Rapsodo has partnered with Titleist to introduce a RPT Version of the Pro V1 Golf Ball.
The Pro V1 joins Callaway’s Chrome Soft X in the Rapsodo RPT ball catalog. An RPT version of the Pro V1x will be available in 2025.
What is RPT?
For those unfamiliar with the Rapsodo ecosystem, RPT stands for Rapsodo Precision Technology. RPT-enabled golf balls feature a collection of markings (spots, really) on the caps that allow the MLM2PRO launch monitor to accurately capture measurements of spin and spin axis.
Why RPT matters
of MLM2PRO is what you might consider a hybrid launch monitor design. Like the FlightScope MEVO, Full Swing KIT, and Garmin R10, the MLM2PRO uses Doppler radar to measure things like ball speed, launch angle, and launch direction.
Most radar-based devices are pretty good with those basic metrics.
Where the MLM2PRO differs is that instead of trying to capture roll data with radar, it uses an on-board camera system and RPT golf balls to capture the spin speed and spin axis.
We have discussed the challenges and limitations of relying on radar-based devices to capture roll in flight-restricted environments. Looking at the technical parts, the main thing is that it does not work particularly well.
Radar’s natural attempts to accurately capture rates of rotation (emphasis on accurately) is why, prior to MLM2PRO, Rapsodo did not include turnover rates in its list of metrics.
Unfortunately for data-hungry players, many of Rapsodo’s competitors were happy to include spin rates in their datasets, even when they knew they weren’t entirely reliable.
It’s why Titleist and Trackman teamed up to create RCT (radar tracking technology) golf balls. RCT-enabled golf balls significantly improve the Doppler radar’s ability to accurately measure spin velocity, but capturing spin axis tilt and ultimately golf ball curvature remains problematic.
This is where Rapsodo differentiates itself from other radar-based launch monitors.
When RPT balls are used, MLM2PRO utilizes an integrated camera system to capture spin speed and spin axis.
It’s a better approach.
Can I make my own RPT balls?
Looking at the seemingly simple model found in RPT golf ballsyou may wonder if you can take a DIY approach to RPT.
Yes, you can*.
There are third party rides out there. Golfers are definitely doing it. The caveat is that they are not nearly as accurate and some have gone so far as to modify the model to work around Rapsodo’s patents.
The DIY approach will likely give you rolling data, but whether that data is accurate (it probably isn’t) is a different conversation.
To certify genuine RPT balls, Rapsodo uses a quality control platform called AQUTEST360. AQUTEST360 uses six cameras to ensure that each of the 27 markings found on an RPT golf ball are exactly where they need to be for accurate spin capture.
To put some numbers on it, Titleist and Rapsodo hit between 10,000 and 12,000 shots to make sure the RPT model was working properly in For V1. The placement of each of those 27 points is accurate to 0.5mm.
You won’t find such tight tolerances on Etsy.
How accurate is MLM2PRO spin data with RPT golf balls?
According to Rapsodo, in side-by-side testing with the Foresight GC Quad (the gold standard in camera-based launch monitors), it found only a 50 rpm difference in the roll measurements and 0.75 degrees of change in the roll axis.
Perfect? No, but significantly better than most any radar-based consumer launch monitor on the market, and when you consider that the MLM2PRO retails for less than $700, for budget-conscious players who place a premium on accuracy (compared with gamification), the combination of MLM2PRO and RPT balls seem like a no-brainer.
The point is, you can spend a lot more money for a lot less accuracy. Many already have.
CODB
If there’s a caveat to all of this, it’s that at US$69.99 a dozen, the Titleist Pro V1 RPT golf balls aren’t cheap, but I won’t cover that for you. If accurate spin data is important, that is, if understanding the true flight of a golf ball meaning reliable offline data and dispersion is important to you, $69.99 per dozen is just the cost of doing business.
When you consider MLM2PRO’s generally affordable price to get started, it’s not an unbearable extra expense. Plus, you’ll be hitting them into a screen or net, which means a dozen should last significantly longer than on the golf course.
Titleist Pro V1 with RPT golf balls sold exclusively through Rapsodo.
For more information or to order yours, visit Rapsodo.com.
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