Abstract: An golf flight path and swing monitoring apparatus includes a first and second spaced-apart sensors for determining club head speed during a golf downswing. A computer running a software program is configured for calculating the swing path, club head speed and club head angle at impact with a ball based on the monitored light signals of the sensors. Multiple temporally successive images of the ball after impact are captured for comparison and total ball flight characteristics determination. The golf ball has a stripe at least halfway around its surface that is apparent within each image notwithstanding the rotated position of the ball. Linear extrapolations of the marking and circumferential extrapolations of the images are automatically performed by the computer. Three-dimensional positions, preferably based on calculated diameters, are calculated based on the circumferential extrapolations.

Abstract: A system is described for monitoring the swing path of a golf club head and for monitoring flight characteristics of a golf ball following impact. A processor utilizes data from spaced apart spaced sensor arrays in determining the club head speed and head angle of a golf club during the swing phase of the club. Image capture devices captures successive images of the ball after impact, and the system processor generates data reflecting ball flight characteristics based on a comparison of the images.