Ball speed

• The measurement of how fast the ball travels through the air.  Measured in MPH.  Depending on which launch monitor you are using it is measured at slightly different points but it is taken very quickly after the ball is hit.  As the ball flies through the air it slows down so when it lands it is moving much slower than it came off the face.  The faster a player swings the club, the more potential ball speed they can generate.  The speed is also affected by how much loft you are hitting it with, how center the contact is, what type of club and ball you are using, and more.

Launch Angle

• The angle, relative to the ground, that the ball traveled after the initial strike of the ball.  Measured in degrees.  Don’t get confused with Peak height as launch angle is only an initial measurement.  The higher the ball took off, the higher the launch angle.  Launch angle can be manipulated by the player's angle of attack, club loft, shaft properties, club CG location, and more.

Side Angle

• Similar to launch angle but this is the measurement, in degrees, of how much the ball launched to one side or the other, relative to the launch monitor's centerline.  Side angle is the same as push and pull.  If the ball starts to the right 5 degrees, that is said to be a 5 * push, for a right-handed player.

Spin rate

• How much backspin the ball had on it during the initial part of its flight.  This is measured in RPM’s.  No matter what, the ball will have backspin on it.  Backspin is what creates lift on the ball and is responsible for keeping it in the air.  A ball that has lots of spin will have a flight that rises as it travels.  A ball with not enough backspin will look like a knuckleball and will fall out of the air.  Optimal spin rates, depending upon your goals, of course, are usually fairly flat in flight.  The desired spin rate changes greatly depending upon the club and if you are looking for maximum distance or stopping power.  Spin rate has a massive influence on how far the ball travels.  As you increase in the loft you will always increase the spin rate.

Tilt Axis

• This is the measurement of how much the ball is tilted relative to perfectly upright while it spins and flies through the air.  This is also generally measured in degrees.  Tilt axis is responsible for the curve on the ball.  The more the ball spins on a tilt the more it will curve.  A ball with its axis parallel to the ground will be spinning on a perfectly vertical orientation and will not curve to one side or the other.  When you tilt the axis away from parallel it begins to curve.

Carry Distance

• Carry distance is simply how far the ball flies through the air before it hits the ground.  This is measured in yards unless you are using meters.  Carry distance can be estimated if you know the ball speed, launch angle, and spin rate of the ball.

Total Distance

• Similar to carry distance, total distance is simply how far the ball travels before it comes to rest.

Landing Angle

• The angle that the ball takes as it hits the ground.

Peak Height

• The maximum distance the ball reached in the air.