SWEETSTUFF BGT Putting Lab Re-Opens
Bridgestone’s VFIT Ball Fitting
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s golf facilities open-up around the nation in the wake of the loosening of restrictions due to the Covid-19 outbreak, instructional and club-fitting operations are also on track to join the ranks of affiliated businesses that are back serving golfers. Breakthrough Golf Technology, the revolutionary putting shaft company founded by Barney Adams, has now re-opened its Dallasarea BGT Putting Lab that offers state- of-the-art analysis of putters and putting strokes using some of the latest technology—based on 100 years of experience in club building. The BGT Putting Lab features private sessions that are not lessons but rather an evaluation of all aspects of one’s putter. The fitting will start with a complete putting analysis including measurement of over 45 different parameters. Your putter will be fine-tuned and customized for you on site just like on the PGA Tour. Also, each appointment includes a Stability Shaft of your choice (up to $250 value). After the experience, you will have a better putter fit and a solid understanding how to achieve more consistency and performance from your putting. The BGT Putt Lab includes a full Quintic Ball Roll analysis, putter compatibility assessment, optimization of your putter specs, alignment evaluation, loft, length, lie and even grip size/shape recommendations. Breakthrough Golf offers two fitting options-- Master & Pro. The Master Fit includes a revolutionary new device exclusive to the BGT Putt Lab. The Flatstick™ helps golfers understand their stroke timing by providing instant feedback using an array of magnetic field sensors that track the putter’s acceleration, stroke tempo and rhythm. “It’s great to be back open. Fittings are something I truly enjoy; especially seeing how much clients improve over the course of the evaluation and beyond,” said Blair Philip, Master Fitter and head of R&D for Breakthrough Golf.
Adams, who has always had the unique ability to see what is truly missing in golf equipment and was the founder of Adams Golf and the Tight Lies club line, decided to focus on the putter shafts since there had been no significant innovation for decades. A team of award-winning engineers was assembled, an“I’ve played the game for some 70 years and studied it for 40 working in the industry. I strongly recommend that golfers take advantage of all technology available to them,” he said. “After all, golf is a hard game; that element is what brings us joy no matter how small our victories, which definitely includes becoming a better putter”. The company recommends that all clients use their best judgement during these uncertain times. BGT will provide face masks hand sanitizer and each club is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after the fitting. To learn more visit www.breakthroughgolftech.com/puttlab
32 Golf Vacations • June 2020
ridgestone Golf is enabling players to get fit to the proper golf ball for their swing speed, skill level and other factors with its virtual tool called the VFIT video ball fitting service that provides consumers with the ability to receive an expert person-to-person golf ball analysis anytime, anywhere--with a 98% accuracy rate.
Bridgestone began its ball fitting service in 2006 when it introduced expert recommendations to players based on personal performance data. Their new VFIT service builds on that capability by giving more players access to Bridgestone’s ball fitting experts than ever before with the new virtual service that was introduced this year. It allows players to be fit for the golf ball best suited to their swings by using their smart phone. By following simple set-up instructions provided by Bridgestone, any golfer can record, submit and get fit. Using a cellphone video camera to record a “swing video” in slow motion, the video can then be uploaded to Bridgestone’s ball fitting technicians for a detailed analysis of what ball is right for them. Within 24 hours, each golfer will receive a ball fitting report by email, detailing their launch conditions (swing speed, ball velocity, launch angle, spin rate, carry distance and total distance) and providing an analysis of what ball fits them best. “Working with Tour Pros is a big source of information and inspiration for us in product development. That’s true too for VFIT. Tour Pros and elite amateurs are often on the road and away from their swing coaches,” said Adam Rehberg, Golf Ball Fitting Manager for Bridgestone Golf. “We noticed how often they use swing video to maintain personto-person contact with their coach and get needed advice. With VFIT we are doing the same thing – empowering all players to make personto-person connections with experienced ball fitting technicians that can help them improve their game. It’s simple and effective – we are excited to bring this complimentary service to players.” VFIT is free, easy-to-use and ensures that nearly every one of the 24 million golfers in the United States has the opportunity to receive two pieces of information critical to improving their games--a detailed analysis of swing data and a golf ball that corresponds to those results. More information is available at: www.bridgestonegolf.com/vfit
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