Top coach Luther Blacklock will be combining two of golf’s most innovative and effective tools when he offers coaching sessions at this week’s Golf LIVE.
PGA master professional Blacklock, the head pro at Woburn GC and a Golf International teaching panellist, designed the hugely successful Explanar system – and at his base in Milton Keynes, he has combined it with Foresight Sports’ GC2 launch monitor, to the immense benefit of his pupils.
And GolfLIVE, which takes place at The London Club from May 20-22, is the first opportunity for golfers to experience the two unique pieces of equipment in tandem outside of Blacklock’s coaching studio.
Blacklock was one of the first pros in the UK to purchase a GC2 following a year in the USA where it totally revolutionised club-fitting and teaching. And it took him just minutes to make that purchasing decision.
Blacklock said: “As soon as I saw the unit’s immediacy and ease of use I was sold. I bought one on the spot and it’s already paid for itself in terms of benefits to my pupils.
“It’s more accurate than other products on the market; it’s truly portable – so tuition is not affected by adverse weather conditions; it takes a fraction of the time other products take to set up and it’s around a fifth of the cost of some of its rivals. When you see it in action it’s easy to see why so many of the world’s leading manufacturers are using it as the standard launch monitor for club-fitting and testing.
“I was hugely impressed by the ‘real time’ nature of the shot, powered as it is by exceptional software. The practice ground setting is even better than hitting shots on the range in teaching terms, as the ‘vapour trail’ left on the screen as you practice, is a ‘video’ of the last shot – which is even more beneficial than a video of the last swing.
“It’s made a massive difference to the pupil analysis I can offer as a golf coach as the information is more accurate and easily demonstrable.
“At GolfLIVE, I will be using the Explanar and GC2 together in the same way I do in the studio. The stats displayed by the GC2 will illustrate perfectly the improvements which can be made using the Explanar – in only a few minutes.”
The GC2 has made such an impact in Europe that major manufacturers are offering the units at discounted prices for their approved fitting centres.
Titleist, TaylorMade, and Cleveland are offering their approved fitting centres and stockists across Europe the GC2 launch monitor at discounted prices to ensure they are working with the latest cutting-edge technology and that their customers receive the best available service.
The GC2’s unique design offers unrivalled launch data accuracy; unprecedented data speed; true portability – the unit weighs just 1.7kg and takes just 40 seconds to set up; an eight-hour battery life and a simple plug-and-play operation.
The unique ultra-high-speed dual camera design of the GC2 records the most accurate ball flight statistics on the market today. It doesn’t rely on any backward extrapolation to generate ball-flight data but, instead, directly measures ball flight and spin at club impact and launch, recording precise ball speed, spin (side, back and total), direction and launch angle, and calculates carry and total distance in a split-second, to the tightest tolerances in the industry.
The fact that the GC2 has a price-point up to 80 per cent cheaper than existing competitors with comparable data is not lost on the industry’s leading professionals and fitters. Nor is its versatility.
Connected to a PC, real-time ball flight and statistics are available immediately and the data can be recorded to a spreadsheet and emailed to a customer in an instant. There is even the ability to instantly deliver data, via Bluetooth, to an Android-based mobile or hand-held device.
The flexibility and test-proven accuracy of the GC2 also allows it to be upgraded to provide a simulator experience, whether with a simple net and PC or as a full-size, bespoke indoor golf experience.
Golf LIVE www.golfliveevent.com
Luther Blacklock www.lutherblacklock.co.uk
Foresight Sports GC2 www.foresightsports.co.uk