Introduction

Golf impacts my life everyday, whether I am watching, playing, practicing, teaching or learning. This little blog will be my effort to share whatever bits of whit and wisdom, fun and frivolity, pain and pleasure that I find in the game. I will share what I have learned and what I have taught. I will share what I have observed and what I might experience. Remember one can only share when someone else will receive, so please read and comment.

Occasionally I will include student videos

or other interesting videos I have discovered, stories of me and my students, and great stories I have read. Even the things I make up will be truthful.

This week at The Academy has seen the addition of a few new great tools to help the students learn even faster. My friend and student John W. built a "plane-board" to help students feel what it's really like to swing on one plane. Bob B. seems to be giving it a great workout in his effort to get his swing on a good in-to-out plane. We should know in a few weeks if the feedback provided by the plane-board will have long lasting or even permanent results. I am looking forward to using the device for short-game work and instruction.

I also was able to get both computer swing analysis systems up and running. At Sunnybreeze we have the Pro-V swing monitor, this unit tracks the exact position, speed, and face angle of the golf club through the impact zone, then measures the ball's velocity as it leaves the club's face.  Instant feed back is displayed on the ball's flight and a visual of the club's action. The golfer will know immediately why its a slice, a hook, or a shot weaker than expected.  I really like the SHF number that calculates the ratio of club speed to ball speed, the higher the number the better the contact.

At Longwood Golf Center we have the Vector Pro set up INDOORS where it never rains, never gets too cold or too hot. The Vector Pro is a state of the art golf ball launch monitor. Using high speed cameras the Vector Pro can measure launch angle, and ball spin to exacting standards. This is great for club fitting, finding the ideal ball position for your swing, and the correct tee height.

I look forward to sharing these tools with my students, and of course using them myself.