Carry
The distance a shot travels in flight before it reaches the ground.
Carry describes the airborne part of a shot’s distance. Total distance adds what happens after landing. This difference matters when a shot must clear a bunker or water before it can roll toward the target.
Carry and roll
| Part of the shot | Illustrative distance |
|---|---|
| Carry to landing | 140 yards |
| Roll after landing | 15 yards |
| Total distance | 155 yards |
A club that totals 155 yards in this example cannot be assumed to carry a hazard 150 yards away. The ball first lands at 140 yards.
Plan around the landing point
Use a dependable carry distance for the shot, not the longest total distance you have seen. Wind, temperature, elevation and strike can change the flight. Ground firmness affects how much the ball rolls after landing.
Read launch-monitor numbers carefully
Trackman’s carry measurement is referenced to the elevation of the starting point. Normalized numbers adjust for selected conditions, so keep raw and normalized readings separate. A carry chart is most useful when its units and measurement conditions are consistent.