Compression Board Forum Testing & Review

[JB]

THP sent 4 of these out to forum members to test out the training aid and give us their full write ups in this thread. It is truly a great way to test training aids and let consumers find out what works and what doesn't.

This should be a great test.

 

[9-Iron Man]

Looking forward to the reviews!

 

[c_ault]

I am really hoping this shows up today as I'm really looking forward to testing and reviewing it. I'll have to call home at break time and see if there are any packages. :smile:

Just found out that the board did show up today (guessing that's why JB opened the thread :smile so I will have pictures and first thoughts up some time tonight. I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend :smile:

 

[rbrown2769]

I am waiting to read about how this works.

 

[Fairway2Green]

Got mine today. I'll take it to the range tomorrow and put up a review, pictures, and some video. Thanks again to THP and Compression Board for the opportunity. One thing I noticed right away is that this would be perfect for people that can't always go to grass ranges. It will help them make sure they're not coming in a little fat and sliding along the mat into the ball.


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[#Cookie]

I just got mine this evening and just opened the package and took some photos. Initial impressions:

- Looks like a well built and well designed product
- Made of a type of flexi-glass material that I do not believe will break from a club hitting it
- Like the concept of working you in steps from starting at "6" and moving back to "pro" level
- Love the idea that it is not trying to change mechanics in your swing but rather show you where you are hitting around the ball so you have an idea of where to adjust. I know that when I hit a ball fat it is hard to say if it was 1 inch or 3 inches behind the ball

I will be playing 36 tomorrow and testing the Polara ball but will be taking video of first real test on Sunday (if I do not play again) or on Tuesday. Photos are below - looking forward to testing this!!! Thanks Compression Board and THP!!

 

[rbrown2769]

Very nice pictures of the product and the contents.

 

[royalwulff]

I just got mine in the mail today!! Wooh Hooo!! I am getting ready to go out of town for the weekend so i will be posting pictures on Monday. I will have it on the range on Tuesday. I am really looking forward to trying this out and letting everyone know how it works.

 

[Fairway2Green]

Took it in my backyard to hit some 15 yard pitches and I love this thing. I really like the fact that's it provides instant feedback. I always thought I caught my pitches ball first about every time, but I used the pro setting and I'd say 2/10 I hit the board first. The ones I didn't hit the board on were absolutely perfect. Tomorrow I'll take to the range and bring some high handicappers to test it out too.


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[#Cookie]

F2G - funny you mention that because when looking at and seeing the distance between the opening of the board (from the bottom) and the pro line there is a good 2 inch gap there. Crazy to think we are hitting it clean when we are in fact hitting several inches behind the ball. Probably one of the reasons they have you start at "6" because we hackers fail to realize just how far we hit ground before the ball even though it feels at times like a solid shot.

Enough of my guesstimation rambling for now....got to actually put it to the test and see just how bad my ball striking really is!

 

[JB]

Great stuff guys. F2G, can you get some pics or video (or any other testers) of the setup when you are getting ready to use it?

Love the writeups so far guys.

 

[c_ault]

First off, let me thank THP and Compression Board for the oppurtunity to test and review this.

1st impressions: I thought the board would be a little taller, maybe 1/4", but it is only 1/8". The markings are clear and measure true, 1 inch gaps between marks, 1/2 inch between wedge line (red) and iron line (white). The board feels like plexi-glass, from the web-site it is the same material used for lie boards (don't know if that is the same). The lines on the board are easy to see (even with my horrible vision) and the target line is long (probably about 7") and clear so it should be easy to set up to a target. I was worried about the gap where you hit the ball being too narrow but there is plenty of room so I won't be worried about hitting the sides. Oh, and my board didn't come with instructions so I'll have to rely on what is on the web-site (pretty easy except I cannot find much about using it for putts).

After taking the pictures I lined it up to roll some putts. I tried various markings to place the ball (see above, no instructions). As long as I place the ball around the 3 mark or more I don't get any interference from the board. Closer and I brush the board on the back swing and come in too steep on the down swing (not the best terms for putting but it will have to do). From everything I've read about putting, you don't want to hit down on the ball, hitting slightly up is the best but I don't believe the board is meant for steeper putts just as an alignment aid. As an alignment aid it works OK enough but I don't see taking the board to the green and playing around with it to line up putts since marking the ball with lines or using the line on the ball works good enough for me. It is a nice device for aligning your feet and putter though.

After rolling some putts I moved on to some short chips, about 6 feet with my 54* wedge. When I started I was taking the wedge back to shallow and hitting the board on the back swing. This was from the closest mark and when I moved the ball up to increase the gap I was doing the same thing. This also caused me to hit the board on the down swing. Both back and down swings weren't hitting the board by much, a couple. The noise when you hit the board is noticable (think of hitting plexi-glass with a club). I adjusted my back swing to bring the club up a little and that also fixed the down swing. When taking the wedge back too shallow the ball rolled more and there were a few double hits. When I play I have a tendency to hit fat on some chips so working with the Compression Board will help me on this. When I bring the club up and back and down on the ball, was using the closest wedge mark after a few tries, the ball had noticably more spin (on the 1st bounce the ball just stopped and you could read the markings on it clearly). I did tend to pull the chip some when hitting down on it but I am now thinking that may have been due to looking at the ball after hitting it (keep the head down [another problem I am working on]).

So, that is my 1st night of testing. I plan on taking the board out tomorrow and spending the day practicing. From what the website says, I should probably start at marking 4 (I don't really know my handicap but that sounds about right) but I will start at 6 to get used to hitting with the board. I have a feeling that I should be down to level 2 without too much work. I don't know if that is wishful thinking but my handicap isn't so much my swing, especially with irons, but more with lack of experience playing and getting too amped when I play that my swing isn't as good.

My hopes from using the board are that I lower my ball flight some; I hit the ball very high and that is with True Temper S300 shafts on my irons S400 on my wedges. I don't know if the ball flight is from sweeping (I don't really take divots) or if it has more to do with my wrist break. I also hope to just gain confidence in my swing. Hitting off mats or grass at the driving range isn't quite the same as hitting off mats or grass with a board clearly marking your target line, your ball position, and telling you if each swing is too flat. I am thinking that this is a great product for me considering where I am in my game and where I want to be. My biggest concern is that it holds up to some fat shots.

Until tomorrow, best of wishes,
Chris

I am going to avoid reading what others have said until after tomorrow, I only noticed from someone's picture that they did receive instructions so I won't ding Compression Board for that.

I removed the dimensions of the board. I didn't feel great about posting them in the first place and after using the product really don't feel it is appropriate to give out that information.

 

[biggsy]

Loving the feedback so far. Looking forward to more.

 

[Bridges]

This seems like a really good training aid. I know I hit my pitch s***s fat every now and then, this could be a good aid to have.




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[c_ault]

Wait, you can use this for putting? I thought it was for Iron and wedge shots. Pretty cool if it helps with putting to.



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Arggh, I am trying to figure out if that is sarcasm or not.
Yes it does have uses for practicing putts. :smile:

 

[Bridges]

Arggh, I am trying to figure out if that is sarcasm or not.
Yes it does have uses for practicing putts. :smile:

I completely jacked my post up. I edited it. I'm on my phone and read part of your comment and didn't see the rest of it until after I clicked to send it. My fault.


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[Fairway2Green]

Great stuff guys. F2G, can you get some pics or video (or any other testers) of the setup when you are getting ready to use it?

Love the writeups so far guys.

Definitely. I'll take pictures and video at the range tomorrow.


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[jnug]

That looks like a great tool! In a different thread I had discussed the benefits of practicing your swing without a ball to distract you. The one thing I took from the Hank Haney project with Rush was Hank's command that Rush take between 100-200 swings per day. Now frankly I did not like what Rush decided was a swing. Anyway I pulled out my hitting mat (we still have tons of snow on the ground) and I have been taking about 100 real swings every day that I do not go to the heated bay range. Not having the ball there has really helped my swing in a number of ways, one of them being forward shaft lean and keeping my wrists hinged. It sounds like such a trivial thing, practicing your swing without the ball taking so much of your attention but at least in my case it has been really helpful.

I might have to get one of these as i like the fact that you are not trying to hit off of it. Some of these devices are designed to hit off of them and they are just too small and too brittle and too a good many things for my liking. This compression board is transparent and as has been pointed out, not that thick and you are trying to miss it, not hit off of it.

 

[Fairway2Green]

Took it out to the range today and hit balls with it. This thing is great. It's crazy that even balls that felt great off the club and flew at a normal trajectory and distance were not clean. It provides great feedback. When you hit one from the pro slot without hitting the board you can really feel and tell how perfectly you compressed the ball. This is also great for people that think it's the ball or wedge causing them to not get spin on pitches. Put this bad boy down and hit some pitches with it and you can see that it's all you. I want to give a more in-depth review, but a buddy is using my laptop to do some kind of testing to earn credits for his adjusters license. I did take some pictures though. Monday I'm going to the range with two buddies and I'll take video of all of us using it and type up a better review.

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[JB]

Great stuff. Love this thread so far.

 

[Fairway2Green]

Figure I'll throw the directions up too.

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[AHA]

This is a great concept...loving the feedback so far...keep it up testers!

 

[coolbreeze]

Great first write up F2G. I think this product could help us all with our ball striking.

 

[Hole~Out~1983]

Thanks for the updates so far gentlemen. Im gaining more interest in this for the simple fact that it is so simple and its not trying to change your whole swing but just trying to get you in a good impact position. Cant wait to see the video footage on this thing.

 

[bajapalm]

looks great thanks for keeping us updated - love the idea - as was said not telling you how to swing but giving feedback when you get "there"