Spin Axis and Spin Rate: why not measured?

I would like to start off by saying I in no way bought this device to save money over the flightscope as my main reason for purchase. I believe that the technology is as good, and is in a smaller package with better battery life, and that it will eventually surpass the flightscope mevo plus in accuracy. I also liked that the distance behind was only 6-8 vs minimum 8’ and I have a 120mph clubhead speed so need more distance in front of me. Lastly my son is a lefty, so the foresight or skytrack really wasnt an option. 

With all that said, I believe there is a huge opportunity for improvement with the garmin, that could be an even greater gamechanger than it already is and make it have trackman accuracy indoors. The best way to do that is to measure spin instead of calculating. I know garmin tried to avoid marking golf balls but can we get an update to allow marked golf balls to be used as an option to improve spin reading, and maybe even help with short chips and allow putting integration. On top of that garmin can then use the measured spin to improve their algorithms to eventually potentially eliminate the need again.  

The way I see it working is to have a second calculation based on spin measurement only that alters the ball flight once the ball is 1/3 of the way to the target.  This would allow the application to start the ball flight immediately like it does now, while properly measuring spin axis and rpm to always have the correct ball flight. My belief is that is how simulators by full swing work, where the 2 ir sensors measure ball speed and direction only to start the ball on line, then the pictures from their high speed camera calculated for spin and they adjust the ball mid flight for whatever spin is on the ball. They could use the actual values and over time could improve their algorithm to eliminate the need to use marked golf balls. This could also allow people to continue to avoid marked golf balls or use the device at the driving range, while getting extremely accurate indoor numbers that would help garmin improve algorithms for future updates.

Is there anyone else out there that would happily use special marked balls for this purpose?

Most likely a patent issue.

Maybe it is due to patents but I kind of doubt it. Trackman has been around for too long, and it is too easy to change something like this by enough that it wont get around the patent. It also seems that the location on the club face is not tracked. Just adding that to the algorithms would make a huge impact.  Titleist is now making balls with metal bands in them for the purpose of radar based systems. Trackman had dots, and now doesn’t need them, and mevo plus does. Maybe the hardware is not strong enough, as you would think the fact that the garmin costs 5% of the trackman and 25% of the mevo plus is for more than just engineering.  

garmin-rob or garmin-jimmy do you see this improving?  Do you have the hardware to eventually get spin close?  If so when do you believe that garmin will release an update to address this as it seems prior updates improve on everything except spin, which is every reviewers main complaint?  As this is all that is holding this product back from being within 3% all the time and making it a true training aid and not “just a toy” as many of the online reviews call it.

I have to decide by the end of the month whether I am going to order another device or keep this one as I have to pull the trigger on a pc version of e6 for my home simulator setup. 

Garmin-Rob Do you have any update on this?    I view this as a critical issue for the device...perhaps it's not possible with the hardware?

I’m wondering the same thing. Lack of measured spin renders the Garmin R10 almost useless for me. And it is otherwise such a beautiful device! Here’s hoping this will change in the future!