Popular Post cksurfdude Posted January 1, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted January 1, 2020 My GolfTec lesson ... a positive experience! A little earlier this year I’d made a (actually, another) donation to the PGA HOPE program (more info.. https://pgaimpact.org/pga-hope/) but this time it came with a bonus for me - my choice of a free lesson or a free fitting (driver or iron) at a local GolfTec center. Since there’s one about 30-40 minutes from me (depending on Long Island traffic) and figuring there are a few better-known club fitters I can travel to (including Club Champion, Pete’s Golf, True Spec in NYC) and that my golf game can benefit more (waaaay more) from an improved swing, I opted for the swing evaluation/lesson. OK, I know what a few (maybe most) of you are thinking: “Golftec?!? They’re the Natty Light [or White Castle or insert your own pejorative] of golf lessons!” I had also thought of them as sort of a formulaic / cookie-cutter type of chain outfit, not suitable for the serious play-ah. My first exposure to the brand was seeing a sign as I walked into a nearby GolfSmith a few years ago (now permanently closed). So I looked up a little bit about them, including this page … https://www.golftec.com/swingtru … with some details on the swing motion analysis underlying their teaching methodology, and thought what da heck .. the way the latter part of the past season went for me I needed someone to look at my swing! I’ve added an “FYI” addendum at the end of this post with a few more links to add’l info on their teaching process. After I made the donation I received an email with a link to schedule a time, followed by a confirmation back also listing the name of the coach .. as they call their instructors .. that I’d be meeting with. Well, as it turns out - I don’t think I could have gotten paired with a nicer guy who appeared genuinely interested in helping me specifically (maybe the only way he could have been more helpful was if after the lesson he carried my clubs back to the car and loaded them in for me .. hahaha). The Facility… I imagine most GolfTec centers are outfitted similarly; here you enter into a large room with some seating to the right and a long desk with a computer for the coaches and then a putting area behind the desk. There’s a monitor overhanging the putting area and a camera, but not sure what other equipment / system they use to measure your putting aim or stroke; can update in a later post if/when I schedule a putting session. To the left is the first hitting / teaching room (with a door; not an open bay), then the fitting area (does have an open back wall displaying a lot of shafts, etc.) and down the hallway are additional hitting rooms on either side. There’s also a small repair/build room for the fitter. Each room is bright and well-lit - a big plus for those of us with aging eyes who struggle a bit in the very dim hitting bays you typically see at stores. The room is spacious enough so you feel like you can swing freely; has a full ceiling-height and wall-width net with an “aim strip” hanging down; has two large monitors one above the other - the top is for the LM/Sim display and the lower is for the video feed - hanging on the side wall that you face when you set up to the ball (Lefties - note they have a room set up for you, too) and a large stance mat in the center with a light rough hitting strip on both edges. The LM is a ForeSight - the radar-based model; the fitting room has a GC Quad. The ball tray at the back of the stance mat is filled with Callaway Practice balls .. which to me seem good-enough for the intended purpose of working on mechanical elements of your swing (the fitting room has Pro V1s for you aficionados). The motion vest is hanging on the tripod at the left. The row of green buttons at lower-right is for practice sessions for the user to access functions on the LM or video feed (eg. playback). Not in the picture but behind where I'm standing is a chair to set your stuff down plus there's a phone charger cord with 4 different plugs to fit most any smartphone (nice touch). The First Evaluation / Lesson begins... I met Larry, my coach, and the hour long session started with a brief Q&A covering the main parts of any golf game - driving, approaches, short game, bunkers, putting - along with where I rated myself on each, eg. “How many times out of 10 do you hit the fairway?” or.. “How many times do you get up and down when you miss the green?” We decided on full swing approaches as one of the areas to start with and he had me grab my 9i while he strapped on their (proprietary?) body motion capture vest; its data is displayed on the lower monitor so as you’re swinging you can see overlaid on the video feed whatever number of degrees of shoulder tilt or of hip rotation, etc. If the number appears in red then that aspect of your swing deviates too far, negatively, vs the average of all the tour pros they measured. Oh, there are two cameras looking at your swings: one face-on and one down-the-line behind you. A few of the basic principles underlying their teaching methodology is that most amateurs do not turn either their shoulders nor their hips enough in the backswing .. nor tilt their shoulders enough. Also, most amateurs do not keep their arms straight enough throughout the swing - especially going into impact and then the follow-through. And - no surprise! - I fit squarely into the category of “most amateurs” so these were a few of the keys that we started working on. I mentioned to Larry that I’m more interested in developing a “feel” for the proper movements that I could internalize and retain and take to the course, vs trying to achieve a specific number at a specific position. Whether it’s his normal teaching style or not, throughout the lesson he accommodated this request and only used the data to reinforce where “good” should be vs my, well, needs more work.. The First Evaluation / Lesson continues... It wasn’t continually hitting balls with the coach saying only, “turn more” or whatever - it was hit one ball followed by him giving some feedback and/or a demonstration of what he was looking for and/or a look at his computer screen of a pro swing model of what he was trying to get me to do. Or again, in reality what he was trying to get me closer to doing. We also looked at the swing data but just to get an idea of what factors may have contributed to the last hit's success or failure; including what they call azimuth and I took to be the face-to-path angle at impact (could be wrong; don't quote me on that). Then hit again and re-evaluate. This feedback-loop process seemed to work for me - as the lesson went on I started moving better and making better contact (eg. as shown in key swing numbers) and hitting the ball better (eg. resulting ball flights on the sim). We spent a good amount of time working on the takeaway and moving through the backswing, and then a little bit on transition, impact and follow-through. Clearly there’s only so much you want to cram into one session (and only so much this old guy’s brain can absorb anymore at one time) and when I got home I wrote out three pages of notes outlining what we’d covered. And a lesson bonus... In the beginning Q&A one of my bigger problem areas noted is bunkers, so to end the lesson Larry had me work on an “explosion” type shot - wide open face, open stance, wrist hinge, etc. Now, no, none of this is new to me but having a coach guide you through it all made it all a lot easier and I started popping the ball up high with a lot of backspin. Yea! First Lesson Wrap-Up… The evaluation/lesson concluded with a brief review of what we’d worked on, and Larry input some notes into the coach’s interface to the Golftec system along with before and after swing video clips plus a few suggested drills. He then emailed me a link to access it all via the Golftec website or you can download their smartphone app. And then there’s the sales pitch... OK not unexpectedly .. especially after a free hour-long lesson .. the coach becomes a sales person urging you to schedule more lessons and/or practice time and/or a fitting. Various options and packages, at various price points, are presented to you on-screen. The “Game Plan” packages incorporate (some number of) lessons + (some hours of) practice time + a fitting. I didn’t note any specifics but they probably have it all listed on their website. Seemed kinda pricey, honestly, and as mentioned earlier I didn’t really want a fitting plus knowing myself I wouldn’t be driving there and back too often just to practice (I have a net and mat set up in my garage plus if I want there’s an indoor facility less than ten minutes from my house). But given my positive experience with Larry I did opt for additional lessons with him, so I signed up for a lesson-only package of 10. You can switch coaches if you like, but they suggest sticking with the same person to get more consistency from lesson to lesson as he/she will get to know your particular swing weaknesses and strengths. And I liked the guy. I plan on spreading these out over the winter months and practicing in-between. It’s important to note lessons are sold as “Credits” where 1 credit = one ½ hour lesson; so a package of 10 lesson credits can be taken as 10 x ½ hour lessons or as 5 x 1 hour lessons or any other combo you choose as you go along. Post-Lesson Follow-Up... You interact with GolfTec through a browser or through a smartphone app; in either case you log in so it’s only your data, plus it was nice to see that “The Clubhouse” interface/user experience is exactly the same in both places. Your coach is also available by email; although I’m not sure how extensive the level of interaction/coaching is. You can access your last, or any previous, lesson for review - see swing video and analysis, read the coach’s notes and watch any drills .. as brief videos .. he/she may have added to the lesson for your post-lesson practice. You can schedule your next lesson or practice time or, obviously, you can add more lesson credits to your account (or purchase any of their other “Game Plan” packages - which appear to be offered at a small discount for existing customers). In summary... Again, based on my single user experience, but ... given the quality of the facility and the friendliness of the coach and the success of my first lesson I came away with a pretty positive feeling and am very comfortable suggesting anyone who’s looking for a coach and also is near enough to a GolfTec center to go in and give it a try! FYI addendum - more on GolfTec’s teaching method: Yes - it is largely based on “Here’s what the tour pros do .. and the tour pros are right” school of thought, but - they seem to have performed a reasonable analysis first by measuring several key positions and ranges of motion of the swing movements of [an unspecified number of] tour pros and also of the amateurs who visit their facilities; comparing the average amateur to the average tour pro they can point out exactly where .. and by how much .. the amateur’s swing deviates from the average tour pro’s. You can read and see more details on their swing motion analysis at… https://www.golftec.com/swingtru The pro baseline is used as a starting point for each student’s lesson - for example, during my first eval / lesson the coach determined that (amongst other things, of course!) both my shoulder tilt and shoulder rotation were the worst negative deviations from the tour pro average so we started working on those elements of my swing. * My overall impression is - taking myself as a typical recreational golfer - the objective is not to get you to swing just like a tour pro but to get you to swing more efficiently and more alike to the average tour pro vs like the average recreational player. Here’s a short vid from their blog, “The Scramble”, summarizing their general teaching approach… “3 Keys to Create a Good Golf Swing” https://www.golftec.com/blog/2019/03/3-keys-to-create-a-good-golf-swing And this one highlights a few Golftec coaches talking about common misconceptions around their teaching methods… https://www.golftec.com/blog/2019/12/golf_digest_coaches_talk_misconceptions ..and another FYI for anyone who may be interested in trying Golftec... If you want to use my .. #GolfTec referral link .. we'll each receive a $100 credit!! (- can be used towards lessons, practice time or a fitting) #GolfTec promo code ... https://gt.golf/41Hamd fixyurdivot, TR1PTIK, JohnSmalls and 16 others 19 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted January 1, 2020 Author Share Posted January 1, 2020 [.. ooops .. ended up adding updates at the end.. \/ ..] Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirchunksalot Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 Excellent write-up and thank you for sharing your experience. I'm going to tag this thread and follow along to see how it all works out for you. Good luck!Sent from my SM-N975U using MyGolfSpy mobile app JohnSmalls, AGutierrez7, Kenny B and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rchang Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 I did Golftec lesson plan couple years ago. I got the lessons and a 3 month unlimited practice. Being from Cincinnati, the indoor practice with video was so helpful. The lessons were great and the Clubhouse allowed me to get recaps of the lesson to help me remember things. Hope your time is as good sirchunksalot and cksurfdude 2 Quote WITB TS2 10.5 M2 3HL Mavrik Max 5W Titleist 818 4 hybrid Mizuno JPX921 HMP 5-Gap Mizuno S19 56 Maltby TSW 60 Bobby Grace Shiloh putter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonMUSC08 Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 thanks for the write-up. I got a Golftec lesson/eval/fitting package for Christmas and looking forward to it. cksurfdude and sirchunksalot 2 Quote Charleston, SC HDCP 13.0 Driver: M6 9* with 65g Stiff Mitsubishi Tensei Red shaft 3 wood: G425 stiff shaft 5 wood: Stealth 2 stiff shaft 4-gw irons: JPX 921 Hot Metal w/ X-stiff KBS 130gr shafts (soft stepped) Wedges: MG3 52, 56, 60 Putter: 34" Scotty Cameron 12.5 Ball: ProV-1x Tracked By: MGS Tester '20 - G710 Iron Review MGS Tester '19 - Precision Pro NX9 HD Pro laser rangefinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaidJacket Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 Really nice write up. I have a friend that really likes GT and has been going there for several years. He's seen much improvement in his game. cksurfdude and sirchunksalot 2 Quote My Sun Mountain bag currently includes: 771CSI 5i - PW and PFC Micro Tour-c 52°, 56°, 60 wedges EXS 10.5*, 929-HS FW4 16.5* Willimette w/GolfPride Contour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TR1PTIK Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 Thanks for sharing! Based on my experience thus far, I really enjoy working with teaching pros on the course or at an actual driving range hitting off grass, but I'm also a huge numbers guy and would be interested in seeing more data. I may just have to give GolfTec a try sometime in the not-too-distant future. sirchunksalot and cksurfdude 2 Quote Driver: ST190 9.5* Fujikura Atmos Blue 5S Fairway Wood: ST190 15* Fujikura Atmos Blue 6S Hybrid: CLK 17* Fujikura Speeder EVO HB Irons: J40 CB (3-PW) Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 Wedges: Milled Grind 2 54* & 58* Dynamic Gold S200 Putter: Tri-Hot 5k Two 34" Bag: Players 5 Stand Bag Ball: Maxfli Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 On 1/3/2020 at 9:20 AM, TR1PTIK said: Thanks for sharing! Based on my experience thus far, I really enjoy working with teaching pros on the course or at an actual driving range hitting off grass, but I'm also a huge numbers guy and would be interested in seeing more data. I may just have to give GolfTec a try sometime in the not-too-distant future. Thanks for reading! I agree - I prefer an outdoor lesson and Larry (the coach) told me that can be arranged ... come Springtime! In fact, he said they prefer to do their short game lessons outdoors. Re: data -- in addition to the all the LM output, during a lesson the coach can customize the video feed to overlay any selected data points that are being emphasized; see.. https://www.golftec.com/swingtru ..for a few examples. PMookie and TR1PTIK 2 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 On 1/2/2020 at 11:43 AM, PlaidJacket said: Really nice write up. I have a friend that really likes GT and has been going there for several years. He's seen much improvement in his game. Thank you, sir! Glad to hear about your friend - indicates that my experience was not an isolated anomaly... Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 On 1/2/2020 at 8:12 AM, JonMUSC08 said: thanks for the write-up. I got a Golftec lesson/eval/fitting package for Christmas and looking forward to it. Thanks for reading! That's a nice gift! ..really hope your experience goes well for you, too!! JonMUSC08 1 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 On 1/2/2020 at 6:29 AM, Rchang said: I did Golftec lesson plan couple years ago. I got the lessons and a 3 month unlimited practice. Being from Cincinnati, the indoor practice with video was so helpful. The lessons were great and the Clubhouse allowed me to get recaps of the lesson to help me remember things. Hope your time is as good Yeah, the Clubhouse app/website are extremely helpful for post-lesson reviews. The short video clips that my coach has attached to each lesson are very helpful, too, to refer back to from time to time to remind myself not only to do the drills but also to remind myself to make sure I'm doing them correctly! Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 On 1/1/2020 at 11:20 PM, sirchunksalot said: Excellent write-up and thank you for sharing your experience. I'm going to tag this thread and follow along to see how it all works out for you. Good luck! Thanks! Since that initial lesson I have been back for three more ... and I also found these to be super helpful to my swing and my game ... will update soon! sirchunksalot and tony@CIC 2 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoCoatsOfWax Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 That's the first time I've heard Golftec referred to as the "Natty Light of golf lessons". I'm curious as to why some people say that. In any case, glad to hear you had a good experience. My plan is to get a fitting or a swing analysis from them in the spring . The motion vest and what it adds to the video and resultant data really intrigues me. It's actually a big reason I was thinking of making the 2+ hour drive to the nearest Golftec. tony@CIC and cksurfdude 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 7 minutes ago, TwoCoatsOfWax said: That's the first time I've heard Golftec referred to as the "Natty Light of golf lessons". No, that's just my own warped sense of humor! Well, that plus my beer snobbishness (prefer craft IPAs) Their swing analysis can definitely be eye-opening .. ie. seeing in big red numbers the "feel vs real" of your swing..! Very worthwhile, imho. tony@CIC 1 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxEntropy Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Thanks for the write-up @cksurfdude! My wife got me a swing evaluation for my birthday to check out the local Golftec and decide on whether a lesson package might be right for me. tony@CIC and cksurfdude 2 Quote Driver: Epic Speed 9* (set -1) MMT 70X 3W: Tour B JGR Recoil 760ES 3H, 4H: Tour B JGR 19*, 23* Recoil 780ES 4-AW: Tour B JGR HF2 Modus3 Tour 105 SW: RTX Zipcore Black Satin 54* LW: TAIII Black 58* Putter: Scottsdale TR Senita Bag: BigMax Dri Active Lite Ball: TP5x or AVX (yellow) Pushcart: BigMax iQ+ Testing Complete, Final Review Posted: Sub70 TAIII Forged Wedges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 Thx for reading, and really hope you get a good coach you "click with" so your eval goes well for you! Let us know...... tony@CIC and MaxEntropy 2 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillGolf4Food Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 I'd say you hit the nail on the head @cksurfdude! I've been going to GT for 2 years now and my hdcp went from 11 or 12 to a 9 currently, and I even got to an 8 for about a month last summer. I also buy the 'lessons only' package since I can swing in my garage or a golf dome (which has TopTracer now). I've been able to use the hitting bay after a lesson a couple times if they don't have another person coming in. It's nice to be able to use those floor controls (green buttons) to review your swing and verify what you feel and what is really happening are the same. cksurfdude, sirchunksalot and tony@CIC 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted January 12, 2020 Author Share Posted January 12, 2020 On 1/10/2020 at 2:52 PM, WillGolf4Food said: I'd say you hit the nail on the head @cksurfdude! I've been going to GT for 2 years now and my hdcp went from 11 or 12 to a 9 currently, and I even got to an 8 for about a month last summer. I also buy the 'lessons only' package since I can swing in my garage or a golf dome (which has TopTracer now). I've been able to use the hitting bay after a lesson a couple times if they don't have another person coming in. It's nice to be able to use those floor controls (green buttons) to review your swing and verify what you feel and what is really happening are the same. Thanks! And thx, too, about your positive experience. There have been several good mentions of Golftec in here so I'm definitely feeling much more comfortable now about putting my trust in my new coach! sirchunksalot 1 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 A quick fyi: had another lesson today (more on that coming soon) and saw that the GolfTec I go to just got all new Mizuno golf balls (replacing the Callaway practice ones). Oh, and - there's a nice upgrade coming out (sometime later this year) to the motion capture vest where it will become smaller and wireless (currently there's a "tail" of wires inside a flexible plastic conduit dragging behind you). sirchunksalot, tony@CIC and cnosil 3 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted February 26, 2020 Author Share Posted February 26, 2020 OK, after several weeks of lessons and practice have a meaningful update... I'd mentioned in the opening post that after the initial swing evaluation I'd signed on for a pack of 10 lesson "credits", where each credit = one 1/2 hour session, and that I'd decided to use them in 1/2 hr increments and stretch them out .. ie. going back in about every week and a half to two weeks apart. In between I spent time working on the things we'd covered and also on the drills assigned, both at home and occasionally at the range. Well, the incremental process seems to be working out for me .. but let's start with a vid clip from the first lesson (Dec. 3, 2019) and a full swing with a 9i... As you can see, despite some progress last Summer, I'm reverting to a lot of old, bad habits including bent arms, getting "scoopy" with the hands but primarily hanging back on the back foot through impact. Yuck! Now.. compare that to this next clip from the most recent lesson (Feb. 13, 2020) .. here we were working on pitching different distances with different wedges (this clip is about 80-85 with a GW), so no - not directly comparable to a 9i full swing, but you can really see some better things starting to come out ... including straighter arms, maintaining better posture throughout the swing (and so, more on-plane) and especially starting to move the body into and through impact. Yea! (yeah i still have a funky little forward press thing going on...) During the course of the lessons, with a few unseasonably mild days here in NY and a long weekend trip to Florida, I've been able to get outside and play (mostly 9 holes) 7 times so far this year. I'm not saying it's all great golf but I do see a clear progression in the ratio of good, or playable, shots vs bad mistakes or compounded mistakes; also I feel like I'm starting to think less about the How am I gonna.. of the technique of the next shot and more of the What kind of shot do I want to hit to my next target. My most recent two 9-hole rounds .. two days apart on the same course, similar conditions .. could not have been more different (more here in "How'd You Play?"... https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/6351-howd-you-play/?do=findComment&comment=601411) -- the first was one of my worst rounds while the second represents a new PB! Of course I'm really happy with that but not discouraged by the first as I see that I'm still very much working on internalizing all the new, good stuff into my on-course play. So.. I'm gonna continue with the rest of the lessons, and with the drills and practicing, and plan to sign up for another lesson pack (Golftec currently has a March sale, if anyone's interested - plz see my referral link at end of first post which gives us each a $100 credit!) .. which I'll stretch out over the Spring and Summer so I can continue this process of working on and improving my skills and confidence. StrokerAce, yungkory, THEZIPR23 and 5 others 8 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fieldrj Posted March 2, 2020 Share Posted March 2, 2020 I had a very favorable experience at GolfTech two years ago. In March they have a sale on lesson packs so i signed up for the 10 lesson pack and got 20% off. I made sure to use the unlimited practice about 3 times a week and scheduled a lesson about every 2 weeks. The video practice was the most beneficial because it was an easy way for me to see my swing and get on the correct path. It was also helpful to play 18 and discuss my misses with the coach to guide the lessons. I used the free fitting for new driver and woods. Before the lessons i was barely breaking 100 consistently. After the 10 lessons and 3 months of video practice i dropped about 10 shots and broke 90 once. I am still a high handicapper, but my GT experience was outstanding. cksurfdude and MaxEntropy 2 Quote G410 9* Evenflow Black 75 6.0 G410 3W Evenflow Black 85 6.0 G410 5W, 4H Evenflow Black 85 6.0 Mavrik Pro 5-AW TT Elevate 95 S SM9 54F, 58D 2020 Special Select Newport 2 ProV1x Triad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted March 2, 2020 Author Share Posted March 2, 2020 3 hours ago, Fieldrj said: I had a very favorable experience at GolfTec....... Nice to hear, and REALLY nice to hear about your improvement!!! Kinda parallels my progress, too .. lo to mid, too often hi, 90s but now I know I'm moving solidly towards being a (regular?!?) 80s shooter. Keep up the great work! Don't know if you read all of my initial post, but I'd mentioned I skipped going for the "Game Plan" package as I knew I wouldn't be driving in traffic back and forth to the facility often enough to make it worthwhile for me. But I do plan on "re-upping" with another lesson pack during March! sirchunksalot and MaxEntropy 2 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted March 25, 2020 Author Share Posted March 25, 2020 So unfortunately everything kinda "on hold" now, but will be working on a set of drills I've compiled from my lessons to date. In a quick bit of good news, the last two times I was able to get out and play I've felt like some of the good swing changes are slooooowly starting to creep their way into my on-course swing. Sometimes... Not really scoring hugely better (yet?) .. and still (always!) need more work on the short game .. but I can see that my misses are coming in closer to the intended target and are not as erratic as in previous seasons. Progress! Kenny B and cnosil 2 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted April 17, 2020 Author Share Posted April 17, 2020 Brief update: It's been about 6 (!!!) weeks since my last lesson, and I've been working on some of the drills the coach suggested; alternating those with swinging some training aids I have or hitting into a net (some full swing but mostly a lot of chipping and pitching). And, of course, I also practice putting on a mat in the basement. So was swinging in the garage a bit yesterday, full swings with an old 8i ... using a simulator I'd bought years ago but have not used much at all ... and while there is always some more work to do I felt like the swing was really "loosening up" and I was starting to move through the whole backswing - transition - downswing much better. Here's a screenshot of the sim's practice range... The "map" at upper-left shows the grouping of balls - not too terrible after 20 shots with a typical oval pattern long-left to short-right (RH'ed player). Ignore that Max shot (that can't be right) but the Avg at 130-ish is about what I expected for my 8i. You can see in the stats at the upper-right that it shows you the Offline for each individual shot but doesn't aggregate that number into the Avg (yeah that last shot was fluffed way out to the right). Anyway, gonna try and hit the same club the same number of times soon on the SkyTrak (which gives you a better representation of overall dispersion) and compare the results. Hi-ho Hi-ho In-to the garage we go... downlowkey and sirchunksalot 2 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfSpy AFG Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 I've been taking lessons out of GolfTec for over a year now. Didn't sign up for a plan, just pay as you go stuff. It's worked; showed up as an 11, I'm a 7 now. That said, I would offer some advice to anyone thinking about going the GolfTec route. One, go to the website and you should be able to find the roster of coaches, and their credentials. You'll find some guys with years of experience, certifications, and accolades, and you'll also find some with none of that, yet the rate for each is the same. Point is, if you call and ask for a lesson, you're going to get whomever is available. If you call and ask for a lesson from a particular coach, you might have to wait a little longer to get in, but maybe that's a good thing right? Maybe the busy coaches are busy because they're good? Comfort level and rapport are maybe just as important as professional credentials and years of experience, but it's something to think about. Second, and this part really irked me at first, but GolfTEC is a business based on throughput. My first lesson or two I had the benefit of maybe 5-10 shots before the diagnosis and coaching began, and if you're like me it takes a lot more than 5-10 shots to get warm and loose and swinging how I normally do. So, I learned to arrive 15 minutes early. If a bay is open (at least at the location I go to) they'll let you start hitting balls and getting truly warmed up. If not, you can still stretch and maybe break out the Orange Whip in the parking lot. Overall I'm very pleased with the experience and am definitely seeing results. Just a couple things to think about... STUDque and cksurfdude 2 Quote Driver: TSR2, Ventus Blue 6 S, 65g Stiff FW: TSR2 3w, 15, Ventus Blue 7 S, 70g Stiff Hybrids: Apex Pro 3H, Ventus Blue 8 S, 80g Stiff Stealth DHY 4H, Ventus Blue 8 S, 80g Stiff Irons: SMS 5-6, SMS Pro 7-PW, Aerotech Steelfiber i95 Stiff Wedges: SM9 48 F Grind, 52 F Grind, 56 M Grind, Aerotech Steelfiber i95 Stiff Putter: Sri-Hot 5K Triple Wide, Stroke Lab shaft Ball: Pro V1 Click here for my HONMA TR20 Official Review! Click here for my Arccos Caddie Bundle Official Review! Click here for my Edel SMS & SMS Pro Irons Official Review! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted April 17, 2020 Author Share Posted April 17, 2020 1 hour ago, AFGolfer said: Comfort level and rapport are maybe just as important as professional credentials and years of experience Totally agree! I've been lucky in that even with having seen a few different instructors over the years, each has been qualifed but more importantly has been friendly and easy to communicate with (if they weren't it would've been just one & done). I felt I was lucky again at GolfTec .. but .. unfortunately .. I received a call recently from another coach (as they call themselves there) that my buddy Larry and GolfTec "have parted ways"..... I get a free 1/2 hour "transition" lesson with the new coach, so whenever that gets to happen we'll see how he and I get along ... I still have two more paid lessons remaining in my current plan. Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted August 13, 2020 Author Share Posted August 13, 2020 Summer update: Swing .. while still very much a work-in-progress .. is definitely progressing. Starting to swing more freely off the tee and generally getting those shots out there and generally in or near to the fairway (generally!!). Short game is usually solid (on a relative basis for a recreational hacker) but where I seem to mess up the most often are second shots / approaches. So... Going back in (after 5 month hiatus) for another lesson a week from now. ==== * Important Note on GolfTec lesson packs: All package plans you purchase from GolfTec have an expiration date!! ... between the COVID shutdown and waiting to schedule an outdoor lesson, I kinda lost track of my end date ... when I went to book yesterday I found their system had zeroed out my two remaining lesson credits...... Sent an email to my coach and he called me directly the next day ... said he would give me add'l flexibility and let me book the remaining lessons with him, and worked with me on the phone to find the time when their center would be the least busy .... nice!! ==== cnosil, Kenny B and sirchunksalot 3 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwr57 Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 I have been going to Golftec since the first of the year. They definitely use the pro stats as a measurement and the perfect swing. My coach also realizes that is not me and gets me closer to those stats. I bought the lesson practice plan which is great for me since it is less than 5 minutes from my house. I have to admit the changes have been a challenge to change my habits and has caused some struggles on the course. However it has started to turn around and shooting some of my best scores of the season. Two friends have also gone to Golftec with sucess after some initial struggle . They will tell me they know my frustrations and trust the process, it does work. I would say the most important thing is communication with your coach. The more feedback I give him I feel the more he tailors the lessons to me. Going next week for the first outdoor playing lesson, which I am looking forward to doing. cksurfdude 1 Quote Driver Taylor Made M4 Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal Mizuno ES 21 Wedges Taylor Made TP Collection Putter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cksurfdude Posted August 19, 2020 Author Share Posted August 19, 2020 16 minutes ago, mwr57 said: I have been going to Golftec since the first of the year. They definitely use the pro stats as a measurement and the perfect swing. My coach also realizes that is not me and gets me closer to those stats. I bought the lesson practice plan which is great for me since it is less than 5 minutes from my house. I have to admit the changes have been a challenge to change my habits and has caused some struggles on the course. However it has started to turn around and shooting some of my best scores of the season. Two friends have also gone to Golftec with sucess after some initial struggle . They will tell me they know my frustrations and trust the process, it does work. I would say the most important thing is communication with your coach. The more feedback I give him I feel the more he tailors the lessons to me. Going next week for the first outdoor playing lesson, which I am looking forward to doing. Oh yeah - swing changes do take time to sink in! More practice time, vs playing time, can be beneficial (but unfortunately my range time has been very limited this season.....). I'd prefer an outdoor lesson regardless of COVID-19 and asked about scheduling one but was told the course / range my center uses has not allowed them back yet..... Good luck with your progress Golfspy_CG2 and sirchunksalot 2 Quote WITB of an "aspiring" play-ah ... Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A) 5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R) 7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R) 4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3) 5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3) 6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite) Putter...EvnRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grips) ...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour. Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023) Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golfspy_CG2 Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 Hey CK, I lost track of this thread, glad to see it revived.I started the 10 lesson pack about 4 or 5 weeks ago. We made some really good progress in the first lesson that helped with my hip rotation and shoulder turn. I picked up about 6-8 mph in ball speed with the 7 iron in that one session. Since then we have worked on swing path, club face at impact and weight transfer. I've had pretty good success with swing path for the most part, the other two are still works in progress, especially the weight transfer. For so many years prior to my knee replacements, I avoided putting weight on my left--lead--leg as it just couldn't bear it. So it's proving to be one of the toughest things to change at this point along with my wrist position. As has been said many times, what we feel is so far different than reality, when you see it on video. sirchunksalot, dlow206, DawgDaddy and 3 others 6 Quote G430 Max 10K TSiR1 15.0 Aldlia Ascent 60g TSR2 18.0 PX Aldila Ascent 6og TSi1 20 Aldila Ascent Shafts R T350 5-GW SteelFiber I80 SM10 48F/54M and58K S159 48S/52S/56W/60B Select 5.5 Flowback 35" ProV1 Play number 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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