Launch monitors look like cockpit displays. You only need a handful of numbers to make smart fitting decisions.
Ball speed
How fast the ball leaves the face. Primary fuel for distance. Higher is generally better if accuracy holds — but chasing ball speed while spraying it offline is a bad trade.
Launch angle
The initial upward angle of the ball. Too low with low spin can knuckle and fall out of the air; too high with excess spin can balloon. Optimal launch depends on your speed.
Spin rate
Backspin (and side spin) strongly shape carry and curve. Driver spin that is too high costs distance; too low can make the ball hard to keep in play. Irons need enough spin to stop on greens.
Smash factor
Ball speed divided by club speed — a quick efficiency check. Center contact raises smash. If smash is low, fix contact quality before obsessing over shaft model.
Attack angle
Whether you are hitting up or down on the ball at impact. Positive attack with the driver often pairs with higher launch and adjustable loft strategies. Negative attack is normal with irons.
Dispersion and face-to-path
Averages hide the story. Ask to see left/right and short/long scatter. A setup that is 3 yards shorter but half as wide is usually the winner.
How to use the screen in a fitting
1. Baseline your current club.
2. Change one variable at a time when possible.
3. Compare windows of shots, not single bombs.
4. Confirm the feel matches the number — you have to trust it on the course.
You do not need to memorize formulas. You need a fitter who can translate the screen into a build you understand.