Teaching
Golf instructors used to go about their job by watching a golfer swing and making a quick judgment about what their student was doing right and what he was doing wrong. The judgment was based on experience and knowledge of the game, but there were no measurements. Now, the pro can watch the student swing, see the results on the practice range and get a computerized analysis of the swing speed, launch angle and spin rate.
Time Frame
The amount of information the golf instructor can have at his disposal with just four swings of the club--two with an iron and two with a wood--can have a significant impact on his ability to instruct his student. The swing speed, launch angle and spin rate will provide valuable teaching tools to the golf pro and help him correct mistakes and emphasize strengths in a matter of two or three minutes. So instead of figuring out the problem over the course of a 60-minute lesson, the pro is working on solutions for about 55 minutes of that 60-minute lesson.
Benefits
The golfer getting the lesson will be able to see the data and a computerized rendering of his swing as the the golf pro explains what is going on. Being able to see exactly what the golf pro is talking about helps the student understand exactly what is going on with the game. Communication is stepped up and both the student and the teacher can look at precise points in the swing and make adjustments.
Buying New Clubs
One of the biggest benefits of computerized golf swing analysis is in the purchase of new clubs. When the golf salesman gets the read-out on swing speed, launch angle and spin rate, takes precise measurements on the golfer's height, arm length and distance from the wrists to the ground and knows the golfer's handicap, he can recommend the correct custom clubs. Golf clubs are an expensive investment, and if a golfer is going to spend $2,000 on new clubs, he should be getting clubs that fit his game precisely. It should not be a guess. Computerized analysis helps the golfer purchase the type of clubs that best suit his game.
Expert Insight
Computerized analysis of a golfer's swing is a great benefit to the golfer. It will help him learn the game and improve when taking lessons and it will help him buy clubs that are best-suited to his game. Both of these factors will lead to improved play and greater enjoyment of the game.
About The Author
Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since 1980. Silverman authored The Minnesota Vikings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Who's Better, Who's Best in Football -- The Top 60 Players of All-Time, among others, and placed in the Pro Football Writers of America awards three times. Silverman holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism.
