What are Simulator Drills?

Simulator Drills help you understand key swing and ball-flight metrics from a golf simulator so you can refine your technique and improve your game on the course.

After completing a simulator session, you can manually enter your simulator numbers in 18Birdies to track important metrics such as club speed, ball speed, launch angle, carry distance, spin rate, and more. These metrics can help you better understand how your swing is performing and identify areas to improve over time.

Where can I find Simulator Drills?

To find Simulator Drills in 18Birdies:

1. Open the 18Birdies app.
2. Tap the Improve tab.
3. Tap View All Practice Tools.
4. Tap Simulator Drills.

How do I log a simulator session?

To enter your simulator stats:

1. Go to Improve.
2. Tap View All Practice Tools.
3. Tap Simulator Drills.
4. Tap Log Session.
5. Enter the metrics shown on the simulator you are using.
6. Fill in the rest of the session details.
7. Save the session when you are finished.

18Birdies does not currently connect directly with simulator software, so simulator stats must be entered manually.

What do the simulator stats mean?

Simulator stats are measurements that help explain what happened during your swing and ball flight. Some stats describe how the club moved, such as club speed, club path, face angle, and angle of attack. Others describe how the ball launched and traveled, such as ball speed, launch angle, spin rate, carry distance, total distance, and proximity to target.

Understanding these numbers can help you identify patterns in your swing, refine your technique, and connect your practice sessions to better performance on the course.

Common simulator stat definitions

• Smash Factor: A measure of energy transfer from the club to the ball. It is a ratio calculated by dividing ball speed by club speed. Ex. 150 mph ball speed from a 100 mph club speed would be a smash factor of 1.5.
• Proximity to Target: How close your shot finished to the target.
• Launch Angle: The angle at which the ball starts its flight after impact.
• Club Path: The direction the clubhead is moving through impact compared with the target line.
• Face Angle: The direction the clubface is pointing at impact.
• Angle of Attack: Whether the club is moving upward or downward at impact.
• Carry Distance: How far the ball travels in the air before landing.
• Total Distance: The full distance the ball travels, including carry and rollout.
• Club Speed: How fast the clubhead is moving at impact.
• Ball Speed: How fast the ball leaves the clubface after impact.
• Spin Rate: How much the ball spins after impact. Spin can affect height, distance, stopping power, and curvature.

Frequently Asked Questions