Coaching combined with the latest technology

    Matt Tyler, the director of golf at Sweetwoods Park Golf Club has been using the GC2 with HMT for over two years. He explains how using the technology has made a big difference to the quality of his coaching.

    What was your first experience GC2?
    A friend of mine had the GC2 with HMT and I was unsure whether to get one or go down the road of other launch monitor manufacturers. However, once I was shown the in-depth club analysis of the HMT then, for the bulk of what I was going to be using it for from a coaching aspect it was phenomenal. It put me in a position where I could take my coaching to the next level and offer a lot more value for money to customers in the lessons that I was charging for.

    How has it helped your coaching?
    It means there is no guessing to it now, when you use the GC2 – especially with the HMT – you are getting factual data and finding out exactly why the ball has gone 30 yards left, not just because you think x, y and z happened, you are factually seeing this and then you can translate this to the client. There is also a lot of information that you can send onto the client after a session.

    You aren’t stood there old school on a range in the middle of winter with a fleece on, you can take your coaching inside. The benefits are there for custom fitting and coaching – you are getting analysis to a point of a degree, carry distances, roll outs and all the angles in the most precise dimensions that you could possibly want them. In terms of return on investment then, from a coaching aspect, it has almost paid for itself. It has brought in clients from all over my local area and also from different golf clubs. I spent a lot of money advertising it and I don’t think I have given a fitting session this year where using it hasn’t converted the sale.

    Had you previously used technology to try and help your coaching?
    I used to have a radar launch monitor indoors at the club that I was working at and, quite simply, the results just weren’t good enough. The size of the room that we had was borderline too small but we went with it anyway. I didn’t have any confidence giving fitting sessions though – if you hit one too hard or too soft then it wouldn’t register.

    Do you trust the data that is provided for you?
    I trust the numbers of the GC2 absolutely, down to a tee. I fitted a customer for a new driver and their average carry distance was coming out at 197 yards and he asked me how much I believed the numbers – the answer was 100 per cent. He then played a golf course a couple of weeks later and a carry distance came out at 195; he went for it with his driver and carried it by a matter of yards, so after that he was absolutely sold. It was great for us as a club but out of that he told everyone his experience and how factual this data is. The HMT data really transforms things from a coaching aspect.