OptimusDrive aids golfers and clubfitters in determining the equipment and swing adjustments necessary to optimize golf ball carry and total distance when using a driver. Following user input of 3 key impact or launch parameters, OptimusDrive computes important characteristics of the ball flight and displays the corresponding trajectory and runout. Results from as many as 10 computations can be saved for subsequent review. Optimization becomes easy to understand and perform!
OptimusDrive typical optimization scenario:
1. The user enters Clubhead Speed, Clubhead Loft, and Attack Angle on the Impact screen, and the corresponding Launch Speed, Launch Angle, and Launch Spin Rate are computed.
2. Results obtained from the Impact screen computation are entered on the Launch screen. From that point, the user varies the Launch Angle and Launch Spin Rate until the computed result(s) of interest (e.g., Carry Distance) is maximized.
3. The user again switches to the Impact screen and attempts to reproduce the maximized computed result(s) from the Launch screen (e.g., Carry Distance) by varying Clubhead Loft and Attack Angle.
The trajectories computed by OptimusDrive are based on a system of three differential equations describing ball velocity, angle of flight, and spin rate, which in turn are functions of lift, drag, and gravitational forces. Runout computations are based on three analogous equations that describe the golf ball bounce velocity, angle, and spin rate following impact with the ground.
Operating Instructions:
The screens selected via the Impact and Launch tabs allow entry of relevant physical parameters via sliders or steppers. After parameter entry, clicking the Compute button will produce a list of characteristics for the ball flight. Data from as many as 10 Impact and Launch computations can be saved for later review and trajectory visualization by clicking the Save Data button.
A summary table for comparison of the previously stored data sets is available by selecting the Data tab; touching any summary line in the table reveals the data set details. Swiping left on any summary line allows the data set trajectory to be selected for visualization; as many as 5 trajectories can be selected. Swiping left on any summary line in the table also allows the data set to be deleted from storage.
The trajectories can be viewed by selecting the Trajectory tab. Rotation of the device by 90 degrees from Portrait mode shows a Landscape view of the trajectories. The legend in the upper left corner allows each trajectory to be matched with its corresponding data set.
The Settings tab allows modification of standard settings for clubhead mass, clubhead spin factor, fairway firmness factor, clubhead coefficient of restitution, temperature, and elevation. Varying the clubhead spin factor is useful for adjusting the launch spin rate computed on the Impact screen; the spin factor can be changed by +/- 10 percent.