Editorial – What Percent of Technology Should Be Incorporated Into Your Lesson?
By: USGTF Technical Committee
Launch monitors seem to be everywhere, from PGA Tour driving ranges to lesson tees. Video has also been a mainstay of instruction for almost four decades, and combined with launch monitors, it seems almost no stone is unturned in diagnosing a student’s problem.
Yet, there are still old-school teachers who do not use any technology at all, instead relying on their eyes and experience to guide their instruction. And that brings us to the question, how much technology should be incorporated into the modern lesson? The obvious answer is as much as necessary in order to see and measure progress.
The benefits of a launch monitor such as the GC Quad or TrackMan enable the teacher to tangibly measure any progress. For example, if a student started out with a swing path that is 10° degrees outside-in, progress (or lack thereof) can be accurately measured with a launch monitor. This has a two-fold benefit: The teacher can see if their instruction is working, and the student can glean confidence that they are making progress.
Video systems are far easier to use nowadays, as iPads are frequently used by many teachers, along with video setups such as the V1. Video can literally be taken easily for every swing during a lesson, but this is obviously not necessary. But enough video should be taken so that, like the launch monitor data, progress can be measured, this time visually. There are also pressure mats that measure how much weight a golfer is putting on each foot throughout various points in the swing, and the K-Vest which measures and analyzes a student’s swing movements and positions.
Teachers who are not using modern technology risk being left behind by their more tech-savvy colleagues. Going forward into the 21st century, technology on the lesson tee will only become more ubiquitous.
By: USGTF Technical Committee
Injuries are a part of golf, just like in any other sport. It seems, though, that more top professionals are being sidelined with injuries, perhaps none more so than Tiger Woods. Jason Day also has had numerous ailments that have kept him from competing.
Among the older crowd, Fred Couples has fought a balky back for his entire career, and Bill Glasson had numerous surgeries in his playing heyday. But these seem to be the exception rather than the rule. It may just be that with today’s ever-present media, golf injuries in the professional ranks are more noted than they were in the past.
Chris Finn, owner of Par4Success, notes that in golf, pain that can be felt in one part of the body is often the result of a true injury in another part of the body. He says that is important for golfers to not only be flexible, but strong enough to handle the clubhead speeds that they are generating. So, the first order of defense in preventing injuries is to properly train the body. Although many people do not have access to personal trainers for golf, or the cost may be prohibitive, there are many good resources online, including YouTube, that have accurate and up-to-date information. Another line of defense in preventing injuries is to have proper swing mechanics. Those who tend to have a reverse pivot or reverse tilt golf swing often create torques on the back greater than what the back was meant to handle.
Stretching is also a key element in preventing injuries. There are now stretching professionals that can be found at places such as The Stretch Zone, where these professionals can provide assisted stretching beneficial to all golfers. Chiropractic care is another avenue worth exploring.