The award-winning BAL.ON Smart Kit, a tech-driven insole that gives golfers instant feedback on ground interaction to build the foundation for a fast, repeatable swing, is now available in the United States.
The move is a landmark moment for manufacturer Continental as it enters the world’s biggest golf market with the BAL.ON Smart Kit, which provides golfers with instant actionable data on the ground force they generate helping to deliver greater clubhead speed, power and consistency. The training aid consists of a pair of 2mm thin pressure-sensitive insoles, Smart Pods, and a smartphone app.
The market-leading package of software and hardware is giving a wide array of players and coaches access to crucial data on golf biomechanics and allows interaction remotely on immediately available data and insights. A built-in AI coach provides guidance on what to work on first – and how.
BAL.ON will also launch a subscription service called BAL.ON Premium which will include a ‘Traceline Drill’ feature, video library, goals for raw data values and will soon have available model swings and custom targets for chosen metrics. Users will get the first three months free before a $5.99/month fee.
Germany’s Esther Henseleit, winner of the silver medal at the Paris Olympics and a member of Europe’s 2024 Solheim Cup team, is one of many pros that have been using the system since its introduction to the European market in 2023. Now is the time for the wider golf-playing public to benefit from the improved athletic performance and clubhead speed which the BAL.ON Smart Kit helped identify.
“The BAL.ON Smart Kit has been a great addition to my training, showing my team subtle changes that can have a meaningful impact on my game,” Henseleit said. “With the insoles not being confined to a swing bay, they show us real world data from on the course and in various different situations.
“BAL.ON is committed to excellence and will help shape the industry, revolutionizing how players of all abilities work with their coaches and improve their game.”
Felix Lindner, Founder and Head of BAL.ON, added: “We have proven the success of the BAL.ON Smart Kit in Europe but this move into the U.S. is a significant milestone for our company. The opportunity to provide American golfers with a cutting-edge training tool not only helps them improve their swing and overall game but also aligns with our vision of revolutionizing golf practice.
“The BAL.ON Smart Kit is designed to offer instant, data-driven insights, enabling players of all levels to make real-time adjustments. We believe this innovation has the potential to fundamentally change the way golfers in the U.S. approach their training.”
The Smart Kit, which will retail for $599, provides highly intuitive visuals in the form of a heatmap, multiple line graphs and seven easily understandable metrics to give even more detail into a player’s movements. These metrics are based on data from thousands of shots, including many from the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Ladies European Tour. With the addition of information from usage in the US, BAL.ON will be able to provide even deeper insights on how every golfer can improve in the most efficient way.
The ‘basic’ metrics assess pressure distribution at address, during backswing and at impact, while the “advanced” metrics give feedback on rhythm, maximum pressure, its timing, and a players’ transition from backswing to downswing.
The BAL.ON Smart Kit, which was released to the European market in August 2023 to rave reviews, not only convinced the jury of the Red Dot Product Design Awards but also was awarded the ‘Recommended Product’ seal of quality by the PGA of Germany. Additionally, the BAL.ON Smart Kit was recognized as a top product at the 2024 PGA Merchandise Show.
The product will be available for purchase online and from selective retail partners across the U.S.
For more information on BAL.ON, please visit www.bal-on.golf