System, method and computer program product for estimating club swing condition(s) from ball launch measurements

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product are provided to permit golf swing conditions, such as spin loft, club speed, angle of attack and club path, to be determined without direct measurements of the club swing and, instead, to be based upon the launch conditions of the ball. Initially, a plurality of launch conditions of a ball may be determined, such as by means of a launch monitor. Based upon the launch conditions of the ball, components of momentum 1 P N normal and tangential to the colliding surfaces of the club and the ball may be determined, such as by means of a computing device. At least one club swing parameter may then be determined based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N and P T . In this regard, the club swing condition may be spin loft, club speed, angle of attack and/or club path.

1 . A method of estimating at least one club swing condition comprising: 
 determining a plurality of launch conditions of a ball;    determining a component of momentum P N  normal to colliding surfaces of the club and the ball and a component of momentum P T  tangent to the colliding surfaces of the club and the ball based upon the launch conditions of the ball; and    determining at least one club swing condition based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , wherein the at least one club swing condition is selected from the group consisting of spin loft, club speed, angle of attack and club path.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein determining at least one club swing parameter comprises determining at least one club swing parameter in a manner independent of direct measurements of the club swing.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein determining the tangential component of momentum P T  comprises determining the tangential component of momentum P T  based upon a radius of the ball, spin of the ball and a moment of inertia of the ball, and wherein determining the normal component of momentum P N  comprises determining the normal component of momentum P N  based upon a mass of the ball, a velocity of the ball and the tangential component of momentum P T .  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein determining at least one club swing condition comprises determining spin loft based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , respective masses of the club head and the ball, a radius of the ball, respective moments of inertia of the ball and the club head, a velocity of the ball, and a distance in a tangential direction between a center of gravity of a club head and a location of impact between the club and the ball.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein determining at least one club swing condition comprises determining club speed based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , respective masses of the club head and the ball and the spin loft.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein determining the tangential component of momentum P T  and the spin loft comprises determining the tangential component of momentum P T  and the spin loft based upon backspin of the ball without consideration of other spin components of the ball, and wherein determining at least one club swing condition comprises determining the angle of attack based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , a launch angle of the ball and at least one of a loft angle of the club and the spin loft.  
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein determining the tangential component of momentum P T  and the spin loft comprises determining the tangential component of momentum P T  and the spin loft based upon sidespin of the ball without consideration of other spin components of the ball, and wherein determining at least one club swing condition comprises determining the club path based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , a launch angle of the ball and the spin loft.  
   
   
       8 . A system for estimating at least one club swing condition comprising: 
 a launch monitor capable of determining a plurality of launch conditions of a ball; and    a computing device capable of determining a component of momentum P N  normal to colliding surfaces of the club and the ball and a component of momentum P T  tangent to the colliding surfaces of the club and the ball based upon the launch conditions of the ball, said computing device being further capable of determining at least one club swing condition based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , wherein the at least one club swing condition is selected from the group consisting of spin loft, club speed, angle of attack and club path.    
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 8  wherein said computing device is capable of determining at least one club swing parameter in a manner independent of direct measurements of the club swing.  
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 8  wherein said computing device is capable of determining the tangential component of momentum P T  based upon a radius of the ball, spin of the ball and a moment of inertia of the ball, and wherein said computing device is further capable of determining the normal component of momentum P N  based upon a mass of the ball, a velocity of the ball and the tangential component of momentum P T .  
   
   
       11 . A system according to  claim 8  wherein said computing device is capable of determining spin loft based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , respective masses of the club head and the ball, a radius of the ball, respective moments of inertia of the ball and the club head, a velocity of the ball, and a distance in a tangential direction between a center of gravity of a club head and a location of impact between the club and the ball.  
   
   
       12 . A system according to  claim 8  wherein said computing device is capable of determining club speed based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , respective masses of the club head and the ball and the spin loft.  
   
   
       13 . A system according to  claim 8  wherein said computing device is capable of determining the tangential component of momentum P T  and the spin loft based upon backspin of the ball without consideration of other spin components of the ball, and wherein said computing device is further capable of determining the angle of attack based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , a launch angle of the ball and at least one of a loft angle of the club and the spin loft.  
   
   
       14 . A system according to  claim 8  wherein said computing device is capable of determining the tangential component of momentum P T  and the spin loft based upon sidespin of the ball without consideration of other spin components of the ball, and wherein said computing device is further capable of determining the club path based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , a launch angle of the ball and the spin loft.  
   
   
       15 . A system according to  claim 8  wherein said launch monitor comprises said computing device.  
   
   
       16 . A computer program product capable of estimating at least one club swing condition, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable code embodied in said medium, the computer readable code comprising: 
 a first executable portion adapted to receive a plurality of launch conditions of a ball;    a second executable portion adapted to determine a component of momentum P N  normal to colliding surfaces of the club and the ball and a component of momentum P T  tangent to the colliding surfaces of the club and the ball based upon the launch conditions of the ball; and    a third executable portion adapted to determine at least one club swing condition based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , wherein the at least one club swing condition is selected from the group consisting of spin loft, club speed, angle of attack and club path.    
   
   
       17 . A computer program product according to  claim 16  wherein said third executable portion is further adapted to determine at least one club swing parameter in a manner independent of direct measurements of the club swing.  
   
   
       18 . A computer program product according to  claim 16  wherein said second executable portion is adapted to determine the tangential component of momentum P T  based upon a radius of the ball, spin of the ball and a moment of inertia of the ball, and wherein said third executable portion is further adapted to determine the normal component of momentum P N  based upon a mass of the ball, a velocity of the ball and the tangential component of momentum P T .  
   
   
       19 . A computer program product according to  claim 16  wherein said third executable portion is further adapted to determine spin loft based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , respective masses of the club head and the ball, a radius of the ball, respective moments of inertia of the ball and the club head, a velocity of the ball, and a distance in a tangential direction between a center of gravity of a club head and a location of impact between the club and the ball.  
   
   
       20 . A computer program product according to  claim 16  wherein said third executable portion is further adapted to determine club speed based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , respective masses of the club head and the ball and the spin loft.  
   
   
       21 . A computer program product according to  claim 16  wherein said second and third executable portions are further adapted to determine the tangential component of momentum P T  and the spin loft based upon backspin of the ball without consideration of other spin components of the ball, and wherein said third executable portion is further adapted to determine the angle of attack based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , a launch angle of the ball and at least one of a loft angle of the club and the spin loft.  
   
   
       22 . A computer program product according to  claim 16  wherein said second and third executable portions are further adapted to determine the tangential component of momentum P T  and the spin loft based upon sidespin of the ball without consideration of other spin components of the ball, and wherein said third executable portion is further adapted to determine the club path based upon the normal and tangential components of momentum P N  and P T , a launch angle of the ball and the spin loft.