On Tuesday Quinta do Lago launched its new Centre of Excellence for the practice of golf, joining efforts with European Tour Professional Paul McGinley and equipment manufacturer TaylorMade to give golfers the ultimate training experience.
For the first time in Portugal, amateur golfers are able to use state-of-the-art technology used by Tour Professionals, both to improve their game and to fit the ideal clubs for each individual swing.
Speaking at the opening, Paul McGinley explained his strong links to Quinta do Lago: “I have been coming here for years, the kids enjoy coming here and I love playing the 3 golf courses and going to Casa do Lago in the evenings. I look forward to seeing how things develop and I’m delighted that it has all come together.”
The new partnership has grown from the desire to create an infrastructure that allows all golfers – from the Professional to the beginner – to experience the most advanced coaching techniques. “I am delighted to be associated with Quinta do Lago, both from a business and a personal sense. I have been working with TaylorMade for a number of years and I am delighted to bring everything together at Quinta do Lago”, explained the former Ryder Cup Player and Vice-captain.
The European Tour player was at Quinta do Lago to introduce the new Centre of Excellence for Golf and assured that this won’t be the only visit to the Academy. “I am going to be very hands on throughout the time. I am delighted about this project so I want to see it all working and operating at a high level”.
The opening of the Academy is the first step on a long term project that aims to bring together science, experience and quality unparalleled inEurope. The initial investment of €600.000 materialised yesterday but new projects involving TaylorMade and The Paul McGinley Academy will be announced next year.
“Having Paul McGinley here is a fantastic opportunity for everyone at Quinta do Lago. We will all benefit from his extensive experience in the game”, explained Quinta do Lago’s CEO, John Dwyer adding that “Quinta do Lago wants to be right at the centre of every golfer’s mind as the first destination to learn or improve their game and Paul McGinley and Taylor Made are the perfect partners to make sure we achieve that goal”.
Perfecting the art of Practice
Science plays a central part in the school that offers all of the most up to date teaching aids to include Swing Analysis equipment and Science and Motion Putting Analysis equipment.
Senior teaching professional, Jason Hoyles, described The ACADEMY MODEL Plane Perfect Golf Machine and the PENDULUM putting machine as “the most complete training system ever developed for golf. Students get the real “feel” of a correct on plane golf swing. whilst using their own clubs and actually hitting balls. Swinging in the machine gives the student an immediate feel for what the instructors are trying to teach.”
The new Academy and Fitting Centre are the result of a long term research to achieve the best results at every level. To achieve that goal, Quinta do Lago looked for the very best, sourcing suppliers and techniques that offer the ultimate conditions for the practice of the game.
Playing or practicing off grass was a basic requirement and to assure that, a larger teeing area in excess of 2,000 sq metres was built. Six target Greens were also introduced at strategic distances to allow the golfer every opportunity to use all the clubs in the bag. The Short Game Practice Area includes a 400 sq meters putting green, a chipping and putting green, built to USGA specifications and a 100 sq metres green intended to allow the golfer to work solely on bunker shots.
Tailored Fitting by TaylorMade
The final piece in the jigsaw for the Quinta do Lago Driving range is the new partnership with TaylorMade’s Research and Development department. This colaboration materialized in the only facility of its kind in Portugal. “The new TaylorMade Select Fit System offers golfers a custom-fitting experience with a broader array of golf club options to ensure the best fit for your swing. The centre is operated by professionally trained TaylorMade technicians using the Trackman launch monitor system,” explains Custom Fitting Specialist Russell McIntyre.
The TaylorMade SelectFit System allows golfers to test hundreds of technology combinations. Originally developed by TaylorMade’s R&D department for rapidly attaching driver and iron heads to demo shafts, SelectFit Technicians have more than (186) metalwood and shaft combinations, and more than (258) iron combinations available for you to demo. They can instantly change out components during your fitting to find the right combination to maximize your performance.
TrackMan Pro is the choice of the PGA Tour, USGA and The R&A for swing and ball flight analysis. The equipment measures the golf swing and entire flight of the ball from impact to landing while displaying its 3D trajectory in real time. The first of its kind to measure the complete path of any shot, ranging from short pitches to 400-yard drives, TrackMan Pro pinpoints the landing position with an accuracy of 1 foot at 100 yards. All clubface, swing and ball flight data, from club speed to hang time, is illustrated and delivered in easy to understand, scalable data.
Quinta do Lago www.quintadolago.com