There are countless theories on the golf swing.
Anyone who has taken lessons from multiple pros will tell you that what you hear from one pro might be the polar opposite of what you are told by another about how to swing the golf club. What's a golfer to do?
Watch top pros from Jon Rahm to Scottie Scheffler and you’ll see how different their swings are, but somehow they do something everyone agrees on - they get the clubface square at impact.
We all do it at least once a round -- execute a perfect shot that makes us wonder why we can’t do it all the time. And here’s the interesting thing. In most cases, we know things will turn out well before impact.
Maybe it’s how the club settles into the right “slot” on the backswing. Or the way nothing felt rushed. Keeping your swing on plane, and the wrists in the proper position throughout the swing is a big part of solid, square contact.
Enter Hack Motion, who offers a package that includes a pair of lightweight sensors for the hand and wrist, and an accompanying software system that runs on an iPad or iPhone.
* Elegance of the software and connection..... VERY
* Build and packaging quality ..... EXCELLENT
* Learning curve ..... NEGLIGIBLE
* Information provided ..... MUCH MORE THAN EXPECTED
* Perceptibility when swinging ..... ALMOST NONE
Top view - bowed wrist I did some testing on the golf course - Torrey Pines South no less.
I posited that if I could figure things out while actually playing a round of golf, then the Hack Motion must be the easiest device in the world to implement.
And you know what? When my group encountered a long wait on the 10th tee, I was able to unbox Hack Motion, connect it to my glove's velcro and around my wrist, activate the device, and easily capture swings. In fairness, I had pre-installed the app on my iPad because it doesn't have a cellular connection. But still, this software and device are anything but clunky. The word "elegant" comes to mind. I wish AmateurGolf.com looked so good and worked so well!
Top view - square wrist Since each swing on the course is with a different club, the data I collected was not nearly as useful as if I was actively practicing at a proper facility. I would feel much more comfortable, for example, with Hack Motion's audio feedback capability -- which alerts you when you're in the wrong position -- when practicing, not playing.
Even hitting into a net or simulator instead of a full practice range would provide more consistent results (drivers for drivers, etc.) but it was still really "telling" that I could get things going so quickly. And all of my swings said the same thing -- I'm too flexed at the top. See the chart above.
The good news? On my best swings, I was close to square at impact. That's encouraging.
PUTTING
Hack Motion is equally effective on the green, measuring two key wrist angles and providing a replay of the stroke. Watching a colorful chart with address, backstroke, forward stroke, and impact points highlighted shows you exactly what is happening so you can address it.
Quite frankly, I found the putting data to be even more interesting than the full-swing data because I think it's an area where you could see very quick results from. As we all know, "finding it" on the green can result in a round of putts in the 20s, and that's a great way to impact your score.
It's like an EKG for your putting stroke and worthy of a full review. So I'll be drilling down further into Hack Motion's putting app for a follow-up article and video.
HACK MOTION MODEL BREAKDOWN:
There are three versions of Hack Motion, starting at $295. Below is a breakdown of features. You can upgrade as you work through the drills and see the value of the product.
Hack Motion Core ... $295
For players who want to improve clubface control and full swing consistency by optimizing wrist angles. Allows you to experience this amazing product and its corresponding app, but does not include putting.
Hack Motion Plus ... $495
Includes all the features of Plus, and the entire putting suite so you can really start to shave strokes off your score by avoiding excessive wrist movement in your putting stroke.
Hack Motion Pro ... $995
Designed for players and coaches, it includes advanced analytics so you can compare your data with Tour players.
Order Hack Motion at
www.hackmotion.com.