Outdoor Testing

Focaltron Corporation conducts extensive outdoor field-testing to ensure the accuracy of GolfAchiever. Robot and human subjects have been tested to record over ten thousand various shots outdoors. The following information is recorded during all Focaltron outdoor testing for comparison against GolfAchiever Reported Data: Ball Speed, Club Speed, Launch Angle, RPMs, Carry Distance, Carry Dispersion, Club Path, Face Angle, Face Impact Position, and Ball Flight.

The Robot data from independent Golf Labs has proven especially valuable due to its ability to isolate "human" variables (club speed, swing path, angle of attack, face impact, and face angle), one at a time. For example, when we want to ensure a Driver with straight club path, square clubface, sweet spot impact, and the club traveling at 100MPH, we can guarantee repeatability and accurate data. Once we capture six shots with the above variables controlled, we can then adjust any one of the variables - such as club path at variables (-10), (-5), (-2), +2, +5, and +10 degrees - while guaranteeing all other variables remain constant - and record the differences due to variations in the one particular parameter (in this case, club path). Due to this ability to isolate one variable at a time and our scientific approach to data gathering, we have been able to improve and verify the accuracy of each individual parameter measured by GolfAchiever to unprecedented levels.

Human data has proven less expensive for Focaltron to gather, as well provides our scientists with a great way to evaluate the accuracy of GolfAchiever algorithms against real players. Results for Men and Women of all skill levels (36 Handicap to Tour Professionals) have been recorded and evaluated against GolfAchiever reported data.

After all field-testing, recorded data is entered into complex ACTIVE spreadsheets (60 columns X # rows, and up to 50 worksheets per file), which are designed to calculate GolfAchiever error in all reported parameters. As well, the spreadsheets are further broken down by club and shot type to further analyze GolfAchiever accuracy. The calculated results are reviewed by Focaltron's CTO to determine where we will focus our future testing and algorithm improvements. With the accuracy results defined by the ACTIVE Spreadsheets, the GolfAchiever development team makes algorithm revisions. These revised algorithms (GolfAchiever software) are then evaluated against the same ACTIVE spreadsheets using a series of the same golf shot files (includes human and robot data). When significant accuracy improvements are achieved, Focaltron releases a new version of GolfAchiever algorithms/software.

Indoor Testing

Focaltron uses the high-speed Red Lake Motionscope Camera System to collect valuable data on backspin, sidespin, swing path, impact position, clubface angle, ball speed and club speed. The camera system generates a series of high-speed sequential .jpg images, which we view in Microsoft Paint to determine the X and Y coordinates of defined points for consecutive frames.

Focaltron has even verified the accuracy of GolfAchiever's Launch Angle and Azimuth Parameters through alternative indoor testing. The alternative testing method was devised and implemented in order to eliminate the measurement error inherent to high-speed camera technology.