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I need to know your opinions regarding a training device so as to decide whether it should be manufactured and marketed to the golfing public. I have a prototype for a device that strengthens the muscles used in the downswing. Using weights and traditional weight training methods, it strengthens the body all the way from the hands to the feet in various downswing positions. I need to know how big a market there would be for such a device. The device would cost around $150. It occupies about 4 feet by 2 feet of floor space and can be put away into a 2 x 4 foot flatpack. The golfer stands on a platform in various downswing positions while the resistance to movement is transmited by ropes and a pulleys to a grip which the golfer holds. There is practically no limit to the amount of weight used.
Questions:
1. Do you want to hit the ball further?
2. Do you believe that additional strength gives more distance, other things being equal.
3. Would you be willing to work out 10 minutes every other day?
4. Do you have a space where you could use the device.
5. Would you buy such a device?
6. What percentage of golfers do you think would be willing to buy such a device?
Thanks for participating in this survey.

Really depends on how much added distance we are realistically talking about.

The more one works out, the more distance is added. I worked out for three months and increased headspeed by 6 mph.

IMO its not worth it. What is the ratio between MPH and added yards?

I don't know any golfer who wouldn't want to increase their distance. But, I noticed that the more accomplished player focuses more on their iron and wedge accuracy, and of course, putting. Maybe newer players in the game would be more your target market. Personally, I've inceased my distance from 245 yards to 275 yard average distance just by doing pushup, crunches and pullups, but whatever you think will work for you, use it.

1. Yes. I want to hit the ball further without losing my accuracy.
2. Yes. More clubhead speed and having better control of the club will yield distance (IMO).
3. Yes. Already do that.
4. Yes. I live in a condo, but I have the room.
5. Yes. I am always looking for better exercises and better training aid's
6. Mostly serious golfers like many on this board. I would estimate 5 - 10% of all golfers fit this profile (in my opinion).

I'm not sure of the relationship of clubhead speed to carry distance for a driver. Some say 1 to 1, but in wind resistance for cars, the resistance increases by the square of the speed. Golf balls may be different. Anybody know?

1. Yes, doesn't everyone
2. Yes,sometimes
3. Yes, who wouldn't
4. No. Have you seen how small my house, rooms & garden are
5. & 6. Who knows, depends upon device & if they think it will really do anything for them. I'm not a great believer in devices being a wonder be all & end all. Without detailed description of the device & size & exactly what its supposed to do for me or any other person or golfer how can I answer yes or a percentage.

Steve; according to a local custome club maker with the big dollar TrackMan system to measure all kinds of numbers, they tell me 1 MPH of swingspeed, should equal 1.5MPH of ball speed with a well struck driver. And each MPH of ball speed is good for 2.6 yards of extra carry. So, your 6MPH of swiing speed, equals 9MPH of ball speed, and that should equate to 23.4 more yards of carry. I hope this tells you what you wanted to know.
As for your training aid, I don't know about the average golfer, but a lot of people in general would rather BUY the added distance, than work out and EARN it. I also don't know how much better your device is than just swinging a 10 pound 7 iron, and a 3 pound driver. Swinging a heavy club will work ALL the same muscles you use in your regular swing, just a lot more. You can also do pretty much the same thing with one of those rubber tubing devices attached to the wall near the ceiling.

Weight training versus other methods


I know from experience that I need a device that provides negative resistance as well as positive resistance. That means that the resistance is working while the muscles in question are both lengthening and shortening. In fact, according to the big guys at the gym, negative resistance is more important than positive. This means for example that once you have pulled a resisting device through some particular motion in which the muscles contract, such as part of the golf downswing, the force of the resistance has to be maintained while the motion of the exercise is done in reverse. The muscles extend in a controlled release while they are resisting. I tried positive resistance only and it didn’t do anything except perhaps conditioning.

I need strength not endurance, so I need the negative motion. As the muscles fatigue further after each rep (repetition of an exercise), I do the negative motion at least as slowly as the positive motion. When not another positive rep can be done, sometimes another person will assist by helping with the positive reps until no more negative reps can be done, it being that negatives are slightly easier to do than positive ones. This provides the greatest benefit of the negative reps.

I did weight training when I was young. It worked. Now I’m old and getting weak, so I tried weight training again, and it worked again. This time though I only do it for the golf swing. It only takes a few minutes a day.

I don’t see how heavy clubs can provide the same thing as weight training. They do not provide the negative pulling.

Stretching cords: stretching cords might work, even though they pull with less force as they shorten. While doing a negative rep, the cord will pull easier as it is released, making it a little difficult to do the negative motion. But as long as the muscle weakens faster than the cord gets easier, the cords might work. I have not tried them though. Cords would be cheaper than a dedicated machine. I am doing 20 to 30 kg in various positions and it might be a problem using a door jam to hold the cords; I don’t know. But I would lose some of the benefits of the weights. I like being able to add increments of resistance as I get stronger, and know how much resistance I am using. And I like the action of the weights. I also like having everything setup and ready to go when I feel like working out. In addition, I need a platform with feet anchors that keep me in position relative to the resistance. My machine does all of that. And there is an exercise for my wrists and forearms that requires a special structure that the machine also has.

So all in all, I need the machine.

Regarding ball speed and carry, thanks for the information. I guess a golf ball's aerodynamics overcomes the common effect of exponential wind resistance. For example with a car, gas consumption goes up faster than speed because the wind resistance goes up faster than the car speed. Perhaps the golf ball dimples change the rules. Anyway, it must be true because these guys who make simulators must have measured everything, right?

You can vary the resistance of the cords simply by moving your body farther from the door jam. This stretchs the cord more, making it harder to pull any farther. You can also get different size cords that act the same as using a heavier weight. As for the heavy club, try moving a 30 Kg dumbell as if it was the grip end of a club, Swing is slowly back as you would a golf club, and then swing it forward again. I think you'll notice you have negative resistance going back and forward, just like you are looking for.

1. Do you want to hit the ball further? sure
2. Do you believe that additional strength gives more distance, other things being equal. sure
3. Would you be willing to work out 10 minutes every other day? of course not
4. Do you have a space where you could use the device. nope
5. Would you buy such a device? uh uh
6. What percentage of golfers do you think would be willing to buy such a device? 1
Thanks for participating in this survey. sure