Trade Talk – Training Aids

Diamond Golf

Diamond Golf recommends the Yes! Putting Mirror allowing precise target alignment by keeping the ball plumb below the eyeline and keeping shoulders and putter face square to the target line. It helps the golfer work on their putting aim, eyeline, posture, setup, mental consistency and parallax compensation, all at the same time without them realising they’re doing it. Measuring 36 by 31cms, it can be used by right and left handed golfers and can be fixed to the putting surface by inserting 4 tees in handily placed holes around the mirror. RRP: £32.95

Also available, the Impact Ball trains by placing the focus on the body and club working together in every shot – driving, chipping, pitching, bunker play – resulting in increased distance and purer striking of the ball. The Impact Ball creates the ideal relationship between the body, the hands and wrists, and the club head through the impact area producing the right feel for every shot in the game. Available in men’s, ladies and junior versions, at RRP: £29.95. More at: www.diamondgolf.co.uk

JS International

The Pro Infinity Putting Mat (pictured) is said to be the ultimate premium putting mat to simulate actual putting green conditions. This advanced putting green has four different putting speeds varying from typical to Masters Tournament green speeds as well as movable foam wedges to create green like contours. A life-like silicon hole can be placed anywhere on the mat for all kinds of practice while the ball leaves a trail on the mat which allows for analysis of each putt. With numerous training exercises and games, this is the perfect roll out mat to feel, alignment and consistency in any putting scenario. RRP: £109.95.

The Golf-grip is a small pocket friendly product that allows the golfer to achieve the perfect grip position. It is the only golf grip training aid that gives you full hand positioning and full contact with your own golf club. RRP: £14.99.

The Easy Net is the perfect golf net for practicing. Made with a shock-corded fibreglass frame to shield from high impact shots, it is easily transportable so can be used anywhere from a practice range to a back garden. RRP: £49.99. More at: www.jsint.com

PIQ

PIQ has announced its first wearable golf device providing golfers with instant data. In partnership with leading golf app developer, Mobitee, the very lightweight PIQ golf device attaches to the golfer’s glove to display yardage to the green while transmitting swing metrics, shot tracking and specific club data onto the golfer’s smartphone.

The PIQ sensor is light and clips onto any golf glove providing instant yardage to the front, centre and back of the green. Yardages are shown on a vibrant LED display on the back of the golfer’s glove that is viewable even in extreme sunshine. Using Mobitee’s database of over 35,000 golf courses across the globe, golfers have accurate distances no matter what golf course is played. The app automatically detects the course and then displays hole-by-hole yardages based on the golfer’s GPS location.

Data is captured from every club that the golfer uses during the round through the use of near-field communication (NFC) sensor tags that are inserted onto the end of each grip. There are 15 NFC sensor tags labelled for each club in a set and an additional three customisable sensor tags are also included for a total of 18. With a quick tap of the sensor tag to the PIQ golf device on the player’s glove before every shot, the shot-tracking and distance data is then recorded onto the Mobitee app. That real-time data is instantly viewable on a smartphone or can be analysed afterwards.

The PIQ golf device will track all shots and record yardages to give golfers the ability to analyse their distances with each club providing helpful averages over time for future club selection. PIQ also highlights the golfer’s best moments of the round including longest drive, best swing, top score and other highlights that can be shared via social media and text messaging.

In addition to a rangefinder, scorekeeper and shot-tracker, PIQ captures important data from the player’s swing including swing tempo, clubhead speed, and the swing path. That information is then displayed in a 3-D swing analysis on the smartphone.

By integrating the latest sensor technologies along with NFC tags, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and cutting-edge micro-processing technology, PIQ incorporates 13 axis points and accurately measures performance metrics such as velocity, height, airtime, G-force, amplitude, trajectory and others. More at: www.piq.com/videogolf

Swing Catalyst

Swing Catalyst is a market-leader in the emerging area of ground forces analysis. Its Balance Plate consists of more than 2,000 high-resolution pressure sensors, providing critical data, including detailed foot-pressure analysis, accurate pressure distribution, real-time centre of pressure (CoP) mapping, and CoP patterns – none of which can be seen by the best-trained eye or even the highest-speed cameras.

For those wanting to take their understanding and analysis even further, the 3D Motion Plate is the company’s flagship technology, already being used by many of the best coaches in the world – including Sean Foley. The 3D Motion Plate provides all of the balance-plate data as well as horizontal and vertical force measurements, giving complete analysis of torque and ground forces generated during the golf swing.

Swing Catalyst is also redefining the standards of video analysis systems. It is unique, in that it integrates all the major analysis technologies within the same piece of tuition software. So for the first time coaches can see, review, and save a student’s swing, launch-monitor data, and balance-plate data in a single application.

It can be integrated into any indoor swing studio or golf simulator, or be used on the practice range. Its state-of-the-art video analysis software is an ideal upgrade to existing studios or swing rooms, making use of existing cameras whenever possible. Once installed, the full potential of its integrated systems can be unleashed, with real-time video, CoP and balance data, as well as launch-monitor numbers, all combined into one software platform. More at: www.swingcatalyst.eu

PlaneSwing

PlaneSwing Golf continues to expand its portfolio and provide products that help grow the coaching and retail revenue of the PGA professional, says Managing Director Tony Clark. “Our goal is game improvement and we achieve that by providing the very best teaching and training aids that deliver on their promise. Coupled with that we see a ready-made retail opportunity for the PGA professional if they want it.” Last year the company acquired the rights to PowerStance, the stability aid featured and commended on Golf Channel’s ‘Inventors Only’ show, a product now used by PGA pros in 16 countries outside of the USA.

The most recent addition to the PlaneSwing stable is PutterWheel, a highly engineered putting aid that complements PlaneSwing’s kinaesthetic range. Clark commented, “It was love at first roll for me. Like PlaneSwing and PowerStance its simplicity disguises a highly engineered piece of kit. The PutterWheel is not simply a ball with the sides cut off. It is designed to replicate the size, weight and feel of an actual golf ball. The PutterWheel is highly sensitive to miss-hits, resulting in wobbling and curving off the intended line.

“The red bevelled edges make getting your eyes directly over the ball fool-proof, helping address posture, weight distribution and path. The corresponding patented alignment template is also an important part of the PutterWheel system. Once you have trained yourself to roll the PutterWheel smoothly on line, you can deploy that mental visualisation on the course by drawing two parallel lines on your game ball with the alignment tool. I love it and golfers do too.”

Clark says that products like these which promote instant understanding and improved performance should be a welcome and credible addition to the PGA professional’s retail offering, increasing revenue and profitability More at: www.planeswing.com

TaylorMade myRoundPro analytics

TaylorMade has announced a standalone analytics platform, myRoundPro, designed says the company to enhance the golfer’s performance and overall experience through the use of statistics and analytics such as strokes gained, which has quickly become one of the sport’s most valuable statistical barometers.

Although golfers can manually create a round of golf in TaylorMade’s myRoundPro web platform, the best experience is had when paired with a Microsoft Band and its GPS tracking capabilities. Once the user is connected to both platforms any previous or future rounds played using the Microsoft Band will sync seamlessly to TaylorMade’s myRoundPro.

Once players’ rounds of golf are complete using the Microsoft Band and Microsoft Health app, they can sync their round with their myRoundPro account to view statistics such as fairways hit, greens in regulation, sand saves and putts per round. Even further detailed analytics come in the form of dispersion charts, shot records viewed on individual maps of every hole played, Strokes Gained in driving, approach shots, putting and more.

myRoundPro uses the statistical analysis measurement commonly known as ‘Strokes Gained’, which was developed by Columbia Business School professor and author, Mark Broadie. TaylorMade’s platform enables golfers to monitor and track their performance and statistics against a professional tour player or scratch golfer benchmark analytic. Strokes Gained also allows the golfer to identify specific areas of their game that are affecting their performance.

myRoundPro is optimised for desktop, laptop and tablet computers and for use on mobile devices. Golfers can create an account at: www.myroundpro.com

SkyPro

SkyCaddie’s SkyPro golf swing training device has added a new ‘Attack Angle’ feature in an upgrade. Attack Angle measures whether the clubhead is moving up or down on the ball at impact. The upgrade is automatically added when golfers update the free SkyPro app on their smartphone or tablet, with Attack Angle appearing as a new parameter in the Impact area of every swing. SkyPro users will also discover that Attack Angle has also been applied retrospectively to every swing which they have ever recorded on their SkyPro.

SkyPro is a small sensor which fits almost imperceptibly onto the shaft of the golf club, below the grip. It monitors a club’s motion during a swing. This information is transmitted wirelessly to a smartphone or tablet, providing instant feedback and making golf practice and golf lessons far more meaningful.

The new feature enables golf professionals to use SkyPro to custom-fit golfers for the perfect driver or new set of irons, and also enables golfers to groove their swings even more accurately – with lower scores and a more enjoyable round of golf the rewards.

A golfer’s angle of attack into the ball plays a major part in optimising ball speed, the quality of strike, and total distance achieved. Carl Bianco, head PGA professional at Woking Golf Club stated, “It’s a game-changing update. Until now we’ve needed a £10,000 launch monitor to determine the angle of attack. Nearly every bad driver of a golf ball I see has a downward attack angle, so this additional parameter is fantastic news for anyone who has a SkyPro.

“Modern-day drivers are all about spin characteristics, so Attack Angle is especially important when you’re buying a new driver. With many golfers also struggling to achieve the right downward angle of attack with their iron play, I can see Attack Angle being of massive benefit”.

Attack Angle is available now for SkyPro users with Apple iOS smartphones and tablets, with an announcement regarding the Android update expected soon. More at: www.golfskypro.com

CaddieOn

CaddieOn, is an all in one shot tracking, analytical, auto scoring and GPS device that allows golfers to track their game, providing instant feedback after every shot but also in depth analyse of their whole round. CaddieOn has the ability to recognise every shot played by the golfer and uses the power of smartphones to provide instant feedback of every shot including distance and location, as well as an auto scoring feature.

The small wrist device tracks every shot played and combines this information to provide in depth analysis of a golfer’s round and average statistics for the year including: average driving distance; longest drive; greens and fairways in regulation; putts per round, plus additional statistics all in real time. The smartphone app also provides golfers with instant yardage to hazards and information to the front, middle and back of greens and much more.

All information can be viewed instantly and the in-depth analysis can be looked at straight after the round without the need to upload the information manually to a computer. This allows golfers to compare their rounds to see their strengths, weaknesses and trends, which will help them to identify what part of their game needs more focus to help bring their score down. RRP: £199. More at: www.jsint.com

Sure-Set

The Sure-Set golf training aid is designed to make the backswing move easy. It trains the player to ‘set’ the club into the correct loaded position with great swing width, on the right plane, with the right angles. It is the vital blend of wrist hinge, forearm rotation and shoulder turn, as a player coils around a solid foundation, that combine to produce a powerful backswing position. The skill is in the mix and the Sure-Set makes learning the backswing move easy. It also works as a great assistant in learning the sequence of the downswing, allowing the stored power to be maximised with uncoiling from the floor: pelvis-trunk-lead arm.

A new swing move is hard to practice as the feeling gets diluted the more the student works on it. By using the Sure-Set in practice that feeling is not lost with quick adaption to correct new motor patterns, giving a more powerful, loaded move. This in turn creates a balanced and perfectly sequenced swing.

The beauty of the Sure-Set is that it works for many different types and styles of swings (from one/two-plane to A-swing and stack and tilt), as it can be set-up with different configurations and widths for use with a variety of drills. It is versatile, giving options for an early or late set, working with the individual flexion of a player’s wrists to establish a constant radius, the common denominator to all great swings. It acts as a continual reminder of how a bio-mechanically correct swing move should feel.

The Sure-Set was invented by one of Europe’s leading young coaches Dan Frost, who wanted to transform the learning experience for golfers from an analytical one, that is often complicated by technical thoughts, into something very simple that they could feel and trust.

Frost stated, “I designed the Sure-Set to help golfers to establish a natural flow to their swing. It’s just like putting the stabilisers on a bike, a child learns to cycle with them for a few weeks and then when you take them away all of a sudden they can cycle effortlessly. I like to think of the Sure-Set as the training wheels of the golf swing, creating a repetition-based routine that establishes a new neural pathway and allows the golfer to perform on automatic pilot.”

The Sure-Set has been added to the coaching bags of leading instructors at academies around the world and has received a very positive critique from the top names in coaching – Sean Hogan, Pete Cowan, Luther Blacklock and Jason Floyd to name just a few. RRP: £80. More at: www.sure-set-golf.co.uk

Ojee Golf Talon

The Talon from Ojee Golf uses a digital display unit that attaches to the top of any golf club, together with a separate wireless unit worn at the golfer’s back. It calculates and clearly displays four critical angles of address: spine angle, club shaft angle, club shaft to spine angle, and rotation angle of the club face. It is the brainchild of Teesside-based product designer Matt Hulbert and his father Paul. It enables golfers to view their stance and adjust to their best position, improving muscle memory, consistency and performance.

Tony Westwood, director of Westwood Golf Academy and Mind Fit Golf, has played and coached golf internationally since 1985. Having recently trialled the Ojee Talon, the PGA professional is keen to advocate its benefits as an innovative golf training aid.

Westwood states, “Practice is about repeating the same motion over and over again and, to be able to do that effectively, golfers need to be in the same, or very similar, positions each time. The golf swing is a series of compensations. Anything which enables you to cut down on the number of compensations is going to be valuable. That’s exactly what the Talon does – it allows you to measure the best position from which to swing your golf club.

“A golfer is like a machine, and, for a machine to perform at its best, it needs to be set up and calibrated every time it starts work. I think the Talon will sell very well, whether in stores, pro shops or online – the Talon costs about the equivalent of three golf lessons with me, so it’s relatively inexpensive for what it’s going to be able to be able to deliver.

“Long-term I can certainly see a lot of potential and I think its market is very wide – from the tour player down. The PGA professionals I’ve spoken with, and certainly those who own academies, are really excited about the prospect of being able to get hold of one – or several. I think the Ojee Talon is one of the best training tools, if not the best, I’ve seen come on the market in the last four-to-five years.”More at: http://bit.ly/1KFKN0f