Ball Machine Glossary II

Programmability .......... A feature often found in better ball machines allowing the owner/operator to 'key in' shot sequences or drills to simulate real tennis play, either at the time or prior to use.

The better the tennis machine, the greater the number and complexity of sequences that can be instantly recalled - the best machines able to 'remember' speed, spin, elevation, horizontal position, shot delay etc, for each shot in the sequence.

This ball machine memory enables the operator to access player-specific drills so a number of players with varying abilities can practice their tennis drills at the same time.

Some ball machines allow patterns of play to be programmed on a home or office computer and then uploaded to their memory when required.

tennis drills

Random Oscillation .......... Switch found on most ball machines with an oscillating firing mechanism to deliver balls unpredictably during it's oscillation (normally horizontal) sweep, to better simulate the variation in real play. Fully random oscillation can be found on some better ball machines where a combination of simultaneous vertical and horizontal oscillation enables random deliveries to any part of the tennis court.

Real Play .......... Some of the better Ball Machines are able to approximate shot sequences you might expect in a 'real' game of tennis. This will make for better tennis practice, with 'unexpected' deliveries, more tennis 'on the run' and a more rewarding all court workout. In particular the Tennis Tutor Plus Player, and the Lobster Elites IV and V, have instant 'real playing style/ability' buttons, and the more programmable Playmate models allow you to create your own realistic sequences.

Remote Control .......... An optional extra on some tennis ball machines and integral to most premium models, the scope varies enormously from simple on/off ball feed control, to almost complete control over every function including programmability. Basic remotes are sometimes connected by a long cord to the machine, but most have wireless control. All remotes can save a lot of time in trips to and from your ball machine, and after using once, it's unlikely you'll be able to use a tennis machine without one again!

tennis ball machines

SAM Ball Machines .......... Built by Master Sports, the acronym SAM stands for Sports Action Machines. There are now 6 models after a recent consolidation, with an incredible scope from one of the best value ball machine on the market - the iSAM at $685, to the best machine - SAM Robot, at $28,500. These models are almost exactly the models produced for 'Prince' under a licence arrangement until 2006, when Master Sports decided to re-brand their machines. They're known for being of sturdy construction.

SAM Ball Machines

Serving Machine .......... A rare feature in a tennis ball machine as the service action is difficult to recreate, mainly due to the height at which the ball is struck during the service motion. A handful of ball machines are able to deliver realistic 'serves' by elevating their delivery wheels to the required height, but this premium feature comes at a premium price! Playmate solve the height problem by a separate device, the 'Serve Lift', which raises any of their 'Chameleon' series models to mimic a person's serving action, complete with spin. Big SAM Robot has integral delivery height control and can deliver 'first serves' Roger Federer would be proud of with 100% precision, bullet-like speed and the gamut of spins.

Smart Charger .......... Device to charge a (Ball Machine) battery that automatically switches to a trickle charge when the battery is fully topped up - hence 'smart'.This stops overcharging and possible battery damage, and so prolongs it's life. Smart Chargers are included within the price of some ball machines, but are an optional extra to others.

Speed Control .......... Available on most ball machines to control ball delivery speeds from gentle beginner friendly levels (10mph +) to a scorching 120mph on advanced ball machines.

advanced ball machines

Spin Attachment .......... Pneumatic Ball Machine accessory attachment to impart spin to the tennis ball. Compressed air throwing naturally delivers a 'flat' spinless ball, so an attachment is necessary to apply a twisting force to the ejected ball, creating spin. Other ball machines don't need an attachment, as the spin on the tennis ball is achieved by varying the speeds of opposing delivery wheels as the ball passes through.

Spin Attachment

Spin Control .......... A common feature on ball machines to most often impart top or backspin (underspin) to a tennis ball using a dial to control the relative speeds of the ball delivery wheels. Left handed or right handed slice is also available on some of the most expensive ball machines.

Sports Tutor .......... Produce the world's best selling Tennis Tutor tennis ball machines and manufacture other ball throwing devices. Their ball machines have enormous scope and many have familiar names like 'Tennis Twist', 'Tennis Cube', 'Tennis Tower' and 'Shotmaker'. All models are finished in distinctive black and are highly competitive with features for the price. Their after sales team is very responsive and helpful.

Tennis Tutor tennis ball

machines

Tennis Twist

Tennis Cube

Tennis Tower

Tennis Balls For A Ball Machine .......... Some high end ball machines like Playmate will cope with a variety of tennis balls, pressureless, pressurized, new and old without much variation in delivery. Economy tennis ball machines may not cope so well with variations in pressure and felt covering, so pressureless balls give a more consistant performance with less jamming. They're also more economical and last better than pressurized balls. Pneumatic ball machines like Lobster's 401 Tournament machine are also more immune to tennis ball variation.

Tennis Balls For A Ball Machine

pressureless balls

Trickle Charge .......... The 'top-up' reduced charge produced by a 'smart' charger to prevent battery damage after the charging process is complete. A Ball Machine battery gradually loses it's charge over time, but the continuous trickle charge will keep it ready for action no matter how long it's left.

Triple Oscillation .......... An advanced feature propounded by Lobster in their Elite series models from Elite 2 upwards, that allows you to choose between horizontal oscillation (left to right), vertical oscillation (front to back) or the third option - a combination of the two. This alternative is not found in other ball machines of a similar price, so lobster are justifiably pround. Triple oscillation simulates the shot sequences you're likely to face in a real match with tennis balls being fired to all corners of the court.

Triple Oscillation

2 Line Function .......... This is a feature of more advanced tennis ball machines allowing alternate delivery of tennis balls down two separate lines on the court. This has obvious advantages for practising forehand and backhand shots in succession, or for two players to each practice one shot.

Some ball machines let you modify these two delivery positions with 'narrow' or 'wide' settings: the 'narrow' will deliver tennis balls to two lines toward the middle of the court; the 'wide' will deliver to two totally distinct lines near the court extremities. Some machines have a 'medium' setting for even more variation.