A one dimensional (1D) line imaging system that operates at a scanning (clock) rate of between 10-40 MHz is used to monitor the characteristics of a golf swing. A line image is analyzed in real time by an associate computer imaging system removing the need for a trigger to operate. Optics of the imaging system are designed to relate ball image size to distance so that the number of 1 D pixels imaging the ball, in particular sensing a white object, have a relation to distance to the ball. Ball image size is related to distance by monitoring the rate of increase (rate of change) of the pixels imaging the ball with time so that the speed of the club head can be determined. The speed of a golf ball that has been struck is determined by monitoring the rate of decrease (rate of change) of the pixels imaging the ball.