Friday, December 14, 2007
SMT Golf and The United States Golf Academy join forces for Limited Edition putter
Oswego, Illinois - SMT Golf is proud to announce the result of many months of close collaboration with The United States Golf Academy in Plymouth Indiana with their first entry into the putter market. The 2008 Inaugural Edition - 1500 piece limited edition model putter. SMT Golf has been working with United States Golf Academy Director of Golf, Pat Bayley and Director of Instruction, Bruce Rearick, not only to put together a fantastic opening entry into the putter market, but to assemble a completely unique total golf package to help golfers long term enjoyment of the game through education and customer service. SMT Golf owner and award winning clubhead designer Mike Tait had this to say about their new Inaugural Edition Putter. "We were all quite aware of just how special this project was right from the very start. It is very rare to get a bunch of guys in the room and immediately see that the goal for this putter was what we could do for the golfer and what would be best for them, instead of looking at it through the bank account" Tait went on to say "This putter is the first of several planned, and to make this one even more special, we limited the production numbers to only 1500 numbered pieces worldwide. This putter comes with a complete package for the golfer but perhaps the most important thing, is that the first 1500 customers will be the first members invited to the next offering which will include something quite spectacular for each of these special guests". Tait concluded, "Certainly we are aware that there is plenty of competition out there for the golfer's hard earned money, we wanted each customer to be a special part of a rather small club, to offer overall value and to service their needs like no other company has ever even attempted before. It is about so much more than just selling putters for us. It is about helping golfers to play and enjoy playing the game of golf again". Bruce Rearick, Director of Instruction at the United States Golf Academy adds, "The challenge was to create a putter that everyone could use successfully. The Inaugural Edition has very little bias, either perceived or actual, in weight or balance. This was conceived by using what we have found during thousands of fitting sessions with golfers of all skill levels at the Academy, and achieved by using a slightly different neck design than found on a traditional putter head. Because of this design feature, and others, we have created a putter that swings away from the ball without influence and has more stability at impact, creating less torsion on the shaft, resulting in a consistently solid feel and sound". Each putter comes with SMT Golf's famous 100% Lifetime Warranty and matching headcover, as well as complete customer value package valued at well over $1,000.00 per putter. For more information on the Inaugural Edition Putter, or to reserve your own custom putter, call SMT Golf at 888-693-4001 today. Dealer inquiries welcome. To participate in discussion on this and other topics, check out the SMT Discussion Forum from the SMT Golf website at www.smtgolf.com SMT Golf, The Winningest Component Company In The History Of Golf, and the first and only company to win each division of the RE/Max World Long Drive Championship, and the "Longest driver on any PGA Tour", built its reputation on the highest quality products with unsurpassed performance and durability. SMT drivers, hybrids, irons, and wedges are designed for golfers of all skill levels who expect the most out of their golf clubs. SMT Golf is based in Oswego, Illinois. For more information about SMT Golf or their great lineup of products available for 2007, visit their website at www.SMTGolf.com
Sight Lines on Putters
The United States Golf Academy and SMT Golf have recently combined in a joint venture to produce a limited edition putter. One of the goals of the joint venture between the Academy is to provide our customers access to all of the information we used in our design decisions for the Inaugural Putter. We have no secrets. You will never have to guess how we percieve a problem. SMT operates that way and so do we. None of us were interested in providing information just for marketing sake.
Our goal is help you putt better!!!!!
Every marketer in the world would tell us to put all kinds of "alignment aids" on our first offering. That is the current marketing sizzle. Unfortunately, if we are true to our word and we want to help you putt better, that might not be the way to go.
The following is a summary of why there are no sightlines on the Inaugural Edition Putter.
1. Everyone sees differently. Anyone who ever tried to hang a picture with more than one person in the room knows what I am talking about.
2. In putting everyone perceives the target differently. For example if I have trouble seeing straight lines, trying to use a linear strategy, line on ball, lines on putter, every putt is straight mentality, might cause more problems than offer solutions. If you are linear and you use a line on the ball, you probably don't need too much else. especially if...
3. Sight lines on putter do not always point the same direction as a perpendicular line from the face. Take a 2X4 and set it on the ground. Take your putter and square the face to the end of the board. Look at your alignment aid. Is it pointed in the right direction? You would be shocked how many are not and it really doesn't matter if it is or not. How it looks to you is all that matters.
4. The loft of the putter has some influence on this visual as well. With the face on the 2 X 4 move the shaft toward the target and away, keeping the face in the same position relative to the board. Does the line appear to change directions? Some designs are better than others, but more often than not this adds to the visual confusion. At the Academy we use Puttlab to see the change to 1/10 of a degree but if you can't come see us, this drill helps answer the question why changing a putter will often change a players position at address, especially where you play the ball in your stance and positon of hands at address. This makes customization difficult.
5. Every time you try something new you add a layer of information to your putting strategy. This gets complicated, but suffice to say for now that the more layers the more confusion, so much so that you are never quite sure when you get over a putt exactly what stroke you are going to use. Elimination of an incorrect visual reference helps strip away some of these layers. (see 6)
6. If your sight line is wrong and you use it as a crutch you can never be sure of your stroke. Was it Skill or Luck?
And how about the people who aim one way, hit the ball another direction and are absolutely some of the best in the world. Always consistent never perfect.
For the first putter we wanted to be as pure and simple as we could. By eliminating the sight line on this one we eliminate most of the problems listed above. The less visual confusion we can create, the more we can help you determine your own best aim and ailgnment strategy, NOT THE ONE WE THINK YOU NEED!
Finally and maybe most important. When helping our students at the Academy, taking the sight lines away, worked faster than any other suggestion. By far.
I guess this post could have been a little shorter.
Our goal is help you putt better!!!!!
Every marketer in the world would tell us to put all kinds of "alignment aids" on our first offering. That is the current marketing sizzle. Unfortunately, if we are true to our word and we want to help you putt better, that might not be the way to go.
The following is a summary of why there are no sightlines on the Inaugural Edition Putter.
1. Everyone sees differently. Anyone who ever tried to hang a picture with more than one person in the room knows what I am talking about.
2. In putting everyone perceives the target differently. For example if I have trouble seeing straight lines, trying to use a linear strategy, line on ball, lines on putter, every putt is straight mentality, might cause more problems than offer solutions. If you are linear and you use a line on the ball, you probably don't need too much else. especially if...
3. Sight lines on putter do not always point the same direction as a perpendicular line from the face. Take a 2X4 and set it on the ground. Take your putter and square the face to the end of the board. Look at your alignment aid. Is it pointed in the right direction? You would be shocked how many are not and it really doesn't matter if it is or not. How it looks to you is all that matters.
4. The loft of the putter has some influence on this visual as well. With the face on the 2 X 4 move the shaft toward the target and away, keeping the face in the same position relative to the board. Does the line appear to change directions? Some designs are better than others, but more often than not this adds to the visual confusion. At the Academy we use Puttlab to see the change to 1/10 of a degree but if you can't come see us, this drill helps answer the question why changing a putter will often change a players position at address, especially where you play the ball in your stance and positon of hands at address. This makes customization difficult.
5. Every time you try something new you add a layer of information to your putting strategy. This gets complicated, but suffice to say for now that the more layers the more confusion, so much so that you are never quite sure when you get over a putt exactly what stroke you are going to use. Elimination of an incorrect visual reference helps strip away some of these layers. (see 6)
6. If your sight line is wrong and you use it as a crutch you can never be sure of your stroke. Was it Skill or Luck?
And how about the people who aim one way, hit the ball another direction and are absolutely some of the best in the world. Always consistent never perfect.
For the first putter we wanted to be as pure and simple as we could. By eliminating the sight line on this one we eliminate most of the problems listed above. The less visual confusion we can create, the more we can help you determine your own best aim and ailgnment strategy, NOT THE ONE WE THINK YOU NEED!
Finally and maybe most important. When helping our students at the Academy, taking the sight lines away, worked faster than any other suggestion. By far.
I guess this post could have been a little shorter.
Monday, November 19, 2007
A CASE FOR ROUND PUTTER GRIPS
Without question, the most frequent putter fitting problem observed at the Academy is the negative influence of a poorly installed putter grip with a flat surface. If the flat portion of the grip is not perpendicular to the putter face or at the very least does not match the perception of the player, any number of problems can occur.
This is an example of a player with a poorly installed grip. On five measured strokes we see this player has a consistent and successful ability to aim the putter. However, at impact the putter is consistently to the right of the intended target.
Upon inspection, we found when the flat portion of his grip was placed in horizontal position, the putter face was open to vertical just about the same amount as we found it open at impact. So how does this happen.
This player aims the putter visually. Using the line on the putter and matching it to a line on the ball. The result as we saw was very effective. Once he swings the putter away from the ball feel takes over and he swings the putter to a position where his thumbs are on top of the shaft. This opened the face and he maintained this postion through the rest of his stoke.
The best way to see how a flat sided grip affects your stroke is to try a round grip. The hands are placed on the putter matching where the putter is aimed. When the putter swings it does so without influence from the grip. You will find the comparision of the your stroke with a flat grip to a round quite educational and thought provoking.
This is an example of a player with a poorly installed grip. On five measured strokes we see this player has a consistent and successful ability to aim the putter. However, at impact the putter is consistently to the right of the intended target.
Upon inspection, we found when the flat portion of his grip was placed in horizontal position, the putter face was open to vertical just about the same amount as we found it open at impact. So how does this happen.
This player aims the putter visually. Using the line on the putter and matching it to a line on the ball. The result as we saw was very effective. Once he swings the putter away from the ball feel takes over and he swings the putter to a position where his thumbs are on top of the shaft. This opened the face and he maintained this postion through the rest of his stoke.
The best way to see how a flat sided grip affects your stroke is to try a round grip. The hands are placed on the putter matching where the putter is aimed. When the putter swings it does so without influence from the grip. You will find the comparision of the your stroke with a flat grip to a round quite educational and thought provoking.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Golf Profiles
There are two types of golfers.
The first is the player who is constantly changing their game in a search for the perfect method. The try every tip the get from their playing companions, from every article they read and every segment they see on television. Their golf experience is one huge experiment and never the same from one day to the next and every shot is a compensation based on the results of the previous stroke.
The second is the player who is has stayed with the same basics throughout their golf careers. They are very slow to change and if they do try something new they know why they are making the change and exactly what results they expect. If this player has trouble with their game they always go back to the fundamentals they were taught as beginners, and work the issues out from there.
There are also two types of instructors.
The first is the instructor that has developed the one perfect method that works for every player. If a student differs from their teaching, then the instructor expects a full-scale overhaul, over a long period of time, to bring the player on line with their teachings. They like to tell their students, “You will never be any good if you continue blah, blah, blah.” Which when you translate from golf speak to English means, “Its my way or the highway.”
The second is the instructor who understands there is no perfect method, only the perfection of a personal method. These teachers tend to watch more than demonstrate and listen more than talk. When they do talk they relate every suggestion to fundamentals and not theory. They think in terms of evolution and not creation when it pertains to your game.
During our careers our instructors have had the chance to spend some time with a number of Hall of Fame players. At each opportunity they have asked what made these players better than their competition? There was a common theme among all the answers and we addressed it in this essay. We hope the effort to find it and understand it is of value to your golf experience.
The first is the player who is constantly changing their game in a search for the perfect method. The try every tip the get from their playing companions, from every article they read and every segment they see on television. Their golf experience is one huge experiment and never the same from one day to the next and every shot is a compensation based on the results of the previous stroke.
The second is the player who is has stayed with the same basics throughout their golf careers. They are very slow to change and if they do try something new they know why they are making the change and exactly what results they expect. If this player has trouble with their game they always go back to the fundamentals they were taught as beginners, and work the issues out from there.
There are also two types of instructors.
The first is the instructor that has developed the one perfect method that works for every player. If a student differs from their teaching, then the instructor expects a full-scale overhaul, over a long period of time, to bring the player on line with their teachings. They like to tell their students, “You will never be any good if you continue blah, blah, blah.” Which when you translate from golf speak to English means, “Its my way or the highway.”
The second is the instructor who understands there is no perfect method, only the perfection of a personal method. These teachers tend to watch more than demonstrate and listen more than talk. When they do talk they relate every suggestion to fundamentals and not theory. They think in terms of evolution and not creation when it pertains to your game.
During our careers our instructors have had the chance to spend some time with a number of Hall of Fame players. At each opportunity they have asked what made these players better than their competition? There was a common theme among all the answers and we addressed it in this essay. We hope the effort to find it and understand it is of value to your golf experience.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Why Custom Fit your Putter?
Easily the most neglected club in the bag from a playing perspective is the putter. Players spend hundreds of dollars to examine every minute detail of their full swing equipment and yet when it comes to the most subtle and exacting shots in the game – putting – for the most part they use what ever looks and feels best. The path the putter travels is defined by your posture and alignment to the intended line. There are number of parameters that define this posture.
Where do I position my head to best see the path I would like to swing the putter?
How does this head position influence the path of the stroke?
What is the best club length, so my arms and hands can work in conjunction with my shoulders to produce the smoothest stroke requiring the fewest compensations?
What is the correct lie angle of the putter at impact, so the ball will leave the putter in the correct direction?
What is the correct static loft for my putter to produce the best ball roll conditions that suit my game and putting strategies.
At the United States Golf Academy we use a state of the art technology called Puttlab to measure all movement and positions of the putter in three dimensions throughout the stroke. This system has taught us a great deal about putting strokes. One thing we know for sure is the most sccessful strokes are the consistent ones. Consistency can only come when the putter fits the player's posture. In future articles we will discuss in greater detail some of the Academy's discoveries, but in the meantime, we suggest if you are having difficulty with your putting, look to the fit of the putter you use before you make a change in your stroke or try a dramatic change in your posture. Everyone in some way has had a putter fitting. Most, through trial and error, have fit themselves to the putter they use: either by bending over or standing straighter or moving their hands to best fit the dimensions of their current putter. Unfortunately for the self fitter, they often do not understand that the path of the stroke should match the posture. A player with an upright posture will not be able to consistently swing the putter on a straight path, while the player who bends from the waist and puts his eyes directly over the ball would struggle with a stroke that swings on an arc path.
The other method is to have yourself fit by a professional. At the United States Golf Academy we use the following protocol for fitting putters.
1. Puttlab analysis of the stroke.
2. Video down the line to look for the best posture for the type of stroke.
3. Build a demo of chosen putter at fit dimensions.
4. Second Puttlab measurement to verify results.
5. Fit to lie at impact.
6. Final measurement.
This result oriented system has served us well and eliminates guess work and personal opinion.
Trackman and SMT
One of the success stories we are most proud of is the use of our TrackMan™ technology and how the information we obtain from the system helps us plan an equipment/golf swing strategy for our students and customers. Based on Doppler radar technology, TrackMan™ measures the exact 3-dimensional club movement and ball flight, and provides 
precise data on the ball launch, ball flight and ball landing. TrackMan™ measures the full trajectory of any shot, ranging from short pitches to 400-yard drives and measures the landing position with an accuracy of 1 foot at 100 yards.
With that information we can combine our instruction skills with the right equipment to create an optimal ball flight for each shot. In other words, “What is the theoretical limit I can hit a driver (or any club) based on my club head speed and the different parameters of the club at impact?” This kind of detailed information requires special partnerships from the equipment manufacturers to allow us to fully utilize the information.
One of these partnerships is with SMT Golf. SMT Golf, is the first and only company to win each division of the RE/Max World Long Drive Championship, and the "Longest driver on any PGA Tour", built its reputation on the highest quality products with unsurpassed performance and durability. At the Academy we have taken that success and applied it to the fitting issues of players of all levels. The result has been remarkable to say the least. We have been so successful that we have made this promise. “If we cannot find at least 10 yards in additional distance for you the fitting is free.”
precise data on the ball launch, ball flight and ball landing. TrackMan™ measures the full trajectory of any shot, ranging from short pitches to 400-yard drives and measures the landing position with an accuracy of 1 foot at 100 yards.With that information we can combine our instruction skills with the right equipment to create an optimal ball flight for each shot. In other words, “What is the theoretical limit I can hit a driver (or any club) based on my club head speed and the different parameters of the club at impact?” This kind of detailed information requires special partnerships from the equipment manufacturers to allow us to fully utilize the information.
One of these partnerships is with SMT Golf. SMT Golf, is the first and only company to win each division of the RE/Max World Long Drive Championship, and the "Longest driver on any PGA Tour", built its reputation on the highest quality products with unsurpassed performance and durability. At the Academy we have taken that success and applied it to the fitting issues of players of all levels. The result has been remarkable to say the least. We have been so successful that we have made this promise. “If we cannot find at least 10 yards in additional distance for you the fitting is free.”
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