Fit For Golf Training App - 2024 Forum Review

[GolfSpy_APH]

Testers Announced!

 

What is Fit For Golf?

Created by strength and conditioning coach Mike Carroll, Fit For Golf was established all the way back in 2014, but it wasn't until 2017 that the first online program was launched.

Mike had learned about how some trainers at the time were using apps to deliver online programs and decided to create his own Fit For Golf App. So, what does the App feature?

As part of the Fit For Golf app, there are a variety of programs and workouts to suit all golfers that can be done at home or in the gym. It also includes "easy-to-follow videos," a schedule, and a progress tracker to ensure all involved keep on top of their programs.

Finally, the app also includes support, where golfers can reach out to Mike or one of his support team for guidance and assistance.

 

Please welcome and congratulate our selected testers!

@MaxEntropy

@berkeleybob

@Subdiver1

@ILMgolfnut

@taylorjonasher

@PJVicary

MyGolfSpy Forum members, the forum staff is excited to extend an exclusive discount courtesy of Mike Carroll and @Fit for Golf! @Fit_For_Golf. All forum members can now use the promo code MGSFORUM to receive 20% off a subscription to the Fit for Golf 2.0 app.  The promo code can be applied to either a monthly or annual subscription. Not familiar with Fit for Golf 2.0?  Get to our just-wrapped review thread to learn more. You'll see our testers lost weight and gained speed and distance, and the app is being perpetually upgraded with big things to come. Many thanks to Fit for Golf for this offer, now let's see how many of us sign up as we speed towards the offseason, and post your own impressions and progress!

[MaxEntropy]

Introduction

First of all, a huge thanks to MyGolfSpy and Fit For Golf. I was very excited about the prospect of this test when it popped up – as an aging golfer, anything I can do to improve my strength and flexibility should prolong my golf “career.”

My name is Blake. I am currently 56 years old and live in Akron, Ohio. We are fortunate to have no shortage of quality golf courses within about an hour drive. The biggest downside? Winter. I haven’t set foot on a course since early November, and we likely have about another month until we can play. I started playing somewhat seriously after I graduated from college and got my handicap to the 15-18 range. Life happened and I took about a 10-year break where I only touched my clubs a couple times. As my kids got older, I started playing again and really got bit by the bug and have played as much as I can for the last 8-ish years. For the last few years, that has been about 50 times on the course (~30 for league nights + ~20 additional rounds). Last summer was a very good season for me – I broke 80 for the first (and second) time and got my handicap as low as 7.4. Currently, I am sitting around 11.

The strengths of my game are most definitely short game and putting, but my scores are mostly dictated by how well I am driving the ball (i.e. keeping it in play/avoiding penalties). I can salvage a score around the greens, but my best scoring days are when driver behaves. I am long for my age/handicap as Arccos has my current driving average at 253 yards. This is down about 10 yards from my peak after finishing the SuperSpeed review in 2020.

(This drive ended up 299 down the middle)

I have followed Mike Carroll on Twitter for a few years and almost pulled the trigger on his app a couple times, but just never really got around to it. The program offers a variety of plans depending on your goals. Since we will more than likely not be starting until around the time golf starts again, I will be focusing on the “In Season” plan. This is subject to change without notice, of course.

In general, my fitness level is decent for my age, but I am overweight. I am about 6'1" and currently weigh around 235 lbs and was as low as 210 lbs in 2019. 210 isn't bad for my frame. In 2018-19, my wife and I were going to the gym 2-3 times per week and, even though I did not really pay much attention to what I ate, I seriously tracked the amounts in my FitBit app. A trip to Vegas and the pandemic were my undoing. These days, we don’t make to the gym as often and I don't eat well. For family health reasons, my wife has been out of state for the better part of 3 of the last 6 months. I struggle to eat healthy when left to my own devices, mostly out of convenience. During the off-season last year, I started playing pickleball at least once per week. I enjoy it and it is a better cardio workout for me than anything I do at the gym. I also referee for a youth basketball league during the winter, which also helps keep me moving and is a decent cardio workout. My wife has a gym membership that allows me to tag along for free and I can do band and medicine ball work at home.

My goals/expectations for the program are (in my perceived order of importance):

1)      Increased strength
2)      Improved flexibility
3)      Weight loss

I know Fit For Golf is not a weight loss program, but I am hoping it will be a welcome side-effect of doing more regular workouts.

+++++++++++
UPDATED 5/2/24
+++++++++++

First Impressions (9/10)

Earlier versions of the Fit For Golf app were run by external developers and Mike Carroll essentially “rented” the app and was able to personalize what was available for his needs, as far as I understand it. Since it was lacking some of the features Mike wanted, the decision was made to develop his own app Mike could fully customize, exactly as he desired. Fit For Golf 2.0 is the first version of that app. Downloading the app was as simple as we have grown accustomed to in the modern world, but the registration was sort of clunky. We were given a coupon code that would make the cost $0 for the first year. Even without a code, the registration and payment are done outside the app store at the Fit For Golf website. I had to register and enter the code on my laptop rather than on my phone – the code needed to be all small letters and, for whatever reason, the website on my phone would not allow me to change the case and always entered as all caps, regardless of what my phone’s keyboard thought I was trying to do. Not a huge deal, but kind of an annoyance. Being able to register and pay through the app store would be easier, but I completely understand Mike’s reasoning for not electing to do it that way.

I find the app very intuitive to use and I really appreciate the Program Matcher – as a person who does not work out that often (and when I do, I have a cheat-sheet that was developed for me by a trainer, if you recall from my intro), I would not know where to begin without the matcher telling me what to do. At the very least, it would be a struggle to figure out what I wanted to do. It’s like having a personal trainer on my phone. If only the app were sentient and could be a motivator when I’m not feeling it. I’ll try not to flood the review with screencaps, as I’m sure we all will have at least a few, but some are definitely necessary.

If you recall, my intention was to do an in-season, home-based workout with bands and dumbbells. Since another one of us was going to do the same program, and I would have needed to go buy some dumbbells, I changed my mind and decided to see what I could do with just bands and my body weight with a focus on speed. Below is the workflow for the Program Matcher.

I picked a 30-minute workout for this review – my first time through, I picked 45 minutes, but considering I selected Intermediate, the first workout was too much for me (especially since I had done SuperSpeed prior to the workout). Apparently, I am not quite at the intermediate level, but certainly not a beginner. Once I get through this 12-week program, I should be good to advance to a longer workout in addition to increasing resistance.

I docked the rating by 1 point for a bug – when I decided I needed a slightly shorter workout after the first one, I wanted to delete the existing workouts. When you delete something off the calendar it more or less asks “just this one, or all?” I selected all, but it didn’t delete all, so I had to delete every instance of that workout.

Since Mike is periodically checking in on our reviews, I’ll also add that I’d really, really like a dark mode, but no deduction for the lack of it.

I’m not sure what the timing is for the rest of the review (I assume as we approach the end of our 12 weeks?), but I’ll do my best to keep everyone updated with progress as things continue.

++++++++++++
UPDATED 8/12/24
++++++++++++

Fit For Golf Training App - Official Review by MaxEntropy

Apologies in advance for being long-winded. If you've read any of my other reviews, you know I am like this.

Aesthetics (15 out 20)

A couple minor gripes: 1) I still want a dark mode; and 2) it would be very nice if the “weight” field while doing a workout could be text instead of just numbers. In the beginning, I could never remember which color band (or combination of colors) I should be using for a particular exercise. It would be nice if I could have just entered “red+blue” in the weight field. There is a workaround as you can enter a note, but that requires more button clicks rather than just looking at the screen. One other very minor annoyance – the fonts are small, so I need to have my reading glasses nearby when I need to see what’s on the screen. I know I can increase the size of system fonts, but then would have to undo it when I am done since. -5 points for all these things. I know I didn’t deduct any points for lack of dark mode in my First Impressions, but the more I looked at it, the more I wanted one.

The Numbers (20 out of 20)

Before I started the program, I weighed myself, took some basic body measurements, and measured my swing speed. Here are the numbers:

Although the swing speed increase is not monumental, it is real. I have hit a few drives to places I haven’t been in a long time and irons are half a club longer when I hit them solid. For reference, when I finished the official SuperSpeed test in 2020, I peaked at 120 mph, but on-course cruising speed was closer to 110-112 mph.

I had my wife measure my chest, waist, “gut”, biceps, and hips (not sure why we didn’t measure thighs/calves?). Across the board, every measure dropped 0.5” (biceps) – 2” (waist/belly). I don’t know what I expected, especially since I was not doing a “bulk” program but was kind of surprised biceps went down. I assume it’s more toning/fat loss than anything else.

My wife has also noticed that my calves and abs/obliques look more toned. That’s all a good thing.

Practice Makes…? (20 out of 20)

I have already mentioned a few times that I do not really enjoy working out – I never really have – but I know I need to, especially since I am looking to prolong my golf career as long as possible, so I do it. During the review period, there were some struggles to motivate, but one of the nice things about doing official reviews is that I do not want to let you guys down. I can’t honestly review something if I don’t give it some real effort. Throughout the 12-week program, I did miss a total of 3 workouts, not because of motivation, but because of a hectic schedule. When it was possible, I would change my usual workout days to stay on schedule. Sometimes it was not possible.

Doing the “speed” version of some of the exercises was tricky, at times, as trying to maintain form at speed was not always easy, but I assume speed is more important than form in these cases. The only downside was I knew when form was breaking and subconsciously slowed to try to fix it. I don’t think it happened a lot, but it did happen. It seemed to happen most often with the Band Row. I’m not entirely sure why.

Here are a couple videos of my favorite stretch and what became my favorite exercise.

 

Notice the grimace the first time I rotate my right knee in. For whatever reason, that first time rotating my right hip that way causes that reaction. It doesn’t hurt, but it’s sort of “sticky” if that makes any sense. That’s one of the reasons I like this stretch.

 

The first time I did the speed torso rotation, it felt like I was tearing something and I hated it. It’s grown to be one of my favorites now. BTW, the jack post in the background was my anchor point for many of the exercises.

I have made it a point to do as much of the warm-up as I can before I play and it has helped. I feel looser on the first tee (without range time) than I have in a long time.

The Good, The Bad, The In-between (15 out of 20)

The Good

It’s a wonderful thing to play golf and not feel a nagging tightness in my lower back by the time I am done with a round. I assume improved core strength and flexibility are responsible this.

The sheer number of potential programs in the app based on your goals are fantastic.

The Bad

I don’t know that I can realistically blame the program, but I have talked to a few people (not experts) and we all agree it at least makes some sense. I’d really like for @Fit_For_Golf to chime in to see if it seems plausible, but I reported in the thread that I lost all ability to hit a driver about halfway through the program and it still is not back to normal. Late last year and early this year, driver had become a strength, then disappeared. Could the results of the workouts have affected my timing just enough to throw things out of whack? Like I said, it seems possible to me, but I am not an expert. All I really know is it is frustrating.

The In-between

I mentioned this point in the thread and in my First Impressions, but it bears repeating: I do not have the same bands that Mike uses in the demo videos. I have a set of “Gold’s Gym” bands that came from Dick’s. They came in three colors to correspond to light (red), medium (blue), and heavy (black) and have clips that attach to the two handles. They can be used individually or in any combination to achieve the desired resistance. I broke the clip on the black one a few weeks ago, so if (when) I need to increase resistance, I’ll need to get more. Since my bands are shorter, I also cannot anchor the same way Mike does, so every time I did a new exercise, there was some time taken to figure out how I could anchor to mimic the movements. At first, this was not a trivial exercise and added quite a bit of time to figure things out, but ultimately, I figured out a way to anchor to the jack post in our basement for most things I needed to do. It might be worth it for Mike to add a link in the app for the option to buy the exact bands he uses (whether he links to his site or Amazon doesn’t matter to me). Another example is the shoulder press – he demonstrates standing on the band and pressing overhead. My bands are not long enough for that, so I ended up sitting in a folding chair with the bands looped around a leg and the rear cross support. It may not have been optimal, but it worked pretty well (until the black band broke - red+blue is not quite enough resistance for this exercise).

I reported in my intro that I had intended to incorporate SuperSpeed into my program. This did not happen. When going through the program chooser, I told the app that I was “Intermediate”. I assume I was closer to a low intermediate. The first workout, I did both and wanted to die at the end. Although it was not necessarily a bad thing, it was pretty clear I had tried to bite off too much. Could I have done both when I changed to the slightly shorter workout? Maybe. Could I do them both now? I’m sure I could. I wish I had stuck with trying to do both. I’m sure the improvements would have been even greater.

Play It or Trade It? (10 out of 10)

Even though I have already admitted I do not like working out, I will try to keep at it. I have not seen any improvement on the golf course (if anything, I’ve gone backwards), I doubt Fit For Golf is necessarily to blame and even if it is, I’ll work through it eventually. If nothing else, my back thanks me in advance for sticking with it. Mobility has improved, strength has improved, and I have lost some weight without really changing my diet much. Moving forward, I plan to get myself some dumbbells (and replace my broken “heavy” band), so I have more options once off-season hits. There is not a lot to do in northeast Ohio in the winter, so I might as well do some workouts and lose more weight.

Conclusion

TL;DR – If you are looking to improve your overall (golf) fitness and do not like going to the gym, the Fit For Golf app has a program for you to work on in the comfort of your own home. Even if you enjoy going to the gym, the number of golf-specific exercises that can be incorporated into your workout will help you. My strength, speed, flexibility, and overall fitness have improved over the last 12 weeks, including some weight loss. Ultimately, my goal is to extend my golf career as long as possible while at least maintaining my scoring ability. I see it in league all the time – guys that are only 10-12 years older than me who struggle to reach some par 4’s in 2 from the senior tees. I don’t want to become one of those guys as I feel it may affect my enjoyment of the game. Eventually it has to happen, I just want to delay it as long as possible.

Final Score (89 out of 100)

Edited August 12 by MaxEntropy

[berkeleybob]

Introduction

Heyo!

First things first. Thanks much, MGS forum, for giving me the opportunity to join the rank of tester. As a past participant of forums for other interests, I can truly say that this place tops them all. I have found that it always strives to grow and evolve, to find new ways to involve and interact with the community it serves. I’m fortunate to feel a part of it, and to hopefully make a contribution that folks will find helpful. 

Who Am I

My name is Robert Ferrer. I am 57 years old, and I’m an American expat living just outside of Copenhagen, Denmark. I bought my first set of clubs at the tender age of 39, played consistent golf for four years, injured my back and took a break. I’ve been slowly but surely getting back to a regular schedule for the past six years. I project that 2024 will be my breakout year for playing consistent golf again.

Why Am I Excited to Test This App

I’m one of those guys whose life has been blessed with the ability to eat anything, have a moderate exercise schedule and gain little or no weight. That’s worked pretty well up until now, where my body has been asking for a little more attention. So, I’m entering a phase in my life where I’m changing the way I eat and creating more time for more than just walking the dog. This past year or so, I have researched other ways to exercise and train for golf, but I lack the discipline to stick to any plan other than some stretching exercises that I learned years ago and smashing balls at the driving range.

Enter the Fit for Golf Training app. I want to know if this app will help me accomplish what I want out of fitness training in my house on my own. I want to know if this app will keep me engaged over the next few months, the rest of 2024, and possibly beyond. I want to know if this is a big ask and if this app is up to this personal challenge of mine.

The goals for my use of this app are simple:

1. I want to create and sustain a training regimen for someone who has never joined an exercise gym in his life.
2. I want to increase strength in my arms and body to minimize pain and build power.
3. I want to increase my flexibility to the point where I can bend down and tie my shoes without groaning.

I’m hoping that meeting these goals will translate to my golf goals, which include:

1. A stable and consistent swing
2. Balance from address to follow-through
3. More yards on the drive
4. Control on the fairway as I approach the green.

Once we get started, I’ll pop in now and again to let you know my initial progress. For now, I’m excited, nervous and a little scared. I truly am exploring an undiscovered country.

Reading back what I wrote a few paragraphs ago—wow, who is that guy? He seems really motivated to move ahead and get ’er done. With unforeseen delays of getting the app—along with life's ever-changing circumstances and priorities—I now find myself at a different level of energy. Which is a politic way of saying,

So, in a way I’ve set myself up to test the app in its most severe circumstance: How will Fit For Golf help me to overcome exercise inertia? Without further ado, welcome to:

I’m a Complete Novice

Let me be clear:

• I’ve never owned a gym membership.
• Formal exercise has never interested me.
• I’m not one to “workout.”

The last time I used a weight machine was back in 1982 for high school credit, when I was benching a whopping 110 lbs alongside members of the wrestling and football teams. It was both the most boring and the most body-image confrontational class I ever took. I was the proverbial 100-pound weakling. (I was probably 130, but you get the point).

At the same time in those days, I was also on the varsity tennis team with one of the fastest serves, and I skied the local hills in the winter months.

Later, I only ever built strength by working in a cabinet workshop and handling sheet goods eight hours a day for a few years. I don’t avoid physical activity, but I do need to have a purpose or goal. That said, I have lost physical strength and gained some physical issues over the years that have changed my golf game. 

Upon opening the app for the first time, my impression is that it’s a simple layout. I started with the FFG Program Matcher, and I chose the Beginner route and selected exercises that favor the senior/injured, 10 minute sessions. 

I did this for a couple reasons. I pay the senior rate at a golf course—so I suppose that makes me senior? I mean, I’m ecstatic to get the cheaper tee time, and yet I’m not quite comfortable with “senior” status. Perhaps I never will be.  

I also have a repetitive stress issue with my wrist on my right/leading arm, which I suspect is affecting my ability to maintain a consistent stroke. One of the things I’ll be looking for in my exercises is to see how I’ll improving my wrist strength.

Okay. I have my bands, the app, a golf club for support, a step stool and an exercise mat. Let’s get to work.

Welcome to my home gym—er, door.

Starting this week, I’m going through a five-minute band workout. With each exercise there is a demo video explaining what to do. These vids are very clear and easy to follow.

After running these for the first couple days, I realized that I should have been filling out information on the number of repetitions I’m doing, as well as the weight I’m using. There is a default “8” in the reps field, which I took to be a specific direction. In fact, it is not an automatically recorded value. The weight field is blank, and I did fill in those values.

Exercise detail in app

The Dashboard starts as a blank slate, and as an exercise novice, I have no idea how to use it. I’ve been tapping on buttons to see what they do, and I’d say that for me, it’s about 50% intuitive. It isn’t until I’ve done a couple day’s worth of activity to see that apart from the day’s scheduled exercises, nothing shows up automatically.

I tapped on the My Progress setup button, and I found that I can either show days from my Band Row exercises or my Band Pull Through exercises, but nothing else. As I have found out, it’s due to the lack of data that I’ve entered—which is unfortunate because there’s no way to go back and add what I had done in those previous workouts.

Dashboard detail

I can read progress for all of my exercises, I can only choose one set of data at a time to display.

Progress detail

There is a feature that allows me to set goals—but I don’t have a clue as to how to go about setting one. I don’t know what is realistic and what is fantasy. I would have hoped for some guidance or example.

I just turned on some notifications I found in the apps settings, so hopefully I’ll see a bit more interaction with the app.

Frankly, the exercises are good, and from what I’ve seen on the site it’s backed up by true expertise. As I mentioned, the accompanying videos are very easy to follow. The explanation of the muscle groups affected by the exercise is great info.

I think that I’ve chosen the correct exercise path because with these smaller workouts. I can feel that my heart rate is up. There are a variety of sets that I’m doing that are working on different muscle groups. I’ll keep it going for a the full four weeks, before seeing whether I need adjust to something more challenging.

However, as a workout noob, I’m feeling uncertain of what to expect from here going forward. There’s no prompting to tell me whether I’m using the app to its fullest capability.

One of the claims on Fit For Golf’s page in the Apple App Store is that “it is a powerful behavior change app.”

As it happens, I just started reading a book, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles. It examines our tendency toward resistance to taking on a worthy task from several aspects and how to combat it. 

From what I know of lasting behavioral change, it usually involves training toward some kind of greater self-awareness. Like dieting or quitting a bad habit or pursuing spiritual growth, exercising isn’t easy for me to maintain. And I don’t think I’m alone.

It leaves me to wonder whether there is supporting material from FFG toward that end, whether on its social media platforms, main site or via email reminders and references—and whether communication from FFG is proactive rather than reactive. I’m interested to see what tools will come to bear that will provoke powerful behavior change and break through the inevitable resistance.

First Impression of the App 5/10

First Impression of the Exercise Content 8/10

First Impression of achieving its claim as a powerful behavior change app ?/10

 

Final Review

Overall, I'm in a better place than where I was when I first started this exercise adventure. One thing I learned about myself is that I can better appreciate act of exercising. Before taking on this odyssey, I would start a session at the driving range or round of golf with a series of stretches I learned long ago from a Golf Digest article. My standard gauge of flexibility had been the ease of rotating my torso, which tended to be stiff and stubborn.

In the same stretch today, my back muscles have the flexibility of a fortysomething-year-old, and I'm not doing anything extraordinary other than following one of the programs in the FFG training app. 

As I've mentioned before, I've been having issues with my leading arm's wrist due to repetitive stress. I can tell that my body has been compensating for that by making some unconscious alterations in my swing. So one of my main objectives was to stabilize my swing and gain some consistency. 

Here are screenshots of my driver session on Trackman before and after starting Fit for Golf's training.

 

• Last April, my average carry was 190 yards.
• In July, my average carry was 204 yards.
• Clubhead speed differed a little, but remained mostly around 91 mph.

The fact that my dispersion has tightened is exactly what I've been hoping to see.

 

I feel more confident in my swing.

When I look at my original stated goals to accomplish in using the app ...

• A stable and consistent swing
• Balance from address to follow-through
• More yards on the drive
• Control on the fairway as I approach the green.

I can say that improvement in all four areas is reflected in the stats of rounds played with Shotscope. Notably, when comparing my stats with 25 HCPers (which is where I started my golf season) I've gain 3 strokes on approach shots.

Probably the most concrete way I can show my improvement are through the rounds I played indoors with Trackman where I've been using the Bay Harbor Preserve/Links course for training.

 

In sessions from the end of February through April, before starting FFG training I averaged 19 over par. While using the training app, I averaged 12 over par. Granted, Trackman isn't the real world, but all things being equal, it does prove that there's been significant improvement in the physical aspect of my game.

The Numbers 20/20

Of course, the road to reaping the benefits of regular workouts has been a bumpy one.

Apologies, that header is a dated reference to one who drearily performs his baking duties in the dead of night only to be rewarded with a crowd of eager customers in the morning. (source: Dunkin' Donuts)

For me, self-motivation to exercise is often a limited resource to draw upon. To be honest, I skipped workout days. Once I skipped a week.

Whew! That's a tough one to admit.

Apart from pain and priority shifts, at times it's been tough to connect the goal to the workout. Before, I'd ask myself, "Do I want to spend time at the driving range or time on the course?" 

Now, that voice in me asks, "Do I want to do a workout, or do I want to go to the driving range?"

That bit of mental theater is something that I hoped the app would have addressed. 

Of course, at the end of a workout, I'm happy I did it, and as I've said, I can feel the difference when I my swing, but I think for someone like me who's not big on working out, the experience of using the app would be better if the developer found ways to tie the workouts to goals or mini-goals.

Integrating Other Activities

Within the app there's also the ability to schedule/record other activities, such as cycling, walking, running, and playing golf. However, once they are entered, it's unclear how that data helps me. There's a big opportunity to do something with that as well as data I input during the workouts, such as offering daily and weekly progress reports, challenges and streak-tracking, or tying it to other goals like weight loss or strength building.

Ultimately, the potential to be a truly effective app appears to be there—it has the framework, but it's a guess as to whether or when it'll come to fruition.

Using the App in Practice 12/20

There's no doubt that the content of the app is golden. Having tried different programs within it, I can see that there is a variety of exercises that cater like me, a golfer deciding to workout at home and investing in little else than a set of bands. That's great.

However, as I mentioned in my first impressions, the app itself lacked in what I would expect to find in something requiring a subscription. It's great that the app owner, Mike, is available via email to answer questions and offer guidance, but these days I would expect more information to come proactively via email, social media or within the app itself. Currently emails I receive from FFG have a marketing tone to them. I'd rather receive emails relevant to someone who has already bought the subscription.

I think I could have benefitted more if gamification were integrated. Granted, I've used apps that do it to a most corny degree—but it works, especially when it comes to establishing and maintaining habits.

Of course, all young apps are in a constant state of evolution. Mike had mentioned at the beginning that his 2.0 release was built from scratch because the original app structure was limiting. So I hope future iterations will include some much needed changes. 

The Good, The Bad, and the in between 10/20

Within the context of me having five more months left on the subscription I'd say yes, I'll keep it. When I first signed up for the app, I was hoping to use it during the offseason. That's still a goal of mine. 

Beyond that I'm not sure. When I'm using it, I see results. When I'm not, I'm not. 

Play it or Trade it 5/10

The knowledge behind the execution of the core content is excellent—the variety and depth of exercise programs, the video demonstrations and muscle group illustrations are top notch. The structure of the app and the strategy to encourage users to remain committed still has a way to go. 

I know there's the argument that it's on the user to bring their own motivation to the program in the first place.

To that I say, "This experience as motivated me enough to join a gym."

My wife told me flat out that she wants more exercise in her life, so together we've started a new routine. We quit smoking together years ago, so perhaps this is ultimately how I'll maintain my motivation. With a partner.

The gym provides their own app. It's not as strategic in focusing exercises toward my golf, so while I'll rely on FFG for the routine, it'll be interesting to compare the two as I go. 

Final Tally

• First Impression of the App 5/10
• First Impression of the Exercise Content 8/10
• First Impression of achieving its claim as a powerful behavior change app 6/10
• The Numbers 20/20
• Using the App in Practice 12/20
• The Good, The Bad, and the in between 10/20
• Play it or Trade it 5/10

Total 66/100

Edited August 13 by berkeleybob

[Subdiver1]

Introduction

Thank you MGS staff, Fit for Golf and all of the MSG community members for this opportunity.  I will endeavor to elucidate and impassion your desire for fitness in golf and in life, rather than engender fatigue with bombastic prose.  I mean, you know, from here on…

My name is Scott and this is my second testing opportunity.  I am definitely an advocate of these tests; I refer people to the testing forums whenever the opportunity arises and I couldn't be more appreciative for any opportunity to contribute.

Golf - I grew up playing in the northeast and have been the source of greens-keeping crews’ nightmares for about 45 years (I think I actually had clubs before I was out of diapers so maybe a couple of more years). These days I primarily play out of Eastern FL and Western WA to a 5 handicap.  I play recreationally and in organized tournaments throughout the year as well as a weekly evening league; all of that is strategically planned to ensure my chiropractor’s kids can go to really nice, private colleges.

Fitness - What do I know about fitness?  I don't have an academic background in Sports & Exercise Science, fitness or biomechanics.  My experience is practical and started out of necessity during an active military career and grew into a lifelong desire to stay fit; (hmmm) there’s that word again.  I ran physical fitness programs and developed training regimens to help others qualify for certain programs that had physical performance requirements.  I may have dabbled in an active life over the years (see pic, since everyone else is including them, that was Boise, ID; air temp was in the mid-30s. It was warmer in the water than it was out of the water, which is why I look like I might have been working as a non-union glass cutter ).

   

These days everything is mostly body weight and HIIT with an occasional weight room session and consistent running during more temperate weather.  I find that running helps walking the hilly WA courses (I walk 99% of rounds in WA) and staying energetic in the Florida heat.

The fitforgolf.blog website provides a good background on Mr. Carroll and I peaked my interest in the training.  I am really excited to see how my golf game, and general fitness can benefit from one or more of them.  And I'm really jazzed to have the opportunity to play with it a bit and pass an assessment along to others.

-       One initial, but very minor concern, is that he states that the program is designed to be started as one transitions into the off-season.  This absolutely makes sense.  Since we are starting as the season starts one of the things I will be looking at is how seamlessly the program works through the later, advanced, stages and returns to Phase 1 (Off-Season).

-       There are 37 Blog entries and 29 Podcasts averaging a bit over an hour each.  While I would love to review every one of these for my own education and for input to my review, but hey folks, I do have to get some golf in, oh and a few workouts too.  Right? 

Okay, let’s talk evaluation!  I may have grown a little…corpulent over the last couple of years.  But…(don’t ask me how this works) I still appear to be in decent “shape;” hey, round is a shape!

I'm really looking forward to getting started.  Once I do: 

-       My plan is to at least sample the Beginner (101) and Fundamentals programs.  That may change once I get into the app, but I’d like to be able to understand the gap between 101 and the more advanced programs.

-       Objectively, metrics will most likely be based on:

o   What demonstrable improvements occur in repetitions, sets, weight or time depending on the workout format?

o   Range of motion improvement?

o   How has my game been affected (scores/hcp)?

o   Has a there been a measurable change in clubhead speed or ball carry?

o   Any other measurable impact in health or fitness.

-       Subjectively speaking:

o   How do I feel after the workouts?

o   How do I feel after working on a program for a period of time?

o   How do I feel the program has affected my other workouts and general fitness?

o   How do I feel my swing has benefited/suffered?

o   How do I feel after a round since starting the program?

Okay, that might sound like a lot to digest right out of the gate...but let's put this program to the test!

Final Review

Many thanks to Mike Carroll, the MGS staff, and the MGS members for this opportunity.

In keeping with my intro, I did try to keep is short and sweet, but there is a lot to cover here. If you are not interested in the details you can jump to the end for the Play it or Trade it and Conclusion with a couple of bullets.

First Impressions (8 out of 10)

I highly encourage potential users to explore the website and the many features and articles.  Quite frankly it can be overwhelming, but it is all good, quality information.  My initial impression, including this recommendation can be found here:

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/62723-fit-for-golf-training-app-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1065355

Aesthetics (12 out of 20) 

The number of programs available, the quality of the content in each program and the ability to substitute or tailor programs is top level. (5 points)

Setting up your account and initial log in can be a challenge. Having to log into on a web page to access an app gave me a moment of pause but having dealt with IT “stuff” from the outside for so long I quickly overcame that pause and the process was seamless.  Not a deal breaker by any means and once you understand why they had to do it this way (Apple vs. Android agreements and restrictions) it is understandable. (4 points)

There were initially some bugs with rescheduling workouts and adding Additional Activities, but Mike and his team were either already working on fixes or had already implemented fixes by the time I provided feedback. (4 points)

The biggest detractors for me were that the Dashboard and metrics are lacking.  The “dashboard” really doesn’t have much functionality.  It is more of a home page than a dashboard as it lacks any progress, status, or progress indicators. I recall initially being able to find certain metrics like, heaviest weight used or most reps performed, but those seem to have been removed or hidden somewhere. The most “metric” data a user can pull up is a Summary where users can see how many workouts were done in a month. (0 points)

Overall the app is fairly easy to use, but it could be a bit more intuitive. (3 points)

The Numbers (18 out of 20)

I found that working through the programs during the golf season did not hinder my play, but actually helped me work through some swing transition issues I was dealing with.

My assessment and review plan included sampling more than one program to understand the variety and progression of a program, and objective and subjective measures. I completed the Home Based Bands and Dumbbells and In Season programs. Each program is 12-weeks long, divided into 3 phases.

Objectively (measurable metrics),

• As one might expect, repetitions, sets, weight, and endurance improved as I progressed through each program.
• I experienced ROM improvements in my left (lead) shoulder using the “lying, open book” move as well as in lower back rotation.

• I addressed flexibility here:

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/62723-fit-for-golf-training-app-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1099003

• My handicap is back in the low 4 range…I’d call that measurable improvement (of course it is up to me to keep it there).

• I’ve been struggling to get back under 190 lbs. Getting there has been a nice side effect of having a regular, additional routine.
• Some testers mentioned measured increase in clubhead speed.  Unfortunately, my testing did not show a significant improvement in club head speed, I discussed my swing speed measurements here:

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/62723-fit-for-golf-training-app-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1081555

But I do feel like my swing has improved in other ways, (e.g. swing path; more on that in subjective criteria).

• The band and cable rotations have helped me revive pelvic rotation (hip turn) and more consistently:
  • Fire the right hip leading the shoulder rotation with my lead hip,
  • Get the right hip out of the way,
  • Open up the right side.
• Improvement in overall fitness is demonstrable in sets, weight lifted, endurance (time and sets performed) across the programs and similar elements of my other workouts (running, swimming, HIIT/Cross).

Subjectively (perception),

• Incorporating warmups and stretching is something I know I should have already been doing; it just wasn’t a priority.  Having Fit for Golf make that part of the routine and give me a place to track accomplishment means I am taking the time to add it in to pre-game prep and workout recovery.  If I only added this element to my life I would say my experience with FFG was worth the time and effort.
• With range of motion and flexibility coming back, certain aspects of my swing that I have been struggling with have smoothed out.
  • My leading arm range of motion improved is one specific element that improved.  Shoulder surgery restricted my lead arm ROM so badly that, in an effort to make the turn and “stay loose” my elbow was bending almost 90 degrees by the top of my back swing.
  • Restricted ROM led to all sorts of timing issues, excessive wrist hinging, and my right hand taking over.
  • Hip turn and lower back ROM have also improved.
• I would have killed for Dorf’s swing a few months ago.  Since starting the FFG program I’ve made significant progress getting back to having a more consistent swing that is led by my lead hip, and I feel that FFG has helped with that.

Practice makes…? (16 out of 20)
The fitforgolf.blog website provides a good background on Mr. Carroll and confidence that the training should be well rounded and effective.  I was optimistic at the outset that my golf game, and general fitness could benefit from one or more of the programs.  I found that the programs were well put together, and I enjoyed working through them and appreciated being exposed to moves and methods that I may never have otherwise experienced.

Once you get into the App there are numerous ways to develop your program(s), make substitutions, adjust schedules, and add additional activities/workouts.

The app schedules each program in blocks, or phases, and puts each phase subsequently on your FFG calendar for you.  When you reschedule a workout the app allows you to reschedule just that one workout, or that workout and subsequent sessions automatically.  This is nice because it prevents doubling up and keep the program moving.  Initially, there were some bugs with rescheduling, but Mike and his team were all over it and had things already in the works to fix or had them fixed by the time I sent in feedback.

At risk of sounding like a salesperson, the app is like having a trainer that develops an evolving program based on your specific goals. The variety and ability to tailor the program to personal circumstances appears well thought out and offers extensive options.  For some it may be overwhelming, BUT… that is when the FFG Program Matcher comes into play.  One more plus for the App/Program.

Not only are the number of possible programs extensive, but they are also tailorable to what equipment you have available, and Mike’s program offers the ability to substitute in case of a physical limitation or situations when you might not have access to your normal variety of equipment.

The app also allows users to record Additional Activities, or workouts outside the app; programs such as runs, swims, biking, hiking, cross-fit, etc., can all be added in to get a bigger picture of activity and progress.  Initially, the functionality in this area also had some bugs; but once again Mike and his development team were on top of it. Improvement was truly being sought and executed.

I covered rescheduling and adding Additional Activities here:

https://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/62723-fit-for-golf-training-app-2024-forum-review/?do=findComment&comment=1073387

I added the Dynamic Warmup and Simple Stretching routines into daily life and I worked through one or both prior to rounds of golf.  My routine also includes child’s pose rotations and scorpion stretches because I feel that they benefit my lower back and range of motion.  I also continued to work with SuperSpeed and phase one, though I have not been able to stick to the routine as strictly as I would like to and advance because of frequent travel.

Certain moves may take a bit to get used to doing correctly, but once I grasped the concept from the demo videos and the ability to correlate the exercise to a golf movement (think band and cable rotation exercises) I found that those REALLY helped me fix and smooth out some swing issues.

The Good, the bad, the in between (14 out of 20)

The Good (7 points)

• Age and wear and tear can make a difference in life. I addressed the fitness aspect of golf in my introductory post and encourage anyone interested to review those thoughts. The key facets are that a good fitness will allow all of us to swing faster, play harder, and can do it consistently longer than one might, in general, expect to do so.  As amateurs we have jobs and home maintenance and other life factors that preclude two a days and range time five to seven days per week.  A basic fitness regimen can help fend off the effects of age; Mike Carroll and FFG offer a golfer workouts tailored to the sport with several different goals and programs for preparing for season, in-season, and post-season to help achieve your goals.
• The number of programs, ability to substitute moves, and rescheduling are outstanding.
• The demonstration videos are very good and value added.  As person with a wide range of fitness experience I found the videos to be helpful in the beginning and as a reminder when something “didn’t feel quite right” when doing an exercise movement.  The quality of the videos in the current version of the app is much better than some of the older versions I viewed prior to starting the program.

The In-between (7 points)

• This turns out to be a mixed area.  As I mentioned earlier, there were initially some bugs with various scheduling and rescheduling features in the app, but Mike and his team were all over getting those identified and fixed.  Feedback being welcome and responded to so well and Mike and the Team being so focuses on continuous improvement and acting on feedback I did not feel that I could dock any points here.

The …? (0 points)

The biggest detractors for me were that the Dashboard and metrics are lacking.  The “dashboard” really doesn’t have much functionality.  It is more of a home page than a dashboard as it lacks any progress, status, or progress indicators. I recall initially being able to find certain metrics like, heaviest weight used or most reps performed, but those seem to have been removed or hidden somewhere. The most “metric” data a user can pull up is a Summary where users can see how many workouts were done in a month.

Play it or Trade it? (9 out of 10)

I will be keeping the app.  I am looking forward to continuing with the Warm-up and Mobility routines and going through the Force, Velocity and Mass programs during my next off-season cycle.  I hope the Dashboard and metrics improve, but the quality and content in the programs leading to improved fitness far outweigh pretty pictures on a home screen for me.

Conclusion - Final Score (78 out of 100)

Whether you are an experienced gym rat or someone who wouldn’t know the difference between a Smith Machine and a hack squat rack, the FFG app and the programs Mike Carroll includes can benefit your swing, your game, and your overall fitness. 

• The Dashboard needs work if it going to be a "Dashboard" rather than a Home Page.
• I experienced range of motion (ROM) improvements 
• I experienced improvements in my swing mechanics.  
• Certain moves from the workouts and consistently REALLY helped me fix and smooth out some swing issues.

Since starting the FFG program I’ve made significant progress getting back to having a more consistent swing that is led by my lead hip, and I feel that FFG has helped with that.  Feel free to ask questions, criticize my expansive write-up, correct any grammar, addition, or technical points, or send canned goods, other non-perishable foods, and a tent my way as my wife has voiced her intent to toss me out of the house if I don't get off this darned computer and quit playing with all my golf toys.

Cheers all.

Edited August 12 by Subdiver1
Final Review and add screen shots back in

[ILMgolfnut]

Hello everyone! My name is Jeff Necessary (yes, that's my real name; who would make that up?). I grew up and spent most of my life in Arkansas but now live in North Carolina. I'm 63 years old and I've been a golfer since 1979. My earliest memories of golf are driving past Hot Springs (Ark.) Country Club over and over on trips to visit my grandparents, seeing the golfers out there on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, and wanting to be one of them. 

I want to thank the MGS staff for selecting me for this test, and Fit for Golf for giving us this opportunity. 

I had about a 20-year hiatus from golf after a shoulder injury; during that time I switched obsessions to running, lost 40 pounds and completed 19 marathons in nine years before I lost the motivation to get off the couch and train. So I know about getting fit and training for a goal, but now I've put those 40 pounds back on. I got back into golf two years ago and I'm more obsessed with the game than ever.

This is from my last marathon, at London in 2016 (yes, that's Big Ben in the background).

When this test came along, I had recently returned from a bucket list golf trip to Scotland. Unbelievable experience, but it could have been better. I had to cancel 3.4 rounds because my back was too sore to play (I had 36 holes scheduled one day at Cruden Bay, plus 9 the next day at the St. Olaf satellite course; I played 11 holes out of that 45, and later skipped another round at Tain Golf Club). So I wanted to be able to better enjoy an opportunity like that.

My plan was to use that background of marathon training to get in golf shape with the help of this app, and bring the readers along for the ride. 

My fitness goals for this test and beyond were to get through 18 hole rounds without my swing going to Hades on the 16th fairway because I'm tired; to lose some of that weight, and to gain distance and swing speed. And if I get to where I can play 36 in a day, so much the better. I work from home most of the time and can pretty much train whenever I want; hotel fitness rooms may also come into play for me. I just assembled a home gym for my significant other; suspect that will get plenty of use during this test.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS (score 10 out of 10): The start of the test was delayed for several weeks while the updated Fit For Golf app for Android, which is what I use, was being cleared for inclusion in Google Play (the Apple version was delayed several weeks longer). Once the updated app was available, it was a standard download just like any Google Play app. Process of registration (and yes, paying) was straightforward and once completed, you are good to go. It immediately takes you to your dashboard. Once you get going and put workouts on your schedule, it will show you something like this: 

But I want to particularly point out the box next to the blue one, marked All Programs. Click that, and you're taken to a page with FFG Program Matcher and Library. If you click Program Matcher, it will ask you questions about your goals, your workout experience, where you are in golf season, and how long you want your workouts to be, and make recommendations to match your answers. The recommendation screen will look like this: 

From there, you pick one and get going. But if you review this list and don't see one you like, or that you don't have the right equipment to do, go back to Program Matcher and tweak your answers to get another list; you're not committed yet. Each program is straightforward, with a list of the equipment you need, a list of the specific exercises and video instructions for how to do each one.

USING THE APP: 18 out of 20 The app design is clean and straightforward, and easy to use even for a bit of a technophobe like me. There is a great deal of variety in the program and a large number of exercises, so you should be able to find one that is tailor-made for your needs and current fitness level, and then progress when you’ve completed that. I’m told the new version is much more user-friendly than the original version, which was piggybacked on an existing non-golf fitness app. FFG 2.0 is definitely focused on the reason we’re here: Golf.

The start of my testing coincided with an extremely uncooperative work schedule which sent me everywhere from Philadelphia to the edge of the Mojave Desert in California, leaving me at the mercy of hotel fitness rooms. Sometimes I was able to get the workout in as prescribed, sometimes it took a bit of ingenuity or adjusting exercises to match available equipment. The app does recommend a set of elastic bands available through Amazon, which I purchased, and it made the road workouts a lot easier to do. As my strength improved over the testing period, I was able to combine multiple bands in many cases to provide adequate resistance.

I worked through this entire Bands and Dumbbells 12-week program, with three four-week phases, in conjunction with the Rypstick speed training program. I saw gains in strength and clubhead speed and decrease in body weight, but I found that each workout left me compromised for golf the next day due to fatigue and/or soreness. So I went back through the Program Matcher and selected a Seniors - Bands program, which is less than 20 minutes a day and could be done solely in my hotel room if needed. 

This exercise has been included in both protocols, so I chose it as an example of what I was doing (more than three reps on each side, though):

I finished the B&D program while I was on a 10-day return bucket list trip to Scotland. Again my sore back got in the way, as I had to withdraw from a tournament at Golspie Golf Club after playing three straight days, but I handled it better than I did last fall. In all, I played six rounds or half-rounds on my trip, including four tournament rounds.

THE NUMBERS: 16 out of 20

The last reliable swing data I had came from my club fitting in February 2022. In that, clubhead speed was in the 70-72 mph range. I had another fitting in mid-July and was swinging 82-84. My Rypstick average numbers went from 80 mph average in late March to 92 mph on July 4 before I got on the plane for Scotland, and single swings have been recorded as high as 97.

Driving distance: I'm getting 200 yards with a fair degree of regularity now, and occasionally, with good contact aided by slopes or bouncy fairways or both, getting out to 220, 230 or beyond. My last competitive round in Scotland was with a couple of guys who are much better than me (one of them finished second in the tournament, shooting 79 with an 11 handicap) and on occasion I was outdriving them. It may be that one or both was using his 3-wood off the tee on those holes, but I'm pleased that I'm not automatically the first to play my second shot. In my last range session, in heavy rain which discombobulated my Garmin, I hit two consecutive drives that felt absolutely crushed, but neither the Garmin nor my eyesight through rain-streaked glasses were able to quantify those shots.

Weight: I'm down from 195 to 187, and now find myself needing to wear a belt or be concerned that my golf pants are going to fall to half-mast on the first tee. Part of that is my complete absence of glutes, and that has not changed during the program.

Other goals listed above: On the 18th hole of that last tournament round I mentioned, I hit a 3-wood uphill 200 yards and hit the green on a par-3 (then three-jacked the putts, but that's another issue). The 3w is not my favorite club, and I only chose it because I was afraid of bouncing a driver off the clubhouse behind the green. But to be able to put a good swing and solid contact off the tee on the 18th hole of a round is a definite improvement. As noted above, my sore back still limits how much golf I can play in a short period, but it was improved this time as opposed to my fall 2023 trip to Scotland. I will continue to do FFG along with a daily regimen of practice swings and keep working toward that goal.

The score probably would have been higher if my travel schedule and the occasional niggling discomfort had allowed me to be more consistent with the workouts. I’m old enough that I expected there to be some pain with these aging muscles and joints, but I couldn’t always push through it (and sometimes didn’t want to). Do I wish I’d gotten more clubhead speed? Sure. Maybe that’s attributable to missing too many workouts, maybe it’s just my own physical limitations. But I’ll continue pushing those limitations. And maybe some day I’ll hit the magic triple digits on clubhead speed.

DARK CLOUDS AND SILVER LININGS: 18 out of 20. Although it’s an extremely useful app, it’s still just an app. It doesn’t make you get off the couch and work out. But if you’re serious about improving your golf fitness and thus your game, it has what you need to get there. There was only one technical issue I can recall, when I was unable to log into the app, but the next time I tried the login was back to normal. I wish I had used more of the app features, but that’s on me, not the app. Another excellent feature is that Mike Carroll (owner of FFG) posts videos on Twitter/X and other social media platforms of supplemental exercises, which I plan to incorporate more in my future workouts.

GOOD, BAD AND INDIFFERENT: 18 out of 20. My favorite part of this app is the flexibility. If you want to do all your workouts in a gym you can. If you want to do them at home you can. If you end up using a lot of hotel fitness rooms like I did, you can still make it work, especially if you stick your bands in your suitcase. You could probably do a combination of all of the above. If a particular exercise bothers your sore shoulder, you can substitute something more shoulder-friendly. And scheduling workouts on your calendar in the app holds your feet to the fire a bit. I actually have a home gym that I didn’t use in the program, but could have. Probably the only slight complaint I would have is that the setup process doesn’t quite highlight the app features as well as I would have liked. I kinda fiddled around with it and found out (most of) what it would do.

USE IT OR LOSE IT: 10 out of 10. I hoped that this program would transform my game, and it really has. My swing flaws haven’t gone away, but when I make good contact I have a reasonable chance of reaching many par 4s and a few par 5s in regulation. That was not true in March 2024, and I think I can continue the combined FFG/Rypstick program and make even more progress.

OVERALL CONCLUSIONS:

My golf fitness remains a work in progress, but Fit For Golf has been invaluable to me in making the gains documented above, in combination with Rypstick speed training. Mike has been very available to answer questions or make suggestions. As with any fitness program, it won't do it on its own. You have to put in the effort. In retrospect, since this test started after the beginning of the golf season, I could have chosen a program with less difficulty but a little more frequency, to interfere less with golf and Rypstick. I also could have made better use of the app’s other features, including a place to record the Rypstick workouts shot by shot and then review them later (which you can’t even do on Rypstick).

I will definitely continue to use FFG along with Rypstick. And I recommend it strongly for those looking for better fitness and more clubhead speed.

TOTAL SCORE: 90 out of 100

Edited August 11 by ILMgolfnut
Final version

[taylorjonasher]

Introduction

Hello! My name is Jon Taylor, hailing from Marion, IA. First and foremost, I’d like to thank MGS and Fit for Golf (FFG) for this incredible opportunity. I’ve been eyeballing this app for a couple of years, have downloaded it and almost pulled the trigger on a membership multiple times. To be a part of this testing and evaluation is something that I am particularly interested in, I’m excited to see how it pans out and if it’s something that I can provide some insight to the MGS community as to the value and function of the program. Let’s freakin’ go!

I am a father of three (14, 11, and 6) and have been married to my wonderful wife for 18 years. I’ve been playing golf regularly for about 10 years, but have gotten more serious (too serious if you ask my wife) about improving in the last 3. Last year I was able to finish the season at 12.5 (unofficially), down from 18. My goals this year are to break 80 and reach the single digits, hopefully staying there. 

My intent is to replace my current workout regimen with FFG to increase strength and flexibility, ideally increasing clubhead speed and reducing fatigue. My current workout plan is a progressive overload running 4 training days per week, and I also try to do two days per week of yoga and at least one cardio session. Honestly, the cardio gets put to the back burner most weeks. Why? Because it sucks, and you know it too. Right now, my cruising speed is 100 - 105, with my max speed around 110. I believe that I have the potential to reach 115 - 120, so we’ll see what gains the program brings about without using any other specific overload or overspeed training such as Stack, which the fun crusher my wife already told me “no” to. I have a Garmin R10, which provides kind of accurate data indoors if it’s set up perfectly, so we’ll see how well I can track that data. I might just have to head to the sim once a month to tally progress. 

I think the biggest thing I am going to have a problem with during this test is taking photos and videos of myself actually doing the work. I’m one of the “old guys” that works out at the University of Iowa Rec Center, and I hate all the d-bags that are utilizing machines as camera tripods to take duck lipped selfies of them cranking out 15# hammer curls and barbell thrusters. I’m trying to figure out how I am going to covertly join the ranks of self videographers without too much added d-baggery. I may end up doing some of these workouts at home to try to share some of the videos. You all just might get post workout shirtless selfies as a consolation prize - who knows?!

With all of this on the table, I want to thank MGS and FFG again for affording me this incredible opportunity. I truly aim to provide the most honest (and candid, if you can’t already tell) reviews of what is great and what is not to help all of you decide if this is a worthy spend of your hard earned dollars. Let’s go!

First Impressions - 6/10

After downloading the app (I actually ran both Android and IOS - thanks to a Google Pixel crapping the bed), I can say that the app needs a little bit of help in the UX. The program matcher is awesome - answer 4 questions and you are presented with a few options of programs to get you on your way to hitting your fitness goals as it relates to your golf game. The program I selected - "Velocity" - is geared to increasing clubhead speed in season through overspeed and progressive overload.

The exercises prescribed are easily completed in my gym, and the dynamic warm-up should be renamed the "Dynamite Warm-Up", by the end of the 10 - 15 minutes it takes to complete I have broken a slight sweat and feel ready to tackle the workout of the day. Workouts within the programs are accompanied by "how-to" videos, and the reps, weights, and exercises themselves are able to be modified to suit your current status and equipment. However, the biggest problems that I have with the app are the lack of tutorials and partially implemented features. Aside from the actual exercise content and programs itself (which I am rating a 10/10), the app needs some more help. There are sections to set goals that work on IOS but not on Android, and it seems that the data is not accurately pulled from past workouts . Workout reps and weights are not always carried over from week to week, so if you do not have a secondary way to log your weights and reps, you have to remember what you did the week before (eg - I felt good doing more pull ups than the 2x5 was prescribed one week, but the next week the fields were left blank at 0 and 0; if you squat 275 for 5 reps one week, your weight and reps will be blank the following). This frustration is compounded by the inability to see what you did in previous workouts - all fields revert to zeros once the workout is completed. Additionally, if you miss the scheduled day of the workout, you are not able to complete that workout on a subsequent day and log it within the app. Without another way to log your progress, it's all pretty much left up to you and your assumed steel trap of a brain housing unit. There is a timer included to manually advance from set to set, but with the timeout function on my screen I find myself completing all sets and then coming back to switch from exercise to exercise. All in all, because of the partial functionality (-1), lack of tutorial within the app (-1), and no way to review past performance (-1), I have to deduct 3 points from what is otherwise a fantastic workout program. 

Aesthetics - 16/20 

Program quality is top notch. Mike knows what he is doing, and has built phenomenal programs to achieve the goals that you select. The app is pretty easy to use, but there were a few quirks that took a little bit of getting used to. However, the results speak for themselves and these faults should not be considered as major detractors that should keep you from using this product. If you stick to it, you WILL see results.

 

I’ve never done any golf specific programming before, aside from a few medicine ball tosses and sporadic cable rotations. I really didn’t know what to expect, but I planned on going as hard as I could to see how much I could get out of my body and the program. I was pleasantly surprised by the speed gains and endurance that I picked up while using the app. 

 

The app was really easy to get set up. The program matcher couldn’t be any easier. It asks you three or four questions about what you want to do, and gives you options that match up with your answers. I selected the Velocity program, and was challenged on every single workout. However, the app itself leaves a little to be desired. I frequently had reps and weights drop out of the the day-to-day tracking, so I would really have to rack my brain sometimes to remember how many reps and weight I did the previous week. I also didn’t know if I was supposed to be going up or down in reps or weight when this happened, so I’m not sure if I was 100% on script with the intended programming. 

As an overcommitted business owner, husband, dad, baseball coach, crappy golfer, and enjoyer of social beverages, sometimes things got in the way of my scheduled workouts. I only missed 2 of the 36 workouts entirely, and had to reschedule 3 or 4 for other days. When this did happen, I was able to reschedule the day’s workout for another pretty easily - once I figured out to to do it (thanks to Subdiver1 for the screen shots earlier). The only caveat that I did not like about the reschedule was that if you did not do it on or before the day of the workout, it was lost to the abyss and counted as a missed workout. It would be nice to be able to go back and reschedule a workout the day after. 

Another thing that I did not like about the app is the inability to go back to a workout and check performance numbers. Did I hit all the reps at the intended weight? How much did I push on the straight bench? At what rep did I fail on my 6th set of squats on the heavy day? No f’n clue. Once the workout is done, either the weight or rep inputs are grayed out and unable to be recalled - super frustrating to try to guess how much to push when the next workout’s data is not populated. 

 

Aside from the negatives, the actual workout content is really good. I found myself being pushed every day and really enjoyed the fitness progress that I made, especially in my spine and hips. I feel that my range of motion has increased greatly, and my lower back pain post round has almost disappeared. My hips and glutes do not get really sore like they used to, and as such I sleep better now! The app has great demonstration videos of each exercise that are linked directly from the workouts, but I would like a few videos on the actual use of the app as previously stated. 

 

The Numbers - 19/20

As far as game improvements go, my average driver distance has increased from 265 to 270 since starting FFG, and all of my other clubs have also seen a roughly 5 yard total increase as well. 

I selected the Velocity program with the goal of increasing my clubhead speed, and I did. Over the course of 12 weeks, I put on roughly 4 mph of clubhead speed, which accounts for the increased distance. I did not notice any negative side effects in my game or my body - only positives. My body feels great and I hit the ball further. There are no downsides to using this app if you apply yourself to it and are consistent with the training. I would have hoped to put on one or two more MPH, but I don’t know if I can chalk that up to lack of effort or incorrect protocol due to the numbers not being carried forward. I still made progress, just not exactly what I had hoped for. 

My other state goals of improving flexibility, increasing strength, and increasing stamina were also achieved. My dumbbell and incline bench increased 10# over the time period, my hip flexibility increased dramatically (full range of motion in squats, and knees touching the floor after 6 weeks of the "knee-to-floor rotations" during the dynamic warm-up). My stamina also has increased, as I just completed 36 holes last Friday and felt like I could have played another 27, whereas 36 before FFG would have been the stopping point. These goals are anecdotal and not really measureable, but I have noticed improvements in all categories. 

I do not see any reason to not justify the cost of this product, which is $15 per month. If you have access to a gym or have home equipment, this app will give you the tools to improve your health, fitness, and golf game. I would gladly pay $15 a month to give myself golf specific programming - the cost of a personal trainer runs around $60 - $70 per hour here in Iowa City; I don’t know how much a golf specific trainer would run, but I am assuming at least that amount. Mike puts together a well thought out program that will challenge you and is a great value for the dollar. 

 

Practice makes…Quadzilla -17/20

Fit For Golf 2.0, specifically the Velocity program, really made me start to like and appreciate squats again. The emphasis on overspeed two out of three days and overload on the other day kept me on my toes. As a result, my squats really improved as far as range of motion, endurance, and volume. I was previously knocking out 3 x 8 x 225 with a little bit of difficulty, and now I am regularly repping 265 for the same sets with great range of motion. The first couple of weeks really had me rolling my eyes at how many squats I was going (I have never squatted 3x a week), but by the time the third phase rolled around and it dropped to 2x I was a little disappointed. Additionally, the shear volume of rotational exercises (weighted cable chops, medicine ball throws) really beat up my obliques and hips, but made my lower back feel like a million bucks. Now that I’m off the program for a few weeks, I miss them and have been incorporating them into my regular lifting cycles!

 

The programming within the app was amazing. It targeted all parts of the body - push, pull, hinge - the works. Back, biceps, triceps, abs, chest, legs, glutes - nothing was left untouched. The first supersets of each workout also were great at getting my heart rate going, which complemented the warm-up and got me ready for the heavy or overspeed work afterward. It really was a well planned out workout. 

 

FFG 2.0 really increased my strength and stamina. The biggest thing that I noticed was the lack of pain after a heavy range session and after playing. My lower back no longer hurts, and my hips and legs feel amazing. I can sleep better, and my knees and shoulders feel better as well. Overall, I just feel BETTER about my swing - it didn’t really bring about any technical changes, but my body is much better equipped to take the beating that I put it through. I also picked up around 4 mph of clubhead speed (104 - 108); my average driver distance has crept up from 265 to 270 this season since completing FFG. My last round on Friday had 7 drives that surpassed 300 yards, where previous rounds I would only have 2-3 drives touch that range. 

The Good, the bad, the In-Between - 16/20

The Good: I really enjoyed the actual workouts themselves. They challenged me and put out results!

 

The Bad: The app did not carry consistently workout data forward, and I have no clue if I followed the protocol exactly as intended. Also the app was confusing to navigate at times without playing around with it - there needs to be some tutorial videos on how to use the app. 

The In-Between: I ended up substituting dumbbells for straight bar and incline bench as I have pretty bad shoulder impingements. There are a few exercises that could have more substitutes available, namely these two. But overall, the programming is solid. Not programming related, but I also felt like a complete idiot doing PVC torso rotations for speed in the middle of the gym and sweating my sack off doing it. I could feel the eyeballs upon me every time I did them, but the 4 mph gain was worth the internalized scrutiny. If you’re self conscious, maybe skip these. 

 

Play it or Trade it? - 9/10

Me personally, I’d play the hell out of this. The Velocity program did what it said it was going to - I squeezed a few more MPH’s out of this 39 year old wrecked body of mine and it hurts less than before. If you are serious about improving your health and fitness to play better golf, there is no reason to not consider Fit For Golf 2.0. The positives outweigh the negatives by a wide margin in my opinion, no matter how utterly stupid you feel doing torso rotations. The $15 per month price is well worth the gains in your fitness that you will make as long as you stay consistent with the protocols. 

 

Conclusion - TL;DR

The FFG 2.0 app is a well thought out application that will help you achieve your stated golf goals. There are a few frustrating faults within the app, but it is still pretty new and is actively being updated and worked on. You will be challenged, and you will improve. The cost for access to the programming is well worth it.

Final Score -  83/100

 

 

Edited August 12 by taylorjonasher

[PJVicary]

Hi everyone. My name is Paul Vicary and I am a 73 year old who loves the game as much today as I did when I was introduced to it at the age of 2 1/2. I was born in Ontario and spent time in Vancouver, Pittsburgh (Go Steelers!) and Atlanta before calling calling The Villages here in Central Florida home. 

I have played the game competitively since the age of 12 and at one point was able to get my handicap down to as low as +1. However time has a habit of becoming the great equalizer and I now struggle to keep my handicap in single digits. (Currently playing to a 6)

Having had neck surgery back in 2015 I have found that titanium is much more forgiving in a club head than in two rods screwed into your back. Doctors said I should be happy to just being able play again but i was not satisfied. The competitive juices push me to try and get back to the way things were. 

I want to thank MGS for selecting me and helping to push me to become more fit. My current exercise regime consists of a 15 minute stretching routine before heading out to the course. Like many others I joined a gym and drive by it two to three times a week. I needed accountability and being chosen in this test might just be the answer.

 

The Personal Questions

I am a 72 year old 6.4 handicap golfer who has played the game since the age of 2. At one time I played extensive and competitive golf as an amateur,  both in Canada and the US. I have backed away from competitive golf for the most part following a torn ACL, LCL, MCL and meniscus and subsequent neck, and spinal surgeries which left my ability to play at all in question. I’m pleased to say that I am now back playing with the reality that distance has gone by the wayside and the need to adapt to a restricted swing has become my new norm.

 

All that said, my goals for utilizing the Fit for Golf app is quite simple:

 

1) Increase range of motion

2) Increase swing speed and thereby increase distance.

 

I am excited by the possibility of trying this app and finding the secret sauce to achieve goals set out above. As an individual never focused on exercise I was hoping for something that would push me to turn my exercising habits or lack Theron around.

 

I decided to work with a schedule that would be easier to follow so that I could become more disciplined and follow through and get into what would become a new norm. 

 

All that said I decided on twice a week, Tuesday’s and Friday’s thinking that i could add an additional day if everything worked according to plan. 

 

Following the advice of my medical and PT folks I kept my routine limited to 30 minutes using Dynamic Warm-up #1 followed by a modification of Supersets 2, 3 and 4. 

 

First Impressions (6 out of 10)

My first impression of the app were a bit disappointing. Through no fault of Mike's, the release for the Apple version was significantly delayed. Sorry but I’m an iOS bigot and was not prepared to change.  Lost was some of the initial hype and excitement of being selected. Once received however, it was easy to see Mike had the experience and expertise to pull it together. Scheduling workouts seemed very straightforward although reversing strategy and exercises was a bit cumbersome. The lack of an overall tutorial was a point distraction  for me. All of the pieces were there but you had to do some searching to find what works. Another complication for me was that recent neck and back surgeries caused me to group in my Steelers neurosurgeon and former Penguins trainer and now PT for some does and don’ts.

Aesthetics (17 out of 20) 

The quality of the Program is first rate. Mike knows his stuff. The programs included with the app will absolutely help to achieve your goals. I was not sure what to expect as I was not prone to exercise and certainly lacked the necessary discipline to stay with any regime. Not a fault of the app but with the guy (looking in the mirror ) doing the exercise program set out. I have no doubt that if you select and follow a specific program from the menu of choices laid out by Mike you will be successful. 

 

The actual set up and list of four questions at the outset guide you to the correct plan.   

 

I chose Home; Senior; Concerned about my injuries and a lack f experience;  Time commitment  and BAM, a suitable program was pulled together. I provided the program to my PT and surgeon and came up with a modified plan which deleted some of the recommendations for the program due to potential re-injure risks. Again, this was an individual issue with the recommendation and not an app issue. 
 

 

 

The Numbers (18 out of 20)

As far as game improvements go, my average 7 iron distance has increased from 121.1 to 125.6 since starting FFG, and all of my other clubs have also seen a roughly 4-6 yard total increase as well. 

My club speed has increased by approximately 2.3 mph. My ball speed has increased by 2.65 mph. Given that I utilized a small fraction of the exercises made available through the app, I am ver pleased with the outcome. My plan, going forward will be to try and expand my schedule by 30% to go from twice to three times per week and try and get medical clearance to incorporate more of what is available for strength.  I certainly feel better and my range of motion has definitely improved. There are no downsides to using the app. You just need to remain vigilant and DISCIPLINED. PICS

 

I can say, without hesitation, that the value of this product is worth $15 per month.  Your game will improve and your body will thank you. If you compare the cost to getting a personal trainer, this is a no brainer. Mike knows what he is talking about and the library of exercises reflects that. You will be challenged but you can’t grow without that.  Great value for the money you invest. Do it for yourself. $.50 per day, I mean come on!

 

Before Fit for Golf 2.0 7 iron comparison

 

After 12 weeks using Fit for Golf 2.0

Practice makes Perfect (17 out of 20)

Fit For Golf 2.0, specifically Seniors Bands program got me over the hurdle of being too lazy to exercise. It pushed me out of the gate and my body initially pushed back A normal tendency. However after three weeks of wanting to give up I started to turn the corner. I found the program producing the results and began to translate to a range of motion that i had lost over the years. I still have miles to go but am encouraged by what I have seen in just 12 weeks. 

The programming within the app was amazing. It targeted the parts of the body that I was approved to address by my medical folks. I certainly was careful around the neck and upper back areas and that will not change. Legs and shoulders are significantly stronger and with greater range of motion I expect to see a full increase of one club which is tremendous. 

 

 

FFG 2.0 really increased my strength and stamina. The biggest thing that I noticed was the lack of pain after playing and the following day. I can honestly say I feel better about myself which was not a goal I had but I’ll certainly take it.  The increase of distance and a more consistent shot pattern are great. I see this continuing over time, 

 

The Good, the bad, the inbetween (17 out of 20)

The Good: I am shocked but happy to say I enjoyed the challenge. I didn’t think that I had it in me to keep going. I’m so glad I did. 

 

The Bad: navigating the app was a little confusing and a menu and tutorial at the outset would have been useful.  I bounced around a bit specifically at the outset trying to find things. 

 

 The In-Between: Overall the program is solid. It’s time for me to graduate up to the next level and push myself harder. Im excited to see what the next 90 days brings. I’ll be sure to let you know.  

 

Play it or Trade it? (8 out of 10)

I say play it. Those without physical obstacles like Ihave will even see more benefit, strength and versatility in Fit for Golf 2.0. I saw improvements validated by my handy dandy Flightscope Mevo. The data doesn’t lie.  I’m 72 and prior to using FFG I felt that and then som. I now feel refreshed and my playing partners have noticed a difference. I have peaked their interest and I can see them wanting to give Fit for golf 2.0 a shot. There are so many positives that I can certainly overlook the drawbacks. Stay with it. Your won’t be disappointed!

 

 

Conclusion - TL;DR

The FFG 2.0 app will help you if you let it. The value for the money is exceptional. Any app will have its hiccups so don't let it scare you.If this 72 year old overweight guy with bars in his neck can see a difference, so can you. It will challenge you and that is exactly what you need. No pain, no gain!

 

Final Score (83 out of 100)
 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 15 by PJVicary
Spelling

[Josh Parker]

Congrats testers!  Looking forward to seeing some results!

[sirchunksalot]

Congratulations testers! 

[Rob Person]

Congratulations testers!!! Hope you get the most out of it!

[Preeway]

Congrats, fellas. I’m really keen to follow along with this test as improving my fitness is a big goal for myself and I’ve been looking for apps like this to help me on my journey. 

[ejgaudette]

Congrats everyone, here's hoping this works for you. I have used this app some before and really enjoyed it.

[DonnieGolfs]

Congratulations everyone, this is one particular test I'm looking forward to the results. Do any of the testers have/use the Stack System and plan to integrate the collaboration I've been hearing about in the app?

[ZJeb67]

Good Luck to those selected.  I'll live vicariously through your progress 

[russtopherb]

Congrats all! Looking forward to seeing what you get out of the program, and how it works for all of you.

[TJ Hall]

Congratulations testers!  Looking forward to following your progress with this.

[jbern]

Great group of testers! Congrats @MaxEntropy. @berkeleybob, @Subdiver1, @ILMgolfnut, @taylorjonasher & @PJVicary! Have fun and let the hard work begin! 

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Congrats to the testers! I look forward to following along, as you work toward the best versions of yourselves. 

[TSauer]

Congrats, testers! I'm hoping to see a rendition of Ben Crane's workout video..

 

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

Congrats testers. Enjoy. It’s made a big difference in my overall health. Love it up!

[ILMgolfnut]

2 hours ago, DonnieGolfs said:

Do any of the testers have/use the Stack System

I don't have it, but I've looked into it. Perhaps as the test goes on (and I find a spare $350) I will incorporate the Stack into my training. 

[Michael.Sandoval33]

Congrats testers! Can't wait to follow along and see the progress made with the program! 

[Shrek74]

9 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Please welcome and congratulate our selected testers!

@MaxEntropy

@berkeleybob

@Subdiver1

@ILMgolfnut

@taylorjonasher

@PJVicary

Congrats team!! I look forward to all the comments and updates and stuff as you move along in the program. Good luck on the process!

[Alan Scalzi]

Enjoy the process!

[fixyurdivot]

Congratulations testers!!   I look forward to hearing what you all think of this product and whether it helps your game.

[Dweed]

Congratulations all. Enjoy your testing process.

[Bad Golfer]

Congratulations Testers! I'm looking forward to see how you guys progress Through this program and see how it helps you overall with your swing and flexibility. 

[MaxEntropy]

On 2/6/2024 at 7:44 AM, DonnieGolfs said:

Do any of the testers have/use the Stack System and plan to integrate the collaboration I've been hearing about in the app?

I do not have the Stack System, but I do have SuperSpeed. It will be interesting to see if I might be able to integrate it. We are supposed to have a call with Mike Carroll at some point. I will definitely ask if he has any recommendations on how best to do it.

Edited February 7 by MaxEntropy

[Paul Hedrick]

Congratulations testers!  I am looking forward to reading your reviews.

[MaxEntropy]

My Introduction is up. Check it out and ask questions/provide feedback.