Robogolf Camberley

[Senseicads]

Went round with a chap in our club champs this weekend who has used this place. He was very impressed but said he had sunk nearly £1000 into his swing. given he is still playing off 20 I am not sure how much of a success it has been, but that aside it started up a conversation in the club house with quite a few people. It was mostly anecdotal stuff, but it seems a fair few people rave about it and the lessons that they have had surrounding the use of the robot too. I was just wondering if anyone here has used it and had any thoughts? it seems super gimmicky but it does have me intrigued. It's £45 for your first half hour and £120 for every hour after that!! seems like a ridiculous amount...but I still kind of like the idea? anyway any thoughts?

 

[ScienceBoy]

I've probably spent about the same on lessons over the last few years, maybe a bit more actually over my 7 in golf.

Usually spend around £150 a year on lessons and £250 on range balls.

For a couple of years I spent nowhere near that though due to taking breaks from the game.

 

[Senseicads]

I've probably spent about the same on lessons over the last few years, maybe a bit more actually over my 7 in golf.

Usually spend around £150 a year on lessons and £250 on range balls.

For a couple of years I spent nowhere near that though due to taking breaks from the game.

Have you used the Robogolf though?

 

[Yant]

A mate of mine has used it. I'm not sure what it offers other than being a bit gimmicky. I'd like to have a go and would spend £45 for a session so i could feel where a tour pro puts the club, but other than that one session? i'm not sure i see much more in it than that.

 

[road2ruin]

I had a go in March, this was my write up....

So, as a surprise (belated) birthday present from the wife and folks I headed off to Camberly this morning for a 2hr first lesson and analysis session. Wasn't sure what to expect however I'm a sucker for gadgets and tech in golf so thought that this would be right up my street.

Met Matt who was my pro for the session and he gave me a bucket of balls to warm up. Had a general chat about my game, what I thought my strengths/weaknesses were and what I wanted to achieve. We then jumped on Trackman when he took some videos and did an analysis of what was going on with my present golf swing.

Having talked about what my issues were he did some quick inputting into the giant robot and I was off and running. It felt like a real workout with different muscles being used and really gave an insight into the different positions I should be aiming for in a swing. One of the main issues I have during lessons is with 'feel'. My pro says he wants me to feel this or that and I struggle as I think muscle memory from previous sport (cricket) overrides what I'm meant to be doing.

Anyway, with the robot you have no choice but to go with it and after 12 or so reps I'm handed my 7 iron and asked to go back into the simulator. Odd feeling at first, everything feels very light and have to do a couple of practice swings first however immediately noticed a change in club path. With just the first set of reps my club path was consistently in to out and I'd picked up 15 or so yards. My usual 7 iron is 155, I was hitting 167 carry all the way up to 183 when I flushed it. Now I'm not saying that I now do the latter at will however it did show that there is the potential there is I can just get everything working at the same time.

It was then a mix of reps on the machine followed by sessions on the simulator and I really did notice the changes. The biggest 'feelings' taken from the machine were how compact my swing should feel I.e. Left arm tight across the chest on the way up and then how low the hands feel on the way through on the downswing. Ha big had reps and back on the sim I could feel how much my strike had improved and the numbers were pretty positive.

My main fault at the end was definitely cricket related and one I have always struggled with and that's release. I have a tendency to hold the face open and 'drive' the ball over mid off so allowing myself to relax my arms, release tension and release is still very much a work in progress. That is the one part the robot can't fix, that's all me but it has given me renewed impetus this season as my swing really isn't that bad and if I can improve that last little bit there might be a golfer in me yet!!

The question as to whether it's worth on going lessons really depends on how you respond to 'real world' lessons. For me I can see me going back every 2-3 months and having a refresh. They store your swing on USB so if/when you go back for follow ups it gets loaded up and you're off and running.

They're hoping to expand and have more of these robots countrywide with the next being installed in the new Greenwich Peninsula driving range new the O2. Personally I wish them every success and think a lot of golfers would benefit from a session.

 

[Senseicads]

Thanks for the update. Seems similar to what some of the guys were saying. that they hit it further straight away and it made them feel what a good swing was like. Is the measurements taken based on your swing but modified? or is it like a professionals swing that they try to squeeze you into? it's not particularly clear? I'm not sure I've got Rory's range of movement!

 

[Yant]

@road2ruin

Interesting write up! Do you mind me asking what your handicap is?

 

[user2010]

Mmmmm, I won`t be rushing down to Robogolf anytime soon if those prices are to be believed. £45 and £120!!! Seriously?!?!

A high h'cap golfer and his money are soon parted.:thup:

 

[road2ruin]

@road2ruin

Interesting write up! Do you mind me asking what your handicap is?

@Yant - I play off 13.

Personally I would recommend this to anyone who has got to a point where they feel that their progression as plateaued through lessons and have reached a bit of an impasse. As I said, I always struggled with feel and the Robo jobby helped me with that. Whether it is worth the money is a personal thing, I don't think anyone should say that it's right or wrong to pay the amount, it's what you feel the value is.

 

[Dasit]

Think this is perfect for someone such as Homer, who spends a lot on lessons but doesn't see the results they are looking for. It will give you a feel for what a solid fundamental swing is like.


I tried this for 10 minutes at a golf convention recently. The machine almost killed me twice when it flipped out. The American guys running it were not that nice either, not for me.

 

[mikejohnchapman]

I used it for a session earlier in the year.

The process was useful in terms of suggesting a better swing path than I was using at the time having just come back from injury.

The distance improvement gained (after vs before) were mainly down to much more aggressive hand action to increase clubhead speed. As always, when I connected properly it was fantastic but I felt a snap hook around the corner - especially if under competitive pressure.

Interesting experience, well run, good facility but not something I could justify in using repeatedly.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Think this is perfect for someone such as Homer, who spends a lot on lessons but doesn't see the results they are looking for. It will give you a feel for what a solid fundamental swing is like.


I tried this for 10 minutes at a golf convention recently. The machine almost killed me twice when it flipped out. The American guys running it were not that nice either, not for me.

Thanks for the concern but not for me. I'm happy where I am and what I'm doing at the moment thank you. Enjoying my golf this season and quite content

 

[Region3]

Never had a go but would love to.

For me I think rather than seeing the club in good positions, the usefulness would be getting the feelings your body gives you in getting the club there.

After all, that's all I (and I bet a lot of others) am looking for. A feeling.

 

[Dasit]

Thanks for the concern but not for me. I'm happy where I am and what I'm doing at the moment thank you. Enjoying my golf this season and quite content

Sorry if that came across bad

I do follow your blog and youtube and thought you would be an ideal person for trying this

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Sorry if that came across bad

I do follow your blog and youtube and thought you would be an ideal person for trying this

No prob. I just don't buy into the concept and for me I'm always going to have swing idiosyncrasies that a good pro can work with/around while this seems to demonstrate a text book perfect swing that I wouldn't replicate after.

Funny enough by cutting on my practice to one session on our grass practice ground and focusing on feel and rehearsing rather than ball after ball, and then going out and playing on course more, I'm hitting a degree of consistency. Not enough to shift handicap but hitting buffer more often and playing steadier.

 

[Yant]

My understanding is that you have a choice of pre-loaded swings to select from.

To those that have used it - whose swing did you simulate?

To those that haven't used it yet - whose swing would you choose to simulate?

 

[Junior]

My understanding is that you have a choice of pre-loaded swings to select from.

To those that have used it - whose swing did you simulate?

To those that haven't used it yet - whose swing would you choose to simulate?

Really ? Wow, that could cause some hurt. I'm about as flexible as an iron bar. Surely they can't get you in the same positions as Rory / DJ etc.

For me though.... Ernie Els or Louis Oost.

 

[Oddsocks]

I like the concept and would be up for the £45 induction.

I'd want to be assured results to invest £120 an hour - in writing too

 

[FuzzyDuck]

Having 4th lesson (of 5) tomorrow. My feeling is that it has helped my game quite a bit. I was struggling with too many bad shots, now I'm hitting a high percentage of good shots. I'm not sure if it is the actual Robogolf session or the time I spend in the simulator trying to hit that perfect shot.

 

[xcore]

I assume it's not at full swing speed, now that would be intresting