Teamwork that Makes the Dream Work - Stellenbosch Golf Club & FlightScope Technology

Stellenbosch Golf Club stands as a magnificent and prestigious institution, often holding the position of the most popular golf club in the country. Nestled amidst the breathtaking natural beauty in the heart of the Cape Winelands, this iconic club has not only become a haven for golf enthusiasts from all over the world, but also a breeding ground for high-performing golfers.

With ever more knowledge and state-of-the-art facilities being added to this icon in the winelands, there is no doubt that this club will continue to mold and inspire ever more future generations of champions.

Valuable Support From our Partner, FlightScope

Since the early ninety’s, the club has enjoyed a very special and productive relationship with the proudly South African launch monitor company, FlightScope, well known for its very accurate and trustworthy data. The famous company’s head office for South Africa happens to be a 5 minute drive from the club. The South African founder and CEO, Henri Johnson, who studied at the University of Stellenbosch, is also a valued member of our club.

This exceptional relationship has given us the distinction of not only being privileged to be able to use and showcase their latest launch monitor equipment, but recently also becoming the first club in the country to have access to a Swing Catalyst 3D Motion Plate, which seamlessly integrates the powerful data provided by FlightScope. The Motion Plate has further revolutionized my analysis and coaching capabilities, allowing me to extract valuable insights to enhance my clients’ performance.

Seeing the Invisible Thanks to FlightScope

When someone stands on the motion plate and hits a ball, the unique way they "use" the ground to generate force becomes apparent. Research has confirmed that each individual has a distinct approach, and the grip employed significantly impacts leg usage. Surprisingly, contrary to traditional beliefs of "staying down" during impact, the research that has come from using the plate shows clearly the significance of the upward vertical force (and especially its timing) in achieving speed and an effective release, as well as importantly, less injuries.

Moreover, there is promising hope for those hesitant to change their swings, as remarkable improvements have been observed by simply adjusting foot placement, stance width, and foot flare, based on leg dominances - which can now be accurately measured using the plate. Any changes we see in the FlightScope data numbers can now for the first time, be validated and correlated by being able to “see the invisible” on the Swing Catalyst data. Elements of the short game can also be most effectively analyzed using this highly advanced equipment.

Feel free to have a look at the two videos below in which I introduce the powerful Swing Catalyst 3D Motion Plate and its great software, integrated with and made possible by Flightscope.