Written by LaVerne McLeod
Published in Monterey County Magazine, Winter 2009
(Reed Silas Cripe, Publisher; Brigga Mosca, Editor)
The bottom line for all golfers is this: how to perform better to lower golf scores. Recently I’ve learned a simple way to do this just by having the right tools- perfectly fit clubs-with the use of motion analysis technology. This technology is now available for golfers at Quail Lodge Golf Club in Carmel-and it is the only one in northern California. The great news is that it is now available to any golfer type, not just the pros. Otherwise I would not have had the opportunity for a run-through of the Motion Analysis Technology by TaylorMade (MAT-T System) also called “The 3-D MAT-T Lab.” In the back of my mind I kept wondering, “Am I really going to come out of this experience performing better with longer drives?”
Bio Mechanical figure
Accompanied by Katherine Marren, 2008 Northern California PGA Teacher of the Year and Quail’s PGA teaching pro, I knew I was in great hands. In the lab I was outfitted with stretchable rubber pieces over my golf clothes along with markers looking like tiny antennas. Every movable part of me was connected with these markers, including: my shoes, knees, torso, back, wrists, elbows and head as well as on the clubs I used. Six cameras captured my every movement from the markers. The playback could be done in real-time or slow motion, backward or forward, showing me as a bio-mechanical model and all of my golfing motions from different angles. I was given a copy of this imaging on a DVD which has provided continuous help as an instructional tool. Key to the technician fitting me with the right clubs is the precise, yet seemingly complicated data that the MAT-T System produces. These final calculations provide a prescriptive analysis that is translated by a technician for the making of optimal golf clubs for the customer.
Technology has given us an edge in every area of our lives and now, in golf. I was given that edge after trying out my perfectly fitted clubs; a noticeable 30 yard distance was gained on some of my shots with the new driver. I was also amazed at the loft of the 6-iron. My data record is kept on file at Quail’s Golf Academy so whenever I am ready to purchase other clubs that I need, I can simply order them. You don’t have to be a pro to take advantage of the motion analysis club fitting, which is complemented with professional instruction and coaching. NCGA members can take advantage of the one hour club fitting for $170 or $250 for two hours ($200 and $300 for non-NCGA members). Experiencing the 3-D MAT-T Lab doesn’t mean that we will be replaced by robotic golfers on the golf course any time soon. All you have to do is step into the MAT-T room and exit with a set of golf clubs to enhance your golf performance. The fun and joy of golfing still remains and just gets better with a lower golf score.
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