Shot Tracking and Swing Data: Toptracer and TrackMan Compared
Toptracer and TrackMan are two different shot-tracking systems, and Golf Center of Arlington has both. Toptracer uses cameras and runs on every bay screen with any bucket of balls. TrackMan is a Doppler-radar launch monitor used in a booked, supervised session that ends with an emailed report and swing video.
Golfers ask us this almost every day: "Is Toptracer the same as TrackMan?" No. They both tell you where the ball went, but they answer different questions, cost different amounts and live in different places at Golf Center of Arlington. This guide compares them side by side so you can pick the right one for today's visit.
What is the difference between Toptracer and TrackMan?
Toptracer is camera-based ball tracking built into the range. It is on all the time, it is included with your bucket, and it is designed for practice, games and virtual courses. TrackMan is a radar launch monitor. At Golf Center of Arlington it is used outdoors on the real range in a supervised session, and it records club data and swing video that Toptracer does not capture.
| Toptracer | TrackMan | |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Camera sensors mounted on the range | Doppler radar unit placed behind you |
| What it measures | Ball flight, carry, distance, ball speed, launch angle, accuracy | Club Speed, Ball Speed, Smash Factor, Launch Angle, Spin Rate, Carry, Attack Angle, Club Path, Face Angle, Dynamic Loft, plus swing video |
| Who it is for | Everyone: first-timers, families, leagues, regular practice | Golfers who want to know why the ball does what it does: lessons, fittings, serious improvement |
| How you get it | Included with any bucket, on every bay screen | Booked session with a professional supervisor |
| Cost model | Bucket price only: $21 / $28 / $35 (members $15 / $20 / $25) | See current pricing when you book |
| What you keep | Session history in the Toptracer app | Emailed web report with all data and swing videos |
| Where it lives on site | All 18 covered bays and 28 grass hitting areas | Outdoors on the same range, at your session |
Prices as published on golfcenterofarlington.com; subject to change. No TrackMan session price is published; see current pricing when you book.
How does each technology actually track the ball?
The two systems watch the shot from opposite directions, and that is why they measure different things.
Toptracer: cameras downrange
Cameras on the range pick up the ball after it leaves the tee and trace its flight on your bay screen. It is the same technology used on PGA Tour broadcasts to draw the shot line. Because it watches the ball, it reports ball data: carry, total distance, ball speed, launch angle, height and how far offline you finished.
TrackMan: radar behind you
TrackMan reads the changing frequency of microwaves reflected off the club and the ball, much like a Doppler weather radar. Because it sees the clubhead before impact, it can report club speed, attack angle, club path, face angle and dynamic loft alongside the ball numbers, and it records swing video at the same time.
The practical difference
Toptracer tells you what the ball did. TrackMan tells you what the ball did and what the club did to cause it. If your question is "how far do I carry my 7-iron?", Toptracer answers it. If your question is "why does my driver slice?", you want TrackMan.
What does Toptracer give you at Golf Center of Arlington?
Every one of the 18 covered, heated bays and 28 natural-grass hitting areas at Golf Center of Arlington has a Toptracer screen, and Toptracer GO adds mobile-app tracking on 28 additional outdoor grass tees and mats. Buy a bucket, pick a spot and the tracking is already on. Our complete guide to what Toptracer is and how it works goes deeper, but the short version is below.
- Real-time ball flight, carry, distance, ball speed, launch angle and accuracy on the bay screen after every shot.
- Virtual Golf on famous courses such as Pebble Beach, St Andrews, Torrey Pines and Royal St. George's. See where you can play Pebble Beach on a golf simulator-style screen in DFW.
- Games and modes: Warm Up, Closest to the Pin, Points Game, Long Drive, Go Fish, Approach Challenge, Angry Birds, Driving Challenge and My Practice.
- Toptracer30, a 30-shot skills assessment with personalized insights.
- Sync to the official Toptracer app to store club data and history, and compete on the global leaderboard.
- No experience needed. We wrote a separate page on whether Toptracer is good for beginners; the answer is yes.
Toptracer also runs our golf leagues and most group events, because a screen full of games keeps a foursome busy for an hour without anyone needing a handicap. The Toptracer overview page lists every mode.
What does a TrackMan session include?
A TrackMan session at Golf Center of Arlington is a booked appointment, not a walk-up. You hit real balls outdoors on the real range while a professional supervisor runs the radar and captures video. Here is how it goes.
- Book a time. Reserve online with the button on this page; see current pricing when you book.
- Warm up and hit. The supervisor sets the TrackMan unit behind you on the range. You hit your own clubs at real targets in real wind.
- Watch the numbers. Every swing produces Club Speed, Ball Speed, Smash Factor, Launch Angle, Spin Rate, Carry, Attack Angle, Club Path, Face Angle and Dynamic Loft. We explain each one in what a TrackMan session tells you about your golf swing.
- Get the report. At the end you receive a web report by email with all the data and your swing videos, ready to share with your instructor at your next lesson.
TrackMan is also used inside our Refinement Program lessons, where "Full Swing Mechanics on TrackMan" is one of the core modules for advanced players. If you want the booking and location details, read where you can use a TrackMan launch monitor in Arlington or go straight to the TrackMan page.
Want the full picture of your swing, not just where the ball landed? TrackMan sessions are supervised and end with an emailed report and video.
Book a TrackMan Session
Which one should you use today?
Most golfers need both at different times. Use the panel below to decide what fits this visit.
Pick Toptracer when you want to…
- Hit a bucket and see carry distances for every club
- Play a virtual round or a game with friends or kids
- Practice at night, in the rain or in the heat under a covered bay
- Track progress week to week in the Toptracer app
- Spend $21 to $35 and nothing more
Pick TrackMan when you want to…
- Find out why a shot curves: club path and face angle
- Check spin rate and launch before you buy a driver
- Get swing video and a report to bring to a lesson
- Work on attack angle or dynamic loft with a professional watching
- Build a baseline before a Refinement Program or a fitting
Two of the most common TrackMan reasons get their own pages: should you get a TrackMan session before buying new clubs and where to get a launch monitor swing analysis in DFW.
Is either one a golf simulator?
Not in the strict sense. A golf simulator is a screen-and-projector room where you hit into a net. At Golf Center of Arlington you always hit real balls onto a real range. Toptracer Virtual Golf draws the famous course on your bay screen while the ball flies outdoors, which is the closest thing to simulator golf on site. TrackMan is a launch monitor, not a simulator, and we use it outdoors. The full explanation is on is TrackMan the same thing as a golf simulator.
How much does each one cost?
Toptracer costs nothing beyond your bucket. A medium bucket of 60 balls is $21 (members $15), a large bucket of 90 balls is $28 (members $20), and an extra-large bucket of 120 balls is $35 (members $25). Bucket prices are 30% off from 9 AM to 6 PM daily if you mention the special at check-in, and every bucket earns rewards points. Membership is $129 a year or $18 a month.
TrackMan is a separate booked session. No session price is published on the site, so see current pricing when you book. Bring your own clubs to either; if you do not have a set, ask us about options when you arrive.
Do a Toptracer session first and note the clubs that surprise you, good or bad. Then book TrackMan and ask the supervisor to focus on those clubs. You will get more out of the radar time when you arrive with a specific question.
Where is all this, and when can you come?
Golf Center of Arlington is at 1301 NE Green Oaks Blvd, Arlington, TX 76006, about two miles north of the Arlington Entertainment District and minutes from AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field. The range is open Monday–Saturday 8 AM–11 PM and Sunday 8 AM–10 PM, seven days a week, rain or shine, with the last bucket sold one hour before closing. Toptracer needs no reservation; TrackMan does. Questions? Call 817-469-9005.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use TrackMan on a regular range bay without booking?
No. At Golf Center of Arlington, TrackMan is a booked, supervised session run by a professional supervisor on the outdoor range. Toptracer, on the other hand, is built into every covered bay and grass hitting area and is included with any bucket, so you can walk in and use it anytime the range is open.
Does Toptracer show club speed or spin rate?
Toptracer reports ball data: ball flight, carry, distance, ball speed, launch angle and accuracy. It does not measure the club, so it does not show club speed, attack angle, club path, face angle or dynamic loft, and it does not report spin rate. Those come from the TrackMan radar in a booked session, along with swing video.
Which is more accurate, Toptracer or TrackMan?
They are built for different jobs rather than competing on one number. Toptracer's cameras are the same system used on PGA Tour broadcasts and are more than accurate enough for carry distances and practice games. TrackMan's Doppler radar captures club data and spin that a camera system does not attempt, which is why instructors and club fitters rely on it.
Do I get to keep my TrackMan data?
Yes. At the end of your session you receive a web report by email containing all of your club and ball data plus the swing videos recorded during the session. Many golfers forward it to their instructor before a lesson. Toptracer data is kept separately in the official Toptracer app when you sync your session.
How much does a TrackMan session cost at Golf Center of Arlington?
The site does not publish a TrackMan session price, so please see current pricing when you book online. Toptracer pricing is simply the bucket price: $21 for 60 balls, $28 for 90 or $35 for 120, with member prices of $15, $20 and $25 and a 30% discount from 9 AM to 6 PM daily.
See your numbers on TrackMan
A supervised session on the real range, with a web report and swing video emailed to you afterward.
Golf Center of Arlington · 1301 NE Green Oaks Blvd, Arlington, TX 76006 · 817-469-9005 · Open Mon–Sat 8 AM–11 PM, Sun 8 AM–10 PM