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Tour Striker Smart Ball

ShotScope
As I noted in What Golf Stuff Did You Do Today? I got my home-brew net set up. This time I remembered my knockoff smart ball.

I'm a convert! That thing is really effective at keeping you connected throughout the swing. I'll probably get the net set up again tomorrow and practice with it some more. See if I can make that connectedness stick :)

(I took the net down so the verkakte deer don't run into it and destroy it overnight.)
 
After using it for maybe 15-20 L to L swings in the house the last couple nights, then using it for just practice swings before hitting some balls on the range and had my best ball striking day in a while.

Going to use it for a few practice swings when I warm up preround but I am finding it is keeping me from overswinging on the takeway and then getting me to release the club on the downswing. Think those two issues had me me all over the place with my low point and path. Not perfect, as it never will be, but so improved in just a couple days, so will keep at it.
 
mancest said:
After using it for maybe 15-20 L to L swings in the house the last couple nights, then using it for just practice swings before hitting some balls on the range and had my best ball striking day in a while.

Going to use it for a few practice swings when I warm up preround but I am finding it is keeping me from overswinging on the takeway and then getting me to release the club on the downswing. Think those two issues had me me all over the place with my low point and path. Not perfect, as it never will be, but so improved in just a couple days, so will keep at it.
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I tend to like 5 or so swings with than the same without. Keeps my feeling aware. Many pros including DJ still use it to get the feel. Looking forward to the time is all feels natural.
 
Being that I am a "Certified Professional Tinkerer" (CPT) of anything I see advertised, that interests me, I'm thinking a visit to the Dollar Store is in order tomorrow.

I like the concept of this swing practice aid.
 
Just pulled the trigger on a knock off. Had seen the TXG video as well and love the concept. Connection is something I really struggle with in my swing.
 
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WLG1952 said:
Being that I am a "Certified Professional Tinkerer" (CPT) of anything I see advertised, that interests me, I'm thinking a visit to the Dollar Store is in order tomorrow.

I like the concept of this swing practice aid.
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Hey, that's MY title! I am definitely "certifiable". Ask just about anyone.
 
Hit the ball much better overall today despite forgetting the smart ball at home. Will get some swings with it tonight then again tomorrow at the range.

Then will get an assessment from my coach on Tuesday to see if this is helping or hurting since our last lesson a month ago (they had to close down for a covid find for 2 weeks).
 
Been working with the smart ball lately. It’s very effective yet frustrating to practice with. Some day I hope to be able to perform a full swing with the smart ball. Currently I’m between 55 and 70 percent. Amazing strikes with the ball. Definitely translates, just gotta put the time in.
 
I took a lesson, and went thru various "stuff". Smart ball really clicked with me. I ordered one and have been practicing non stop with it. Just got back from Myrtle Beach, and I am extremely pleased with my progress. I currently play to a 10 (traveling HC), but my iron game is inconsistent at best, and is costing me big time.

Smart Ball is legit. Worth every $$.
 
Worked with the Planemate for a bit tonight. Than decided to add the Smart Ball to the mix. I like the feeling together. Ball striking was pretty good. I’ll be following this method a few more times this week.
 
Blade Man said:
Worked with the Planemate for a bit tonight. Than decided to add the Smart Ball to the mix. I like the feeling together. Ball striking was pretty good. I’ll be following this method a few more times this week.
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my smart ball knockoff arrived yesterday. i look forward to working with it soon. i’m hoping it will give me better connection in my chips and pitches, and maybe some better body rotation in my full swing.
 
i finally made it out to the range with the smart ball knockoff. i can try to get some pics if anyone cares, but it basically looks just like the one you see on tv. only this one comes with a hot pink air pump that looks like something you would buy in an adult toy store. my wife got a big kick out of that.

i only brought the pitching wedge, and the ball. my thought was to make mostly half swings, and then try to make some full swings, and finish with 5 shots with no smart ball to see if the feels carried over.

i had to take about a month off prior to this, due to holidays/work/quarantine. so my swing has been rusty. i've noticed a lot of inconsistent contact, and what feels like an out-to-in path. the range near me is mats, so that path off mats sends shockwaves through the hands and deep into the soul.

my first half swing with the smart ball was not expected. pretty good contact, a little higher on the face, and a very crisp, shallow attack/path through impact. ball after ball was like that. a little higher on the face than i'm used to, definitely in-to-out, and a free rotation through the ball.

it was crazy. the thing was working! while i found the backswing to be pretty much normal for me, impact and follow-through felt very different. i think it's because before i would manage "square" by rotating the face a lot; but with the smart ball, "square" happens very naturally so the face doesn't have to rotate down and closed. i could just release naturally, and i got beautiful peak height but with a flat trajectory. and the consistency was very impressive.

i ramped up to a more full swing, and while i saw a little less consistency of contact, i still saw very good results. dispersion and distance were very consistent, and i only had one stinker shot for the entire bucket. that's nuts!

toward the end of the medium bucket i lost a little focus, but i got it back in the end. the last 5 balls were hit without the smart ball, and honestly every one was really good. more free-wheeling speed through impact. more height than i'm used to, and just generally more in sync and in balance.

tomorrow if i have time i'll go again, and use a 7i.
 
@McLovin, what you describe is pretty much what I experienced, as well.
 
6i today. figured i’d torture myself a bit. i’ll be damned if the thing didn’t perform admirably again. i definitely missed more than the pw, but the misses were still super consistent. a couple tweaks here and there and i saw some excellent results. crazy thing was how far the hip high swing were going. full swings were harder to keep the ball between the arms, but that’s to be expected. but i still can’t get over how incredibly well this works for as simple as it is! i think tomorrow i might try 56* wedge. maybe some short pitches, some 50 yarders, and some full(ish) swings. i’m kinda obsessed with this right now.
 
McLovin said:
i finally made it out to the range with the smart ball knockoff. i can try to get some pics if anyone cares, but it basically looks just like the one you see on tv. only this one comes with a hot pink air pump that looks like something you would buy in an adult toy store. my wife got a big kick out of that.

i only brought the pitching wedge, and the ball. my thought was to make mostly half swings, and then try to make some full swings, and finish with 5 shots with no smart ball to see if the feels carried over.

i had to take about a month off prior to this, due to holidays/work/quarantine. so my swing has been rusty. i've noticed a lot of inconsistent contact, and what feels like an out-to-in path. the range near me is mats, so that path off mats sends shockwaves through the hands and deep into the soul.

my first half swing with the smart ball was not expected. pretty good contact, a little higher on the face, and a very crisp, shallow attack/path through impact. ball after ball was like that. a little higher on the face than i'm used to, definitely in-to-out, and a free rotation through the ball.

it was crazy. the thing was working! while i found the backswing to be pretty much normal for me, impact and follow-through felt very different. i think it's because before i would manage "square" by rotating the face a lot; but with the smart ball, "square" happens very naturally so the face doesn't have to rotate down and closed. i could just release naturally, and i got beautiful peak height but with a flat trajectory. and the consistency was very impressive.

i ramped up to a more full swing, and while i saw a little less consistency of contact, i still saw very good results. dispersion and distance were very consistent, and i only had one stinker shot for the entire bucket. that's nuts!

toward the end of the medium bucket i lost a little focus, but i got it back in the end. the last 5 balls were hit without the smart ball, and honestly every one was really good. more free-wheeling speed through impact. more height than i'm used to, and just generally more in sync and in balance.

tomorrow if i have time i'll go again, and use a 7i.
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Damn, I feel I need this.
 
I have lost my swing with anything longer than a 5 iron. Time to put in the work here trying to tighten things up. The Smart Ball made it feel like I was trying to elbow somebody behind me with my normal swing. I’ll get to check in on my progress on the nine hole course Friday if I don’t get on the simulator before then.
 
RealPretendPsychic said:
I have lost my swing with anything longer than a 5 iron. Time to put in the work here trying to tighten things up. The Smart Ball made it feel like I was trying to elbow somebody behind me with my normal swing.
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Sounds like you normally keep your trailing arm real close in on the back-swing, then?
 
Duffer Seamus said:
Sounds like you normally keep your trailing arm real close in on the back-swing, then?
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I used to have it very tight to my body and as a result my swing was super flat. I’ve been working on getting more vertical, but I think my elbow may be causing some issues.
 
Just bought a knock off on Amazon while I was getting my protein. $9.99

Just got the knock off ball this evening. So glad I didn’t pay for the more expensive version. This thing will do the job.
 
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Used my smart ball yesterday at the range. I had immediate success staying connected. It was a bit trying getting it adjusted but once dialed in to my height it was great.
 
Duffer Seamus said:
Instinctively, it seems like a good concept. And, yeah: I know about the knock-offs. But knock-offs tend to be of lesser quality. E.g.: The Orange Whip vs. the SKLZ and other knock-offs. You don't hear about OWs coming apart while being swung. Conversely: When I wanted suspension trainers I found an alternative to the expensive TRX products that many people felt was actually superior in form, fit, and function at less than half the price. (Unfortunately, it seems they were infringing on TRX' patents and were sued out of business. If I'd known they were infringing on TRX' patents I wouldn't have gone with them.) I also have no complaints about the TailorMade clone clubs I was gifted.
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Is the Orange Whip really better than the SKLZ?
 
deepakvrao said:
Is the Orange Whip really better than the SKLZ?
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Not having tried a SKLZ I could not say. But, IIRC, there have been complaints of the SKLZ and other Orange Whip clones experiencing RUD (Rapid Unintentional/Unplanned/Unscheduled Disassembly). I've seen no such complaints about the Orange Whip.
 
How are you guys that flexible to even pinch your elbows that close?? I give this aid 0/10 for guys who have big chest or back.What body type would this aid be for? I would need a basketball for my elbows to be as close as they can.

But I did buy it and returned it with no issues.
 
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