TESTIMONIALS :
JAY WOODSON : Powhatan , Va ., professional golfer , James Madison University , four-time State Open of Virginia champion ( 2012-14 , 2016 ).
The one thing that I really like about it is the exactness of it all , especially during the winter when you are indoors and can ’ t be outside and see the ball , it can give you the closest thing to what you are going to see outside . It helps you gauge your feel and maintain your feel in the winter months .”
ADAM WEBB : Martinsville , Va ., professional golfer , Longwood University .
TrackMan has changed golf and the way people practice . It ’ s also taking the eyes out of teaching . Couple it with BodiTrak and K-VEST and there are zero excuses . The amount of information available can be overwhelming , but there ’ s no doubt it helps . I believe it ’ s why there are so many young players who are crazy good . They learn the truths behind the golf swing rather than the misconceptions that many older folks grew up learning , such as pull the handle down or swing more right .”
Although TrackMan is the brand name and leader on tour , FlightScope continues to be a worthy competitor at a lower cost . Willy Lutz , PGA , serves as the General Manager and Director of Golf at Raspberry Falls Golf and Hunt Club and is in his fourth year as the Regional Representative for FlightScope in Northern Virginia , making him responsible for both sales and training other professionals how to use the equipment .
“ The technology is identical , you can only produce 3D phased array radar one way ,” Lutz said . “ To use a cell phone analogy , one is an iPhone , one is a Samsung , they both do the same thing , they just do it in a different box with a little different software .”
Unlike his peers on tour using TrackMan , Bryson DeChambeau — who has earned the nickname “ the golf scientist ”— is a supporter of FlightScope .
Both TrackMan and FlightScope use Doppler radar technology , which is great for capturing high speeds , such as a 110- mph clubhead speed or a 160-mph ball speed . However , typical radar technology struggles with lower speeds , so both companies have unveiled new software to track a player ’ s short game and putting . TrackMan released something they call Dual Radar on the TrackMan 4 while FlightScope patented Fusion Tracking Technology for the FlightScope X3 .
According to Lutz , FlightScope features third-party integration with products like FocusBand , BodiTrak and mySwing . Focus- Band is a brain-training headband that measures brain activity , BodiTrak is a mat that measures a golfer ’ s pressure and force into the ground , and mySwing is a wireless full-body 3D motion capture device .
Ultimately it comes down to personal preference , but either system can elevate performance at any level of golf through tools such as club fitting , skill assessment , drills and practices , or winter maintenance .
vsga . org M AY / J UNE 2017 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 37