The "Twilight League" at the Muni starts next Wednesday.  I need two more players for the Golf Lab team.  Now I'm begging.  I've got a dozen Wilson Staff balls for the two volunteers.  The format follows.

 

 

 

We still have a couple of spots left for the Aim Point Green Reading Clinic at Poppy Ridge on Sunday and Monday.  Sunday we have both 10 AM and 2 PM.  Monday is 10 AM only.

 

Let me tell you about my experience with Aim Point.  I have now attended five sessions and studied under the guru himself - Mark Sweeney.  I have played two rounds using the Aim Point system.

 

I'm not really trying to make putts.  Early in the season with little practice, why bother?  For lazy golfers, the Aim Point system is perfect.  If all you want to do is get close, you can read the break in about thirty seconds.  I love being very ready to go and very cool.

 

First warning:  don't expect miracles.  Learning to read greens according to the Aim Point system is a non-trivial committment.

 

Second warning:  it's pretty hard and a little tedious.  Just like learning any new skill, you have to be ready for some ups and downs.

 

Get yourself a "practice buddy".  My first two rounds were with the Pilot.  He kept me on track when I started to dream.  When you're "reading with your feet" it's a good thing to have two pairs of feet to compare.  It sharpens your skill.

 

If you really want to "play" on the greens, it's not a bad idea to find a time when your course is pretty empty.  You're not going to learn much without spending some time and rolling some balls.  No good looking over your shoulder all the time.

 

Plan on attending the Aim Point "Introductory" Clinic at least twice.  We make that easy with a greatly reduced price for the second session.  I've been through twelve hours of clinics and I hear something new every session.  Bring a friend.  Create your own practice buddy.

 

My experience.  With Aim Point "awareness" I feel like I "understand" the way a green "works" way better than before.  I'm learning to look at the "Big Picture".  The first breakthrough is to know with absolute 99% certainty which way the putt will break.  "Walking the green" to understand slopes becomes a natural activity.  With a little practice, you just take a quick circuit of the hole (avoiding partners' lines) - stand back to get the layout down and you're good to go.

 

No point getting down to "read" the putt.  The Aim Point system makes that unnecessary.

 

Working with the Pilot we each line up putts and predict the break.  We then compare that opinion with the Aim Point chart.  Most of the time, for us, Aim Point predicted more break on long putts.  Not infrequently, double.

 

There have been some surprises.  Aim Point recommended a 2 inch break from 4 feet on a putt that I'd have given at least six inches.  It went in.

 

It's not that easy to develop precise aiming.  Most players have a rather fuzzy view of the target they're trying to hit.  What is "inside right" supposed to mean?  The "Aim Point" is located from the EDGE of the HIGH SIDE of the HOLE.  That's a POINT.  Measure from there.  Then, if you really want to train yourself, you have to get a marker that teaches you to aim precisely.

 

Sooner or later, you're going to have one of those professional grade digital levels in your bag, properly marked in inches to use as a gauge.  One of the variables that you need to master for Aim Point is to identify the slope.  You're going to need to develop your feel on surfaces that you measure yourself.  That will be you, on your hands and knees reading measurement in every direction.

 

Hey!!  If it was easy, everyone would do it.  Aim Point is the perfect "competitive advantage".  It works - proven by Tour experience.  It's hard to learn so most golfers won't bother.  If you're willing to put in the time, you will have a rare skill.

 

California is not exactly saturated with Aim Point graduates.  Counting all clinics, the total number of "graduates" is around 200.  There's a lot of upside in that number.

 

If you're on the fence about whether trekking out to Poppy Ridge will be worth it in time, you can consider booking a morning clinic and staying over for a round of golf.  If you choose Monday, you'll probably have some company.  Also, check out the "just hit it" section below.

 

Call the Golf Lab for your reservation:  (650) 493-1770.

 

 

Here's a slightly strange opportunity.  One of our suppliers has access to US Open tickets at a "supplier" price.  He has offered them to us as he's not coming out to the tournament this year.

 

The tickets are for the exclusive VIP pavillion.  There are four complete sets available.  The rules are that the tickets cannot be "resold" but nothing says we can't buy them as a group and then hand out the individual days.  All tournament days and practice rounds are covered.

 

I haven't checked prices - no matter - because regular tickets are on allocation and always sold out.  I think that the VIP Pavillion adds a lot of value.

 

So, if you're interested, get in touch.  Leave a message with Dian at the Golf Lab.  If you're wondering "how much" - it's hard to say.  The "fair" way to go would be to allow everyone to "bid" for their favorite day.  If four tickets to Sunday's final round with access to the VIP Pavillion would be valuable to you, get in touch.  If there happen to be a few high rollers in the Golf Lab community, the "leftovers" could be pretty reasonable.  (650) 493-1770.

 

 

 

The "Project of the Decade" is finally getting there.  I've redone most of the "content" and put it up for review.  Have a look at www.calgolflab.com.

 

I'm not too unhappy with how it reads.  This was a big project and it's been going on for quite a while.  As you might expect, it is out of date on day one.  I have not updated the website with very recent experience with David Balbi - much of that in just the last few weeks.

 

Nevertheless, I welcome comments to me personally by email.  leith@calgolftech.com.

 

This version is not meant to be complete.

 

We will be adding an "electronic store".  There is no longer a good reason for a "brick and mortar" location.  We're working on photographing and inventorying our extensive collection of forged blades and "Tour" drivers.  We'll be testing the shopping cart next week.  From there, it's just the work to catalogue 1000's of items.

 

You'll be able to configure and price an infinite combination of custom clubs.  Our specialty will continue to be the Japanese boutique brands, Mizuno and the playable classics. 

 

More and more business is coming in through the Internet.  Sophisticated golfers tend to know their specifications.  The Golf Lab is providing an important service:  precise building to specification including exotic features like SST PURE (tm), Moment of Inertia matching and club balancing with counterweights.

 

I left the "jargon" tab the same as it was.  Funny thing is that not that much has changed over the last eight years.  I think that the most interesting developments in club fitting are on the horizon - high speed photography combined with a new understanding of shaft flex profile.  The old stuff isn't wrong enough to worry about.  The new stuff will be much more interesting.

 

As you can see, it's a "work in progress".  I welcome suggetions about what you'd like to see on the site.

 

BTW:  I'm planning on doing a frequent blog.  I'd like to have a good registration system that would allow all readers to choose to receive messages only on the subjects that are of interest.

 

 

 

The Iceman was in a couple of days ago.  We discussed the change in golfer sophistication over the last few years.  He's been "fitted" on a launch monitor forty times. 

 

The Iceman knows enough about golf clubs to get a job in most Tour Vans.

 

In the end, the way Tour Players find the clubs that go in their bag is to "just hit it".

 

A day doesn't go by without several calls about "how does this shaft compare with that shaft?"  That's an impossible question for me to answer about how it will work for you.  If you want to KNOW, there's only one way.  You just have to hit it.

 

The last step in all Golf Lab fittings is the preparation of test clubs that are closely matched to the fitting recommendation.  The player takes those clubs to familiar surroundings for comparison testing - performance reflected in feel and ball flight.

 

Players who have been "fitted" forty times can now afford to skip the first step. 

 

This is an idea that we're putting out for comment.  If there is enough positive response, we'll go ahead and set it up.

 

 

If you want to know the difference between all of the Mitsu "Boards" all of the Fuji "Motores" and selections from top brands like ACCRA, Aerotech, SK Fiber, House of Forged, Matrix and OBAN you can compare performance head to head with hands-on testing.  All in one place at one time.

 

Our current shaft fitting system, based on the Nickent Evolver driver head includes over 100 different models of high performance driver shafts.

 

The selection includes old timers and "cult classics" so you can see if there's a difference you can feel or see.  Find out why the Speeder 757 is still around after twelve years.

 

Hitting from a grass tee on a full-length range with an experienced club fitter to compare observations and recommend appropriate combinations for testing.  Fitter is an accomplished golfer with a professional understanding of ball flight.

 

We're thinking about a fee for the fitting of $50 per half hour.  Out thinking is that after half an hour you'll be worn down enough to make comparison with early swings impossible.

 

The same concept can be applied to wedges, irons, iron shafts, hybrid shafts, fairway metal heads and shafts.

 

If you would rather "just hit it" - send a message to leith@calgolftech.com and mention where you live and where you practice the most.

 

Best Regards,

 

Leith Anderson