Minnesota Golfer - Directory 2024 - 12

GOLF GEAR
Winter Reset
With the advancements in home simulators
and launch monitors, the offseason is prime
time for golf improvement.
T
hough winter in Minnesota can be a cold, gray snowscape
with the promise of a warming and green spring a distant
mirage, it's not time to hunker down and grumble about
the weather. Instead, according to Larry Bobka, swing instructor
and master clubfitter at 2nd
Swing, it's an opportunity-for
better golf.
" One of the greatest advantages
of living in a cold weather climate
is taking a break from golf for a
time, " Bobka says. " People might
think I'm crazy. But I've lived in
12-months-a-year climates, and
here you get a great opportunity
every year to reset your goals and
your priorities-to come out next
spring a better player. With technology,
clubfitting and physical
trainers, I don't care if you're 12
years old or 62. You can become
a better player over the winter by
being a little bit smarter about
your game. "
And being smarter starts by
reaching for your smartphone and
hooking it up to a launch monitor
(LM) or golf simulator to track
your offseason swing numbers.
(Oh, and grab your pocketbook,
while you're at it.)
" Simulators and launch monithat
has
tors
are a category
exploded over the last five years, " Bobka says. " They range from
really expensive to not that expensive, but the information you
can gather, especially if you're serious about the game, can really
help people play better golf. "
Bobka worked at Titleist in the mid-90s, using its own LM
for clubfitting. When the Trackman LM came on line in 2003,
things changed. " Trackman is the Cadillac, " Bobka says. " They
were the first out there. Our Titleist monitor was big as a coffee
table. It gave us pretty good information but wasn't portable.
12
MINNESOTAGOLFER Directory 2024
* BY JOSEPH OBERLE *
It took two people to move it from range to range-and it did
not fit in the overhead bin of an airplane. "
Over the years, the Trackman name became synonymous
" You can
become
with launch monitors, and the price rose with its popularity.
Today, starting at $21,475, they offer all the swing numbers
golfers could want to analyze, but
not every golfer needs all that data.
In fact, some golfers consider simulators
as simply a way to play a " virtual "
round at an exotic course (such
as Pebble Beach). But they provide so
much more in game improvement.
" The biggest reason to buy a
launch monitor is to determine the
a better player
over the winter
by being a little bit
smarter about
your game. "
-Larry Bobka
yardage you hit every golf club, "
Bobka says. " The average golfer
doesn't always know those distances.
He thinks he hits a 7- or 8-iron 150
yards, but in fact it carries 138 yards
and rolls out to 150 yards. He shoots
a flag with his laser finder at 150
yards and pulls his 150 club. But
there's a bunker at 142 yards and he
only carries his 7-iron 138 yards. He
hits it in the bunker and says, 'I hit a
bad shot.' But he didn't-he actually
hit it as well as he normally does. "
Bobka
says
this
information
gleaned from working on a LM/simulator
is invaluable, and golfers can
use it for clubfitting. For instance,
a golfer with a GC Quad LM discovers he's hitting his 5-iron
the same distance as his 4-hybrid. The data helps eliminate that
club redundancy and fill in a distance gap elsewhere in his bag.
Just like a clubfitter at 2nd
Swing.
" I don't mind people coming into our store with information, "
Bobka says. " Like, someone says, 'I've been hitting all winter on
my simulator, and I really struggle to get the spin rate down on
my driver.' That's great. We actually get customers from home
simulators-we don't lose customers to them. You still have to
mngolf.org
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Directory 2024

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