Sonic Golf was made famous by Hank Haney and The Round Mound of Rebound, Charles Barkley on the popular Haney Project reality show on the Golf Channel. I watched in amazement and Sir Charles used this device to try and get his timing and rhythm down. While it looked like a cool device, I still couldn’t figure out what it did and how it would help. So I hit the trusty internet and was amazed at what I found…Mr. Practice himself – Vijay Singh uses and loves Sonic Golf. His exact words:
“I think it’s helped me tremendously. I always had a good rhythm, but I never had a consistent rhythm. That’s making my swing a lot more consistent, not just with the driver but the whole game. It’s one rhythm for the whole game instead of having a quicker rhythm for irons or slower rhythm for the driver. It’s just making me so much more consistent. I think it’s going to be one of the best teaching devices ever. It’s a great tool.”
Based on that testimonial, how do I not try it out? Let me start by saying this is a SERIOUS training aid. This takes time and commitment to use. The average weekend duffer won’t go through the effort and probably won’t understand how to properly use this device. Sonic Golf requires you to ‘install’ the device which requires re-gripping a club. At the end of the day it is not a big deal especially once you see the benefits of aid. I won’t attempt to explain exactly how the device works (please see great video at the bottom of the post from this year’s Golf Show – great explanation) but I will tell you what I loved.
Sonic Golf introduced me to something I had never thought about before, actually understanding my tempo. Video can show you mechanics and fundamentals but it can’t properly tell you about your tempo like sound can. For instance, when using the device I realized my take away was very fast and I actually decelerated at impact. Having had my swing videotaped at least 10 times, I couldn’t actually tell that by watching it. The deceleration is very hard to see…but by listening to it, I can actually hear that my maximum swing speed occurs just prior to impact! I was able to take this new found learning to the course and actually feel like I can hear the sounds of my swing while striking the ball. I have also added a few yards of extra distance by accelerating through the ball
Check it out and let me know your thoughts and experiences with Sonic Golf.
Nike’s new Method Putter has already produced 2 Major winners and 5 total Tour wins. This from Nike Golf:
The much talked about putter also represents the emergence of yet another ground breaking innovation from Nike Golf’s Research and Development center, The OVEN. The Nike METHOD follows on the same game-changing trail blazed by square drivers and adjustable drivers, which were also created and developed at Nike Golf’s Fort Worth based facility.
Inspired by the philosophy of the “scientific method,” the OVEN’s team of designers and engineers combined steel and polymer in multiple ways before discovering the unique polymetal groove technology. The revolutionary and visibly distinctive polymetal groove technology is influential in creating a faster forward roll after impact for the kind of accuracy and consistency that is demanded by Tour professionals. While most traditional steel faced putters start the ball with backspin causing the ball to initially bounce a little higher, the Nike polymetal groove technology starts the ball with forward spin to minimize bounce and keep the putts on line.
Check out the VIDEO as well. Looks well beyond anything we have seen from today’s current putters
One of my favorite people in the golf industry (PR Superstar Mary Beth Lacy) recently reminded me of a great golf brand which I had almost forgotten about…Antigua! Antigua was a popular brand when I was growing up but over the last few years when we think about golf clothing, Nike, Adidas, Under Armour tend to dominate our thoughts. When Mary Beth contacted me about Antigua I went straight to their site and here is what I found:
- Antigua is a preferred supplier of the PGA of America and a presenting sponsor of PGA Retirement Plus, the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour.
- Antigua sponsors golfers on the PGA, LPGA, Nationwide and Futures Tour
- Antigua holds license agreements with Major and Minor League Baseball (MLB), the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA), along with numerous American universities and colleges.
Antigua is as hot as ever.
Now that I know Antigua is really big in golf it was time to check out the product…
The stuff is great, wears well and looks good! I played with the shirt this past weekend on one of the few hot days we have had this summer and it was great. The shirts use a Desert Dry Technology which is similar to Dry Fit by Nike or Climate Cool by Adidas. It reduces your body temperature on those hot days which is all we as golfers can ask for.
I encourage you to check out Antigua. You will be pleasantly surprised, I know I was!
