one or more input fields of the first user interface 100. The input fields include a first input field 101 for receiving information about the player's pitching wedge loft, a second input field 102 for receiving information about the highest loft the player wants to play, a third input field 103 for receiving the player's handicap, a fourth input field 104 for receiving information about the player's confidence in hitting the ball out of a bunker, a fifth input field 105 for receiving information about bunker conditions (e.g., typical bunker conditions) on one or more courses the player intends to play, and a sixth input field 106 for receiving information about course or fairway conditions (e.g., typical course conditions) on one or more courses the player intends to play.

[0049] Each of the input fields 101-106 contains a different selectable value about the user and can provide player input data, as shown in the exemplary first user interface 100 in Figure 10. For example, for the first input field 101, selecting any of the selectable options 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, or “I don’t know” results in the corresponding player input data being received and stored by the system. In other embodiments, the input fields 101-106 may include input boxes that can receive free-form text or numbers to provide player input data.

[0050] In some embodiments, the first user interface 100 is configured such that all of its input fields are displayed simultaneously on the display 820. In other embodiments, the first user interface 100 is configured such that its input fields are displayed sequentially. For example, the first user interface 100 may be configured such that the first input field 101 is displayed, the second input field 102 is displayed after input is received in the first input field 101, the third input field 103 is displayed after input is received in the second input field 102, and so on.

[0051] In some embodiments, the first user interface 100 is configured to allow the selection of one or more input fields displayed on the display 820. For example, the first user interface 100 may display a number of selectable tabs corresponding to the input fields of the first user interface 100, and the first user interface 100 may be configured to display the input field corresponding to the selected tab when the computing device 800 receives a selection of one of the selectable tabs. Thus, a person entering player input data may select and enter inputs into the input fields of the first user interface 100 in any desired order, and may return to input fields that previously received input and into which new information was entered.

[0052] Referring to Figure 11, the second user interface 200 includes a golf shot prompt 220 and a golf shot analysis segment 260. The second user interface 200 may be displayed while at least one golf shot is hit and its swing analysis is measured by the launch monitor 840.

[0053] Referring to Figure 12, the golf shot prompt 220 allows the definition of the golf shot to be hit. The golf shot prompt 220 includes one or more lofts 222 for different golf clubs to be hit, and a shot type control menu 224 corresponding to each of the lofts 222. The lofts 222 can define which loft to use when hitting a golf shot. Each of the shot type control menus 224 includes a list of one or more shot types 226 and selectable bunker play options 228.

[0054] Each shot type 226 included in the shot type control menu 224 can identify which type of golf shot can be used when hitting a golf shot using the corresponding loft 222. In some embodiments, the shot type control menu 224 is configured to be controlled to add or remove shot types 226, or to rearrange the priority of shot types 226. Shot types 226 can be prioritized, for example, according to the player's most preferred and least preferred types of shots using the corresponding loft 222. The bunker play option 228 is selectable to indicate that the corresponding loft can or is intended to be used for bunker shots. When the computing device 800 receives a selection of the bunker play option 228, the bunker play option 228 may display a checked box. When the computing device 800 receives a deselection of the bunker play option 228, the bunker play option 228 may display an unchecked box.

[0055] The corresponding loft control 230 is included in the golf shot prompt 220 for each of the lofts 222 and is configured to be controllable or modifiable to adjust the value of the corresponding loft 222. For example, the loft control 230 may include two selectable elements, one of which is marked with a "+" sign and configured to increase the loft 222 displayed when the computing device 800 receives a selection of the "+" element, and the other is marked with a "-" sign and configured to decrease the loft 222 displayed when the computing device 800 receives a selection of the "-" element.

[0056] The golf shot prompt 220 is configured to be controllable or adjustable for removing or adding loft 222. For example, the golf shot prompt 220 includes selectable remove buttons 232 for each of the displayed lofts 222, configured to remove the corresponding loft 222 when the computing device 800 receives a selection of the remove button 232. The golf shot prompt 220 also includes selectable add buttons 234, configured to add a golf club with a new loft 222 when the computing device 800 receives a selection of the add button 234.

[0057] Therefore, the golf shot prompt 220 may be configured such that the number of lofts 222, the value of each loft 222, and the corresponding shot type 226 are controllable or adjustable. However, the golf shot prompt 220 may also be configured to provide initial recommendations for lofts 222 and the corresponding shot type 226. In some embodiments, the golf shot prompt 220 may provide standard or default recommendations for lofts 222 and the corresponding shot type 226 based on hierarchical data stored in a computing device 800 or retrieved from a server 820, for example. In some other embodiments, the golf shot prompt 220 may provide recommendations for lofts 222 and the corresponding shot type 226 based on player input data. For example, the recommendations may be based on data input to a first input field 101 (i.e., the loft of the player's pitching wedge) and a second input field 102 (i.e., the highest loft the player wants to play). As a non-limiting example, if the data input to the first input field 101 is a pitching wedge loft of 48 and the data input to the second input field 102 is the highest loft of 60, the golf shot prompt 220 may provide initial gapping recommendations for lofts 222 of 48, 52, 56, and 60. In some embodiments, the golf shot prompt 220 is not configured to provide initial recommendations, but rather does not initially provide lofts 222, allowing the user to add lofts through interaction with the golf shot prompt 220.

[0058] The golf shot prompt 220 includes a selectable conclusion button 236, which in the embodiment shown in Figure 12 is labeled "Shot Type Prioritization Complete". The conclusion button 236 is configured to display the golf shot analysis segment 260 when the computing device 800 receives a selection of the conclusion button 236. The golf shot prompt 220 can then stop displaying or continue displaying.

[0059] Figure 13A shows the golf shot analysis segment 260 before any golf shot is hit, and Figures 13B-13E show the golf shot analysis segment 260 after one or more golf shots have been hit. As shown in Figures 13A-13E, the golf shot analysis segment 260 includes a current golf shot loft indicator 262, a current shot type indicator 264, a graphical technical representation 270, and a fitting recommendation representation 280. The current golf shot loft indicator 262 represents the loft of the next golf club to be used to hit the current golf shot. The current shot type indicator 264 represents the type of shot that the current golf shot will be hit by the golfer. Thus, the golfer can see which club to hit and what type of golf shot to hit. The graphical technical representation 270 represents the swing analysis of the golf shot received by the computing device 800. The fitting recommendation representation represents the fitting recommendation for one or more golf clubs generated by the computing device 800.

[0060] The current golf shot loft indicator 262 may have a selectable pull-down bar 262M configured to display a loft selection menu when a computing device receives a selection from the pull-down bar 262M. The loft selection menu may display one or more selectable lofts, which define the value of the current golf shot loft indicator 262 as the selected loft when the computing device 800 receives a selection from one of the lofts. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and the current golf shot loft indicator 262 may be controllable in other ways to enable the definition of the value of the current golf shot loft indicator 262. Similarly, the current shot type indicator 264 may have a selectable pull-down bar 264M configured to display a shot type selection menu, such as a drop-down menu below the current shot type indicator 264, when the computing device 800 receives a selection from the pull-down bar 264M. The shot type selection menu may display one or more selectable shot types, where the computing device 800, upon receiving a selection of one shot type, defines the current shot type indicator 264 as the selected shot type. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and the current shot type indicator 264 may be controllable in other ways to enable the value of the current shot type indicator 264 to be defined. Since the launch monitor 840 may not be configured to determine the loft and shot type of the golf shot being measured, it may be important for the computing device 800 to correctly identify the loft and shot type currently in use. For example, the computing device 800 may base its fitting recommendations on the loft and shot type of the golf shot, as well as the swing analysis of the golf shot. Therefore, if the loft and / or shot type of the golf shot are not correctly identified, the computing device 800 may generate inaccurate fitting recommendations.

[0061] The golf shot analysis segment 260 includes a golf shot selection menu 266 that includes one or more combinations of loft and corresponding shot types. As shown in Figures 13A-13E, the golf shot selection menu 266 includes six lofts from top to bottom: 48, 52, 54, 56, 56, and 60 degrees, as well as six corresponding shot types from top to bottom: full shot, full shot, full shot, greenside, open face, and greenside. Each combination of loft and shot type in the golf shot selection menu 266 is selectable such that when the computing device 800 receives a combination selection, the current golf shot loft indicator 262 and the current shot type indicator 264 are defined as the loft and shot type of the selected combination, respectively. Thus, the golf shot selection menu 266 can provide a convenient way for the user of the computing device 800 to define the current golf shot loft indicator 262 and the current shot type indicator 264. Therefore, when swing analysis and / or ball flight data is received for a particular swing, the computing device 800 recognizes the golf club and swing type used, thereby allowing the swing analysis and / or ball flight data to correlate with the correct golf club and swing type.

[0062] In some embodiments, the combinations displayed in the golf shot selection menu 266 may correspond to the loft 222 and corresponding shot type 226 of the golf shot prompt 220. In some other embodiments, the golf shot selection menu 266 may provide standard or default recommendations for loft and corresponding shot type combinations based, for example, on hierarchical data stored in the computing device 800. In some embodiments, the golf shot selection UI element or menu 266 may be configured to be adjustable to add combinations, remove combinations, and / or adjust the loft and / or shot type of a combination. For example, the second user interface 200 may include a selectable golf shot prompt element configured to display the golf shot prompt 220 when the computing device 800 receives its selection, allowing the golf shot prompt 220 to be updated, thereby allowing the golf shot selection menu 266 to be updated as well.

[0063] In some embodiments, the swing analysis of a golf shot measured by the launch monitor 840 includes at least (1) the attack angle and (2) the shaft tilt, and the graphical technical representation 270 is a graph having a first axis representing the attack angle and a second axis representing the shaft tilt. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. For example, the swing analysis of a golf shot measured by the launch monitor 840 may include only the attack angle or only the shaft tilt, and the graphical technical representation 270 may represent only the attack angle or only the shaft tilt, respectively, in any suitable format (e.g., numerically, via a bar diagram, via a one-dimensional graph, etc.). The attack angle is the vertical direction of the geometric center movement of the golf club head at the time of maximum compression of the golf ball. The attack angle is measured relative to the horizon. The shaft tilt is a measure of how much the shaft of the golf club is tilted forward (e.g., towards the target) or backward at the time of maximum compression of the golf ball. The shaft tilt is measured relative to the vertical and may be measured as an angle between the shaft and the vertical angle. The forward shaft tilt has a positive angle value, and the rear shaft tilt has a negative angle value. Additional or alternative types of swing analysis may be used in conjunction with this technique, such as dynamic loft or other types of measurements when the golf club is being swung. Dynamic loft is the amount of loft on the golf club face at impact, measured relative to the horizontal at the maximum compression of the golf ball. Further consideration of examples of swing analysis is provided below with reference to Figures 17-20.

[0064] As shown in Figure 13A, in the graphical representation 270, the first axis representing the attack angle is the vertical axis, and the second axis representing the shaft inclination is the horizontal axis. The graphical representation 270 may be illustrated as being divided into sections or bands that characterize the swing analysis of a golf shot. For example, as shown in Figure 13A, the graphical representation 270 is divided into an upper region characterized as "shallow" for swing analyses in this region, an intermediate region characterized as "neutral" for swing analyses in this region, and a lower region characterized as "steep" for swing analyses in this region. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may generate fitting recommendations based in part on the characterization of the swing analysis. Although the graphical representation 270 is shown as a graph in this embodiment, other visual representations may be used to represent two or more swing analyses.

[0065] As shown in Figures 13B-13E, when a swing analysis for one or more golf shots is measured by the launch monitor 840 and received by the computing device 800, one or more shot indicators 274 are displayed on the graphical technical representation 270, representing the swing analysis of the corresponding group of shots. For example, each of the shot indicators 274 may represent the technique of golf shots of the same shot type. In some embodiments, each of the shot indicators 274 may represent the technique of golf shots of the same loft. In some other embodiments, each of the shot indicators 274 may represent the technique of golf shots of both the same shot type and the same loft. In some embodiments, a single shot indicator 274 may be used to represent the swing analysis of all golf shots.

[0066] The shot indicator 274 may include any appropriate graphics, images, symbols, etc. For example, the shot indicator 274 may include geometric shapes such as circles and squares. In some embodiments, the shot indicator 274 may include text to indicate, for example, which group of golf shots the shot indicator 274 corresponds to, and how many golf shots there are in the corresponding group of golf shots. The size of the shot indicator 274 may represent the number of golf shots in the corresponding group of golf shots. For example, when a golf shot in the corresponding group is hit, the size of the shot indicator 274 may decrease, and therefore the size of the shot indicator 274 (e.g., smallness) may correspond to how many golf shots have been hit in the corresponding group.

[0067] Each position of the shot indicator 274 in the graphical technical representation 270 (for example, the center position of the shot indicator 274) may represent a statistical value of the swing analysis of a corresponding group of golf shots, such as the average or median value. Each of the shot indicators 274 may be updated after the swing analysis of each golf shot in the corresponding group of golf shots has been received by the computing device 800.

[0068] Figure 13B illustrates the golf shot analysis segment 260 after a full-swing type first golf shot has been hit. When a full-swing type first golf shot is hit, a first shot indicator 274A corresponding to the full-swing shot type is displayed in the graphical technical representation 270. In the illustrated example, the first shot indicator 274A includes a circle with the term "full" in the center to indicate that the shot type is a "full" shot type. The position of the first shot indicator 274A (e.g., the center of the circle) corresponds to the attack angle and shaft inclination of the full-swing type first golf shot.

[0069] Figure 13C illustrates the golf shot analysis segment 260 after a second full-swing type golf shot has been hit. When a second full-swing type shot with the same golf club is hit, the size and position of the first shot indicator 274A are updated. For example, the diameter of the circle contained in the first shot indicator 274A is reduced, the text inside the circle contained in the first shot indicator 274A is changed to "F" (short for "Full"), the position of the center of the circle is shifted to a point on the graphical technical representation 270 corresponding to the average attack angle of the first and second full-swing type golf shots, and to the average shaft incline of the first and second full-swing type golf shots.

[0070] As shown in Figure 13C, the graphical technical representation 270 may include a current shot indicator 276 that shows a swing analysis of the most recent golf shot received by the computing device 800. Thus, in Figure 13C, the current shot indicator 276 is positioned at the attack angle and shaft inclination of a second golf shot of a full swing type. The current shot indicator 276 may include any appropriate graphics, images, symbols, etc. In Figure 13C, the current shot indicator 276 is illustrated as a dotted line or a black circle. The current shot indicator 276 helps the user of the computing device 800 to determine whether the most recent golf shot is an outlier that should be removed to avoid excessively affecting the graphical technical representation 270 and fitting recommendations, for example, because it deviates significantly from a previous golf shot.

[0071] In some embodiments, the golf shot analysis segment 260 includes a delete shot button 272 configured to cause the computing device 800 to update the graphical technical representation (including the shot indicator 274) and / or update the fitting recommendations without considering the swing analysis of the most recent shot, when the computing device 800 receives its selection. This can be achieved by the computing device 800 deleting information stored in the computing device 800 related to the swing analysis of the most recent shot. For example, if the delete shot button 272 is selected after a second full-swing type golf shot has been hit, as shown in Figure 13C, the graphical technical representation 270 may be updated based solely on the swing analysis of the first full-swing type golf shot, as shown in Figure 13B.

[0072] Figure 13D shows the golf shot analysis segment 260 after several full-swing type golf shots have been hit, and after the first greenside type golf shot has been hit as the latest golf shot with swing analysis received by the computing device 800. After the first greenside type golf shot has been hit, a second shot indicator 274B is shown in the graphical technical representation 270. The second shot indicator 274B includes a circle and the text "Greenside" in the middle of the circle. The position of the center of the circle in the second shot indicator 274B corresponds to the attack angle and shaft inclination of the first greenside type golf shot.

[0073] Figure 13E shows the golf shot analysis segment 260 after the second greenside type golf shot has been hit. When the second greenside type golf shot is hit, the second shot indicator 274B is updated so that the diameter of the circle decreases and the text inside the circle changes to "G" (short for "Greenside"), and the position of the center of the circle is shifted to a point on the graphical technical representation 270 corresponding to the average attack angle and average shaft inclination of the first and second greenside type golf shots.

[0074] Among other reasons, graphical technical representations 270 are useful for players to understand their golf techniques (e.g., swing analysis) when hitting golf shots, for different types of shots, for different lofts, and / or different types of shots with the same loft.

[0075] A fitting recommendation expression 280 includes one or more lofts 284, each of which includes a corresponding fitting recommendation including a recommended bounce 286 and / or grind 288 for the loft 284. The computing device 800 generates one or more fitting recommendations for the corresponding lofts based at least in part on the swing analysis of one or more golf shots measured by the player input data and / or the launch monitor 840 and received by the computing device 800. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may further, at least in part, generate fitting recommendations based on the ball flight characteristics of the golf shots.

[0076] In some embodiments, the loft-based fitting recommendation is at least partially based on the swing analysis of all golf shots measured by the launch monitor 840. In other embodiments, the loft-based fitting recommendation is at least partially based on the swing analysis of a subset of all golf shots, e.g., all golf shots are struck with a golf club having the corresponding loft. The loft-based fitting recommendation may be based on the swing analysis of all swings of one or more golf shots, e.g., both attack angle and shaft bend, or the fitting recommendation may be based on the swing analysis of some of the swings of one or more golf shots, such as attack angle only or shaft bend only.

[0077] In some embodiments, the loft 284 included in the fitting recommendation expression 280 is the same as the loft included in the golf shot selection menu 266 and / or the golf shot prompt 220. As shown in Figures 13A–13E, the lofts included in the fitting recommendation expression 280 include lofts of 48 degrees, 54 degrees, 60 degrees, 52 degrees, and 56 degrees, from top to bottom.

[0078] In Figure 13A, a fitting recommendation including a 10-degree bounce and F-grind is provided for a 48-degree loft, even though no swing analysis has been received by the computing device 800 for any golf shot. This is because, in this embodiment, the generation of the fitting recommendation for the 48-degree loft is not based on swing analysis. For example, the generation of the fitting recommendation for the 48-degree loft may be based solely on player input data, or only one possible fitting recommendation may be available for the 48-degree loft. In Figure 13A, fitting recommendations for the remaining 54-degree, 60-degree, 52-degree, and 56-degree lofts are not provided because, in this embodiment, the generation of fitting recommendations corresponding to these lofts relies at least partially on the swing analysis of one or more golf shots.

[0079] As shown in Figure 13B, after the first full-swing type golf shot is hit, recommendations are generated for each of the remaining lofts of 54, 60, 52, and 56 degrees in fitting recommendation expression 280. As shown in Figure 13B, the fitting recommendation for the 54-degree loft is 10 degrees bounce and S grind, the fitting recommendation for the 60-degree loft is 12 degrees bounce and D grind, the fitting recommendation for the 52-degree loft is 8 degrees bounce and F grind, and the fitting recommendation for the 56-degree loft is 10 degrees bounce and S grind.

[0080] In some embodiments, as will be described in more detail below with reference to Figure 14, the computing device 800 generates fitting recommendations after receiving multiple swing analyses of multiple golf shots, for example, after receiving swing analyses of a threshold number of golf shots. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 receives multiple swing analyses of multiple golf shots and updates the fitting recommendations after receiving each swing analysis of multiple golf shots.

[0081] The golf shot analysis segment 260 may include one or more carry distance representations 292 representing the carry distance of a golf shot measured by the launch monitor 840. In some embodiments, it may include a single carry distance representation 292 representing, for example, the carry distance of the most recent golf shot or the average carry distance of all golf shots, and the carry distance representation 292 may be updated whenever the computing device 800 receives the ball flight characteristics of a new golf shot. In some other embodiments, it may include multiple carry distance representations 292 corresponding to each loft 284 of the fitting recommendation representation 280, representing, for example, the carry distance of the most recent golf shot hit with a golf club having the corresponding loft 284, or the average carry distance of golf shots hit with a golf club having the corresponding loft 284. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 13B-13E, the golf shot analysis segment 260 includes multiple carry distance representations 292 corresponding to multiple lofts 284 of the fitting recommendation representation 280.

[0082] The golf shot analysis segment 260 may include one or more gapping quality expressions 294 that indicate whether the gapping (e.g., the difference in average carry distance between two or more golf clubs with different lofts) is good or bad. The gapping quality expression 294 may include text, e.g., “Good Gap” to indicate that the gapping between two or more lofts is good, and text, e.g., “Bad Gap” to indicate that the gap is bad. The “Good Gap” text may be used, for example, when the difference in average carry distance between two golf clubs with different lofts is below a threshold, and the “Bad Gap” text may be used, for example, when the difference in average carry distance is greater than a threshold or outside a range threshold (e.g., the carry distance is too small or too large). For example, as shown in Figures 13D and 13E, a gapping quality expression 294 including the “Good Gap” text is provided after shots with golf clubs having 48-degree loft and 54-degree loft. In some embodiments, a single gapping quality expression 294 may be provided, for example, based on the average carry distance corresponding to each loft 284. In some other embodiments, the gapping quality expression 294 may be provided for each of two adjacent lofts of loft 284. The determination of gapping quality may also result in different loft recommendations. For example, a set of recommended lofts may be updated in the fitting recommendation expression 280. For example, if the gap between two lofts is too large, one or more of those lofts may be updated so that the difference in loft values ​​is smaller.

[0083] In some embodiments, the golf shot analysis segment 260 includes selectable option elements 240. One or more controllable options may be displayed on the golf shot analysis segment 260 in response to the computing device 800 receiving a selection of the option elements 240. Figures 13A–13E show selectable option buttons 240 provided on the upper portion of the golf shot analysis segment 260 before their selection is received by the computing device 800.

[0084] Figure 14 shows the upper portion of the golf shot analysis segment in Figures 13A–13E after the selection of option button 240 is received by the computing device 800. The displayed options include a selectable estimation option 241, a selectable display shot type option 242, a selectable display shot table option 243, a selectable minimize option 244, a controllable condition shot threshold option 245, a controllable shot threshold option 246, a selectable last shot option 247, a selectable save option 248, a selectable player input data option 249, a selectable carry / gapping option 250, and a controllable fitting type option 251.

[0085] Upon receiving the selection of estimation option 241 by the computing device 800, if the launch monitor 840 is unable to measure all swing analyses for a golf shot, the computing device 800 may use estimated values ​​for the missing swing analyses of the golf shot. These estimated values ​​may, for example, be derived from swing analyses measured against golf shots and / or hierarchical data stored in the computing device 800.

[0086] For example, the computing device 800 may use the attack angle and shaft tilt to update the graphical technical representation 270 and generate or update fitting recommendations. If the launch monitor 840 measures one of the attack angle and shaft tilt of a golf shot but cannot measure the other (for example, due to error or inability to measure), the computing device 800 may use an estimated value of the other.

[0087] If computing device 800 does not receive a selection of estimated option 241, or receives a deselection of estimated option 241, computing device 800 may, upon receiving an incomplete portion of the swing analysis regarding the golf shot from launch monitor 840, use the incomplete portion of the swing analysis or discard the incomplete portion of the swing analysis and indicate on golf shot analysis segment 260 that no measurements were received.

[0088] When the computing device 800 receives the selection of the display shot type option 242, the golf shot control menu 224 (see Figure 12) is displayed in the golf shot analysis segment 260 in the fitting recommendation expression 280 of the golf shot analysis segment 260 for the corresponding next loft of the loft 284, for example, to allow the golf shot control expression 224 to be updated as described above with reference to Figure 12. When the computing device 800 receives the deselection of the display shot type option 242, the display of the golf shot control expression 224 may be stopped.

[0089] Upon receiving a selection of the display shot table option 243 by the computing device 800, a shot type table containing information such as swing analysis and / or ball flight characteristics for each golf shot, measured by the launch monitor 840 and received by the computing device 800, may be displayed on the golf shot analysis segment 260. The shot type table may be controllable or adjustable, for example, so that the computing device 800 can receive commands through the table to delete information related to a golf shot. Upon receiving a deselection of the display shot table option 243, the display of the shot type table may be stopped.

[0090] The selectable minimize option 244 automatically minimizes at least a portion or all of the golf shot analysis segment 260 when a shot is hit. The controllable condition shot threshold option 245 allows for the collection of a certain number of shots for specific conditions, such as greenside conditions.

[0091] The shot count threshold option 246 allows the computing device 800 to receive instructions via the shot count threshold option 246 regarding the number of golf shots for which it will receive swing analysis before generating initial fitting recommendations. As shown in Figure 14, if the number of golf shots in the shot count threshold option 246 is set to 1, the fitting recommendation expression 280 will provide fitting recommendations for each of the lofts 284 after receiving swing analysis for one golf shot (i.e., the first swing shot of all swing types), as shown in Figures 13A and 13B. Alternatively, if the number of shots in the shot count threshold option 246 is set to 3, the fitting recommendation expression 280 will not provide fitting recommendations for all lofts 284 until the computing device 800 has received swing analysis for at least three golf shots.

[0092] When the computing device 800 receives a selection of the last shot option 247, the graphical technical representation 270 includes the current shot indicator 276, and when the last shot option 247 is deselected, the graphical technical representation stops including the current shot indicator 276.

[0093] When computing device 800 receives a selection of save option 248, the option settings are saved.

[0094] When the computing device 800 receives a selection of player input data options 249, it can display at least one of the input fields of the first user interface 100 and make it controllable as shown in Figure 10. This allows the user of the computing device 800 to update or input player input data at any time, for example, before or after hitting one or more golf shots.

[0095] When the computing device 800 receives a selection of the carry / gapping option 250, it may display the carry distance expression 292 and / or the gapping quality expression 294 as described herein. When the computing device 800 receives a deselection of the carry / gapping option 250, the display of the carry distance expression 292 and / or the gapping quality expression 294 may be terminated.

[0096] The controllable fitting type option 251 allows selection of the number of shots (such as total shots) collected or analyzed during the fitting process. In the illustrated example, 18 shots are selected. The controllable fitting type option 251 may also offer the option to select more or fewer shots to be collected or analyzed to complete the fitting session.

[0097] In some embodiments, the golf shot analysis segment 260 includes selectable user interface elements 290. Upon receiving a selection of user interface elements 290 by the computing device 800, a third user interface 300 is displayed, as shown in Figure 15.

[0098] Referring to Figure 15, the computing device 800 may generate one or more fitting recommendations for each of the lofts 284, each including a bounce angle and grind. The computing device 800 may rank the one or more fitting recommendations from most recommended to least recommended and display the most recommended fitting recommendation for each of the lofts 284 in the fitting recommendation representation 280. The third user interface 300 provides additional details regarding the one or more fitting recommendations for each of the lofts 284.

[0099] The third user interface 300 includes a first column 310, a second column 320, a third column 330, and a fourth column 340. The first column 310 includes each of the lofts 284 of the fitting recommendation expression 280, and may also include the most recommended fitting recommendation for each of the lofts 284. The second column 320 includes an explanation of why a particular fitting recommendation was selected as the most recommended fitting recommendation among one or more fitting recommendations for the corresponding loft.

[0100] The third column 330 may contain all the fitting recommendations generated for each of the lofts 284, which can be separated into groups of fitting recommendations corresponding to the same loft 284. For example, as shown in Figure 15, the third column 330 may contain multiple groups 332, each group 332 containing one or more fitting recommendations generated for the same loft 284. One of the groups 332 corresponding to a 48-degree loft contains a first fitting recommendation including a 10-degree bounce and an F-grind. Another group 332 corresponding to a 54-degree bounce contains two fitting recommendations, namely a first fitting recommendation including a 10-degree bounce and an S-grind, and a second fitting recommendation including a 12-degree bounce and a D-grind. Another group 332 corresponding to a 60-degree loft includes three fitting recommendations: a first fitting recommendation including 12 degrees bounce and a D grind, a second fitting recommendation including 8 degrees bounce and an M grind, and a third fitting recommendation including 10 degrees bounce and an S grind. Another group 332 corresponding to a 52-degree loft includes a first fitting recommendation including 8 degrees bounce and an F grind. Another group 332 corresponding to a 56-degree loft includes three fitting recommendations: a first fitting recommendation including 10 degrees bounce and an S grind, a second fitting recommendation including 8 degrees bounce and an M grind, and a third fitting recommendation including 12 degrees bounce and a D grind. Each group 332 may be separated from an adjacent group 332 by only one or more rows (e.g., a blank row).

[0101] The fourth row 340 includes a corresponding rank indicator, such as a percentage match 342 (defined as a percentage out of 100%), for each fitting recommendation in each group 332, to indicate how highly recommended each fitting recommendation in the corresponding group 332 is. For example, in the group 332 corresponding to a 60-degree loft, the first fitting recommendation (i.e., 12-degree bounce and D grind), the second fitting recommendation (i.e., 8-degree bounce and M grind), and the third fitting recommendation (i.e., 10-degree bounce and S grind) have percentage matches 342 of 70%, 24%, and 6%, respectively.

[0102] Although the information contained in the third user interface 300 described above in accordance with the embodiments of this disclosure is illustrated and described as being organized into columns, rows, groups, etc., this is provided as a non-limiting example, and the information contained in the third user interface 300 may be organized in any suitable format.

[0103] Figures 16A and 16B illustrate a method 1600 for generating fitting recommendations according to one embodiment. During operation 1601, a first user interface 100, including input fields (e.g., first to sixth input fields 101 to 106), is displayed on the display 820 of the computing device 800. During operation 1602, the computing device 800 receives player input data as input to the input fields of the first user interface. During operation 1603, the computing device 800 receives a first swing analysis for a first golf shot from the launch monitor 840. For example, the computing device 800 may receive at least the attack angle and / or shaft inclination for the first golf shot. During operation 1604, the computing device 800 displays a second user interface 200 on the display 820, including a graphical technical representation 270 having a shot indicator 274 representing the first swing analysis. During operation 1605, the computing device 800 receives a second swing analysis of the second golf shot from the launch monitor 840. For example, the computing device 800 may receive at least the attack angle and / or shaft inclination of the second golf shot. In some embodiments, the first and second golf shots are of the same type, and in other embodiments, the first and second golf shots are a first shot type and a second shot type different from the first shot type, respectively.

[0104] During operation 1606, the computing device 800 updates the shot indicator 274 based on the second swing analysis. During operation 1607, the computing device 800 generates at least one fitting recommendation based on the player input data and / or one or more of the first and second swing analyses. The fitting recommendation may include the corresponding bounce and / or grind for a golf club with loft. For example, the computing device 800 may generate three combinations of bounce and grind for a golf club with 60 degrees of loft. During operation 1608, the computing device 800 ranks the at least one fitting recommendation based on the player input data and / or one or both of the first and second swing analyses. During operation 1609, the computing device 800 displays the most recommended of the at least one fitting recommendation for a golf club on the second user interface 200. For example, the computing device 800 may display fitting recommendations in a fitting recommendation expression 280, including recommended bounce 286 and recommended grind 288 for a golf club with a 60-degree loft.

[0105] Some additional considerations of exemplary swing analysis, such as attack angle and shaft inclination, are provided below with reference to Figures 17–20. Figure 17 shows a simulated image captured by a launch monitor, illustrating the impact of a golf swing. Figure 18 shows a magnified view of an image captured by a launch monitor depicting the golf club before impact with the golf ball. Figure 19 shows a magnified view of an image captured by a launch monitor depicting the golf club at the exact moment of impact with the golf ball. Figure 20 shows a magnified view of an image captured by a launch monitor showing the golf club immediately after impact with the golf ball.

[0106] Figure 17 provides a schematic overview of the different conditions a golf club head 1720 goes through during a golf swing. While launch monitors typically focus on individual frames, this overview shown in Figure 17 provides some initial context about what an iron-type golf club head 1720 is like when interacting with the ground in an actual golf shot. On the left side of Figure 17, we can see that the golf club head 1720 is approaching the golf ball 1722 from a steep angle with a fairly large shaft bend. As shown by the figure in the middle of the page, during impact, the golf club head 1720 may act on the ground 1726 by striking the golf ball 1722 downwards and going under the ground 1726. This type of ball-striking motion can generally leave a divot 1732 on the ground surface. When fittings are performed indoors, artificial turf may be used, so permanent divots may not remain in the artificial turf. Instead, the artificial turf may be temporarily pressed or compressed in response to the impact by the golf club head 1720. Finally, on the right side of Figure 17, the golf club head 1720 completes its golf swing, and the golf ball 1722 leaves the striking surface portion of the golf club head 1720. At this point, the shaft 1724 can generally be substantially vertical. To provide better examples of individual scenarios, Figures 18, 19, and 20 provide enlarged views of the golf club head 1720.

[0107] Figure 18 shows a magnified view of the golf club head 1820 just before impact with the golf ball. Figure 18 shows the attack angle Ψ and the shaft inclination angle φ. In this magnified view of the golf club head 1820, before contact with the golf ball, the golf club head 1820 is standing above the ground 1826 and approaches along the swing path 1830 at an attack angle Ψ. The attack angle Ψ of each individual golfer may differ from one another depending on their specific golf swing, but is generally between approximately 0 degrees and approximately -15 degrees, and can be any other number depending on the golfer's swing. It is noteworthy here that the angle Ψ is negative, indicating an angle of downward movement relative to the horizontal ground.

[0108] Figure 18 shows, in addition to the attack angle, the shaft tilt angle φ, which is the amount of forward tilt the shaft exhibits before the golfer makes contact with the golf ball. Most golfers who hit the ball downhill can have a shaft tilt angle φ of approximately 0 to 20 degrees, and this value varies depending on the golfer's swing, and can even be a negative number.

[0109] Figure 18 in the attached diagram also allows for another potential swing analysis, which is the face angle relative to the target line, or simply the face angle in the industry. The face angle refers to the angle of the golf club head 1820 relative to the target line, which is facing right in this diagram of Figure 18. Although not specifically identified by any Greek letter, the launch monitor can capture this by focusing on the angle of the scorelines relative to either the ground or the shaft axis 1825.

[0110] Figure 19 shows a magnified view of the golf club head 1920 when it strikes the golf ball 1922 (e.g., at the point of maximum compression). In this magnified view of the golf club head 1920, it can be seen that as the golf club head 1920 makes contact with the golf ball 1922, it travels beneath the ground 1926, forming a divot 1932 on the ground surface. In some embodiments, the divot 1932 may occur slightly before impact with the golf ball 1922. Due to this interaction with the ground 1926, the launch monitor may adjust its position and shift its focus to an alternative position that does not include the divot 1932. As mentioned above, in indoor fittings where artificial turf is used, the divot 1932 may not exist or may be temporary, as the artificial turf compresses upon impact with the golf club head 1920. In this frame of the golf swing captured in Figure 19, it can be seen that the attack angle Ψ can still be a downward movement following the swing path 1930. The attack angle Ψ can generally range from approximately 0 degrees to approximately -15 degrees, depending on the golfer's swing. The shaft tilt angle φ can also vary depending on the golfer, but can generally range from approximately 0 degrees to 20 degrees.

[0111] In addition to the above, Figure 19 also shows another potential swing analysis called dynamic loft ρ. Dynamic loft ρ generally relates to the loft of the golf club head 1920 relative to the vertical plane. This dynamic loft ρ that occurs during a golf swing generally differs from the actual static loft of the golf club head 1920 because this dynamic loft ρ includes other variables such as the shaft tilt angle φ and the swing path 1930. In this image captured in Figure 19, the static loft of the golf club head 1920 may be about 60 degrees, but the dynamic loft ρ may be smaller due to the forward shaft tilt angle φ, resulting in a dynamic loft ρ of about 45 degrees.

[0112] Figure 20 shows a magnified view of the golf club head 2020 after impact with the golf ball 2022. In this magnified view of the golf club head 2020, after impact with the golf ball 2022, the golf club head 2020 can begin to move upward, leaving a divot 2032 on the ground. In this frame of the golf swing captured in Figure 20, the attack angle Θ is a positive number, indicating that the golf club head is facing an upward path, more specifically about 10 to 20 degrees. A positive path generally means that the golf club head is moving along the swing path 2030, which is now in an upward motion. Finally, the shaft inclination angle in this embodiment is generally 0 degrees at some point in the moment after impact.

[0113] The launch monitor can also capture characteristics of the Golf Ball 2022, such as its launch angle and spin.

[0114] Here, a system and method for generating fitting recommendations for golf clubs will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 21-34. In some embodiments, the fitting recommendations may be for metalwood golf clubs (e.g., driver-type golf clubs, fairway wood-type golf clubs, or hybrid-type golf clubs). A system for generating fitting recommendations may include, for example, the system shown and described with reference to Figure 8, and a method for generating fitting recommendations may be performed, for example, using the system shown and described with reference to Figure 8. The systems and methods for generating fitting recommendations described herein may be used indoors or outdoors.

[0115] Figure 21 shows the operation of a computer-implemented fitting method 3500 for generating fitting recommendations for a golf club according to one embodiment. The fitting method 3500 may be performed using the system shown and described by reference in Figure 8. The fitting recommendations generated during the fitting method 3500 may include shaft fitting recommendations and / or golf club head fitting recommendations. In some embodiments, the fitting recommendations may be provided as a single recommendation that includes both shaft fitting recommendations and head fitting recommendations. In some other embodiments, shaft fitting recommendations and head fitting recommendations may be generated and provided separately. In some other embodiments, only shaft fitting recommendations or only head fitting recommendations may be generated and provided.

[0116] A shaft fitting recommendation may include one or more shaft-related characteristics, such as shaft weight, shaft length, shaft flex, shaft kick point, and / or shaft torque. For example, a shaft fitting recommendation may include shaft weight and shaft length. Shaft weight and length can affect the feel of a player's golf swing, the flight characteristics of the golf ball struck, and the player's overall performance. For example, increasing shaft length may increase the total distance the golf ball travels but decrease the player's accuracy, while increasing shaft weight may decrease the total distance the golf ball travels but increase the player's accuracy.

[0117] Shaft flex can also refer to the amount a shaft bends during a golf swing, which can affect the total distance the golf ball travels, the direction the golf ball is struck, the trajectory of the golf ball, and / or the carry distance. A more flexible shaft may perform better for players with slower swings, while a stiffer shaft may perform better for players with faster swings. As one differentiating scale, shaft flex can generally be classified into five types, ordered according to increasing stiffness: ladies, senior, regular, stiff, and extra stiff.

[0118] The shaft kick point can refer to the area along the shaft that bends the most during a golf swing. A shaft with a mid-range kick point has the kick point near the center of its length, a shaft with a low kick point has the kick point closer to the club head (e.g., between the center of the shaft and the club head), and a shaft with a high kick point has the kick point closer to the grip of the club (e.g., between the center of the shaft and the distal end of the shaft near the club head). The shaft kick point can affect the player's feel during the golf swing and the trajectory of the golf ball struck.

[0119] Shaft torque can refer to the shaft's resistance to twisting during a golf swing. A low-torque shaft may resist twisting more than a high-torque shaft. For example, a low-torque shaft may twist 3 degrees or less along its longitudinal axis during a golf shot, while a high-torque shaft may twist 5 degrees or more along its longitudinal axis during a golf shot. Shaft torque can affect a player's performance. Low torque generally provides better performance for players in high-speed golf swings, while high-torque shafts generally provide better performance for players in low-speed swings.

[0120] Golf club head fitting recommendations may include club head model, loft, hosel setting, and / or one or more adjustable weight options compatible with the head model. The golf club head model may be selected from one or more models from each of one or more manufacturers. For example, the golf club head model may be selected from a group of golf club head models of the same club type (e.g., different models of a driver). The golf club head models may be from the same manufacturer or different manufacturers. As an example, with respect to a driver, different club head models may include the Tsi1, TSR2, TSR3, and TSR4 head models available from TITLEIST. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the group of golf club head models may also include head models from additional or alternative manufacturers other than TITLEIST. The golf club head model may affect a player's performance in terms of the player's skill level. For example, some golf club head models (e.g., the TSR4 model) are more suitable for highly skilled or professional players with low handicaps who consistently hit the golf ball with little variation near the sweet spot or area of ​​the clubface. These club head models may be called low-forgiveness models. Other golf club head models (e.g., the Tsi1 golf club head model) are more suitable for lower-skill or beginner players with high handicaps who hit the golf ball with significant variation across the clubface. These club head models may be called high-forgiveness models.

[0121] The loft of the striking surface of a golf club head can affect various ball flight characteristics, such as the launch angle and the trajectory of the golf ball, ultimately impacting the total distance, carry distance, and direction of the golf ball. Some golf club head models also include adjustable settings, such as adjustable hosel settings and / or adjustable weight settings. Hosel settings may include settings that selectively control the loft of the golf club head and / or selectively control the lie of the golf club head. For example, hosel settings may include settings available from TITLEIST's SUREFIT hosels (a registered trademark of SUREFIT-Acushnet Company). Selected hosel settings can affect various ball flight characteristics and the player's overall performance by influencing the loft and lie of the golf club head.

[0122] One or more adjustable weight options may depend on which golf club head model is selected in the head fitting recommendation, and may further include one or more adjustable weight options for controlling the center of gravity (CG) of the golf club head along the toe-to-heel direction, one or more adjustable weight options for controlling the CG of the golf club head along the depth direction which is perpendicular to the striking surface of the golf club head (e.g., vertical direction), and / or one or more adjustable weight options for controlling the CG of the golf club head along the height direction which is perpendicular to both the toe-to-heel direction and the depth direction. In some embodiments, one or more adjustable weight options include a variety of weights configured to engage interchangeably with the golf club head and selectively control the total weight of the golf club head. One or more adjustable weight options can affect various ball flight characteristics, such as total distance, direction, trajectory, and spin.

[0123] In operation 3501 of method 3500, player input data may be received by, for example, computing device 800. The player input data may include, for example, whether the player is right-handed or left-handed, whether the player currently owns their own driver, the manufacturer of the player's own golf club (e.g., the player's own driver), the length of the shaft of the player's own golf club, the weight of the shaft, the flex of the shaft, the loft of the head of the player's own golf club, the player's handicap, the trajectory when the player hits a golf ball with their own golf club (e.g., low, medium, or high trajectory), and whether the player owns their own golf club The player input data may include information about the player's tempo when hitting a golf ball with a club (e.g., whether the player's tempo is smooth, average, or fast), the player's average total distance when hitting with their own golf club, the player's accuracy when hitting from a tee with their own golf club, the player's preferred golf club head model and / or shape, the player's preference regarding maximizing golf ball carry distance or total distance, the player's preference regarding the importance of accuracy, and / or the importance of distance. In some embodiments, the player input data may include information about the player's fairway conditions (e.g., the average fairway conditions the player encounters or the fairway conditions of a particular course) and / or the player's rough conditions (e.g., the average rough conditions the player encounters or the rough conditions of a particular course). The player input data is not limited to combinations of the information items described above, and additional or alternative information may also be included in the player input data.

[0124] In operation 3502, one or more recommended golf clubs may be generated, for example, by a computing device 800. Operation 3502 may occur after operation 3501, and the generation of one or more recommended golf clubs may be based on player input data. For example, in operation 3502, a first golf club including a golf club head and shaft may be recommended. In some examples where the player has a current golf club, the first recommendation or first golf club recommendation may be the player's current golf club.

[0125] Throughout the execution of Method 3500, at least some or all of one or more recommended golf clubs may have different shafts but the same golf club head. To generate shaft fitting recommendations, various different shafts may be tested from one or more recommended golf clubs while keeping the golf club heads of the tested golf clubs constant. In some other embodiments, at least some or all of one or more recommended golf clubs may have different golf club heads but the same shaft. For example, to generate head fitting recommendations, various different heads may be tested from one or more recommended golf clubs while keeping the shafts of the test golf clubs constant.

[0126] In operation 3503, one or more golf shots may be taken for each of the one or more recommended golf clubs, and the ball flight characteristics for each of the one or more golf shots may be measured, for example, by the launch monitor 840. For example, a golf shot is taken using the first recommended golf club, and the ball flight characteristics of the golf shot taken using the first recommended golf club are measured by the launch monitor 840. The ball flight characteristics can then be received by the computing device 800 (for example, from the launch monitor 840).

[0127] Based on player input data, a different golf club (e.g., a golf club with a different shaft or golf club head) may be recommended at an initial stage, and / or continuously recommended based on player input data and ball flight characteristics. For example, one or more golf shots may be hit using a first recommended golf club including a first shaft and a first head, and ball flight characteristics may be measured. Ball flight characteristics may include, for example, total distance of the golf ball, golf ball carry distance, golf ball lateral distance, golf ball velocity, golf ball launch angle, golf ball spin, and / or golf ball smash factor. Based on the ball flight characteristics of the golf shot with the first golf club and / or player input data, a second golf club with a second shaft (different from the first shaft) and / or a second head (different from the first head) may be recommended.

[0128] One or more golf shots may be hit using a second recommended golf club, and the ball flight characteristics may be recorded. Based on the ball flight characteristics of the golf shot with the second golf club and / or player input data, a third golf club with a third shaft (different from the first and / or second shaft) and / or a third head (different from the first and / or second head) may be recommended. Next, the golf shot may be hit with the third recommended golf club head, and the ball flight characteristics may be recorded. This process may continue until there is little difference in the ball flight characteristics between successively recommended golf clubs, until the quality of the ball flight characteristics between the current recommended golf club and the previously recommended golf club decreases, and / or until the maximum shot count is reached. Further details and examples for recommending golf clubs throughout the fitting process are discussed further below with reference to various exemplary user interfaces that may be used by this technology.

[0129] In operation 3504, a fitting recommendation is generated (e.g., by computing device 800) based on player input data and / or ball flight characteristics from one or more golf shots for each of one or more recommended golf clubs. In some embodiments, generating a fitting recommendation may include defining one or more potential fitting recommendations corresponding to one or more recommended golf clubs for which golf shots have been taken and ball flight characteristics have been measured, and ranking one or more potential fitting recommendations based on player input data and / or ball flight characteristics. Each potential fitting recommendation may include at least some features of the corresponding golf club (e.g., at least some shaft-related features of the shaft of the corresponding golf club, and / or at least some head-related features of the head of the corresponding golf club). Generating a fitting recommendation may include defining a fitting recommendation as the highest-ranked potential fitting recommendation, or defining a fitting recommendation to include at least some of a plurality of potential fitting recommendations according to the ranking. As will be discussed further below, recommended golf club rankings may be based on the distance and accuracy of ball flight characteristics, each of which may be further modified, or on player input data.

[0130] In operation 3505, fitting recommendations may be presented by, for example, a computing device 800 (e.g., displayed on display 820). For example, the highest-ranked potential fitting recommendation may be displayed on display 820 as a fitting recommendation, or at least some of several potential fitting recommendations may be displayed on display 820 according to their rank (e.g., enumerated according to their rank).

[0131] Method 3500, as described with reference to Figure 21, is a non-limiting example and the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, although operation 3501 is illustrated as occurring before operations 3502 and 3503, the disclosure is not limited thereto and the time sequence of these operations may be modified in some embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, one or more recommended golf clubs may be generated, and one or more golf shots may be taken with each of the one or more recommended golf clubs before player input data is received, and the ball flight characteristics may be measured. Also, although operations 3504 and 3505 are illustrated as separate operations, these operations may occur simultaneously or in unison, for example, as a single operation.

[0132] Additional details regarding the system and method for generating fitting recommendations (e.g., how to use the system) are described with reference to the first and second user interfaces shown and explained in Figures 22-34.

[0133] Figure 22 shows the first user interface 3100 according to one embodiment. Figure 23 shows some input fields of the first user interface 3100 of Figure 22 according to one embodiment. Figure 24 shows some other input fields of the first user interface 3100 of Figure 22 according to one embodiment. Figure 25 shows some other input fields of the first user interface 3100 of Figure 22 according to one embodiment. Figure 26 shows some other input fields of the first user interface 3100 of Figure 22 according to one embodiment. Figure 27 shows the second user interface 3200 during the shaft fitting recommendation stage and according to one embodiment. Figure 28 shows the second user interface 3200 of Figure 27 during the shaft fitting recommendation stage. Figure 29 shows the second user interface 3200 of Figure 27 during the shaft fitting recommendation stage. Figure 30 shows the second user interface 3200 of Figure 27 during the shaft fitting recommendation stage. Figure 31 shows the second user interface 3200 of Figure 27 during the head fitting recommendation stage and in one embodiment. Figure 32 shows the second user interface 3200 of Figure 27 in one embodiment during the fine-tuning stage. Figure 33 shows the second user interface 3200 of Figure 27 during the fine-tuning stage. Figure 34 illustrates the upper portion of the second user interface 3200 of Figure 27 when multiple options are displayed. As described herein, the controllable features of the first and second user interfaces 3100 and 3200 may be controlled by any suitable means, such as input devices including a keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, and / or touch input device (e.g., touchscreen). The controllable features of the first and second user interfaces 3100 and 3200 may be controlled using the system, for example, by a player (e.g., a golfer) or a professional fitter, to obtain fitting recommendations for the player.

[0134] Referring to Figures 22-26, the first user interface 3100 may be used by the computing device 800 to receive player input data. The first user interface 3100 may include one or more input fields, and the computing device 800 may be configured to receive player input data as input to one or more input fields of the first user interface 3100. The input fields include a first input field 3101 for receiving information on whether the player is right-handed or left-handed, a second input field 3102 for receiving information on whether the player owns their own golf clubs (e.g., their own driver golf clubs), a third input field 3103 for receiving information on the manufacturer of the player's own golf clubs, a fourth input field 3104 for receiving information on the length of the player's own golf club shaft, a fifth input field 3105 for receiving information on the weight of the player's own golf club shaft, a sixth input field 3106 for receiving information on the flex of the player's own golf club shaft, and a seventh input field 3107 for receiving information on the loft of the player's own golf club head. An eighth input field 3108 for receiving information about the player's handicap, a ninth input field 3109 for receiving information about the player's ball flight when hitting a golf ball with the player's own golf club (for example, a low, medium, or high trajectory of a golf ball hit with the player's own driver), a tenth input field 3110 for receiving information about the tempo of the player's golf swing when hitting a golf ball with the player's own golf club (for example, whether the player's tempo is smooth, average, or fast), an eleventh input field 3111 for receiving information about the player's average total ball distance when hitting a ball with the player's own golf club, and the player's accuracy when hitting a golf ball from a tee with the player's golf club (for example,The first user interface 3100 includes a 12th input field 3112 for receiving information about the player's perception or characterization of their accuracy, a 13th input field 3113 for receiving information about the player's preferred golf club head model, a 14th input field 3114 for receiving information about the player's preference regarding whether to maximize golf ball carry distance or total golf ball distance, a 15th input field 3115 for receiving information about the player's preference regarding how important accuracy is to the player, and / or a 16th input field 3116 for receiving information about the player's preference regarding how important distance is to the player. In some embodiments, the first user interface 3100 may include input fields for receiving information about the player's rough conditions (e.g., the average rough conditions encountered by a player or rough conditions on a particular course) and / or input fields for receiving information about the player's fairway conditions (e.g., the average fairway conditions encountered by a player or fairway conditions on a particular course).

[0135] One or more of the input fields 3101-3116 may provide player input data to a player or fitter by including different selectable values, as shown in the exemplary first user interface 3100. For example, for the first input field 3101, selecting either RH (if the player is right-handed) or LH (if the player is left-handed) results in the system receiving and storing the corresponding player input data. In some embodiments, one or more of the input fields 3101-3116 may include an input box that can receive free-form text or numbers to provide player input data.

[0136] In some embodiments, the computing device 800 is configured to display all of the input fields 3101 to 3116 of the first user interface 3100 simultaneously. In some other embodiments, the computing device 800 is configured to display the input fields 3101 to 3116 of the first user interface 3100 sequentially in any order. For example, the computing device 800 may be configured to display the first input field 3101, display the second input field 3102 in response to receiving information through the first input field 3101, and display the third input field 3103 in response to receiving information through the second input field 3102. In some other embodiments, the computing device 800 is configured to sequentially display groups of input fields from input fields 3101 to 3116 on the display 820, so that when a group of input fields is displayed, all of the input fields in the group are displayed simultaneously. For example, referring to Figures 23-26, the first user interface 3100 is configured to display a first group 3130 of input fields for asking an initial question, which includes, for example, the first and second input fields 3101 and 3102; a second group 3140 of input fields for receiving information about the player's current golf club, which includes, for example, the third to seventh input fields 3103 to 3107; a third group 3150 of input fields for receiving information about the player's performance, which includes, for example, the eighth to twelfth input fields 3108 to 3112; and a fourth group 3160 of input fields for receiving information about the player's preferences (e.g., preferences for clubs and / or aspects of performance to be improved), which includes, for example, the thirteenth to sixteenth input fields 3113 to 3116.

[0137] In some embodiments, the first user interface 3100 is configured to allow the selection of one or more input fields 3101 to 3116 displayed on the display 820. For example, the first user interface 3100 may display a number of selectable tabs corresponding to the input fields 3101 to 3116 of the first user interface 3100, and the first user interface 3100 may be configured to display the input field corresponding to the selected tab when the computing device 800 receives a selection of one of the selectable tabs. Thus, a person entering player input data (e.g., a player or a fitter) may select and enter inputs into the input fields of the first user interface 3100 in any desired order, and may return to an input field that previously received input and into which new information was entered.

[0138] Referring to Figure 27, the second user interface 3200 may include a golf club selection menu 3210, a shot or pitch count representation 3220, a golf shot graphical representation 3230, a distance accuracy representation 3250, a fitting recommendation representation 3260, a selected golf club representation 3270, a fitting stage representation 3280, and selectable option elements 3290.

[0139] The fitting stage expression 3280 may represent one or more stages of the fitting method, and the second user interface 3200 may change as the fitting method progresses through the stages. For example, the fitting method includes an interview stage (hereinafter referred to as the "interview" stage, as expressed in the fitting stage expression 3280 by the term "interview"), a shaft fitting recommendation stage (hereinafter referred to as the "shaft fitting recommendation" stage, as expressed in the fitting stage expression 3280 by the term "shaft trial"), a head fitting recommendation stage (hereinafter referred to as the "head fitting recommendation" stage, as expressed in the fitting stage expression 3280 by the term "head optimization"), and a fine-tuning head recommendation stage (hereinafter referred to as the "fine-tuning" stage, as expressed in the fitting stage expression 3280 by the term "fine-tuning"). The shaft fitting recommendation stage may be a stage for generating a shaft fitting recommendation that includes one or more shaft-related features (e.g., shaft weight, shaft length, shaft flex, shaft kick point, and / or shaft torque). Each of the head fitting recommendation and fine-tuning stages may be for generating a head fitting recommendation that includes one or more head-related features (e.g., head model, loft, hosel setting, and / or one or more adjustable weight options compatible with the head model). The head fitting recommendation stage may be for generating a first head fit recommendation that includes at least one head-related feature, and the fine-tuning stage may be for generating a second head fit recommendation that includes at least the head-related features of the first head fit recommendation and one or more additional head-related features. For example, the first head fitting recommendation may include the head model and loft, and the second head fitting recommendation may include the head model, loft, and one or both of the hosel setting and one or more adjustable weight options.

[0140] In some embodiments, the current stage of the fitting method may be indicated by corresponding terminology in the fitting stage expression 3280, which is described in an emphasized manner (e.g., bold), while terminology corresponding to other stages is described in the fitting stage expression 3280 without such emphasis (e.g., without bold). For example, Figures 27-30 show the second user interface 3200 during the shaft fitting recommendation stage, Figure 31 shows the second user interface 3200 during the head fitting recommendation stage, and Figures 32-33 show the second user interface 3200 during the fine-tuning stage. However, the disclosure is not limited to these. Stages of the fitting method may be represented by other terms, letters, numbers, symbols, etc., through other forms, and the fitting stage expression 3280 may indicate the current stage through other forms. For example, the fitting stage expression 3280 may indicate the current stage by illustrating terminology associated with the current stage, but not by illustrating terminology associated with other stages. In some embodiments, the fitting stage representation 3280 may include selectable tabs, each associated with a stage of the fitting method, and the second user interface 3200 may be configured such that when the computing device 800 receives a selection of one of the selectable tabs associated with each stage of the fitting method, it presents the second user interface 3200 according to the stage of the selected tab. Thus, in some embodiments, a person can control the order of the stages of the fitting method.

[0141] The first user interface 3100 may be displayed during the interview phase. In some other embodiments, the first user interface 3100 is integrated with the second user interface 3200 and is illustrated as part of the second user interface 3200 during the interview phase.

[0142] In some embodiments, the golf club selection menu 3210, shot or pitch count representation 3220, golf shot graphical representation 3230, distance accuracy representation 3250, and fitting recommendation representation 3260 are displayed in the shaft fitting recommendation stage, the head fitting recommendation stage, and the fine-tuning recommendation stage, respectively.

[0143] During each of the shaft fitting recommendation stage, head fitting recommendation stage, and fine-tuning recommendation stage, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate one or more recommended golf clubs to potentially improve the player's performance and to display one or more recommended clubs in the golf club selection menu 3210. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 is configured to display only some features of one or more recommended golf clubs in the golf club selection menu 3210. For example, during the shaft fitting recommendation stage, the computing device 800 may be configured to display only the features of one or more recommended golf clubs in the golf club selection menu 3210, and during each of the head fitting recommendation stage and the fine-tuning stage, the computing device 800 may be configured to display only the features related to the head of one or more recommended golf clubs. The computing device 800 may be configured to rank one or more recommended golf clubs based on how much they are expected to improve the player's performance and to display one or more recommended golf clubs in the golf club selection menu 3210 according to that ranking. For example, during the shaft fitting recommendation phase, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate one or more recommended shafts corresponding to one or more recommended golf clubs, rank the one or more recommended shafts, and display the one or more recommended shafts in the golf club selection menu 3210 according to their rankings. During the head fit recommendation phase and the fine-tuning recommendation phase, respectively, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate one or more recommended heads corresponding to one or more recommended heads, rank the one or more recommended heads, and display the one or more recommended heads in the golf club selection menu 3210 according to their rankings.

[0144] The computing device 800 may be configured to receive a selection of a golf club from one or more recommended golf clubs and to display information about the selected golf club on the selected golf club representation 3270. For example, the selected golf club representation 3270 may include both shaft-related and head-related characteristics of the selected golf club. The player may then take one or more golf shots with the selected club, and the launch monitor 840 may be configured to measure or capture the ball flight characteristics of one or more golf shots. The launch monitor 840 may be configured to transmit information about the ball flight characteristics to the computing device 800. The computing device 800 may be configured to associate the ball flight characteristics measured by the launch monitor 840 and received by the computing device 800 with the selected golf club. The player or fitter may select one, some, or all of one or more recommended golf clubs and take one or more golf shots with each selected golf club, and the computing device 800 may be configured to receive the ball flight characteristics for each golf shot using each of the selected golf clubs.

[0145] The computing device 800 may be configured to, in response to receiving ball flight characteristics (e.g., from the launch monitor 840), represent (or be able to represent) at least a portion of the captured ball flight characteristics on the golf shot graphical representation 3230. The computing device 800 may be configured to, in response to receiving ball flight characteristics for a set number of golf shots (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5) from a golf club selected from one or more recommended golf clubs, generate a calculated distance associated with the selected golf club and display the calculated distance on the distance accuracy representation 3250 (e.g., on the calculated distance representation 3258 of the distance accuracy representation 3250), generate a calculated accuracy associated with the selected golf club and display the calculated accuracy on the distance accuracy representation 3250 (e.g., on the calculated accuracy representation 3259 of the distance accuracy representation 3250). The calculated distance associated with the golf club may be generated based on at least a portion of the ball flight characteristics for one or more golf shots made using the golf club, and in some embodiments based on player input data. The calculated accuracy associated with a golf club may be generated based on at least a portion of the ball flight characteristics for one or more golf shots made using the golf club, and, in some embodiments, based on player input data.

[0146] The computing device 800 may be configured to generate fitting recommendations and represent fitting recommendations on the fitting recommendation representation 3260. The fitting recommendations may be generated based on ball flight characteristics received by the computing device 800 and on player input data received by the computing device 800. For example, fitting recommendations may be generated by generating a plurality of potential fitting recommendations corresponding to at least some (e.g., all) golf clubs for which the computing device 800 has received ball flight characteristics for one or more golf shots (e.g., ball flight characteristics for at least a set number of golf shots have been received by the computing device 800), ranking the plurality of potential fitting recommendations, setting a fitting recommendation to the highest-ranked potential fitting recommendation, or setting a fitting recommendation to at least some of the plurality of potential fitting recommendations according to the ranking. Each of the plurality of potential fitting recommendations may include at least some features of the corresponding golf club. For example, during the shaft fitting recommendation stage, each potential fitting recommendation may include one or more shaft-related features of the corresponding golf club. Between the head fitting recommendation stage and the fine-tuning stage, each of the multiple potential fitting recommendations may include one or more head-related features.

[0147] Further details regarding the recommended shaft fitting stages are provided in Figures 27-30.

[0148] During the shaft fitting recommendation phase, one or more recommended shafts may be generated, each to be included in one or more recommended golf clubs, and may be displayed on the golf club selection menu 3210 and be selectable. The computing device 800 may be configured to respond to receiving the selection of one or more recommended shafts by displaying at least some information about the selected golf clubs, including the selected shafts on the selected golf club representation 3270 (e.g., one or more shaft-related features and one or more head-related features), and to associate the ball flight characteristics captured (e.g., subsequently captured) by the launch monitor 840 with the selected clubs. For example, in Figures 27-30, the selected golf club representation 3270 may display the shaft weight, shaft length, shaft flex, head model, and head loft of the selected golf clubs during the shaft fitting recommendation phase. The information displayed on the selected golf club representation 3270 can provide the player with confirmation of which golf club is appropriate for the golf shot they should take. The player may then take one or more golf shots with the selected golf club, and the ball flight characteristics of one or more golf shots may be captured by the launch monitor 840 and received by the computing device 800 (for example, from the launch monitor 840).

[0149] The computing device 800 may be configured to generate one or more recommended shafts based on player input data and / or ball flight characteristics of one or more golf shots taken during the shaft fitting recommendation phase. The computing device 800 may be configured to update (e.g., regenerate) one or more recommended golf clubs in response to receiving ball flight characteristics of one or more golf shots (e.g., a set number of golf shots such as 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 golf shots) taken using a shaft selected from the one or more recommended shafts.

[0150] In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may, for example, determine whether the player has their own driver (e.g., information received via the second input field 3102), the manufacturer of the player's own golf club (e.g., information received via the third input field 3103), the length of the player's own golf club shaft (e.g., information received via the fourth input field 3104), the weight of the player's own golf club shaft (e.g., information received via the fifth input field 3105), and the flex of the player's own golf club shaft (e.g., information received via the sixth input field 3106). Based on player input data, including information such as the player's handicap (e.g., information received via the eighth input field 3108), the player's golf swing tempo when hitting a golf ball with the player's own golf club (e.g., information received via the tenth input field 3110), the player's preference regarding how important accuracy is (e.g., information received via the fifteenth input field 3115), and / or the player's preference regarding how important distance is (e.g., information received via the sixteenth input field 3116), one or more recommended shafts may be generated.

[0151] If the player owns their own golf clubs, the computing device 800 may be configured to include the player's own shaft (e.g., the player's own golf clubs) among one or more recommended shafts. If the player does not own their own golf clubs, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate recommended shafts based on (e.g., similar to or identical to) the player's own shafts. Information about the manufacturer of the player's current golf clubs may influence whether the computing device 800 is configured to include the player's own shaft among one or more recommended shafts. For example, if the head of the player's current golf clubs is from a manufacturer incompatible with the available shafts (e.g., according to the inventory database), then one or more recommended shafts may not include the player's own shaft, even if the player owns current golf clubs. However, if the head of the player's current golf clubs is from a manufacturer that is compatible with the available shafts, then one or more recommended shafts may be generated to include the player's own shaft. The length of the player's own shaft may be adjusted to bring the length of one or more recommended shafts closer to the length of the player's shaft. The weight of the player's own shaft can bring the weight of one or more recommended shafts closer to the player's own shaft weight. The flex of the player's own shaft can bring the flex of one or more recommended shafts closer to the player's own shaft flex. The player's golf swing tempo can influence the flex of one or more recommended shafts. For example, a stiffer shaft may be more suitable for a player with a faster tempo, and a more flexible shaft may be more suitable for a player with a slower tempo. How important distance and accuracy are to the player can also influence the length and weight of one or more recommended shafts. For example, a longer length and lighter weight can increase distance and decrease accuracy, while a shorter length and heavier weight can decrease distance and increase accuracy.However, these are merely examples of the types of player input data that the computing device 800 may configure based on the generation of one or more recommended shafts, and the ways in which the computing device 800 may use these types of player input data to generate one or more recommended shafts. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and other embodiments are within the scope of the disclosure.

[0152] In some embodiments, the computing device 800 generates one or more recommended initial shafts based on player input data (e.g., not based on ball flight characteristics). The computing device 800 may then update one or more recommended shafts from the one or more recommended initial shafts based on both the player input data and the ball flight characteristics of one or more golf shots made using the selected shaft, in response to receiving ball flight characteristics of one or more golf shots made using the selected shaft. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may be configured to recommend the player's own golf club (e.g., the player's own driver or other metal wood) or a golf club including the shaft of the player's own golf club, in response to receiving player input data regarding whether the player possesses a driver (e.g., data received via a second input field 3102) and player input data regarding the player's driver (e.g., received via at least a portion of the third to seventh input fields 3103 to 3107). The ball flight characteristics from a golf shot taken using the player's own golf club (or a golf club including the shaft of the player's own driver) can provide a good starting point for recommending other shafts. If the player input data received by the computing device 800 indicates that the player does not own their own driver, or if the player input data received by the computing device 800 indicates that the player's own driver is from a manufacturer whose head is not compatible with the shafts available for the player to test (for example, shafts listed in the inventory database of shafts available for the player), then the computing device 800 may generate one or more recommended initial shafts that do not include the shaft of the player's own golf club.However, one or more recommended initial shafts may be based on player input data regarding the player's own golf clubs (for example, player input data received in the third to seventh input fields 3103 to 3107), so that, for example, one or more recommended initial shafts have similar one or more shaft characteristics (for example, similar shaft weight, similar shaft length, similar shaft flex, similar shaft kick point, and / or similar shaft torque) that correspond to one or more shaft characteristics of the player's own golf clubs.

[0153] Figure 27 shows the second user interface 3200 during the shaft fitting recommendation stage, before any golf shot is taken. In Figure 27, the computing device 800 has generated one recommended golf club, which is the player's own golf club (identified as "Gamer 60 with 1.45 1 / 2 inches" in the golf club selection menu 3210 and represented in additional detail on the selected golf club representation 3270). In the selected golf club representation 3270, the shaft weight is 60 grams and represented as "60", the shaft length is 45.5 inches and represented as "45 1 / 2", the shaft flex is stiff and represented under the term "Flex" with the letter "S", the golf club head model is represented as "Gamer Titleist", and the loft is 9-9.5 degrees and identified as the text "9-9.5°". Similar characteristics of other selected golf club heads may be shown in the selected golf club representation 3270 in the same or the same format as shown in Figure 27. In response to receiving the ball flight characteristics of three golf shots made using the player's own golf clubs, the computing device 800 generates two additional recommended shafts based on the player input data and the ball flight characteristics of three golf shots made using the player's own golf clubs, as shown in the golf club selection menu 3210 in Figures 29-30. These two additional shafts are identified in the club selection menu 3210 as "2.45 1 / 2 inch Mitsubishi Tensei AV Xlink Blue 55" (shown on the selected golf club representation 3270 in Figure 29) and "3.45 1 / 2 inch Project X HZRDUS CB 50" (shown on the selected golf club representation 3270 in Figure 30). The former has a shaft weight of 55 grams and a shaft length of 45.5 degrees, while the latter has a shaft weight of 50 grams and a shaft length of 45.5 degrees.

[0154] In some embodiments, in response to the computing device 800 receiving ball flight characteristics for a set number of golf shots (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 golf shots) with the selected shaft, the computing device 800 may display feedback information on how the player felt while the set number of golf shots were being made with the selected golf club (e.g., the selected golf club including the selected shaft) in one or more feedback input fields on the display 820 that are configured to receive feedback information about the selected shaft. Referring to Figure 28, the computing device 800 may display on the display 820 a first feedback input field 3295 for receiving information on how the selected shaft felt overall, a second feedback input field 3296 for receiving information on how the length of the selected shaft felt, and / or a third feedback input field 3297 for receiving information on how the weight of the selected shaft felt. The feedback input field may be configured to receive information (e.g., free-form text) entered into the field, for example, by receiving a selection from a plurality of selectable elements each associated with different information about the selected shaft. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 is configured to update one or more recommended shafts based on the information received via the feedback input field (for example, in combination with player input data received by the computing device during the interview phase and / or ball flight characteristics of a set number of golf shots made using the selected shaft).

[0155] In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may generate one or more recommended shafts based on an inventory database (e.g., a shaft inventory database). The inventory database may include information, for example, which shafts a player can use during a fitting session (e.g., available at the location where the fitting session is offered), and the computing device 800 may generate one or more recommended shafts based on the restriction that one or more recommended shafts must be shafts included in the inventory database. In some other embodiments, the computing device 800 generates one or more recommended shafts without relying on a shaft inventory database.

[0156] The computing device 800 may be configured to rank one or more recommended shafts based on player input data, ball flight characteristics of one or more golf shots taken with the selected golf clubs during the shaft fitting recommendation phase, and / or feedback information received by the computing device 800 after a set number of golf shots have been taken with each selected golf club. The computing device 800 may also be configured to rank one or more shafts displayed on the golf club selection menu 3210 according to how well estimated (e.g., based on calculations) they are expected to improve one or more ball flight characteristics, such as total distance and / or accuracy, in order to improve the player's performance.

[0157] The golf club selection menu 3210 may include a selection explanation element 3218. When the computing device 800 receives a selection of the selection explanation element 3218, it may be configured to display additional details about one or more recommended shafts on the display 820. For example, the computing device 800 may be configured to display an explanatory user interface that includes additional details about one or more recommended shafts, such as an explanation of why one or more recommended shafts are recommended, and information on ranking one or more shafts.

[0158] In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate one or more recommended golf clubs during the shaft fitting recommendation stage such that one or more recommended golf clubs all have the same golf club head but have different shafts. This may allow the effects of different shafts to be analyzed (e.g., by the computing device 800) without being affected by changes in the golf club head. However, the disclosure is not limited to these. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may generate at least some of the one or more recommended shafts during the shaft fitting recommendation stage such that they have different golf club heads.

[0159] The computing device 800 may be configured to represent at least a portion of the ball flight characteristics on the golf shot graphical representation 3230 in response to receiving the ball flight characteristics of a golf shot (e.g., from the launch monitor 840). For example, the golf shot graphical representation may include a golf ball velocity representation 3231 for representing the velocity of the golf ball struck during the golf shot after impact (e.g., via a numerical display or by another means), a golf ball launch angle representation 3232 for representing the launch angle of the golf ball struck during the golf shot (e.g., via a numerical display or by another means), a golf ball spin representation 3233 for representing the spin of the golf ball struck during the golf shot (e.g., via a numerical display or by another means), a smash factor representation 3234 for representing the smash factor of the golf shot (e.g., the amount of energy transferred to the golf ball during the golf shot, calculated as the ratio of the golf ball velocity to the club head velocity) (e.g., via a numerical display or by another means), and / or a golf ball position representation 3235. The golf ball position representation 3235 may include a fairway chart having a first axis corresponding to the distance of the golf ball along a first direction (e.g., longitudinal distance), which may be the carry distance or total distance, depending on the setting, and a second axis corresponding to the distance of the golf ball along the lateral direction (e.g., the distance away from the centerline along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction). In the illustrated example, the golf ball position representation 3235 includes a fairway chart having a first axis along the vertical direction (i.e., up and down direction) and a second axis along the horizontal direction (i.e., left and right direction). Thus, the first axis may represent how far the golf ball travels down the fairway after a golf shot, and the second axis may represent how far the golf ball deviates to the left or right from the tee.

[0160] The computing device 800 may be configured to display indicators (e.g., symbols, dots, circles, squares, etc.) on the fairway chart at positions along a first axis corresponding to the distance of the golf ball and at positions along a second axis corresponding to the lateral distance of the golf ball. Thus, the indicators can visually show the position along the fairway where the golf ball landed after a golf shot. In some embodiments, such as the illustrated embodiment, the fairway chart may include one or more lines (e.g., two lines) extending along a first direction generally parallel to the first axis (e.g., two straight lines extending parallel to the first direction) to indicate the boundary between the fairway and the rough. The fairway may be a virtual fairway that does not directly correspond to the physical environment in which the golf ball is hit, such as an indoor environment where the golf ball is hit into a net or screen.

[0161] The computing device 800 may be configured to display successful golf shots using the same golf club having the same or similar indicators, and to display a surrounding border around successful golf shots using the same golf club. For example, in Figure 28, three golf shots with a first golf club 3261 are represented by three first golf shot indicators 3241 surrounded by first golf shot borders 3241C. In Figure 29, three golf shots with a second golf club 3262 are represented by three second golf shot indicators 3242 surrounded by second golf shot borders 3242C. In Figure 30, three golf shots with a third golf club 3263 are represented by three third golf shot indicators 3243 surrounded by third golf shot borders 3243C.

[0162] The computing device 800 may be configured to selectively represent golf shots on the fairway chart (for example, selectively display a golf shot indicator). For example, the computing device 800 may be configured to selectively display groups of golf shots corresponding to each golf club used to perform a group of golf shots. Displaying some golf shots while displaying others may make the fairway chart easier to read compared to displaying all golf shots. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may be configured to display on the fairway chart golf shots performed with the golf club with the highest rank in the fitting recommendation expression 3260, and other groups of golf shots performed with one other golf club. The other groups of golf shots may be groups of golf shots associated with the club currently being used to hit the golf shot (for example, by default). However, the second user interface 3200 may be controllable to allow switching the other groups of golf shots from a group of golf shots associated with the golf club currently (or recently) used to hit the golf shot to another group of golf shots associated with a different golf club (for example, by selecting one of the shafts in the fitting recommendation expression 3260). For example, in Figures 29 and 30, a total of nine golf shots were taken, as indicated by the pitch count representation 3220 (three with the first golf club 3261, three with the second golf club 3262, and three with the third golf club 3263).The three golf shots taken with the third golf club 3263 were the last of the nine golf shots and are shown in the fairway chart of Figure 30, whereas Figure 29 shows a fairway chart to show the golf shots taken with the second golf club 3262 in response to the control of the second user interface 3200 after the nine shots have been taken (for example, by selecting the second golf club 3262 in the fitting recommendation expression 3260).

[0163] In some embodiments, the second user interface 3200 includes a selectable deleted last shot element 3235, and the computing device 800 is configured to delete the most recently received ball flight characteristics in response to receiving a selection of the deleted last shot element 3235. This allows the player or fitter to delete a golf shot that is highly abnormal, inaccurate, or does not represent the player's ability, delete the ball flight characteristics of that golf shot, and then re-execute the deleted golf shot.

[0164] For each golf club in which a golf shot is made and the corresponding ball flight characteristics are received by the computing device 800, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate a calculated distance and a calculated precision. The computing device 800 may be configured to display the calculated distance and the calculated precision on a distance precision representation 3250. For example, the distance precision representation 3250 may include a calculated distance representation 3258 and a calculated precision representation 3259, and the computing device 800 may be configured to display the calculated distance on the calculated distance representation 3258 (e.g., via a numerical value, such as a yard distance value, or via another format) and the calculated precision on the calculated precision representation 3259 (e.g., via a numerical value, such as a percentage value, or via another format). In the illustrated example, as shown in Figures 29-30, the first calculated distance 3251D and the first calculated precision 3251A corresponding to the first golf club 3261 are displayed in the distance precision representation 3250, the second calculated distance 3252D and the second calculated precision 3252A corresponding to the second golf club 3262 are displayed in the distance precision representation 3250, and the third calculated distance 3253D and the third calculated precision 3253A corresponding to the third golf club 3263 are displayed in the distance precision representation 3250.

[0165] In some embodiments, the golf clubs, the calculated distance values ​​associated with the golf clubs, and the calculated precision values ​​associated with the golf clubs shown in the fitting recommendation expression 3260 may all be expressed in a manner that indicates that the calculated distance and calculated precision are associated with the golf club. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the first golf club 3161, the first calculated distance 3251D, and the first calculated precision 3251A are each represented with the letter (A), indicating that the first calculated distance 3251D and the first calculated precision 3251A are associated with the first golf club 3261 in the fitting recommendation expression 3260. Similarly, the second golf club 3162, the second calculated distance 3252D, and the second calculated precision 3252A are each represented with the letter (B), and the third golf club 3163, the third calculated distance 3253D, and the third calculated precision 3253A are each represented with the letter (C). However, this is just one example, and other methods of indicating the association between golf clubs, the calculated distance, and the calculated accuracy are within the scope of this disclosure.

[0166] In some embodiments, one or both of the calculated distance and / or accuracy associated with a golf club may be generated based on both the ball flight characteristics of a golf shot made using the golf club and player input data. In some other embodiments, one or both of the calculated distance and / or accuracy may be generated based on the ball flight characteristics of a golf shot made using the golf club (e.g., total golf ball distance and / or lateral ball distance) (e.g., without relying on player input data).

[0167] The calculated distance and / or calculated accuracy may be based on player input data, including, for example, the player's handicap. The player's handicap may, for example, affect the algorithm used to generate the calculated distance and / or the algorithm used to generate the calculated accuracy. For example, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate the calculated distance with respect to the golf club using a first distance algorithm that, in response to a high player handicap, gives more weight to the ball flight characteristics (e.g., total golf ball distance) of the golf shot that has the greatest golf ball distance among the golf shots made with the golf club than to other golf shots made with that golf club, and / or generate the calculated accuracy with respect to the golf club using a first accuracy algorithm that gives more weight to the ball flight characteristics (e.g., lateral distance of the golf ball) of the golf shot that lands closest to the center of the fairway on the fairway chart among the golf shots made with the golf club. The computing device 800 may be configured to generate a calculated distance of a golf club using a second distance algorithm that weights the ball flight characteristics of a golf shot made with a golf club more evenly than a first distance algorithm, in response to a low player handicap, and / or to generate a calculated accuracy of a golf club using a second accuracy algorithm that weights the ball flight characteristics of a golf shot made with a golf club more evenly than a first accuracy algorithm.

[0168] The calculated distance and / or calculated accuracy may be influenced by other player input data, such as the average golf ball distance when the player hits with their own golf club (e.g., total golf ball distance and / or ball carry distance), the player's accuracy when hitting from a tee with their own golf club, the player's preference regarding maximizing either the golf ball carry distance or the total golf ball distance, the player's preference regarding the importance of accuracy, and / or the player's preference regarding the importance of distance (e.g., the importance of distance compared to how important accuracy is to the player). The calculated distance and / or calculated accuracy may also be influenced by various other ball flight characteristics of the golf shots made during the fitting method (e.g., during the current stage of the fitting method), such as ball velocity, launch angle, ball spin, and smash factor, in addition to the golf ball distance and the lateral distance of the golf ball. In some embodiments, during the shaft fitting recommendation stage, the calculated distance and / or calculated accuracy may also be based on feedback information regarding the shaft of the golf club used to make the golf shots during the shaft fitting recommendation stage.

[0169] The computing device 800 may be configured to rank the shafts for which a golf shot has been taken and the corresponding ball flight characteristics have been received by the computing device 800. For example, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate a number of potential shaft fitting recommendations corresponding to each shaft for which a golf shot has been taken and the corresponding ball flight characteristics have been received by the computing device, and to rank the number of potential shaft fitting recommendations. Each potential shaft fitting recommendation may include one or more shaft-related characteristics of the corresponding shaft (e.g., shaft weight, shaft length, shaft flex, shaft kick point, and / or shaft torque). The computing device 800 may be configured to define the shaft fitting recommendations, along with their ranking, as the highest-ranked shaft (or the highest-ranked shaft fitting recommendation) or as multiple shafts (or multiple shaft fitting recommendations).

[0170] In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may be configured to rank shafts (or potential shaft fitting recommendations) based on the ball flight characteristics of golf shots made using the shafts and / or player input data. Player input data on which the computing device 800 may base its shaft ranking may include, for example, the player's handicap, the player's average total golf ball distance when hitting with the player's own golf clubs, the player's accuracy when hitting from a tee with the player's own golf clubs, the player's preference regarding whether to maximize golf ball carry distance or total golf ball distance, the player's preference regarding how important accuracy is, and / or the player's preference regarding how important distance is.

[0171] For example, the computing device 800 may be configured to rank shafts based at least in part on a calculated distance and calculated accuracy of the shafts, which may be based on the player's handicap as described herein. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 generates a baseline total golf club ball distance based on information about the player's average total golf ball distance when hitting with the player's own golf clubs and / or the player's handicap, and the computing device 800 ranks the shafts based on how much each calculated distance of the shafts differs from the baseline total golf club ball distance. The computing device 800 may also generate a baseline accuracy based on the player's accuracy when hitting from a tee with the player's own golf clubs and / or the player's handicap, and the computing device 800 may rank the shafts based on how much each calculated accuracy of the shafts differs from the baseline accuracy. In ranking the shafts, the computing device 800 may give more weight to the calculated distance than to the calculated accuracy, or vice versa, based on how important it is to the player that the player demonstrated accuracy and distance. For example, if a player indicates that distance is more important than accuracy, the computing device 800 may give more weight to calculated distance than to calculated accuracy when ranking shafts.

[0172] The computing device 800 may be configured to display ranked characterizations for each shaft displayed in the fitting recommendation expression 3260. For example, the fitting recommendation expression 3260 may include a golf club column 3268 that displays golf clubs (or shafts or heads) and a ranked characterization column 3269 for displaying ranked characterizations for each of the golf clubs displayed in the golf club column 3268. The ranked characterizations may include information indicating one or more ways in which the golf clubs are compared in the golf club column 3268. In the illustrated example, the ranked characterizations include information on how the calculated distance and calculated accuracy of the corresponding golf club are ranked relative to the calculated distance and calculated accuracy of the other golf clubs displayed in the golf club column 3268, respectively. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 30, the first ranked feature 3261DA is associated with the first golf club 3261, indicating that the first calculated distance 3251D is ranked second and the first calculated accuracy 3251A is ranked second; the second ranked feature 3262DA is associated with the second golf club 3262, indicating that the second calculated distance 3252A is ranked third and the second calculated distance 3252A is ranked first; the third ranked feature 3263DA is associated with the third golf club 3263, indicating that the third calculated distance 3253D is ranked first and the third calculated accuracy 3253A is ranked third.

[0173] The second user interface 3200 may include a selectable shaft fitting recommendation completion element 3299. The computing device 800 may be configured to terminate the shaft fitting recommendation stage upon receiving a selection of the shaft fitting recommendation completion element 3299. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may initiate the head fitting recommendation stage in response to receiving a selection of the shaft fitting recommendation completion element 3299. As described above, the shafts displayed in the fitting recommendation expression 3260 may be selectable, and the computing device 800 may initiate the head fitting recommendation stage with one of the shafts from the fitting recommendation expression 3260 selected when the computing device 800 receives a selection of the shaft fitting recommendation completion element 3299. In some other embodiments, the computing device 800 may, in response to receiving a selection of the shaft fitting recommendation completion element 3299, display an input field on the display 820 to receive a selection of one of the shafts displayed in the fitting recommendation expression 3260.

[0174] During the head fitting recommendation phase, a head fitting recommendation may be generated. The computing device 800 and the second user interface 3200 may function in at least several ways, in a manner similar to, or the same as, the manner in which the computing device and the second user interface 3200 may function during the shaft fitting recommendation phase. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 is configured to perform the head fitting recommendation phase after the shaft fitting recommendation phase. In some other embodiments, the computing device 800 is configured to perform the head fitting recommendation phase (e.g., both the head fitting recommendation phase and the fine-tuning phase) before the shaft fitting recommendation phase.

[0175] During the head fitting recommendation phase, the computing device 800 can generate one or more recommended golf clubs, each containing one or more recommended heads, and display one or more recommended heads in the golf club selection menu 3210. In some embodiments, such as the example illustrated in Figure 31, the computing device 800 may show an initial golf club in the selected golf club representation 3270, generate one or more additional recommended heads, and prompt the player to hit one or more golf shots with the initial golf club (e.g., display command) before displaying them in the golf club selection menu 3210. The computing device 800 may be configured to generate one or more additional recommended heads once it receives the ball flight characteristics of one or more golf shots made with the initial recommended heads. In the illustrated embodiment, the initial golf club is a fourth golf club 3264 having a second shaft of a second golf club 3262 selected during the shaft fitting recommendation phase, and having a head with a TSR2 model, 9-degree loft, and A1 hosel setting.

[0176] Each of the one or more recommended heads may include one or more head-related features (e.g., head model, loft, hosel setting, and / or one or more adjustable weight options compatible with the head model). For example, each of the one or more recommended heads may include a head model and a head loft. The computing device 800 may be configured to generate one or more recommended heads based on player input data and / or ball flight characteristics of golf shots taken during the fitting process (e.g., during the head fit recommendation stage and / or shaft fit recommendation stage). For example, ball flight characteristics taken with a golf club having the shaft finally selected at the end of the shaft fitting recommendation stage may be used during the head fitting recommendation stage. Such ball characteristics can provide a useful starting point for comparison purposes, allowing the player to test new golf clubs with different heads during the head fit recommendation stage. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the second shaft of the second golf club 3262 is ultimately selected during the shaft fitting recommendation stage, and the ball flight characteristics of a golf shot made using the second golf club 3262 are shown as being included during the head fitting recommendation stage in Figure 31.

[0177] In some other embodiments, ball flight characteristics captured during the shaft fitting recommendation phase are not used during the head fitting recommendation phase, and the computing device 800 may be configured to generate an initial recommended head (or one or more initial recommended heads) based on player input data (e.g., not based on ball flight characteristics measured during the shaft fitting recommendation phase). The computing device 800 may be configured to update one or more recommended heads displayed in the club selection menu 3210 in response to receiving ball flight characteristics for one or more golf shots (e.g., a set number of golf shots such as 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5) with the initial recommended head (or heads from one or more initial recommended heads).

[0178] The computing device 800 may be configured to generate one or more recommended heads based on player input data, including, for example, information on whether the player is right-handed or left-handed, information on whether the player owns their own driver, the manufacturer of the player's own golf club (the player's own driver or other metal wood), the loft of the player's own golf club head, the player's handicap, the trajectory of the player's shots when hitting a golf ball with their own golf club, the player's preferred golf club head model, the player's preference regarding maximizing golf ball carry distance or total golf ball distance, the player's preference regarding how important accuracy is, and / or the player's preference regarding how important distance is. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto, and the generation of one or more recommended heads may also be based on other player input data.

[0179] Whether a player is right-handed or left-handed may affect, for example, which heads are available in the inventory database (e.g., a head inventory database containing information on which heads are available to the player during the fitting process), and the computing device 800 may be configured to generate only the recommended heads that are indicated as available in the inventory database.

[0180] If the player owns their own golf clubs, the computing device 800 may include the player's own head in one or more recommended heads (e.g., a prompted initial head or one or more initial recommended heads). If the player does not own their own golf clubs, the computing device 800 may generate a recommended head similar to the player's own golf club head (e.g., a head model with similar loft and / or similar loft).

[0181] If the shaft of a player's own golf club is from a manufacturer that is incompatible with the heads available to the player during the head-fit recommendation phase (for example, as indicated by the inventory database), the computing device 800 may be configured to omit the player's own golf club head, even if the player has their own golf clubs with them.

[0182] The computing device 800 may be configured to provide a basis for one or more recommended head lofts based on the loft of the player's own golf club and the player's ball flight. For example, if the player's own golf club head has a low loft and the player's ball flight is also low, the computing device 800 may be configured to recommend a head with a higher loft than the player's own golf club head. However, if the player's own golf club head has a low loft and the player's ball flight is moderate or high, the computing device 800 may be configured to recommend a head with a loft similar to the player's own golf club head.

[0183] The computing device 800 may be configured to recommend a club head similar to or identical to the player's preferred club head model. For example, if a player indicates a preference for the TSR3 model golf club head, the computing device 800 is likely to recommend the TSR3 model for one or more of its recommended heads.

[0184] If a player desires to maximize carry distance rather than total distance, the computing device 800 may be configured to recommend a higher loft and / or clubhead that produces a higher spin rate. However, if a player desires to maximize total distance rather than carry distance, the computing device 800 may be configured to recommend a lower loft and / or clubhead that produces a lower spin rate. The importance of distance to the player may influence the loft recommended by the computing device 800. For example, if distance is of high importance to the player, the computing device 800 may be configured to recommend a lower loft.

[0185] The importance of accuracy may influence the head model recommended by the computing device 800. For example, if accuracy is important to the player, the computing device may be configured to recommend a model with a more forgiving hitting surface (e.g., TSR2). The player's handicap may also influence the recommended model. For example, if the player has a high handicap, the computing device 800 may be configured to recommend a model designed for inexperienced and beginner players (e.g., a highly forgiving club head), such as the TSR2 or Tsi1 model. However, if the player has a low handicap, the computing device 800 may be configured to recommend a model designed for advanced or professional players (e.g., a less forgiving club head), such as the TSR4 model. These are just examples of how player input data may influence how the computing device 800 generates one or more recommended models, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0186] In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate recommended golf clubs having different heads but all having the same shaft, for example, the shaft ultimately selected during the shaft fitting recommendation stage. This may make it possible to analyze the impact of different head-related features (e.g., by the computing device 800) without deformation from different shafts. However, the disclosure is not limited to these. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate recommended golf clubs having different heads and different shafts during the head fitting recommendation stage.

[0187] One or more recommended heads in the golf club selection menu 3210 may be selectable, and the computing device 800 may be configured to display a selected head from among the one or more recommended heads of the selected club representation 3270. The computing device 800 may be configured to associate the ball flight characteristics captured by and received from the launch monitor 840 with the selected head (e.g., the selected golf club containing the selected head), and to represent at least a portion of the ball flight characteristics on the golf shot graphical representation 3230 during the head fitting recommendation stage in the same or identical manner as described herein with respect to the shaft fitting recommendation stage.

[0188] For each club head after a golf shot has been taken and the ball flight characteristics have been received by the computing device 800, the computing device 800 is configured to generate calculated distances and calculated accuracy during the head fitting recommendation stage in a manner similar to, or identical to, when the computing device 800 is configured to generate calculated distances and calculated accuracy during the shaft fitting recommendation stage, and is configured to display the generated calculated distances and calculated accuracy on the distance accuracy representation 3250. The computing device 800 may be configured to generate and display calculated distances and calculated accuracy for a golf club after a set number of golf shots (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5) have been taken and the ball flight characteristics of the golf shots have been received by the computing device 800. For example, in the illustrated example, the set number of shots is 3. Therefore, as shown in Figure 31, two golf shots are made with the fourth golf club 3264, represented by two fourth golf club shot indicators 3244 enclosed by the fourth golf shot boundary line 3244C, but the calculated distance and calculated precision for the fourth golf club 3264 are not generated and displayed in the distance precision representation 3250. In the illustrated example, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate the calculated distance and calculated precision for the fourth golf club 3264 in response to receiving the ball flight characteristics of the third golf shot having the fourth golf club (see, for example, Figure 32).

[0189] The computing device 800 may be configured to rank golf club heads for which a golf shot has been taken and ball flight characteristics have been received by the computing device 800. For example, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate multiple potential head fit recommendations for each golf club for which a golf shot has been taken and ball flight characteristics have been received, and to rank the multiple potential head fit recommendations. Each of the multiple potential head fitting recommendations may include one or more head-related features of the corresponding golf club (e.g., head model, loft, hosel setting, and / or optionally one or more adjustable features). The computing device 800 may be configured to display the heads (or potential head fitting recommendations) on the fitting recommendation representation 3260 according to their rank. The computing device 800 may be configured to rank the golf club heads (or potential head fit recommendations) based on player input data and / or ball flight characteristics received by the computing device 800 and used during the head fit recommendation stage.

[0190] The computing device 800 may base its ranking of golf club heads on the player's handicap, the player's average total distance of golf balls when the player hits with their own golf clubs, the player's accuracy when hitting from a tee with their own golf clubs, the player's preference regarding maximizing golf ball carry or total distance, the player's preference regarding how important accuracy is, and / or the player's preference regarding the importance of distance during the head fitting recommendation stage, in any form on which the computing device 800 may use these player input data to base its ranking of shafts during the shaft fitting recommendation stage. In some embodiments, the player input data on which the computing device 800 may base its ranking of golf club heads may include the player's preferred club head shape or model. For example, the computing device 800 may rank golf club heads that have the player's preferred club head model, or have a shape or model similar to the player's preferred club head model, higher than other golf club heads.

[0191] In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may be configured to terminate the head fitting recommendation stage in response to the computing device 800 determining that the change in the player's performance between two tested clubs (e.g., the change in the player's calculated distance and / or the change in the player's calculated accuracy) is below a threshold. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may be configured to terminate the head fitting recommendation stage in response to the computing device 800 determining that the player's performance using one of the test golf clubs is within a threshold or threshold range based on the theoretical best performance (e.g., performance using the theoretically best-performing head model and loft), for example, the computing device 800 may be configured to terminate the head fitting recommendation stage in response to the computing device 800 determining that the player's performance using one of the test golf clubs is optimized by more than 95% on a scale of 0% to 100% for all inventory in the inventory database (all inventory on-site) (e.g., within 5% of the theoretical best performance). In some other embodiments, the computing device 800 may be configured to terminate the head fitting recommendation stage in a similar or identical manner to how the computing device 800 may terminate the shaft fitting recommendation stage in response to receiving a selection of a selectable head fitting recommendation completion element.

[0192] In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may terminate the fitting method in response to the completion of the head fit recommendation stage, and the player may select a golf club head from among the golf club heads displayed in the fitting recommendation expression 3260. In some other embodiments, the computing device 800 may proceed to the fine-tuning stage in response to the completion of the head fitting recommendation stage.

[0193] The computing device 800 and the second user interface 3200 may be configured to function in at least some aspects during the fine-tuning phase in the same or identical manner as they are configured to function during the head-fitting recommendation phase. The computing device 800 may be configured to provide another head-fit recommendation (e.g., a second head-fit recommendation) to potentially improve one or more aspects of the player's performance compared to a head-fit recommendation (e.g., a first head-fit recommendation) generated during the head-fitting recommendation phase. For example, in response to the end of the head-fitting recommendation phase, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate a fine-tuning focus input field 3298 to receive information on one or more aspects of the player's performance that it attempts to improve during the fine-tuning phase. For example, one or more aspects of performance may be selected from reducing or eliminating left misses, reducing or eliminating right misses, improving golf ball speed or total golf ball distance, and testing additional combinations of head models and lofts that were not tested during the head-fitting recommendation phase.

[0194] During the fine-tuning phase, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate one or more recommended fine-tuning heads or recommended configurable head settings (e.g., adjustable hosel settings, adjustable weight options, etc.) based on player input data and / or ball flight characteristics in any manner (e.g., similar or identical) that the computing device 800 may be configured to perform during the head fitting recommendation phase, and to display them in the club selection menu 3210. The computing device 800 may also be configured to generate one or more recommended fine-tuning heads or recommended configurable head settings based on one or more selected aspects of the player's performance. The recommended fine-tuning heads or recommended configurable head settings may include head-related features (e.g., head model, head loft, hosel setting, and / or one or more adjustable weight options compatible with the head model). In some embodiments, the recommended fine-tuning heads may include head features not included in the recommended heads during the head fitting recommendation phase. For example, the recommended head during the head fitting recommendation stage may include a head model and / or loft, and the recommended fine-tuning head or recommended configurable head setting may include a head model, loft, hosel setting, and one or more adjustable weight options. In some other embodiments, the recommended fine-tuning head or recommended configurable head setting may include the same head features as the recommended head during the head fitting recommendation stage.

[0195] In some embodiments, recommended configurable head settings may be provided during the fine-tuning stage. For example, one or more recommended fine-tuning heads, each having the same head model and / or the same head loft but differing in at least one configurable head setting (e.g., different in at least one of the adjustable hosel setting or adjustable weight option), may be generated during the fine-tuning stage and displayed in the golf club selection menu 3210. The head model and / or head loft that may be the same across one or more recommended fine-tuning heads generated during the fine-tuning stage may each be the same head model and / or head loft of the head or head fitting recommendation selected at the end of the head fitting recommendation stage (e.g., selected from multiple ranked heads or ranked head fitting recommendations displayed in the fitting recommendation expression 3260 during the head fitting recommendation stage).

[0196] One or more recommended fine-tuning heads or recommended configurable head settings displayed in the golf club selection menu may be selectable. The computing device 800 may be configured to display the selected fine-tuning head or selected configurable head setting from among the one or more recommended fine-tuning heads or recommended configurable head settings in the selected club representation 3270, associate the ball flight characteristics captured by the launch monitor 840 and received by the computing device 800 with the selected fine-tuning head or selected configurable head setting, and to represent at least a portion of the ball flight characteristics of a golf shot made using the selected fine-tuning head or selected configurable head setting in the golf shot graphical representation 3230. In some embodiments, at least a portion (e.g., all) of the ball flight characteristics from the head fitting recommendation stage are also used during (e.g., carried over to) the fine-tuning stage.

[0197] For each fine-tuning head or configurable head setting, one or more golf shots are taken (for example, a set number of golf shots such as 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 shots), and the ball flight characteristics are received by the computing device 800, which may be configured to generate the calculated distance and calculated accuracy in any manner, since the computing device 800 may generate the calculated distance and calculated accuracy during the head fitting recommendation stage.

[0198] The computing device 800 may be configured to rank at least a portion of the heads (e.g., fine-tuned heads or configurable head settings, with or without the heads from the head fit recommendation stage) that have been received by the computing device 800 during the fine-tuning stage, after a golf shot has been taken and the ball flight characteristics have been received by the computing device 800 during the fine-tuning stage. In some embodiments, the computing device 800 may be configured to generate a plurality of potential fine-tuned head fitting recommendations or potential configurable head setting recommendations, each corresponding to a fine-tuned head or configurable head setting for which a golf shot has been taken and the ball flight characteristics have been received by the computing device 800, and to rank the plurality of fine-tuned head fitting recommendations or configurable head setting recommendations. Each fine-tuned head fitting recommendation or configurable head setting recommendation may include one or more head-related features of the corresponding golf club (e.g., a golf club including the corresponding fine-tuned head or configurable head setting). The computing device 800 may be configured to define a finely tuned head fitting recommendation or configurable head setting recommendation as the highest-ranked potential finely tuned head fitting recommendation or configurable head setting recommendation, or to define multiple finely tuned head fitting recommendations or configurable head setting recommendations along with their ranks.

[0199] In the illustrated example shown in Figure 33, at least three golf shots were taken with each of the following golf clubs: the second golf club 3262, the fourth golf club 3264, the fifth golf club 3265 (including the shaft of the second golf club 3262 and a head with a TSR2 model, 9-degree loft, and a B2 hosel setting based on Titleist's Surefit Hosel), and the sixth golf club 3266 (including the shaft of the second golf club 3262 and a head with a TSR4 model, 9-degree loft, and a B2 hosel setting based on Titleist's Surefit Hosel). In Figure 33, three sixth golf club shot indicators 3246 are shown on a fairway chart representing the three golf shots taken with the sixth golf club 3266, and the three sixth golf club shot indicators 3246 are enclosed by sixth golf club shot enclosure lines 3246C. The distance accuracy representation 3250 is illustrated in Figure 33 as including a second calculated distance 3252D and a second calculated accuracy 3252A associated with the second golf club 3262, a fourth calculated distance 3254D and a fourth calculated accuracy 3254A associated with the fourth golf club 3264, a fifth calculated distance 3255D and a fifth calculated accuracy 3255A associated with the fifth golf club 3265, and a sixth calculated distance 3256D and a sixth calculated accuracy 3256A associated with the sixth golf club 3266.The fitting recommendation representation 3260 in Figure 33 is shown to display the second golf club head 3262 and its corresponding second ranked feature 3262DA, the fourth golf club head 3264 and its corresponding fourth ranked feature 3264DA, the fifth golf club head 3265 and its corresponding fifth ranked feature 3265DA, and the sixth golf club head 3266 and its corresponding sixth ranked feature 3266DA, based on their ranks (higher ranked golf clubs are shown higher on the fitting recommendation representation 3260, and lower ranked golf clubs are shown lower on the fitting recommendation representation 3260).

[0200] Referring to Figure 34, the second user interface 3200 may be configured to display multiple options (for example, above the second user interface 3200 or in a separate user interface) in response to receiving a selection of a selectable option element 3290 (for example, between each of the shaft fitting recommendation stage, head fitting recommendation, and fine-tuning stage). The multiple options may include a selectable hidden unavailable option element 3290NA, a ranked characterization element 3290R, a baseline distance element 3290D, a baseline accuracy element 3290A, an interview question element 3290Q, and a storage element 3290S.

[0201] The computing device 800 may be configured to hide unavailable golf clubs in response to selected unavailable optional elements 3290NA (for example, hiding hidden shafts in the golf club selection menu 3210 during the recommended fitting stage not included in the inventory database, and hiding heads in the golf club selection menu 3210 during the recommended head fitting stage and the fine-tuning stage, respectively, which are not included in the inventory database). The computing device 800 may be configured to display unavailable golf clubs in response to the unavailable optional elements 3290NA not being selected.

[0202] The computing device 800 may be configured to selectively modify the ranked feature associated with the golf club in the fitting recommendation expression 3260 via the ranked feature element 3290R. For example, the ranked feature element 3290R may provide a dropdown menu of multiple selectable potential feature combinations in response to a selection. The computing device 800 may be configured to modify the ranked feature in response to receiving a selection of one of the multiple selectable potential feature combinations. In the illustrated example, the golf club feature in the fitting recommendation expression 3260 is shown as a distance precision expression indicating how the calculated distance of the golf club ranks among the calculated distances of all golf clubs in the fitting recommendation expression 3260, and how the calculated precision of the golf club ranks among the calculated precisions of all golf clubs in the fitting recommendation expression 3260. For example, as shown in Figure 33, the second ranked characterization 3262DA of the second golf club head 3262 indicates that the second calculated precision 3252A is ranked first (or highest) among the second, fourth, fifth, and sixth calculated precisions 3252A, 3254A, 3255A, and 3256A, and the second calculated distance 3252D is ranked fourth (or lowest) among the second, fourth, fifth, and sixth calculated distances 3252D, 3254D, 3255D, and 3256D. In some embodiments, multiple selectable potential characterizations may include distance precision characterization, strokes gained per round (e.g., estimated change in the number of strokes per round when using a golf club), strokes gained per drive (e.g., estimated change in the number of strokes per drive when using a golf club), scoring index, and the like.

[0203] The baseline distance element 3290D may represent a baseline distance to which the computing device 800 is configured to compare the calculated distance when ranking golf clubs in the fitting recommendation expression 3260, and the baseline accuracy element 3290A may represent a baseline accuracy to which the computing device 800 is configured to compare the calculated accuracy when ranking golf clubs in the fitting recommendation expression 3260. The computing device 800 may be configured to allow the baseline distance and baseline accuracy to be manually changed via the baseline distance element 3290D and the baseline accuracy element 3290A, respectively. For example, the baseline distance element 3290D and / or the baseline accuracy element 3290A may provide editable fields configured to receive free-form text in the input fields, and the computing device 800 may be configured to update the baseline distance and baseline accuracy in response to receiving free-form text in the input fields. In some other embodiments, the baseline distance element 3290D and / or the baseline accuracy element 3290A may be configured to provide a drop-down menu when selected, the drop-down menu may display a number of selectable values. The computing device 800 may be configured to update the baseline distance in response to receiving a selection of one of the selectable values ​​in the dropdown menu for the baseline distance element 3290D, and to update the baseline accuracy in response to receiving a selection of one of the selectable values ​​in the dropdown menu for the baseline accuracy element 3290A.

[0204] The computing device 800 may, in response to receiving a selection of interview question element 3290Q, display one or more input fields for receiving player input data received during the interview phase (e.g., one or more of the first to sixteenth input fields 3101 to 3116) and be configured to receive new player input data in them. The computing device 800 may then, in response to the new player data input, update one or more recommended golf clubs, calculated distances and accuracy, and / or golf club ranks in the golf club selection menu 3210.

[0205] The computing device 800 may be configured to save changes made via multiple options in response to receiving a selection from a selectable save button 3290S.

[0206] Here, a system and method for generating golf club recommendations for one or more golf clubs will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 35-46B. Generally, a system for generating fitting recommendations may be configured to plot measured ball flight data onto one or more virtual golf holes, each corresponding to one or more actual golf holes, to generate corresponding hole position data on one or more virtual golf holes. The hole position data may then be used to generate golf club recommendations for one or more golf clubs. In some embodiments, a system for generating fitting recommendations may include some or all of the components of the system shown in Figure 8, and non-limiting and non-exclusive exemplary systems for generating fitting recommendations may be described below with reference to Figure 8. Therefore, redundant descriptions of some components shown in Figure 8 may not be repeated.

[0207] Figure 35 shows multiple virtual golf holes of a real golf course in the virtual course layout 4000. Figure 36 shows the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1) in the first hole layout 4100, among the multiple virtual golf holes in Figure 35. Figure 37 shows multiple ball flight data plotted on the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1) together with the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1). Figure 38 shows both multiple ball flight data and multiple simulated ball flight data plotted on the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1) together with the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1). Figure 39 shows a magnified section of the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1) in Figure 38. Figure 40 shows the second virtual golf hole (Hole 2) in the second hole layout 4200, among the multiple virtual golf holes in Figure 35. Figure 41 shows both the multiple ball flight data and the multiple simulated ball flight data plotted on the second virtual golf hole (Hole 2), along with the second virtual golf hole (Hole 2). Figure 42 shows the third virtual golf hole (Hole 3) in the third hole layout 4300 of the multiple virtual golf holes in Figure 35. Figure 43 shows the multiple ball flight data plotted on the third virtual golf hole (Hole 3), along with the third virtual golf hole (Hole 3). Figure 44 shows both the multiple ball flight data and the multiple simulated ball flight data plotted on the third virtual golf hole (Hole 3), along with the third virtual golf hole (Hole 3).

[0208] The system may store or access (e.g., via a network connection) a database of virtual golf holes and / or course layouts, each corresponding to a number of actual golf holes. The database may be stored in system memory 804, removable storage 809, non-removable storage 810, and / or server 820. For illustrative purposes, in one embodiment, the stored virtual golf holes may include the virtual golf holes shown in Figure 35. The actual golf holes that the stored virtual golf holes correspond to may be from various locations and golf courses around the world. The stored virtual golf holes may be obtained from a mapping vendor via camera drones, satellite imagery, or other mapping techniques. In some embodiments, requests may be made via the mapping vendor's application programming interface (API). The mapping vendor may then return the virtual golf holes and / or virtual course layouts.

[0209] Each virtual golf hole may include longitudinal and transverse dimensions for each of the rough, fairway, green, and / or hazards (e.g., bunkers, water hazards, bushes, and / or trees) of the actual golf hole that the virtual golf hole corresponds to. For example, a virtual golf hole may include multiple shapes representing the rough, fairway, green, and / or hazards of an actual golf hole, each of which has corresponding longitudinal and transverse dimensions. The longitudinal and transverse dimensions of a tree may roughly correspond to the longitudinal and transverse dimensions of the tree's canopy. In some examples, the longitudinal and transverse dimensions of the tree trunk may also be included. In Figures 36-44, longitudinal and transverse dimensions may be represented by vertical and horizontal axes in yards, respectively.

[0210] In the first hole layout 4100 of the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1) shown in Figures 36 to 39, the rough is represented by 4110, the fairway by 4120, the green by 4130, the trees by 4111, and the bunkers (e.g., sand traps) by 4112. The first virtual golf hole (Hole 1) also shows the pin position or cup 4131 on the green 4130, the first tee position 4101, the second tee position 4102, and the third tee position 4103. The first, second, and third tee positions 4101, 4102, and 4103 represent the positions from which the first golf shot of the golf hole is hit. In the second hole layout 4200 of the second virtual golf hole (hole 2) shown in Figures 40 and 41, the rough is represented by 4210, the fairway by 4220, the green by 4230, the pin position or cup by 4231, the trees by 4211, the bunkers by 4212, the first tee position by 4201, the second tee position by 4202, and the third tee position by 4203. In the third hole layout 4300 of the third virtual golf hole (hole 3) shown in Figures 42-44, the rough is represented by 4310, the fairway by 4320, the green by 4330, the pin position or cup by 4331, the trees by 4311, the bunkers by 4312, the water hazards by 4313, the first tee position by 4301, the second tee position by 4302, and the third tee position by 4303.

[0211] The processing unit 802 may be configured to prompt for the selection of one or more stored virtual golf holes used in the fitting recommendation process when executing instructions stored in the system memory 804. For example, the computing device 800 may display prompts (e.g., instructions) on the display 820 for selecting or identifying one or more stored virtual golf holes of an actual golf course. The computing device 800 may receive selections of one or more virtual golf holes via the input device 812, and the processing unit 802 may be configured to retrieve one or more selected virtual golf holes from a database. During the fitting process, by using virtual golf holes that represent actual golf holes that the golfer being fitted typically plays and / or prefers for other reasons, it is possible to particularly personalize the golf club recommendations to improve the golfer's overall performance when playing these specific golf holes. In this way, the fitting process is not only tailored to the golfer but also to the places where the golfer plays golf.

[0212] The processing unit 802 may be configured to, when executing instructions stored in the system memory 804, acquire (e.g., measure) ball flight data for each of one or more golf shots, plot the ball flight data for each golf shot on each of one or more selected virtual golf holes, generate hole position data corresponding to each of one or more virtual golf holes through the plotting of ball flight data, and generate fitting recommendations for one or more golf clubs based on the hole position data.

[0213] The launch monitor 840 may be used to acquire ball flight data. For example, one or more sensors 846 of the launch monitor 840 (e.g., one or more cameras and / or one or more radars) may be configured to acquire ball flight data of a golf shot, and the launch monitor 840 may be configured to transmit the acquired ball flight data to the processing unit 802, for example, via a communication connection 848.

[0214] Ball flight data may include ball flight characteristics such as golf ball carry distance (e.g., the distance from where the golf shot was taken to where the golf ball is estimated to first land), golf ball launch angle, fade / slice or draw / hook, golf ball spin (e.g., the spin of the golf ball after impact with the golf club), golf ball velocity (e.g., the velocity of the golf ball after impact with the golf club), and / or golf ball smash factor. In some examples, fade / slice or draw / hook may refer to the lateral distance from the aiming point to where the golf ball first lands (or the distance along a line perpendicular to the line between the starting point and the aiming point). In some other examples, fade / slice or draw / hook may refer to the angle between a line on the ground extending between the starting point (assuming the golf shot is taken on a virtual golf hole) and the aiming point, and a line on the ground extending between the starting point and where the golf ball first lands. The system may include a target (e.g., a physical or virtual target) that the golfer aims at to determine various ball flight data such as fade / slice and draw / hook.

[0215] The processing unit 802 may be configured to plot the ball flight data for one or more golf shots made with one or more golf clubs at each of the one or more selected virtual golf holes when executing instructions stored in the system memory 804, and to generate corresponding hole position data for each golf shot. For example, if first, second, and third virtual golf holes (hole 1, hole 2, and hole 3) are selected, the computing device 800 may receive first ball flight data for a first golf shot made with a first golf club, second ball flight data for a second golf shot made with a first golf club, and third ball flight data for a third golf shot made with a second golf club. In this embodiment, the processing unit 802 may plot the first ball flight data at each of the first, second, and third virtual golf holes (hole 1, hole 2, and hole 3) and generate hole position data corresponding to the first ball flight data at each of the first, second, and third golf holes (hole 1, hole 2, and hole 3). The processing unit 802 can plot the second ball flight data for each of the first, second, and third virtual golf holes (hole 1, hole 2, and hole 3) and generate hole position data corresponding to the second ball flight data for each of the first, second, and third golf holes (hole 1, hole 2, and hole 3). The processing unit 802 can plot the third ball flight data for each of the first, second, and third virtual golf holes (hole 1, hole 2, and hole 3) and generate hole position data corresponding to the third ball flight data for each of the first, second, and third golf holes (hole 1, hole 2, and hole 3).

[0216] Plotting golf shot ball flight data onto a virtual golf hole may include setting the direction of the aiming point, identifying the initial landing point where the golf ball first lands based on at least the aiming point, golf ball carry distance, fade / slice or draw / hook, and determining the stopping point where the golf ball comes to rest on the virtual golf hole based on at least the initial landing point, golf ball velocity, golf ball launch angle, golf ball spin, and the terrain of the virtual golf hole on which the golf ball travels between the initial landing point and the stopping point. The hole position data of a golf shot on the virtual golf hole may include information about the stopping point of the golf ball from the golf shot.

[0217] The setting of the aiming point is based on the carry distance or total distance of all golf shots taken using the same golf club, and in some examples, on a virtual golf hole where ball flight data is plotted. For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to calculate the average carry distance or median carry distance (or average total distance or median total distance) for one or more golf shots taken using a particular golf club when executing an instruction stored in the system memory 804. The processing unit 802 may be configured to determine and set as the aiming point a point along a virtual aiming arc (e.g., aiming arcs 4150, 4250, and 4350 for the first, second, and third virtual golf holes (hole 1, hole 2, and hole 3), respectively). The aiming arc may be at least part of a virtual circle centered on a starting point on the virtual golf hole where one or more golf shots are assumed to be taken (e.g., a selected tee position). For example, if we assume that a golfer is taking their first shot on a virtual golf hole, the starting point could be one of the first to third tee positions, which may be selectable by the golfer and / or fitter. In Figures 36 to 44, the starting point is the first tee position (4101, 4201, and 4301 of the first, second, and third virtual golf holes (hole 1, hole 2, and hole 3), respectively). The virtual circles at aiming arcs 4150, 4250, and 4350 may have a radius equal to the average carry distance or median carry distance (or average total distance or median total distance). In some other examples, the aiming point can be set on the golf shot by a golf shot base, and the radius of the virtual circle may be equal to the carry distance or total distance of the golf shot.

[0218] The aiming point may represent a theoretical point on a virtual golf hole that the golfer aims at during an actual golf shot from the starting point. The direction from the starting point to the aiming point on the virtual golf hole may correspond to the direction the golfer actually moves towards the target during the golf swing. The aiming point on the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1) is marked as 4155 in Figure 36, the aiming point on the second virtual golf hole (Hole 2) is marked as 4255 in Figure 40, and the aiming point on the third virtual golf hole (Hole 3) is marked as 4355 in Figure 42.

[0219] In some examples, the aiming point may be determined to be a point along an arc centered on the fairway (for example, midway between the left and right sides of the fairway). Aiming points 4155 and 4255 may be determined in this way for the first and second virtual golf holes (hole 1 and hole 2), as shown in Figures 36 and 40.

[0220] In some other examples, determining a point along the arc of sight to be set as the aiming point may be based on the presence of hazards adjacent to the arc of sight (e.g., bunkers, water hazards, bushes, and / or trees), such as hazards located along the arc of sight or within a set range (e.g., within 2, 5, 10, 20, or 50 yards) that have a minimum or longitudinal distance from the arc of sight. For example, the aiming point may be determined to be a point on the side of the fairway, shifted from the center of the fairway in a direction away from one or more hazards adjacent to the arc of sight. The shift distance from the center of the fairway may be a set distance such as 1, 3, 5, or 10 yards, or may be defined as a percentage of the fairway width (e.g., the average width of the fairway or the width of the fairway at a point along the arc of sight), such as 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or 25% of the fairway width. The aiming point 4355 is determined in this manner for the third virtual golf hole (hole 3), as illustrated in Figure 42, by being shifted to the left from the center of the fairway 4320 so that the aiming point 4355 is shifted away from the water hazard 4313 on the right side of the fairway 4320.

[0221] In some other examples, the aiming point may be determined based on an algorithm that identifies the aiming point as a point along the aiming arc that is related to the maximum performance benefit to be achieved, such as the maximum strokes gained value (or minimum strokes residual value), from among the points along the aiming arc. For example, when the processing unit 802 executes an instruction stored in the system memory 804, it may be configured to calculate the strokes gained value (or strokes residual value) at various points along the aiming arc for a golf club that will be hit once or more times, determine which point along the aiming arc has the largest strokes gained value (or the smallest strokes residual value), and set that point as the aiming point. The calculation of the strokes gained value and strokes residual value will be described in more detail below.

[0222] The processing unit 802 may be configured to determine the initial landing point of the golf ball on the virtual golf hole when executing instructions stored in the system memory 804 after determining the aiming point. This determination may be based on the aiming point, the starting point, and at least some ball flight characteristics, such as the carry distance and fade / slice or draw / hook. For example, when a golfer completes a golf shot, the golfer is aiming at a specific target (e.g., the center of the net, a point on the driving range, a point on the virtual screen) corresponding to the aiming point on the virtual golf hole. Next, the carry distance and / or total distance for the golf shot may be calculated. Lateral distances the ball travels off-center from the target may also be calculated (e.g., the amount of fade / slice or draw / hook). The landing points of the golf shots may then be plotted on each virtual golf hole. For example, the target is translated or shifted to the aiming point of a virtual golf hole, and the initial landing position of the golf shot ball (e.g., carry distance adjusted by the lateral distance from fade / draw) and the final position (or stopping point) of the golf shot (e.g., initial shot landing position plus roll) are plotted on each golf hole.

[0223] In Figures 37-39, 41, 43, and 44, the initial landing spots are identified by the letter "x". Some of the initial landing spots on (Hole 1) are represented by x4151, some of the initial landing spots on (Hole 2) are represented by x4251, and some of the initial landing spots on (Hole 3) are represented by x4351.

[0224] The processing unit 802 may be configured to determine the stopping point of the golf ball when executing instructions stored in the system memory 804 after determining the initial landing point of the golf ball. The stopping point may be based on the initial landing point and at least some of the golf ball's flight characteristics, such as the golf ball's velocity, spin, fade / slice or draw / hook, and the terrain of the virtual golf hole on which the golf ball travels between the initial landing point and the stopping point.

[0225] For example, based on the initial landing point and at least some of the measured ball flight characteristics, the processing unit 802 may be configured to determine the direction in which the golf ball will travel (e.g., bounce and / or roll) from the initial landing point. Based on the direction in which the golf ball will travel from the initial landing point, the processing unit 802 may be configured to determine the type of terrain the golf ball will travel through from the initial landing point. The terrain type may refer to, for example, the rough, fairway, green, or hazard (e.g., a bunker or water hazard). Based on the type of terrain the golf ball will travel through, the processing unit 802 may be configured to determine how far it will travel along the determined direction from the initial landing point before coming to a stop at the stopping point. For example, the processing unit 802 may determine that the golf ball will lose speed faster (and therefore travel a shorter distance from the initial landing point) when traveling through the rough than when traveling through the fairway or green. In some examples, the processing unit may assume that the green provides the lowest frictional resistance to the movement of the golf ball, the fairway provides a higher frictional resistance than the green, the rough provides a higher frictional resistance than the fairway, the bunker provides a higher frictional resistance than the rough, and the golf ball momentarily stops as it moves through a water hazard. In Figures 37-39, 41, 43, and 44, the stopping points of the golf ball are identified by circles. Some of the stopping points on the first virtual golf hole (Hole 1) are represented by circles 4152, some of the stopping points on the second virtual golf hole (Hole 2) are represented by circles 4252, and some of the stopping points on the third virtual golf hole (Hole 3) are represented by circles 4352.

[0226] The processing unit 802 may be configured to generate golf club recommendations based on hole position data for each of one or more golf shots taken using each of one or more golf clubs plotted on each of one or more selected virtual golf holes when executing instructions stored in system memory 804. One or more golf clubs could be all of the same type (e.g., driver, metal wood, iron, or wedge), and the golf club recommendations may include one or more recommended golf clubs of this same type. In some examples, one or more recommended golf clubs may include all (or a subset) of the one or more golf clubs used for the golf shots. In some examples, the golf club recommendations may include multiple golf clubs, and the processing unit 802 may be configured to assign a rank to each of the multiple golf clubs corresponding to how highly recommended each golf club is.

[0227] For each golf club for which ball flight data is received by the computing device 800, the processing unit 802 may be configured to calculate a strokes gained value or strokes remaining value for the golf club based on hole position data plotted on each of one or more selected virtual golf holes for each of the one or more golf shots taken with the golf club. The processing unit 802 may be configured to generate golf club recommendations based on the strokes gained value for each of the one or more golf clubs for which one or more golf shots have been taken. For example, a golf club that resulted in the most strokes gained (highest strokes gained value) or the fewest strokes remaining (lowest strokes remaining value) may be recommended as the best golf club for a particular golfer playing a particular golf hole used in the analysis.

[0228] In some examples, calculating the performance benefit achieved, which can be quantified through the Strokes Gained Value (SGV) of a particular golf shot on a virtual hole, may involve determining the estimated number of golf shots required to complete a virtual golf hole from a starting point on the virtual golf hole and from a position on the virtual golf hole corresponding to the golf shot's hole position data (e.g., the golf ball's stopping point). The Strokes Gained Value (SGV) may be defined as follows: SGV = (X-1)-Y, where X is the estimated number of golf shots required to complete the virtual golf hole from the starting point and Y is the estimated number of golf shots required to complete the virtual golf hole from the golf ball's stopping point. The estimated number of golf shots required to complete a virtual golf hole from a particular point (e.g., from the starting point or stopping point) may be based on at least the distance from a particular point on the virtual golf hole, the position of the green on the virtual golf hole at that particular point (e.g., around the green or around the pin or cup), and the terrain type (e.g., rough, fairway, green, or hazard).

[0229] Calculating the performance benefit achieved can, in some cases, be achieved through the calculation of the strokes residual value for a particular golf shot on a virtual hole, which may involve determining the estimated number of golf shots required to complete the hole from the stopping point of the golf ball. The strokes residual value (SRV) may be defined as follows: SRV = Y, where Y is the estimated number of golf shots required to complete the virtual golf hole from the stopping point. However, it should be noted that other methods may be used to obtain the performance benefit achieved outside of the industry standard for strokes gained values, without departing from the scope and content of the present invention.

[0230] The processing unit 802 may be configured to generate golf club recommendations based on the performance benefits achieved, such as either the strokes gained value or the strokes remaining value.

[0231] The system may have a system memory 804, removable storage 809, non-removable storage 810, and / or a Strokes Residual Database (e.g., one or more tables) stored in the server 820. The Strokes Residual Database may include, for example, the average number of golf shots required or taken to finish a golf hole from various distances to the green and from various terrain types, and may be based on empirical data (e.g., data from the PGA Tour or a shot-tracking device or app). The processing unit 802 may determine, based on (e.g., by referencing) the Strokes Residual Database, the estimated number of golf shots required to finish a virtual golf hole from a stopping point on the virtual golf hole (and in some examples, from a starting point on the virtual golf hole). The Strokes Residual Database may include specific data about a particular actual hole that is virtualized for the analysis discussed herein.

[0232] The processing unit 802 may be configured to calculate the strokes gained value (or strokes residual value) of a golf club based on the strokes gained value (or strokes residual value) of one or more golf shots performed with the golf club and plotted on each of one or more selected virtual golf holes. For example, the strokes gained value of a golf club may be calculated as the average or median of the strokes gained value of one or more golf shots performed with the golf club and plotted on each of one or more selected virtual golf holes. The strokes residual value of a golf club may be calculated as the average or median of the strokes residual value of one or more golf shots performed with the golf club and plotted on each of one or more selected virtual golf holes.

[0233] The processing unit 802 may be configured to generate golf club recommendations based on the performance benefits achieved, such as the strokes gained value (or strokes residual value) of one or more golf clubs that have been used for one or more golf shots. For example, if one or more golf clubs include a first golf club and a second golf club, and the strokes gained value of the first golf club is greater than that of the second golf club, the processing unit 802 may determine that the first golf club is more strongly recommended than the second golf club, and the processing unit 802 may generate a golf club recommendation for the first golf club. In some other examples, the golf club recommendation may be a different golf club from any of the one or more golf clubs that have been used for one or more golf shots, such as a golf club that combines some of the best characteristics of the golf clubs that have been tested.

[0234] Using Strokes Gained values ​​(or Strokes Remaining values) for one or more golf clubs can be a useful way to compare how well one or more golf clubs perform for a particular golfer by providing a relative standard (e.g., a Strokes Remaining database) that can compare all of the clubs. In addition, Strokes Gained analysis directly correlates to a golfer's score improvement on a selected course.

[0235] In some examples, the processing unit 802 may be configured to generate simulated ball flight data for each of one or more golf clubs that have been used for one or more golf shots, and to plot the simulated ball flight data on each of one or more selected virtual golf holes to generate corresponding hole position data. The simulated ball flight data for a golf club may be based on measured ball flight data from one or more golf shots made using that golf club. For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to generate simulated ball flight data using a Monte Carlo simulation. In some other examples, the processing unit 802 may be configured to simulate one or more simulated hole position data for each of the golf clubs in a virtual golf hole for each of one or more golf clubs that have been used for one or more golf shots, and for each of one or more selected virtual golf holes. For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to generate simulated hole position data for each of one or more golf clubs in each of one or more selected virtual golf holes using a Monte Carlo simulation. Simulating hole position data for a golf club in a particular virtual golf hole may be based on hole position data of the virtual golf hole from one or more golf shots made using that golf club.

[0236] The processing unit 802 may be configured to calculate the performance benefits achieved, such as the Strokes Gained value (or Strokes Remaining value), for one or more golf clubs, based on either or both of the hole position data associated with actual shots hit using the golf clubs and / or the simulated hole position data associated with the golf clubs. Simulating additional hole position data (either directly or by simulating additional ball flight data) may be desirable or advantageous because it can increase the number of hole position data on which the golf club recommendations are based (e.g., the Strokes Gained value or Strokes Remaining value) without requiring the golfer to take additional golf shots. This saves the golfer energy during the fitting process, allowing the golfer to hit more golf shots with more golf clubs before performance begins to decline due to energy loss. For example, during the fitting process, a golfer may need to hit multiple shots with each potential golf club to which they may be fitted. This process can be tiring for the golfer, and swings in the later stages of the fitting session may not be as accurate as the golfer's best swing because they are tired. Therefore, even though a golfer may be using the best golf club for them in the later stages of the fitting process, the statistics for that club may appear to be worsened due to tired swings from the golfer. By increasing the amount of hole position data for analysis through the use of simulated golf shots (based on actual golf shots) rather than actual additional golf shots, the number of actual swings a golfer needs to take during fitting is reduced, resulting in more accurate results for an entire set of golf clubs. Additional simulated hole position data can also improve the accuracy of golf club recommendations by increasing the amount of data on which golf club recommendations and / or strokes gained values ​​(or strokes remaining values) are based (e.g., providing more appropriate recommendations for a particular golfer).Figures 37 and 43 illustrate the hole location data without additional simulated hole location data, while Figures 38, 39, 41, and 44 illustrate the hole location data with additional simulated hole location data.

[0237] In some embodiments, the strokes gained (or strokes remaining) value of a golf shot plotted on a particular virtual golf hole may be adjusted to account for penalties and / or various situations that may occur while playing on the actual golf hole corresponding to the virtual golf hole. For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to add a set number of strokes (e.g., 2 strokes) to the strokes remaining value of a golf shot for which the hole position data is in a water hazard. In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may be configured to add a set number of strokes (e.g., half a stroke, one stroke, etc.) to the strokes remaining value of a golf shot for which the hole position data indicates that a tree trunk lies between the green (or pin position or cup) of the virtual golf hole. This adjustment can account for the golfer's need to hit the golf ball around the tree, which may generally increase the estimated number of shots required to finish the virtual golf course compared to when the tree is not present. In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may be configured to add a set number of strokes (e.g., one stroke, two strokes, etc.) to the strokes remaining value if the hole position data of a golf shot indicates that the golf ball is outside the boundary.

[0238] The processing unit 802 may be configured to generate golf club recommendations without calculating the stroke gain value for each golf club. In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 is configured to generate golf club recommendations based on the terrain type (e.g., green, fairway, rough, or hazard) to which the hole position data for one or more golf shots made with one or more golf clubs is associated.

[0239] For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to assign a score (e.g., a numerical score) to each hole location data, based at least on the terrain type. For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to assign the highest score (e.g., a score of 1) if the terrain type is a green, a second highest score (e.g., a score of 0.5) if the terrain type is a fairway, a third highest score (e.g., a score of 0.25) if the terrain type is rough, and a fourth highest score (e.g., a score of 0 if the terrain type is a hazard, and one or more negative scores if the terrain type is a water hazard). Similarly, the scores may be adjusted based on the distance remaining to the pin or green (a better score is indicated for less yards to the pin). The processing unit 802 may be configured to determine the average score of all hole location data (with or without simulated hole location data) associated with each of one or more golf clubs, and to generate golf club recommendations based on the average score of each of one or more golf clubs. For example, the processing unit 802 may generate golf club recommendations that are ranked according to their respective scores, or that include two or three of the top-scoring golf clubs in the recommendations.

[0240] Generating golf club recommendations in a manner that aligns with these lines can be advantageous, for example, when the starting points on one or more selected virtual golf holes are each near the green, and it is desirable to determine which golf club is most likely to hit the golf ball onto the green (avoiding bunkers, rough, etc.). For example, generating golf club recommendations in a manner that aligns with these lines can be useful when one or more golf clubs are wedge-type or iron-type golf clubs.

[0241] In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may be configured to receive a set of first ball flight data, including ball flight data for each of at least one golf shots made with each of one or more first golf clubs, when executing an instruction stored in the system memory 804, plot the set of first ball flight data on one or more selected virtual golf holes to generate a corresponding set of first hole position data, and generate a first golf club recommendation based on the set of first hole position data. Plotting the set of first ball flight data to generate the set of first hole position data may be from tee markers on one or more selected virtual golf holes and may be carried out in any manner disclosed herein. For example, this may simulate a tee shot (e.g., the first shot) on a golf hole. Generating a first golf club recommendation based on the set of first hole position data may be carried out in any manner disclosed herein (e.g., via calculating a strokes gained value). In some embodiments, one or more first golf clubs are all of the same type (e.g., all drivers, metal woods, irons, or wedges), and the first golf club recommendation may include one or more first recommended golf clubs of this same type of golf club head.

[0242] The techniques disclosed herein may also extend beyond those a golfer might primarily use for tee shots to a fitting process tailored to the golfer for additional golf clubs in the golfer's bag. Thus, the techniques disclosed herein may provide a full bag fitting for a golfer. To do so, the fitting technique may be based on a first set of shots (e.g., tee shots) followed by a second set of shots from the golfer. For example, the golfer may begin by testing several different drivers and analyze the golf shots based on hole position data, as described above. The second starting point may then be determined based on the distance remaining to the pin or green of a virtual golf hole. The golfer can then hit shots with different versions of the clubs that the golfer will use for the remaining distance. These approach shots are then plotted again on the virtual hole as hole position data. A stroke gain analysis (or similar analysis) may then be performed on the approach shot hole position data to determine which golf clubs should be recommended.

[0243] For example, when the processing unit 802 executes an instruction stored in the system memory 804, it may be configured to receive a second set of ball flight data, which includes ball flight data for each of at least one golf shots (e.g., approach shots) made using each of one or more second golf clubs, plot the second set of ball flight data on one or more selected virtual golf holes to generate a corresponding second set of hole position data, and generate a second golf club recommendation based on the second set of hole position data. Plotting the second set of ball flight data to generate the second set of hole position data may be done from a set of second starting points on one or more selected virtual golf holes, and may be carried out in any manner disclosed herein.

[0244] For each virtual golf hole, the processing circuit 802 may be configured to determine the starting point of the virtual golf hole based on hole position data from a first set of hole position data plotted on the virtual golf hole when executing instructions stored in the system memory 804. For example, the starting point may be determined to be a point on the virtual golf hole corresponding to the average of the hole position data from the first set of hole position data plotted on the virtual golf hole. In some embodiments, the first golf club recommendation may be for a particular golf club of one or more first golf clubs, and the starting point of the virtual golf hole may be determined to be a point on the virtual golf hole corresponding to the average of the hole position data on the virtual golf hole corresponding to golf shots made using that particular golf club.

[0245] Generating a second golf club recommendation based on a second set of hole position data can be done in any form disclosed herein (e.g., by calculating a strokes gained value). In some embodiments, one or more second golf clubs are all of the same type (e.g., all metalwood type golf clubs, all iron type golf clubs, or all wedge type golf clubs), and the second golf club recommendation may include one or more second recommended golf clubs of this same type of golf club head. One or more second golf clubs may be of a different type from one or more first golf clubs. For example, one or more first golf clubs may be driver type golf clubs, and one or more second golf clubs may be iron type golf clubs or wedge type golf clubs.

[0246] By using the first and second sets of ball flight data described herein, a player can conform to a plurality of golf clubs that are collectively designed to improve the player's performance while being played through one or more actual golf holes corresponding to one or more selected virtual golf holes when used together by the player.

[0247] Although some embodiments where the processing unit 802 receives the first and second sets of ball flight data are described, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the processing unit 802 may further receive additional sets of ball flight data, such as the third and fourth sets of ball flight data.

[0248] The processing unit 802 may be configured to plot a third set of ball flight data on one or more selected virtual golf holes in any manner disclosed herein to generate a third set of hole position data, and based on the third set of hole position data, generate a third golf club recommendation in any manner disclosed herein. The set of third starting points on which the third ball flight data is plotted may be determined based on the second set of hole position data in a manner similar to the way the set of second starting points is determined based on the first hole position data.

[0249] The processing unit 802 may be configured to plot a fourth set of ball flight data on one or more selected virtual golf holes in any manner disclosed herein to generate a fourth set of hole position data, and based on the fourth set of hole position data, generate a fourth golf club recommendation in any manner disclosed herein. The set of fourth starting points on which the fourth ball flight data is plotted may be determined based on the third set of hole position data in a manner similar to the way the set of second starting points is determined based on the first hole position data.

[0250] To generate each of the plurality of golf club recommendations described herein, by receiving and utilizing sets of plurality of ball flight data, a player can improve the player's performance (e.g., to reduce the player's average number of strokes) while playing one or more actual golf holes corresponding to one or more selected virtual golf holes, and in particular can be adapted to a plurality of selected golf clubs (e.g., full bag fitting). For example, a player may be fitted with at least one driver, at least one metal wood, at least one iron, and at least one wedge, which are specially designed to improve the player's performance on a particular course from which the virtual golf hole was extracted when used collectively while playing through one or more actual golf holes.

[0251] When executing instructions stored in system memory 804, processing unit 802 may be configured to display one or more selected virtual golf holes on display 820 and display one or more golf shots made using each of one or more golf clubs plotted on each of the one or more selected virtual golf holes. For example, the initial landing point and / or stopping point of each of the one or more golf shots made using each of the one or more golf clubs and plotted on each of the one or more selected virtual golf holes may be displayed. In some embodiments, simulated ball flight data plotted on each of the one or more selected virtual golf holes, or simulated hole location data for each of the one or more selected virtual golf holes, may be displayed.

[0252] Displaying one or more selected virtual golf holes and golf shots plotted on those holes can be beneficial to fitters and / or golfers during the fitting process by allowing them to visually see how golf shots using each club land on one or more selected virtual golf holes. For example, if a golf club recommendation generates multiple ranked golf clubs, and one of them is the highest ranked, the player can still choose a lower-ranked golf club from among the multiple ranked clubs, for example, because the player may prefer how and where golf shots made with lower-ranked golf clubs are grouped together and displayed on one or more selected virtual golf holes.

[0253] The system for generating golf club recommendations described herein with reference to Figures 8 and 35-44 may combine the above-mentioned algorithms with other fitting techniques, including the fitting techniques and algorithms described with reference to Figures 8-16B and the fitting techniques and algorithms described with reference to Figures 8 and 17-34.

[0254] For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to receive player input data (e.g., data entered in response to the questions shown in Figure 10) when executing instructions stored in the system memory 804, receive measured swing analysis (e.g., attack angle and / or shaft inclination), receive ball flight data for one or more golf shots made using each of one or more wedge-type golf clubs, and plot the ball flight data on one or more virtual golf holes to generate corresponding hole position data. Based on the player input data, swing analysis, and hole position data, the processing unit 802 may be configured to generate golf club recommendations (e.g., for one or more wedges, each including at least one of bounce or grind). In some embodiments, the swing analysis may be displayed on the display 820 in a manner similar to how the swing analysis is displayed, as described herein with reference to Figures 11-13E.

[0255] In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may be configured to receive player input data (e.g., data received in response to questions shown in Figures 22-26), receive ball flight data (e.g., ball flight characteristics) measured for one or more golf shots made with each of one or more golf clubs (e.g., one or more drivers, metal woods, or hybrids), plot the ball flight data on one or more virtual golf holes, and generate corresponding hole position data when executing instructions stored in system memory 804. Based on the player input data, ball flight data, and hole position data, the processing unit 802 may be configured to generate golf club recommendations (e.g., one or more recommended shafts and / or one or more recommended golf club heads). In some embodiments, the hole position data may be displayed on one or more virtual golf holes in a manner similar to how a golf shot indicator can be displayed, as described herein with reference to Figures 27-33.

[0256] Here, non-exclusive and non-exclusive exemplary methods for generating fitting recommendations are described with reference to Figures 45 and 46A-B. Figures 45 and 46A-B illustrate the operation of methods 5000 and 5100 for generating fitting recommendations, respectively. Methods 5000 and 5100 can be implemented by using the system shown in Figure 8, for example, as described with reference to Figures 35-44.

[0257] Referring to Figure 45, the method 5000 for generating fitting recommendations may include a first operation 5001 of measuring first ball flight data for each of at least one golf shots made using each of one or more first golf clubs. The first ball flight data may be measured, for example, using a launch monitor 840, and the first ball flight data may be transmitted to a processing unit 802 of a computing device 800. The method 5000 may include a second operation 5002 of plotting the first ball flight data on each of one or more virtual golf holes (for example, by the processing unit 802) in order to generate corresponding first hole position data. The plotting of the first ball flight data on each of one or more virtual golf holes may each consist of a first set of starting points on one or more virtual golf holes, and may be done in any manner described herein. In some embodiments, the second operation 5002 may include simulating additional first hole position data, for example, via a Monte Carlo simulation, in any manner described herein. Method 5000 may include a third operation 5003 that generates a first golf club recommendation based on first hole position data (e.g., by a processing unit 802). For example, the third operation 5003 may include calculating the strokes gained value for one or more first golf clubs based on the first hole position data in any form described herein, and the first golf club recommendation may be based on the strokes gained value for one or more first golf clubs.

[0258] Method 5000 may include a fourth operation 5004 for measuring second ball flight data for each of at least one shots made using each of one or more second golf clubs. The second ball flight data may be measured, for example, using a launch monitor 840, and the second ball flight data may be transmitted to a processing unit 802 of a computing device 800. Method 5000 may include a fifth operation 5005 for plotting the second ball flight data on each of one or more virtual golf holes (for example, by the processing unit 802) in order to generate corresponding second hole position data. The plotting of the second ball flight data on each of one or more virtual golf holes may each consist of a second set of starting points on one or more virtual golf holes, and may be done in any manner described herein. The starting points on each of one or more virtual golf holes, and the starting points from the second set of starting points, may be determined, for example, based on a portion of first hole position data associated with the virtual golf holes, in any manner described herein. In some embodiments, a fifth operation 5005 may include simulating additional second hole position data in any form described herein, for example, via a Monte Carlo simulation. Method 5000 may include a sixth operation 5006 for generating a second golf club recommendation based on the second hole position data. For example, the sixth operation 5006 may include calculating a strokes gained value for one or more second golf clubs based on the second hole position data in any form described herein, and the second golf club recommendation may be based on the strokes gained value for one or more second golf clubs.

[0259] Referring here to Figures 46A-B, method 5100 may include a first operation 5101 that displays an interface for virtual golf course selection. For example, the user interface may be displayed on a screen, allowing a fitter or golfer to search for and / or select an actual golf course for which a virtual course layout is available. In operation 5102, a selection of one or more virtual golf courses is received via the interface. In operation 5103, one or more selected virtual golf holes may be retrieved from the selected golf course. As described above, the virtual golf holes may be retrieved from a local or remote database. A subset of holes from the golf course may be automatically selected through the user interface (e.g., all par 4s and / or par 5s) and / or manually selected. In operation 5104, a selected tee to be played from each of the one or more selected virtual golf holes is received. For example, the fitter or golfer may select a front, middle, or back set of tees (or other tees that may be available on a particular golf course). For the virtual golf holes shown in Figures 36-44, for example, the back tee is selected. The selected tee may serve as the starting point for the tee shots analyzed herein.

[0260] In operation 5105, tee shot ball flight data is received for each of one or more tee shots made using each of one or more golf clubs of a first golf club type (e.g., driver golf clubs). For example, a golfer may hit multiple tee shots with different types of drivers. In operation 5106, a target point is determined for each of one or more selected virtual golf holes. As described above, the target point may be based on the tee shot ball flight data, tee selection, and the virtual golf hole itself (e.g., fairway position and hazard position). In operation 5107, the tee shot ball flight data is plotted on each of the selected virtual golf holes to generate corresponding tee shot hole position data. In operation 5108, simulated additional tee shot hole position data may be generated based on the tee shot ball flight data and / or tee shot hole position data. For example, as described above, the amount of tee shot hole position data may be expanded by simulating additional tee shot hole position data by applying Monte Carlo simulation or other mathematical techniques.

[0261] In operation 5109, a strokes gained (or strokes residual) analysis is performed on the tee shot hole position data. Effectively, the analysis is performed to determine which driver is best suited for a particular golfer on a selected specific golf hole. In operation 5110, a first golf club recommendation is generated based on the strokes gained (or strokes residual) analysis on the tee shot hole position data. The first golf club recommendation may include one or more golf clubs of a first golf type. For example, the first golf club recommendation may be for one of the drivers used to generate the tee shot data.

[0262] Next, additional golf club recommendations may be provided based on further data on approach shots on the virtual golf holes. For example, in operation 5111, the approach shot starting point based on tee shot hole position data can be determined for one or more of the virtual golf holes. For example, the average or median position of the tee shot hole position data can be used to determine the starting point for the next approach shot. In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 41 for hole 2, the average position of the tee shot data is approximately 300 yards (from the back tee) and on the right side of the fairway. In this embodiment, that position is the starting position for the approach shot on hole 2. Therefore, the remaining yards to the pin are approximately 100 yards. In another embodiment, as shown in Figure 43 for hole 3, the average position of the tee shot hole position data is approximately 325 yards from the back tee. In this embodiment, that position is the starting position for the approach shot on hole 3. Therefore, the remaining yards to the pin are approximately 175 yards.

[0263] In operation 5112, one or more remaining yards from the approach shot starting point to the green may be displayed. For example, continuing the above embodiment, a remaining yardage of 100 yards for hole 2 may be displayed, and a remaining yardage of 175 yards for hole 3 may be displayed. The fitting session can then be applied to each of the different remaining yards. For example, a golfer may use one club type for the remaining yards on one hole and a different club type (e.g., a different iron) for the remaining yards on another hole. The fitter or golfer may select the number of different holes or yards on which the shots will be taken. Operations 5113-5118, described below, may then be performed for each of the different types of golf clubs. For example, continuing the above example, a golfer may hit a shot of 100 yards with a 58-degree wedge and a shot of 175 yards with an 8-iron. In such embodiments, operations 5113-5118 may use hole 2 for shot-gained analysis and have the golfer take multiple shots with different 58-degree wedges to recommend a particular 58-degree wedge. Operations 5113-5118 may also use Hole 3 for Shot Gained analysis, allowing the golfer to take multiple shots with different 8-irons to recommend a specific 8-iron.

[0264] In operation 5113, approach shot ball flight data is received for each of one or more approach shots made using each of one or more second golf club types (e.g., metal woods, irons, or wedges). In operation 5114, a target point is determined for each of one or more selected virtual golf holes. In some embodiments, the target point is set as the pin position or the center of the green. In other embodiments, the target point may be based on the approach shot ball flight data, the approach shot start point, and / or features of the virtual golf hole (e.g., hazards, green). In operation 5115, the approach shot ball flight data is plotted on each of one or more selected virtual golf holes to generate corresponding approach shot hole position data. In operation 5116, additional simulated approach shot hole position data may be generated based on the approach shot ball flight data and / or approach shot hole position data (e.g., using Monte Carlo simulation). In operation 5117, a strokes gained (or strokes residual) analysis is performed on the approach shot hole position data. In operation 5118, a second golf club recommendation is generated based on a strokes gained analysis (or strokes residual analysis) of approach shot hole position data. The second golf club recommendation may include one or more golf clubs of a second golf club type (e.g., a specific wedge or iron).

[0265] Several methods for generating fitting recommendations are discussed with reference to Figures 45 and 46, but are not limited thereto. Systems for generating fitting recommendations and processes performed by such systems are described herein with reference to Figures 8 and 35-44, and this disclosure includes all methods for generating fitting recommendations, including any combination of such processes in any appropriate order.

[0266] Here, a system and method for generating fitting recommendations for golf clubs (e.g., putters) will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 47A-53. Generating fitting recommendations may involve collecting ball shot data from putts made with several different putters, simulating additional ball shot data for each putter based on the collected ball shot data associated with the putter, and generating performance benefits for several different putters based on the simulated ball shot data. As will be discussed in more detail below, the performance benefits of putters can be significantly more noisy compared to other types of golf clubs such as drivers and fairway metals, and additional simulated ball shot data can be used to reduce this noise and improve the accuracy of the putter performance benefits and the quality of the recommended fitting.

[0267] Putting, unlike any other area of ​​the game of golf, consistently exposes players to a scoring "razor edge" where a small, immeasurable margin of error can add a stroke to their score. For example, the difference between a putt that touches the cup and falls in and a putt that touches the cup and "lips out" (grabs the cup) and does not fall in can be so small that it is immeasurable or nearly immeasurable when the ball leaves the putter face. This difference could be 0.1 miles per hour (mph) of the ball's rotation speed and / or 0.1 degrees of right or left aiming. On one side or at one speed, the putt is made. On the other side, the putt is missed. All putts are affected by this razor edge, and while such minute differences are encountered in other golf shots as well, it is unique to putting. From a physical and putting quality perspective, a slightly missed putt and a putt that goes in are almost equivalent, but in terms of scoring performance, they are very different (a difference of one stroke is very significant). Even worse, in the case of a lip-out, the distance the ball stops can be disproportionately far from a successful putt, potentially resulting in a two-stroke penalty, making the return putt far more difficult than a one-stroke penalty. The technology disclosed herein can accurately account for these razor-edge results in an innovative manner that enables predictions (or recommendations) that provide the best results for each individual player's specific swing mechanics.

[0268] Referring to Figures 47A–53, this specification primarily describes embodiments in which the fitting recommendation is for putters, but this disclosure also includes other corresponding embodiments in which the fitting recommendation may be for other types of golf clubs.

[0269] Figures 47A to 47E show user interfaces 5200 having a set of first player data and a second user interface 3200 according to some embodiments, respectively. Figures 47A to 47E sequentially illustrate user interfaces 5200 as a user (e.g., player or fitter) interacts with them. User interfaces 5200 may include some features similar to or identical to those of the second user interface 3200 in Figure 27, and redundant explanations may be omitted. In some embodiments, user interfaces 5200 may be displayed on a display 820 of a computing device 800.

[0270] The user interface 5200 may include a fitting stage representation 5280, a selected golf club representation 5270, a golf club selection menu 5210, a shot count representation 5220, a golf shot graphical representation 5230, and a fitting recommendation representation 5260.

[0271] The fitting stage representation 5280 may illustrate one or more stages of a fitting method, and the user interface 5200 may change as the fitting method progresses through the stages. In the illustrated embodiment, the fitting stage representation 5280 includes an interview stage (indicated by the term "interview") and a putter fitting stage (indicated by the term "putting trial"). FIGS. 47A-47E show the user interface 5200 during the putter fitting stage. The interview stage can be a stage for collecting preliminary information from the user via one or more player input fields displayed via the user interface 5200. For example, during the interview stage, the user interface 5200 may present a field associated with a green speed measurement criterion (e.g., stimpmeter measurement) for which the player putts, a field for receiving information about the player's putter, and / or other information. The speed measurement criterion may be a measurement criterion characterizing the friction of the putting surface (e.g., green) on which the player putts, which can be used in generating fitting recommendations, as will be described in more detail below. The physical putting surface may sometimes be referred to herein as the actual putting surface to clearly distinguish it from the virtual putting surface described below, and the term actual may sometimes be used in other examples for similar purposes.

[0272] The selected golf club representation 5270 may illustrate information about the golf club currently being used to putt on the putting surface. For example, as shown in FIGS. 47A-47E, the player putts with his putter, which is identified by the term "GAMER" and has a length of 34 inches.

[0273] The computing device 800 may be configured to receive ball shot data of a putt struck onto the putting surface, for example, by input device 812 and / or via user interface 5200 from the launch monitor 840 or manually. The launch monitor 840 may be configured to capture the ball shot data and transmit it to the computing device 800. Typically, “launch monitor” may relate to a device that captures the aerial flight of a golf ball, but this patent defines and uses the term more generally to include any device that can capture the movement of a golf ball even when it is rolling on the ground. Thus, by the applicant acting as its own lexicographer, the term “launch monitor” 840, as defined and used according to some examples of this disclosure, may be primarily a camera for tracking a putt that is not floating in the air. The launch monitor 840 and / or computing device 800 may be configured to perform ball tracking functions based on video or images captured by the camera. For example, the launch monitor 840 and / or computing device 800 may utilize computer vision technology to identify a ball rotating in a sequence of frames captured by the camera. In one embodiment, frames captured by a camera may be input to a trained machine learning (ML) model, such as a neural network (e.g., a convolutional neural network). The output of the ML model then includes the position of the ball in the captured frames. Next, each ball position during the ball's rotation may be captured, and the ball's trajectory and final position may be included in the ball shot data, which can be plotted on the interface discussed herein. In some other embodiments, where the computing device 800 is configured to receive ball shot data by input device 812 and / or via user interface 5200, the ball shot data may be manually input to the computing device 800, for example, by a player or fitter.

[0274] The golf club selection menu 5210 may include putter identification information (e.g., name) recommended by the computing device 800 for the player to putt. The putters displayed in the golf club selection menu 5210 may be selectable so that, in response to a selection, the selected golf club representation 5270 may be updated to display the identification information of the selected putter. The processing unit 802 may be configured to associate (e.g., label) the received ball shot data with the putter identified in the selected golf club representation 5270. The processing unit 802 may be configured to generate the putters displayed in the golf club selection menu 5210 based on the captured ball shot data and / or player input data received during the interview phase. For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to update the putters displayed in the golf club selection menu 5210 in response to the receipt of ball shot data captured by the launch monitor 840. The putters displayed in the golf club selection menu 5210 may be ranked according to a method recommended for the player to try next, based on the ball shot data and / or player input data received during the interview phase. The selection description element 5218 (e.g., a selectable button) may have similar or identical features to the selection description element 3218 in Figure 27. For example, the user interface 5200 may display additional details about the recommended putters displayed in the golf club selection menu 5210 in response to the selection of the selection description element 3218.

[0275] The shot count representation 5220 may indicate the total number of putts made using all putters and / or the total number of putts made using the current putter identified by the selected golf club representation 5270. In the illustrated example, the shot count representation 5220 indicates the total number of putts made using all putters via a number.

[0276] The golf shot graphical representation 5230 may include a virtual putting surface 5235 (e.g., a virtual putting green) which may correspond to an actual putting surface (e.g., an actual putting green). The virtual putting surface 5235 may include a virtual cup 5234 corresponding to a cup on the actual putting surface, and a golf shot starting position 5236 corresponding to the position on the actual putting surface where the putt is made. The virtual putting surface 5235 may have a longitudinal axis (e.g., a vertical axis in the illustrated example) corresponding to the longitudinal direction, and a transverse axis (e.g., a horizontal axis in the illustrated example) corresponding to the transverse direction. The longitudinal direction may correspond to (e.g., be parallel to) the line between the cup and the location from which the golf shot is made (e.g., away from where the ball is struck by the putter), and the transverse direction may be perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0277] The processing unit 802 may be configured to receive ball shot data for a putt and to represent at least a portion of the ball shot data on the golf shot graphical representation 3520. For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to plot the corresponding putt on the virtual putting surface 3525 based on the ball shot data. The putts plotted on the virtual putting surface 3525 may include a ball stopping representation that represents the position on the actual putting surface where the ball stops, and, in some embodiments, the trajectory of the putt (e.g., the path taken by the golf ball during the putt).

[0278] Ball shot data may include shot success data, path length data, path angle data, ball speed, trajectory data, and / or lip-out data. Shot success data may be either a success, where the ball falls into the cup, or a miss, where the ball does not fall into the cup. Path length data may include the longitudinal distance the ball travels along the longitudinal direction from the golf shot start position 5236, the lateral distance the ball travels along the transverse direction from the golf shot start position 5236, and / or the total distance the ball travels from the golf shot start position 5236. Path angle data may be based on three positions on the putting surface: the position where the putt was made (corresponding to the golf shot start position 5236), the position or center of the cup (corresponding to the virtual cup 5234), and the position of the ball at the cup. The position of the ball at the cup may refer to the position of the ball as it passes through the cup (corresponding to the position of the ball as it passes through the horizontal line on the virtual putting surface 5235 passing through the virtual cup 5234). Ball velocity may include the ball's velocity at the time of impact with the putter and / or the ball's velocity at the point of putting. Trajectory data may include information about the path the ball travels on the putting surface. Lip-out data may be either lip-out shots where the ball touches the cup but does not fall in, or non-lip-out shots where the ball does not touch the cup. Lip-out data will be described in more detail below. Based on the ball shot data of a putt, the processing unit 802 may be configured to plot and display the corresponding putt on the virtual putting surface 5235.

[0279] Ball shot data may be captured by the launch monitor 840 and / or manually provided to the computing device 800, for example, by the input device 812 and / or via the user interface 5200 (e.g., input or transmitted). In some embodiments, the launch monitor 840 may be a camera configured to capture image data (e.g., one or more still images and / or video) of a putt on the putting surface and transmit the captured image data, or data obtained from processing (e.g., analysis) of the captured image data, to the computing device 800. For example, the camera (or a processing unit of a device in which the camera is integrated) may determine shot success data, path length data, path angle data, ball velocity data, trajectory data, and / or lip-out data based on an analysis of the captured image data and transmit such data to the computing device 800. In some other embodiments, this analysis may be performed by a processing unit 802 after receiving the captured image data. The camera may be a fixed camera in an indoor facility or a portable camera (e.g., a camera on a phone, tablet, or dedicated camera). In some embodiments, the camera and computing device 800 may be integrated into a single device. For example, a smartphone or tablet may be configured to capture image data, process the image data, generate and display a user interface 5200, and / or generate fitting recommendations.

[0280] In some embodiments, ball shot data may be provided manually based on observation of the putt by the player or fitter. Therefore, in some embodiments, a launch monitor may not be required. For example, the computing device 800 may be configured to receive ball shot data in response to receiving one or more selections on the virtual putting surface 5235 that represent ball shot data. One or more selections may be provided, for example, by touch of a finger or stylus on the touchscreen of the computing device 800 (for example, the display 820 may be a touch display) or by a mouse represented by a cursor 5240 on the user interface 5200. For example, as will be discussed in more detail below, one or more selections may be made on the virtual putting surface 5235 to indicate whether the ball fell into the cup, whether the ball did not fall into the cup, where the ball stopped, the trajectory of the putt, and / or whether the ball touched the cup and ripped out.

[0281] Figures 47B–47E show multiple putts corresponding to actual putts plotted and displayed on the virtual putting surface 5235. For missed putts (i.e., putts with successful shot data for missed putts), a first ball stop representation 5231 is displayed on each of the virtual putting surfaces 5235 for the multiple putts to indicate where the ball stopped. In the illustrated example, a ball stop representation is not provided for successful putts (i.e., putts with successful shot data for successful putts).

[0282] A trajectory 5233 may be illustrated on the virtual putting surface 5235 for each missed putt, and in some embodiments, also for a successful putt. The trajectory 5233 may be illustrated as a line from the golf shot starting position 5236 to a first ball stopping representation 5231 (for a missed putt) or a virtual cup 5234 (for a successful putt), or it may represent the path of the ball during the putt. For clarity, only one of the trajectories 5233 is marked in each figure.

[0283] Manually entering ball shot data for a missed putt may include a first selection on the virtual putting surface 5235 corresponding to where the ball stopped on the actual putting surface (e.g., via a mouse click or a tap on a touchscreen), and the processing unit 802 may update the virtual putting surface 5235 in response to receiving the first selection to illustrate a first ball stopping representation 5231 at the selected location. In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may also estimate and illustrate a corresponding trajectory 5233, or the trajectory 5233 may be illustrated after the processing unit 802 receives a second selection on the virtual putting surface 5235 (see Figures 49A-49C, which will be described in more detail below).

[0284] Manual input of ball shot data for a successful putt may include a first selection on the virtual cup 5234 (e.g., via a mouse click or a tap on a touchscreen) to indicate that the putt was successful. In some embodiments, the first selection must be within a set distance from the center of the virtual cup 5234 and be recognized and recorded as a successful shot by the processing unit 802. If the first selection is outside this set distance, the processing unit 802 may recognize the shot as a rip-out shot, which will be discussed in more detail below. In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may be configured to receive a second selection on the virtual putting surface 5235 to indicate the trajectory of a successful putt.

[0285] Rip-out ball shot data (i.e., shots with rip-out data for rip-out shots) can be manually entered by a multi-selection process. For example, the first selection may be made at the virtual cup 5234 (e.g., on the outer edge of the virtual cup 5234, or outside a set distance from the center of the virtual cup 5234 associated with a successful shot), and the second selection may be made at a position corresponding to the ball's final position. Examples of the two selection processes are illustrated in Figures 47C-47E. Figure 47C shows a mouse cursor 5234 hovering over the outer edge of the virtual cup 5234, with the term "rip-out" displayed on the virtual cup 5234, indicating that the selection at this position initiates a multi-selection process into which the ball shot data for a rip-out shot is entered. Figure 47D shows the user interface 5200 after the first selection has been made at the position shown in Figure 47C, while the cursor 5234 is hovering over a position corresponding to the ball's final position. Figure 47E shows the user interface 5200 after the second selection has been made at the location shown in Figure 47D. In some embodiments, the order of the first and second selections when recording a rip-out shot may be reversed.

[0286] Providing or incorporating lip-out data can be beneficial in generating fitting recommendations because it can better reflect the putt trajectory compared to when lip-out data is not taken, compared to when it is simply assumed that the ball did not touch the cup at all. Part of the reason for this is that a lip-out shot is a shot that comes close to falling into the cup and then changes direction significantly before coming to a stop. Thus, lip-outs are very accurate shots but can appear inaccurate based on their final position. As will be explained in more detail below, fitting recommendations may be based in part on the ball's position at the cup, or on path angle data. Ball shot data including lip-out data can provide a much more accurate representation of path angle data compared to when lip-out data is not included, instead of the path angle data being merely estimated based on the ball's final position (e.g., based on the position of the first ball stopping representation 5231).

[0287] A trajectory type control 5237 may be included to allow the estimated trajectory type to be changed. For example, the trajectory type control 5237 may include a dropdown menu that allows the selection of different types of trajectories. Figures 47A–47E show a linear trajectory, where the trajectory is estimated as a straight line between two points (indicated by the term “linear putt” in the trajectory type control 5237). For a successful putt, the trajectory is a straight line between the golf shot start position 5236 and the virtual cup 5234 (or, in some embodiments, a specific position around the virtual cup 5234 corresponding to where the ball landed in the cup). For a missed putt that does not lip out, the trajectory is a straight line between the golf shot start position 5236 and the corresponding first ball stop representation 5231. For a lip-out shot, the trajectory includes two lines: one from the golf shot starting position 5236 to the virtual cup 5234 (or, in some embodiments, the position around the virtual cup 5234 corresponding to where the ball made contact with the cup), and the other line from the virtual cup 5234 to the first ball stopping representation 5231. As can be seen in Figures 47C-47E, the trajectory of a lip-out shot is substantially different, and if lip-out data is not included, and instead the trajectory and path angle data for the lip-out shot are estimated based on a straight trajectory between the golf shot starting position 5236 and the first ball stopping representation 5231, it will show that there is no shot that is far more accurate.

[0288] The velocity metric representation 5238 (e.g., stimptometric representation) may be displayed on the virtual putting surface 5235, or it may display a metric (e.g., stimptometric) that characterizes friction on the actual putting surface. The velocity metric may be entered during the interview phase, stored in memory (e.g., system memory 804), or retrieved by a computing device 800 (e.g., from an external device, the cloud, etc.).

[0289] The user interface 5200 (for example, a golf shot graphical representation 5230) may include a last shot deletion element 5225, and the processing unit 802 may be configured to delete recently received ball shot data in response to receiving a selection of the last shot deletion element 5225.

[0290] The user interface 5200 may include a speed metric representation 5258 and an aiming metric representation 5259. The speed metric representation 5258 represents a speed metric (e.g., via a numerical value) and may be based on the distance between the ball's final position and the cup, and the aiming metric representation 5259 may represent an aiming metric (e.g., via a numerical value), such as path angle data for successful putts. The speed metric and aiming metric representations 5258 and 5259 may be based on all putts made with a single putter (e.g., a putter displayed in the selected golf club representation 5270), or they may be averaged over multiple putts made with a putter. The speed metric may indicate whether the player is hitting the ball too fast or too slow, and the aiming metric may indicate whether the player is hitting the ball too far to one side or the other.

[0291] The user interface 5200 may also include a speed targeting representation 5255 and a speed targeting recommendation button 5256. The speed targeting recommendation button 5256 may only become available on the user interface 5200 in response to the processing unit 802 receiving ball shot data for a threshold number of putts (e.g., as indicated by the shot count representation 5220). For example, in the illustrated example, the speed targeting recommendation button 5256 becomes available after 10 or more shots have been made using any single putter. The speed targeting representation 5255 and the speed targeting recommendation button 5256 may be discussed in detail below with reference to Figures 52A, 52B, and 53.

[0292] The fitting recommendation expression 5260 may include a golf club column 5268 and a performance benefit column 5269. The processing unit 802 may be configured to display each putter for which ball shot data is received in the golf club column 5268, and may be configured to display the corresponding performance benefit of the putter in the performance benefit column 5269. The performance benefit may represent one or more aspects of how the performance of the putters in the golf club column 5268 is comparable. In the illustrated example, the performance benefit includes a strokes gained value (SGV), which is averaged over multiple putts (e.g., all putts) made with the putter, and the ball shot data is received by the processing unit 802. In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may be configured to calculate the SGV of a putt as described herein. For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to calculate the SGV as follows: SGV = (X-1)-Y, where X is the estimated number of steps to complete the putting course from where the putt is made (corresponding to the golf shot start position 5236), and Y is the estimated number of steps to complete the putting course from the ball's final position (corresponding to the position of the first ball stopping representation 5231 for a missed putt). For a successful putt, the value of Y may be considered to be 0. SGV is just one example of performance benefits, and other examples (e.g., strokes residual value, distance to hole, and / or predicted score) are also included in this disclosure.

[0293] The processing unit 802 may be configured to generate (e.g., calculate) a performance benefit for each putter in response to receiving ball shot data of putts made using the putter. In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may be configured to update the performance benefits of the putters as more ball shot data is received. For example, in the illustrated embodiments shown in Figures 47A to 47E, the first putter 5261 is used when making a putt, and the first putter 5261 is associated with a first performance benefit 5261R (e.g., the first SGV in this embodiment). In Figure 47B, after one putt has been made, the SGV is determined to be -0.15. In Figures 47C and 47D, after five putts, the SGV is determined to be -0.65. In Figure 47E, after eleven putts, including four successful putts, the SGV is determined to be +2.64.

[0294] The processing unit 802 may be configured to generate fitting recommendations (e.g., putter recommendations) based on ball shot data obtained for one or more putters, for example, based on the performance benefits of each of the higher-ranked putters. The fitting recommendations may be provided by the order in which multiple putters are listed in the golf club column 5268. For example, putters listed higher in the golf club column may be associated with higher performance benefits and may be more strongly recommended.

[0295] For example, Figure 48 shows a user interface 5200 having an exemplary second set of player data. Figure 48 shows a first putter 5361, a first performance benefit 5361R associated with the first putter 5361, a plurality of first ball stop representations 5331 on the virtual putting surface 5235 and associated with the first putter 5361, a second putter 5362, a second performance benefit 5362R associated with the second putter 5362, and a plurality of second ball stop representations 5332 on the virtual putting surface 5235 and associated with the second putter 5362. The first performance benefit 5361R has a higher SGV than the SGV value of the second performance benefit 5362R, and the first putter 5361 is listed and ranked higher than the second putter 5362.

[0296] Figures 49A-49C show a user interface 5200 having a third set of exemplary player data. Figures 49A-49C show how ball shot data for a putt using a braking type trajectory (selected from trajectory type control 5237) is manually entered through two selection processes. Figure 49A shows the cursor 5240 hovering over the position of the virtual putting surface 5235 corresponding to the final position of the ball. Figures 49B and 49C show the virtual putting surface 5235 while the cursor 5240 is hovering over two different positions on the virtual putting surface 5235 after the first selection has been made at the position in Figure 49A, respectively. The second selection on the virtual putting surface 5235 provides braking type trajectory data and can be provided based on the golf shot start position 5236, the first ball stop representation 5431 corresponding to where the first selection was made, and the position where the second selection was made. Thus, the shape of the trajectory 5433 can be controlled by where the second selection is made. For example, the trajectory 5433 may correspond to an arc-shaped path traversing the golf shot starting position 5236, a first ball stopping representation 5431 corresponding to the location where the first selection was made, and the location where the second selection was made. In Figures 49A and 49B, making the second selection at the cursor position in Figure 49A may result in a trajectory 5433 that is more linear and less arc-shaped than making the second selection at a more rightward cursor position in Figure 49B.

[0297] Figures 50A–50D show a user interface 5200 with an exemplary fourth set of player data. Figures 50A–50D show three selection processes for manually inputting ball shot data for a lip-out putt with a braking-type trajectory. Figures 50A–50D show a first putter 5561, a first performance benefit 5561R associated with the first putter 5561, and a plurality of first ball stop representations 5531 associated with the first putter 5561. Figure 50A shows the cursor 5240 hovering over the position of the virtual putting surface 5235 corresponding to the final position of the ball. Figure 50B shows the virtual putting surface 5235 while the cursor 5240 is hovering over the edge of the virtual cup 5234 after the first selection has been made at the cursor position in Figure 50A. Figure 50B shows the first ball stop representation 5531 at the position of the cursor position in Figure 50A. Figure 50C shows the virtual putting surface 5235 while the cursor 5240 is hovering over the third position to set the trajectory 5533 between the golf shot starting position 5236 and the second position on the edge of the virtual cup 5234, after the second selection has been made at the cursor position in Figure 50B. Figure 50D shows the virtual putting surface 5235 after an additional putt has been plotted on the virtual putting surface 5235, after the third selection has been made at the cursor position in Figure 50C.

[0298] Figures 51A-51B show a user interface 5200 having an exemplary fifth set of player data. Figures 51A-51B show an embodiment in which a processing unit 802 generates simulated ball shot data to improve the performance benefits of two putters. Figures 51A-51B show a first putter 5661, a first performance benefit 5661R associated with the first putter 5661, a plurality of first ball stop representations 5631 associated with the first putter 5661, a second putter 5662, a second performance benefit 5662R associated with the second putter 5662, a plurality of second ball stop representations 5632 associated with the second putter 5662, and a plurality of trajectories 5633 (only one is labeled for clarity).

[0299] The processing unit 802 may be configured to generate simulated ball shot data for a putter based on actual ball shot data associated with the putter, and to plot the simulated putts on the virtual putting surface 5235 based on the simulated ball shot data. The processing unit 802 may be configured to generate putter recommendations based on simulated putts and simulated ball shot data, with or without actual putts and actual ball shot data. For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to generate putter performance benefits based on simulated putts and simulated ball shot data for the putter. A relatively large number of simulated ball shot data (e.g., at least 10, at least 50, at least 100, at least 1,000, at least 10,000, or at least 100,000) may be generated, which can improve the accuracy of performance benefits and putter recommendations compared to when performance benefits and putter recommendations are based solely on actual ball shot data.

[0300] Part of the reason for this is that the performance benefits of putting can have significantly more noise than other types of golf shots (e.g., drive shots or fairway shots), and generating a large number of simulated putts can reduce that noise and improve the accuracy of the performance benefits. More specifically, small differences in putt accuracy and speed can result in large differences in SGV (or other performance benefits) compared to other types of shots. For example, if a first drive shot lands about 50 yards from the cup on a golf hole, the SGV value of the first drive shot may differ by only a relatively small amount (e.g., less than 0.01) compared to the SGV value of a second drive shot that is plus or minus 1 yard and / or oriented by plus or minus 1 degree from the first drive shot. For both drive shots, the SGV values ​​are similar because the ball is still quite far from the cup, and the small differences in ball distance and direction do not have a substantial impact on how many more strokes are needed to finish the hole. In contrast, small deviations in putt speed and / or direction result in the difference between a scenario where the ball falls into the cup (i.e., a successful shot) and a scenario where the ball stops very close to the cup but does not fall in (i.e., a missed shot). The difference between the SGV of these two putts is relatively large because a successful putt requires no additional strokes, while a missed putt requires at least one additional stroke. For example, SGV = (X-1)-Y, where X is 1.20 and represents the expected number of strokes to complete the hole if the first putt is successful, and Y is 1.05 and represents the expected number of strokes to complete the hole with a missed second putt. In these cases, the SGV of the first putt is 0.20, but the SGV of the second putt is -0.85. The difference between the two is a relatively large 1.05. Thus, the range of possible SGVs for putts is substantially larger than the range of SGVs for other types of golf shots.This means that the performance benefit of putting can have significantly more noise than other types of golf shots. This noise can be reduced by increasing the number of putts, but making a very large number of putts is not always desirable as it requires considerable time, energy, and concentration. Also, a player's performance may decline as they take more putts, and therefore the required performance accuracy becomes unclear. However, this noise can be reduced and the accuracy of the performance benefit can be improved by simulating additional simulated ball shot data based on a reasonable number of actual putt ball shot data, and then using the simulated ball shot data to generate the performance benefit.

[0301] The user interface 5200 may include a controllable simulation generator 5267, and the processing unit 802 may be configured to generate simulated ball shot data and simulated putts in response to receiving a selection from the simulation generator 5267. In the illustrated embodiment, the simulation generator 5267 includes two selectable boxes, namely a first box labeled "Use actual SG" and a second box labeled "Use simulated SG". The processing unit 802 may be configured to generate simulated ball shot data in response to receiving a selection from the second box, and may generate and display performance benefits based on the simulated ball shot data (with or without actual ball shot data). The processing unit 802 may be configured to generate and display performance benefits based on actual shot data (without simulated ball shot data) in response to receiving a selection from the first box.

[0302] In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may be configured to generate simulated ball shot data based on one or more controllable settings that can be controlled via the simulation generator 5267. For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to generate simulated ball shot data for a set number of times, and the simulation generator 5267 may include a controllable field for setting or adjusting the set number of times.

[0303] Referring to Figures 51A and 51B, Figure 51A shows the user interface 5200 with a first box of the selected simulation generator 5267, and Figure 51B shows the user interface 5200 with a second box of the selected simulation generator 5267. When the first box is selected, the first performance benefit 5661R associated with the first putter 5661 is +0.28, and the second performance benefit 5662R associated with the second putter 5662 is -0.6, indicating that the second putter 5662 is ranked higher than the first putter 5661. However, when the second box is selected and the performance benefits are updated based on the simulated ball shot data, the first performance benefit 5661R becomes +0.67, then the second performance benefit 5662R becomes -0.22, and the rankings of the first and second putters 5661 and 5662 are reversed so that the second putter 5662 is ranked higher than the first putter 5661.

[0304] As described above, basing simulated ball shot data on performance benefits can improve accuracy by reducing noise in performance benefits (e.g., SGV) and providing better and more accurate recommendations regarding putters. An example of this phenomenon is shown in Figures 51A and 51B. Here, it can be seen that six shots were made using the first putter 5661 and five shots were made using the second putter 5662 on the virtual putting surface 5235. As indicated by the second ball stopping representation 5632, the five shots made using the second putter 5662 are closely grouped together and close to the virtual cup 5234, indicating that the second putter 5662 is providing the player with high putting accuracy and desirable speed. However, despite ending near the virtual cup 5234, all five shots made using the second putter 5662 were missed. Therefore, the SGV of the second putter 5662, based on only a small number of actual data points, was relatively low at -0.6. In contrast, five of the six shots made with the first putter 5661 were missed and no longer grouped together, and on average, they were farther from the virtual cup 5234 compared to the shots made with the second putter 5662. This indicates that the first putter 5661 is less accurate and provides the player with less desirable speed control compared to the second putter 5662. However, one of the six shots made with the first putter 5661 was successful, which distorted the SGV of the first putter 5661 to +0.28 and above the SGV of the second putter 5662. As shown in Figure 51B, when the performance benefits are updated to account for additional simulated ball shot data, the SGV values ​​for the first and second putters 5661 and 5662 are more accurately represented by -0.22 and +0.67, respectively, with the second putter 5662 ranking higher by two.

[0305] As described above, the ball shot data may include shot success data, path length data, path angle data, ball velocity data, trajectory data, and / or lip-out data, and the ball shot data may be acquired by the computing device 800 from the launch monitor 840 (e.g., a camera) and / or via manual input (e.g., a player or fitter). In some embodiments, a portion of the ball shot data may be generated (e.g., determined or calculated) by the processing unit 802 based on another portion of the ball shot data.

[0306] For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to determine the ball velocity at the point of the putt based on path length data and a velocity metric (e.g., stimpton value). The ball velocity at the point of the putt may be the velocity of the ball at the position at the point of the putt. Given the putt path length data and velocity metric, the velocity of the ball at any point along that path can be determined or estimated via an algorithm or calculation. In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may be configured to determine the ball velocity at the point of the putt based further on the ball's trajectory. The ball velocity at the point of the putt can provide useful information in a simulation, as the likelihood of the ball falling into the cup depends on how fast it is moving when it makes contact with the cup. The ball will only fall into the cup if it is moving slowly enough, and will lip or bounce out if it is moving too fast.

[0307] The processing unit 802 may be configured to determine path angle data for a putt based on the putt's trajectory. The path angle data may include the lateral distance between the virtual cup 5234 (e.g., from the center or edge of the virtual cup 5234) and the ball's position at the cup. In some embodiments, the ball path angle data may include angles at the first corners of a triangle, where the first corner corresponds to the golf shot start position 5236, the second corner corresponds to the virtual cup 5234 (e.g., the center of the virtual cup 5234), and the third corner corresponds to the ball's position at the cup. The processing unit 802 may be configured to determine or estimate the ball's position at the cup based on the trajectory data (e.g., via an algorithm or calculation), and the processing unit 802 may be configured to receive (e.g., from the launch monitor 840 or via manual input) or estimate the path length data. For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to estimate trajectory data based on the ball's final position, such as the position of the ball's stopping representation on the virtual putting surface 5235, and based on assumptions about the type of trajectory, such as a linear trajectory. Path angle data can be useful in the simulation because it can represent the direction the ball is moving as it passes through the cup, which affects the likelihood of the ball falling into the cup. The ball is more likely to fall into the cup if it is moving towards the center of the cup compared to if its direction deviates away from the center of the cup.

[0308] The simulated ball shot data may include simulated path length data, simulated path angle data, simulated ball velocity data, simulated trajectory data, and / or simulated lip-out data, and the processing unit 802 may be configured to generate the simulated ball shot data based on actual shot data.

[0309] Simulated path length data can be generated based on actual path length data. For example, simulated path length data can be randomly selected from multiple actual path length data. In some embodiments, the distribution (e.g., a probability distribution) may be generated based on multiple actual path length data, and the simulated path length data may be randomly generated based on the distribution. In some embodiments, simulated path length data can be generated via Monte Carlo simulation based on multiple actual path length data.

[0310] Simulated path angle data can be generated based on actual path angle data. For example, simulated path angle data can be randomly selected from multiple actual path angle data. In some embodiments, the distribution (e.g., a probability distribution) may be generated based on multiple actual path angle data, and the simulated path angle data may be randomly generated based on the distribution. In some embodiments, simulated path angle data can be generated via Monte Carlo simulation based on multiple actual path angle data.

[0311] The simulated ball velocity data (e.g., the simulated ball velocity at the time of impact and / or the simulated ball velocity) may be generated based on multiple actual ball velocity data (e.g., the actual ball velocity at the time of impact and / or the actual ball velocity). For example, the simulated ball velocity data may be randomly selected from multiple actual ball velocity data. In some embodiments, the distribution (e.g., a probability distribution) may be generated based on multiple actual ball velocity data, and the simulated ball velocity data may be randomly generated based on the distribution. In some embodiments, the simulated ball velocity data may be generated via Monte Carlo simulation based on multiple actual ball velocity data.

[0312] Simulated ballistic data can be generated based on actual ballistic data. For example, simulated ballistic data may be randomly selected from multiple actual ballistic data. In some embodiments, the distribution (e.g., a probability distribution) may be generated based on multiple actual ballistic data, and the simulated ballistic data may be randomly generated based on the distribution. In some embodiments, simulated ballistic data may be generated via Monte Carlo simulation based on multiple actual ballistic data.

[0313] In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may be configured to generate (e.g., determine or calculate) a portion of the simulated ball shot data based on another portion of the simulated ball shot data. For example, the simulated path angle data may be generated based on the simulated trajectory, and the simulated ball velocity data (e.g., ball velocity data at the simulated cup) may be generated based on the simulated path length data and velocity metrics (and in some embodiments, also on the simulated trajectory).

[0314] The processing unit 802 may be configured to plot the corresponding simulated putts on the virtual putting surface 5235 based on the simulated ball shot data, and to determine the simulated shot success data (and, in some embodiments, also the simulated lip-out data) for the simulated putts. In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may also display the simulated putts on the virtual putting surface 5235. However, since the processing unit 802 can generate a large amount of simulated ball shot data and corresponding simulated putts, it is not necessary to display the simulated putts on the virtual putting surface 5235 so as not to obscure the virtual putting surface 5235.

[0315] The simulated shot success data for a simulated putt can be either a success, where the corresponding putt on the virtual putting surface 5235 having the corresponding simulated ball shot data falls into the virtual cup 5234, or a miss, where the corresponding actual putt falls into the virtual cup 5234. The processing unit 802 may be configured to determine the simulated shot success data based on the simulated ball shot data. For example, as described above, whether a ball that makes contact with the cup falls into the cup depends on the direction the ball is moving (e.g., simulated path angle data) and how fast the ball is moving (e.g., ball velocity at the simulated cup). The processing unit 802 may be configured to determine whether the ball falls into the virtual cup 5234 based on the simulated path angle and the ball velocity at the simulated cup (e.g., via an algorithm or calculation). In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may be configured to determine the simulated shot success data on any portion of the simulated ball shot data, which can collectively act as proxies for the simulated path angle data and the ball velocity at the simulated cup data. For example, simulated path length data can serve as a proxy for simulated ball velocity data, if a velocity metric is also available.

[0316] The processing unit 802 may be configured to determine shot success data based on the size (e.g., diameter) of the virtual cup 5234. For example, the virtual cup 5234 may have a diameter of 4.25 inches, which is generally considered a standard size. In some embodiments, determining shot success data may include determining an effective hole size (e.g., effective diameter) based on the ball velocity at the time of the cup, and determining whether the simulated putt ball intersects with the virtual cup 5234 having the effective hole size. The processing unit 802 may be configured to determine simulated shot success data, which is considered a miss if the ball intersects with the virtual cup 5234 having the effective hole size, and if the ball does not intersect with the virtual cup 5234 having the effective hole size. The effective hole size may be smaller than the standard hole size and may represent how close the virtual putt is to the center of the virtual cup 5234 that it should approach in order to fall into the virtual cup 5234. As described above, the probability of the ball falling into the cup depends on how fast the ball is moving when it makes contact with the cup, and the effective hole size can be determined (e.g., calculated) based on the simulated ball velocity at the time of cupping. A slower simulated ball velocity at the time of cupping may result in a larger effective hole size, while a faster simulated ball velocity at the time of cupping may result in a smaller effective hole size. Once the effective hole size is determined, the processing unit 802 may be configured to determine whether the simulated putt ball will pass through the effective hole based on the simulated path angle data and / or the simulated trajectory.

[0317] In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 is configured to determine lip-out data with respect to simulated ball shot data (e.g., via an algorithm or calculation). For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to determine that a simulated putt is a lip-out shot if, based on the simulated ball shot data, it determines that the ball makes contact with the virtual cup 5234 but does not fall into the virtual cup 5234.

[0318] The processing unit 802 may be configured to generate a corresponding performance benefit for a putter based on simulated ball shot data for the putter, and with or without actual ball shot data for the putter. In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may determine the SGV for the putter based on simulated ball shot data and simulated shot success data, with or without actual ball shot data and actual shot success data. For example, the processing unit 802 may determine the SGV for each simulated ball shot data and the corresponding simulated shot success data. If the simulated shot success data is a miss, the processing unit 802 may be configured to determine the SGV based on the distance (e.g., longitudinal distance or total distance) between the virtual cup 5234 and the final position of the ball (e.g., the position of the first ball stopping representation 5631 with respect to the first putter 5661). The processing unit 802 may generate a final SGV by averaging the SGVs associated with multiple simulated ball shot data (and, in some embodiments, also the SGVs associated with multiple actual shot data), which may be displayed in the performance benefit column 5269.

[0319] Figures 52A-52B show a user interface 5200 having an exemplary fifth set of data. Figure 53 shows a speed aiming improvement representation 5250 related to Figures 52A-52B, which may be displayed in response to the selection of the speed aiming recommendation button 5256. Figures 52A and 52B show a first putter 5761, a first performance benefit 5761R associated with the first putter 5761, a second putter 5762, a second performance benefit 5762R associated with the second putter 5762, and a plurality of second ball stopping representations 5732 associated with the second putter 5762. The ball stopping representation associated with the first putter 5761 is not shown.

[0320] As described above, the processing unit 802 may be configured to simulate putter ball shot data based on actual putter ball shot data in order to provide a more accurate SGV (or other performance benefit metric). The processing unit 802 may also be configured to determine the putter's aiming metric and speed metric based on actual putter shot data. The aiming metric may include an aiming variability metric and / or an aiming correction metric, and the speed metric may include a speed variability metric and / or a speed correction metric.

[0321] The speed-corrected metric can characterize how close multiple actual putt balls are to the cup along the longitudinal direction. For example, the speed-corrected metric for the second putter 5762 may include the average longitudinal distance between the virtual cup 5234 and the second ball stopping representation 5732. A value of zero indicates that the actual putts made with the second putter 5762 were centered around the cup and the player was hitting the ball at the optimal speed. Negative and positive speed-corrected metrics may indicate that the player was hitting the ball too slowly or too fast, respectively.

[0322] A velocity variability metric can characterize how close the balls are to each other along the longitudinal direction. For example, the velocity variability metric for a second putter 5762 may include the standard deviation of the actual longitudinal distance of the putt, measured from a set point (e.g., from the shot starting position 5236, from the virtual cup 5234). A small velocity variability metric indicates that the player is hitting the ball with high-speed consistency, while a large velocity variability metric indicates that the player is hitting the ball with greater variation in ball velocity.

[0323] The aiming correction metric may characterize how close the actual putt ball is to the cup along the lateral direction. This may be measured from where the ball stops or from where the ball is when it passes through the cup. For example, the aiming correction metric for the second putter 5762 may include the average of path angle data (as illustrated in the illustrated embodiment) or the average of the lateral distance between the virtual cup 5234 and the second ball stopping representation 5732. An aiming correction metric of zero indicates that the ball is centered in the cup and the player is hitting the ball with optimal accuracy. Negative or positive values ​​may indicate that the player is hitting the ball too far to one side or the other, respectively.

[0324] Aim variability metrics can characterize how close the ball is to the target along the lateral direction. For example, the aim variability metric for a second putter 5762 may include the standard deviation of path angle data or the standard deviation of the actual putt's lateral distance, measured from a setpoint (e.g., from a virtual cup 5234). A small aim variability metric indicates that the player is hitting the ball with high directional consistency, while a large aim variability metric indicates that the player is hitting the ball with large directional variation.

[0325] The speed aiming improvement representation 5250 in Figure 53 shows information about an improvement simulation that indicates how much the putter's performance benefit (e.g., SGV) is improved compared to a baseline simulation, based on an improvement simulation in which the player's aiming metric (e.g., aiming correction metric and / or aiming variability metric) is improved by a first set amount (e.g., a first percentage) and the player's speed metric (e.g., speed correction metric and / or speed variability metric) is improved by a second set amount (e.g., a second percentage). The first and second amounts (e.g., the first and second percentages) may be equal. For example, the processing unit 802 may be configured to generate two improvement simulations, namely, a first improvement simulation in which the player's aiming metric is improved by 10 percent, and a second improvement simulation in which the player's speed metric is improved by 10 percent. In some embodiments, the processing unit 802 may be configured to generate four improvement simulations, which are: a first improvement simulation in which the player's aiming correction metric is improved by a first set percentage (e.g., 10 percent); a second improvement simulation in which the player's aiming variability metric is improved by a second set percentage (e.g., 10 percent); a...

Claims

1. A system for generating putter fitting recommendations, wherein the system A camera configured to capture ball shot data for putting, The camera is connected to a computing device that is communicatively coupled to the camera, and the computing device is At least one processor, A memory that stores instructions, and when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the system The camera measures ball shot data for each of the first multiple putts made on the putting surface using the first putter, Simulating a first plurality of simulated ball shot data based on the ball shot data of the first plurality of putts by the at least one processor, The at least one processor plots the first plurality of simulated putts on a virtual putting surface corresponding to the putting surface, based on each of the first plurality of simulated ball shot data. The at least one processor calculates a first performance benefit value of the first putter based on the first plurality of simulated putts, A system that performs operations including generating putter recommendations based on the first performance benefit value.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first performance benefit value includes a first stroke gain value.

3. The ball shot data includes path angle data and at least one of path length data or ball velocity data. The system according to claim 1, wherein the simulated ball shot data includes simulated path angle data and at least one of simulated path length data or simulated ball velocity data.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the calculation of the first performance benefit value is further based on the ball shot data of the plurality of putts.

5. The aforementioned operation, The camera measures the ball shot data for each of the second putts made on the putting surface using the second putter, Simulating a second plurality of simulated ball shot data based on the ball shot data of the second plurality of putts by the at least one processor, The at least one processor plots the second plurality of simulated putts on the virtual putting surface based on the second plurality of simulated ball shot data, The at least one processor further includes calculating a second performance benefit value for the second putter based on the second plurality of simulated putts, The system according to claim 1, wherein generating the aforementioned putter recommendation is further based on the second performance benefit value.

6. Equipped with an additional display, The aforementioned operation, Displaying the virtual putting surface on the aforementioned display, The system according to claim 1, further comprising plotting the first plurality of putts on the virtual putting surface using at least one processor.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the camera is wirelessly coupled to the computing device.

8. A system for generating golf club fitting recommendations, wherein the system At least one processor, A memory that stores instructions, and when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor, Receiving ball shot data relating to each of at least one golf shots made using a first golf club in a golf hole, wherein the ball shot data includes path angle data and at least one of ball velocity data or path length data. To generate at least one simulated ball shot data based on the ball shot data of at least one golf shot, wherein the simulated ball shot data includes simulated path angle data and at least one of simulated ball velocity data or simulated path length data. Based on each of the at least one simulated ball shot data, plot at least one simulated golf shot on the virtual hole corresponding to the golf hole, For each of the at least one simulated golf shots, the simulated shot success data is determined. A system that performs operations including generating golf club fitting recommendations based on at least one simulated golf shot and corresponding simulated shot success data.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the ball shot data includes the path length data.

10. The operation further includes, for each of the at least one golf shots, calculating the ball velocity at the time of the golf shot to the cup based on the path length data and a velocity measurement criterion for the surface of the golf hole, wherein the ball velocity at the time of the cup is the velocity of the ball as it passes through the cup of the golf hole. The system according to claim 9, wherein the simulated ball shot data includes simulated ball velocity data at the time of the cup, based on ball velocity data at the time of the cup for at least one golf shot, and the simulated ball velocity at the time of the cup corresponds to the velocity of the ball as it passes through the cup of a virtual golf hole.

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