If you are looking to move through the gears with your game in 2015 then a new 3D swing analysis tool could be the way forward.
Gears Golf analyses every nuance of the swing in three dimensions with the most advanced motion-capture solution developed for golf.
At Magnolia Park's new Tony Jacklin Golf Academy, I donned what looked like a mini morph suit and peaked cap, featuring 28 sensors placed at key spots around the body, as well as six additional locations on the club.
Swinging away, eight high-speed cameras (six above the head and two at head height) and special software dotted around the room recorded my every movement.
The data was far more holistic than something like TrackMan – a device that has taken the world by storm since launching in 2003 for its ability to inform you what happens to your club and ball when you swing.
The difference with 3D Gears Golf is that everything is focused on the movement of your body and its effect on your swing and ball flight.
“It’s effectively an MRI scan for your golf game,” said Jamie Powell, my host and coach for the day.
Within seconds of watching my first few swings, Jamie managed to get me swinging much more freely, with more weight placed on my left side.
He then looked at ball position - moving it further back in my stance made a tremendous difference to my ball striking. He also increased my shoulder turn and ensured I had better head position directly over the ball. Looking at the monitors in front of me, I was able to make the amendments with ease.
The camera above my head provided one of the most useful pieces of data I have ever seen, particularly regarding feet position. Looking at the monitor, I was able to align my feet much straighter to the target, and at the same time open up my upper body.
You can also find out which groove is making contact with the ball, how much the shaft of the club is twisting and flexing during the downswing, and how fast the club is rotating at the moment of impact.
Plus, you can try to replicate the exact positions of some Tour professional swings, such as Rickie Fowler.
Rickie may have one more PGA Tour title than me and far superior data across the board, but Jamie said my "X Factor", which is the difference in the turn angle between the shoulders (upper body) and the hips (pelvis), was a little stronger.
Take that, Rickie.
Verdict
Gears Golf is a great solution for deciphering a golf swing because no matter how technologically advanced a golf club or golf ball may be, it is ultimately the movement of the body and club position during the swing that decides the outcome.
Yes, it is a touch pricey to install at $39,000, but it is well worth the £75 for an hour's analysis session at Magnolia Park in Buckinghamshire, the only golf club in the UK offering 3D Gears Golf.
You are unlikely to be disappointed.
