The monitor shows you characteristics of the swing and contact but not where the ball ends up. You could argue that you should be able to figure it out from the data, but I don't think that is 100% true.

Once you get on the course, your mind becomes a bigger part of the equation.

When a club is fitted for you, I expect an almost instant return on my money in the form of great shots. It's still up to you to put a good swing on the ball to get those great shots.

I dont really believe in equipment break in periods or the flip side of honeymoon periods. I believe that on the range and in simulators there are few nerves and no hazards. You bang away. In golf there are both of those things and you dont get a do-over.

I also believe that you find a product that works, get fit for the right shaft and you will see the benefit of a club head and shaft that work together rather for one's swing rather than in spite of one's swing.

However all the technology in the world is not going to replace a non-repeatable swing.

^This. On the launch monitor you arent putting any pressure on yourself but once you buy the club and get to the course youve spent all this money on a new club and are putting pressure and expectations upon yourself to play well with this club, thus you get the struggles with it.

THIS^^^ and I will add 1 more thing. I see guys on the monitors all the time, and their swing is always so smooth and controlled, but you get them on the course and it is completely different and they are coming out of their shoes trying to crush the ball. Stay with the smooth tempo you have/had on the monitor and I would bet you would see more similar results. I am not saying that you are doing this, just a general observation I have made.

This has happened to me and I think as others have said it is due to a controlled smooth swing on the LM or simulator. Go back to your smooth swing and the results will come I am betting

I recently was fitted by a TaylorMade rep and purchased an R11s with a recommended Aldila 65 NV shaft. My first few rounds with it left me thinking I had totally wasted $400. Nothing was solid. I was extremely bummed. Then, about 1/2 way through a round, something just clicked and I began blistering drives 280 - 300 yards right down the middle with a slight draw, with my longest being 335 on a hole I had never been more than 290 off of the tee before. I found I was fighting the club and when I just relaxed and let it rip, it performed just as it did on the launch monitor. So yes, it can take time to adjust to a new club.

All great responses. It is just frustrating because I couldn't sleep last night after how well I hit my new driver at Edwin Watts yesterday. Now I can't sleep tonight because of how bad I hit my new driver on the golf course. Funny how life changes. I know I need some range time. Hopefully I will settle down and find my groove with my new driver

I could be wrong, but monitors don't take into account the side spin of the ball. That's why I often purchase a club at a store that has an actually range. Once I started that, It was easy to buy clubs.

This depends on the launch monitor. However, most that I've seen do show side spin.

While some simulators do not, almost all launch monitors will measure side spin.

I think you're spot on.

I agree with JB 100%
For myself, I found that when I went to the one and only golf shop in the area with any kind of a monitor, I was swinging waaay too hard.
The numbers all were great while in the shop, but as soon as I got to the course, I discovered that my normal swing was too slow for the X-Stiff shaft that the monitor showed as the right one for me.
I took it back, and got the stiff shaft and VOILA!

I disagree on clubs not having break in periods. Anytime you have layered composite/graphite materials, they are bonded with resins. These resins will flex and rebound over time, but as the resins break down a bit, they allow for more free flexing to happen. Ever hit a shaft for a while and bring it to get checked and it isn't as stiff as it was when it new? Thats what is happening. It is the same with composite baseball and softball bats, as the composites get hit more, bats get hotter until the break.



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I agree with this. Composite do break down. It it's definitely noticeable in softball bats. But back to the original poster, i think he was referring to getting "use to" the club. As previous posters have said on the monitor you swing smooth. However, On the course your now try to see how many more yards you can get from that money you spent and thats not going to get you any extra. I do think it takes a while to become familiar and comfortable with a club. It's probably mostly a confidence thing.

I didn't really have a break in period with my i20's. I did have to bump up the swing weight after a few rounds and that made a big difference.

Equipment break-in period
 

It never ceases to amaze me as to how well I hit a driver on the monitors but on the golf course, it is a completely different animal. Maybe I am expecting too much to be able to hit it good right away. When 12 out of 15 balls were great shots on the monitor, you would think I could get at least 2 decent shots on the golf course.

Does this happen to anybody eles on here? If so, did you finally start hitting the equipment you bought great or did you return it. I would think with several sessions on the range I could learn to hit it but with several sessions on the range, you could learn to almost hit anything. When a club is fitted for you, I expect an almost instant return on my money in the form of great shots.