Trackman Talks: The true impact factors
Have we been looking at the wrong data?
In this April 2025 edition of Trackman Talks, Niklas Bergdahl (Head of Trackman University) was joined by Hugh Marr (elite coach and Trackman Master) to discuss which parameters are the true impact factors affecting speed, spin and trajectory of the ball flight.
Trackman Talks: The true impact factors with Hugh Marr
Why focusing on the controllable factors is key to better ball flight
As golfers and coaches, we're all chasing better ball flight – shots that fly further, straighter, and with more control. The good news is that modern technology, like Trackman, allows us to measure the precise interaction between the club and the ball. But with so much data available, it's easy to get lost in the numbers and focus on the wrong things.
Hugh Marr highlights a fundamental truth about golf coaching: it all boils down to impact. Improving impact is the ultimate goal, as it directly dictates how the ball behaves. However, understanding what to change at impact requires knowing the difference between the inputs a player controls and the resulting outputs.
Marr argues that a player can only directly influence five true impact factors. Focusing coaching efforts on these inputs, rather than just the combination factors, is the key to effective and consistent improvement.
The five true impact factors players control:
The five components a player can directly influence at impact are
1. Swing Plane
3. Club Speed
4. Face Angle
5. 3D Low Point
Inputs vs. outputs: Why the distinction matters
Many commonly referenced parameters in golf analysis, such as attack angle and club path, are not the primary inputs players control. These are made up of a combination of impact factors (or inputs) and should be seen more as outputs. Similarly, strike (impact location on the face) is an output, resulting from the 3D low point.
The danger lies in viewing these outputs in isolation. For example, a club path reading of 4° right can be produced in an infinite number of ways. Some combinations of the true impact factors might create that 4° right path functionally, while others might produce it in a way that "will never work" for consistent shots. Looking only at the 4° number doesn't tell the coach how it was produced, or more importantly, how to fix it if it's dysfunctional.
Coaching should target the cause (the true impact factors and the components influencing them) rather than just the effect (the combination factors).
How true impact factors influence ball flight
The ultimate outputs we aim to influence are the ball speed, direction (vertical and horizontal launch), and spin. These three ball flight characteristics are the direct product of the true impact factors.
Here's how some of the true impact factors exert their influence:
Face Angle: This is primarily responsible for the ball's launch direction and also plays a role in the spin rate (both vertical and horizontal).
3D Low Point: This significantly impacts attack angle and the impact location (strike) on the clubface. For shots off the ground, the low point must consistently occur target-side of the ball for functional results.
Swing Plane: The steepness or shallowness of the swing plane influences the angle of descent, which in turn affects the attack angle.
Swing Direction: This is a key component contributing to the overall club path. It represents the horizontal orientation of the swing plane relative to the target line.
Club Speed: As you'd expect, this is a fundamental factor in determining the resulting ball speed.
The ultimate coaching hack
Understanding which true impact factors needs to change to improve the desired ball flight, means you can then explore the specific components (elements like grip, pressure shift, stance) that influence that particular impact factor, ensuring targeted and effective intervention based on cause and effect, not just chance.
When shifting the geometry of impact towards something more appropriate by influencing these true impact factors, players will simply hit better shots.
Want to learn more?
You can dive into the previous editions of Trackman Talks: Smash Index and Spin Index or Attack Angle and Swing Plane in short game or check out the Trackman Blog as your hub for golf data insights and stories.
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