Fail!

After testing the PutPi software more then once, re-doing all calculations by hand and using other software club-path, swing direction and all other direction related data seemed incorrect. Not all the time but just now and then.

I build a special "Marker" rail system, allowing almost total control over swing direction and angle of attack.

But still, wrong data.....

Reason!

Then suddenly I started to understand the reason. When the software measures the TOMI marker it knows exactly how the TOMI marker is orientated in relation to the camera but.....the camera has no idea about it's orientated in relation to the target! So impossible to determine the correct swing-direction!

Solutions?

A possible solution is to make sure that the camera is 100% correctly perpendicular to the target or playing line but placing a small camera at 3meters from the target and 1meter from the ball placement 100% correct is impossible.

An other solution is to place the putter with the TOMI marker attached at the ball placement position, measure that position and the move the putter towards the target keeping it on the target/playing line. That might work but leaves enough room for errors and with a objective to measure the swing data within 0.1degree any possible procedure that introduces error should be avoided.

Placing the camera behind the putter in line with the target seems like a good solution but it means that the TOMI marker has to be placed 90degrees turned in relation to it's original position. That "weird" position might influence the putter swing due to the visual distortion such an orientation has for the golfer. Placing the camera at the target has the same visual distortion issue.

Solution

The solution is to introduce a second "marker" allowing the software to measure the direction of the target line. It's a marker that will be placed against the putter clubhead while the putter is placed in the correct position. The marker has 4 leds and those leds are then used to measure the target line direction.

I have already 3D printed this marker, the leds are ordered and I hope those will be delivered within a few days.

To be continued.....