Whether you are an beginner or pro, golf is a fun excuse to get outside and to socialize. When the weather is nice, it is hard to beat an afternoon on the course with a few friends.
During the winter months, it can be more difficult to keep your game on course. Playing in the rain and cold isn’t ideal, but it takes constant practice to maintain your swing. GolfTEC is a high tech way to work on your swing even when the weather is less than ideal.
GolfTEC has four locations in the greater Seattle area and about 150 locations nationwide. I visited GolfTEC in Bellevue for a swing evaluation and was impressed with the personalized instruction and high tech training tools.
The average golf swing only takes a second to complete, but a lot happens in that time. The movement of your head, arms, and legs all has an impact on the quality of your swing. But let’s face it, the human eye can only see so much. That is where GolfTEC’s high tech tools come in.
Each room at GolfTEC is outfitted with an array of sensors and cameras that capture all aspects of your swing. Your instructor can play back your swing in slow motion, highlight the areas where your movement isn’t ideal, and track your progress over time.
I liked the gadgets, but I have to admit that the personalized instruction is what sold me on GolfTEC. Brett Wilkinson was my coach during the swing evaluation and he immediately put me at ease, even though my swing needed considerable work.
To get started, I took a few swings so that GolfTEC’s system could get a reading of where I needed improvement. Over the next hour, Brett worked with me to adjust my swing. We occasionally paused to see how I was progressing. On the video screen, I could see watch my swing in slow motion and got a better sense of where I needed continued work.
GolfTEC’s system was a great way to get real data on the mechanics of my swing. I could analyze how the angle of my swing impacted the distance of the ball (and its rotation). I could see how my posture needed to change and I saw how my stance was off center. As a techie guy, I really liked all of this.
I’m glad that I was paired up with Brett for the evaluation. His deep knowledge really came through as he patiently guided me to an improved swing. He even pulled up videos of PGA golfers and showed them side by side with my video so that I could see how they compare.
GolfTEC says that they have a 94 percent success rate and I could really see why after my experience. The combination of fact-based diagnosis, video-based practice, and personal instruction made a huge difference in my swing.
In addition to instruction, GolfTEC uses the high tech system for golf club fitting. This is another area where you benefit from the combo of knowledgeable staff and high tech goodness. Brett, for example, has been a certified club fitter for more than 20 years. When you combine that with a system that lets you test and compare the performance of several clubs, it is a dream come true for golfers.
After the swing evaluation, I received an email with links to everything Brett covered during the lesson and resources so that I could continue to improve my swing. A common formula among GolfTEC students is to take weekly lessons and practice at the facility once or twice per week. Many people sign up for programs lasting six months or a year.
After visiting GolfTEC, I have a better understanding of the game and I have the tools to continue to improve. And best of all, I did it all indoors in a climate controlled environment. Take that Seattle rain.
