Imagine a mobile phone app that could instantly identify the single-best golf ball model based on your unique swing. You’d be all over it, right?
Well, the future has arrived. Compatible with both iOS and Android devices, ScanMyGolfBall can quickly scan and identify the proper golf ball for anyone’s game. Rather than collecting personal shot data about you, the brand-agnostic app collects golf swing information through a series of interactive questions and then matches you to a ball that best fits your game.
“It’s a convenient and easy-to-use ball fitting tool,” says app and company founder Tim Chase, who is the founder and CEO of SMGB Technologies in Melbourne, Fla. “Based on those questions, the app will recommend the best-fitting ball for you, or a series of balls.
“You can also scan any golf ball through your phone’s camera, and the app will tell you how well that ball fits you based on the profile you’ve created.”
The ScanMyGolfBall app questions you about swing speed, flight path tendencies, general trajectory, short-game spin, and more. Based on those answers, the app builds a profile and ultimately recommends specific golf ball models. Plus, you can instantly scan any ball to see how well that model fits your game.
Like millions of avid golfers, Chase was blindly playing a popular ball from a leading manufacturer for a long time. After reading up about it, he realized it was a misfit for his game. He switched to a softer compression ball and immediately added 20 yards.
“I had a slower swing speed and couldn’t generate enough clubhead speed to compress the ball I was playing,” he says. “And that’s what gave me the idea for this app – especially because I was playing in a men’s league and there were older gentlemen out there playing the forward tees, hitting it 180 yards off the tee, yet also playing a ball that’s better fit for a pro. As I studied this more, I realized most golfers don’t really understand golf balls, the concept of low-spin and high-spin balls, the difference a cover makes, compression, etc.
“So, I set out to develop this app that makes everything very simple. By using the right ball, most people will get more distance off the tee and more accuracy. The app is a great tool for golfers.”
The ScanMyGolfBall app, which already has a database of 500+ ball models both new and old, goes beyond simple identification. It scans and processes ball cover type, layer count, compression, spin rate, feel and dimple patterns. The app will soon be able to analyze and assess golf ball damage and determine its fit for use through a three-image scanning process.
ScanMyGolfBall app user database, which already has thousands of golf ball fitting data, seeing some exciting trends in the collected data. Currently, the five most scanned manufacturers are Titleist ProV1, Titleist ProV1x, Callaway Supersoft, Callaway Chrome Soft, and Callaway Superhot.
In addition, the top recommended balls include Callaway ERC Soft (mid compression, low spin, budget-friendly ball), Srixon Soft Feel (low compression, low spin, budget-friendly), Titleist ProV1 (high compression, high spin, premium price), Maxfli Tour X (high compression, high spin, less expensive than premium), and Taylormade Tour Response (mid compression, high spin, moderate price).
Chase looks forward to growing the number of app downloads and continuing to match golfers to new golf balls when they are released.
“Being able to connect anytime with our fast-growing database and impacting the thousands of golfers in our system who benefit from having a properly fit golf ball is exciting,” he says. “We can send push notifications directly through the app to golfers, letting them know as new ball models become available. From there, we have the technology to create codes that could be directed to golf retailers or even specific brand websites.
ScanMyGolfBall has recently partnered with Golfballs.com, one of the top retailers for golf balls. When users complete the Ball Fitting Tool, the app will provide three recommended balls, each with a one-tap direct purchase link to golfballs.com.
“Sure, there are other services like ours online – but most are not brand-agnostic and free. I consider this to be like a fiduciary of golf balls, in that we’re looking out for the best interest of golfers.”