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Core Swing Training Aid Test Results: December, 2010
GolfTest USA was retained by Core Swing
Golf to develop the testing protocol and methodology and then conduct a test by having golfers of different
skill levels practice with the Core Swing Training Aid. The inventor and developer of the Core Swing Training
Aid explained to us that he felt the Core Swing Training Aid could benefit most golfers by having them stay more
connected throughout the golf swing and thus in the process improve their consistency, accuracy and tempo.
The Core Swing Training Aid is a standard golf
shirt that has elastic bands sewn into the ends of the sleeves and then are attached to the sides of
the shirt. We initially wore the shirt at the driving range to get an idea of how it was supposed to
work. We hits shots with all our clubs from the driver on down to the sand wedge and also putted with
it. Once we felt we had an understanding of how it helped with a golfer's swing we developed the
testing methodology and protocol for the test.
View the video below for more information about
the test.
Test Methodology:
We decided to have golfers
practice 6 times for a minimum of one hour each over a period of two weeks. The testers then played
one round of golf and made a determination as to how much they felt the Core Swing Training Aid helped
them improve their overall game. The golfers were not given any special golf swing instructions other
than was spelled out in the evaluation form.
Test Protocol:
We selected 24 testers to
participate in the test. Out of the 24 testers we picked the 20 testers we felt completed the
test and filled out the evaluation form in a fair and unbiased manner. The 20 evaluations we
picked were then used to compile the objective results included in this report. The 24 testers
included golfers with handicaps ranging from skilled single digit players to mid handicappers
plus several high handicappers. We wanted to see if the Core Swing helped all golfers or just
a select group based on ability.
Following are the questions the testers evaluated and
the average rating for each question.
1: Rate how much your drives improved as the result of wearing the Core Swing:
The average rating of the testers was 6.85. This is a very high rating as it shows that every tester improved their
drives and several testers indicated that their drives were much longer with much less dispersion translating into
more fairways hit.
2: Rate how much your fairway metals improved as the result
of wearing the Core Swing:
The average rating for the testers hitting their fairways metals was 5.90. While not as high as the
driver rating it still shows that the testers made excellent improvement in their shots with their fairway
metals which tend to be harder to hit consistently.
3: Rate how much your low iron shots improved
as the result of wearing the Core Swing:
The rating for low irons was 5.55. Low irons are usually the hardest clubs to hit consistently so to have a rating
above 5.00 clearly shows that the Core Swing was having a positive impact on the testers' swings.
4: Rate how much your high iron shots
improved as the result of wearing the Core Swing:
This club category produced a high rating of 6.45. This is a key area in which golfers can
improve their scores because it directly relates to more greens hit in regulation. We were surprised
to see such a high rating but after interviewing some of the testers it was clear that the Core Swing
had a direct impact of the testers hitting much "crisper" shots. They indicated that they hit much
fewer "chunk shots" or "thin shots".
5: Rate how much your pitch shots
improved as the result of wearing the Core Swing:
With an average rating of 5.55 it showed that the testers benefited from practicing with the Core Swing
which translated into improved pitch shots.
6: Rate how much your chip shots improved as the result of wearing the Core Swing:
The rating of 4.65 for chip shots was less than the other categories however still shows considerable improvement
from the level the testers were hitting their chip shots.
7: Rate how much your putting improved
as the result of wearing the Core Swing:
The rating for improving their putting was the lowest of all the clubs at 3.55. We felt that was to be expected
as the putting styles of golfers are very different from golfer to golfer. There were still several testers who
claimed practicing with the Core Swing helped them keep their putting motion under control resulting in
increased accuracy.
8: How "likely" will you be to continue to use the Core Swing to improve your golf swing:
The rating for this question was a solid 6.30. There are many swing training aids that golfers will use a
few times and then retire never to be used again. This rating indicates that would not be the case with
the Core Swing
9: Do you feel the Core Swing
helped you hit more consistent shots?
With a very high rating of 6.85 it is a strong validation that the Core Swing helps the majority of golfers
hit more consistent shots.
10: Do you feel the Core Swing
helped your accuracy?
The high rating of 7.00 for improved accuracy confirms that the Core Swing does just what it is designed to do.
11: How much did you improve
during the round of golf you played at the conclusion of the test as the direct result o
f practicing with the Core Swing?
The rating of 6.45 showed that the testers benefited directly from practicing with the Core Swing and converting
that practice into results under actual playing conditions. There was only one tester who said they didn't improve.
An improvement rate of 95% is unheard for any training aid we have ever tested
12: How strongly would you recommend
the Core Swing to other golfers who are looking to improve their swing and play more consistent
golf?
The very high rating of 7.40 shows that the testers liked how easy it was to use the Core Swing and how much
they felt they benefited and improved from using it.
Following are the written responses from the testers for questions 14 & 15.
14: In what ways do you think the
Core Swing helped improve your swing?
Noel W
Kept my arms connected to my body more. Kept me from chicken wing swinging and helped square my club at impact.
Eric T
Kept my arms closer to by body thus I wasn't slicing the ball as bad as I normally do.
Manny E
My shots were the same distance but more accurate. It also made my swing more confidant and consistent.
Harold L
Helped to keep arms in for a better swing.
Robert M
Helped to keep my arms close to my body. It makes me feel as though my swing stays connected.
Gerald G
Helped on the back swing and follow through.
Robert S
Constant reminder to keep my right elbow close to my side during swing.
Peggy S
Reminded me to stay connected. Kept me focused.
Samuel M
I'm not sure it was "Core Swing" or that for the first time I was consistently practicing my swing. If it was the shirt, then I tried to help the shirt keep my arms close to my body when hitting.
Mike W
Kept arms and shoulders turning in a coordinated way during the golf swing. Reduced "chicken winging".
Betty L
My drives went further and straighter.
Vernon W
It is hard for me to say how much the shirt helped. I can say I practiced more these last 2 weeks than I normally do. The additional practice sure didn't hurt my game.
Ron W
More uniform and timed swing with greater follow through.
Kathy S
The shirt verified that my arms were in the right spot. I used a "small" shirt but felt it was still too loose on me. I was never sure if it fit right. Perhaps I would have had better results with the proper size.
Bob B
More consistency.
Jerry J
I was able to increase my swing speed a lot.
Robert P
Much easier to have 1 piece swing up and down.
Mary T
I had a more connected feel and felt the club head more square on impact.
Frank T
Helped me stay connected throughout the swing.
Joe S
The tension of the arm straps helped me keep my arms close to my body. It seemed to make me more aware of the proper mechanics of a swing. However, it is hard to quantify the improvement through the range of clubs.
15: How long did it take for you to feel comfortable wearing the Core Swing?
Noel W
It was never comfortable.
Eric T
15 swings
Manny E
Day 4
Harold L
2 Practices
Robert M
1 hour
Gerald G
A few minutes
Robert S
Very little time
Peggy S
Right away
Samuel M
2 practice sessions
Mike W
1 session
Betty L
1 day
Vernon W
10 minutes
Ron W
At the start
Kathy S
20 swings
Bob B
1 hour
Jerry J
About 20 minutes
Robert P
3 sessions
Mary T
2 practice sessions
Frank T
Right away
Joe S
3 practice sessions
GolfTest USA Staff Evaluation
GolfTest USA compiled the results
and then looked at how the ratings were impacted by the different skills levels. We also interviewed several
of the testers after they had turned in their evaluation forms to get a better insight into how they felt the
Core Swing helped them during the test. It was interesting to find out that the Core Swing helped golfers across
the board regardless of skill level. We had felt that it would surely help high handicappers but were surprised
that so many low handicappers benefitted from practicing with it. We knew that the majority of golfers would make
improvements but again were impressed to see that almost every tester made substantial improvements in just a short
2 week period of time. The key comment that we heard from many of the testers is that they didn't have to think about
anything while practicing with it. Many swing training aids require a strict regimen during practice sessions.
The Core Swing doesn't require you to think about anything, You can just swing the club and let it happen. It
is not necessary to think about 5 or more swing thoughts at a time which can sometimes actually cause some golfers
to "mess up" their swing. The two greatest areas of improvement we saw from the results were 1: Longer and straighter
drives which is one of the holy grails in golf. 2: Crisper and more accurate short iron shots resulting
in more greens hit regulation is which one of the most important factors in lowering a golfer's score.
The Core Swing helped an unprecedented 95% of the testers make substantial improvements to most areas for their golf game. The Core Swing did not require any prolonged practicing or in-depth training to get a real benefit from it. Because it is so easy to practice with, it is a training aid that will help all golfers
improve their game and get more enjoyment from playing golf.
We have to admit that initially we were somewhat skeptical as to how much the Core Swing would
help golfers improve their swing. Now having looked at the conclusive positive results we feel
that the Core Swing is one of the easiest and best swing training aids we have tested. It will
improve a golfer's swing and tempo in just a few practice sessions which translates directly into
improved distance and accuracy. For what would be the price of just one golf lesson from a
golf instructor golfers can learn to play consistently better golf and enjoy the game more.
GolfTest USA is very pleased to award the Core Swing Training Aid our GolfTest USA "Seal of Excellence".
We are also awarding the Core Swing Training Aid our 5 Star Rating. We reserve our 5 Star Rating for a
very select group of golf products that we have tested that offers superior value, quality and performance.
We strongly recommend the Core Swing Training Aid to all golfers who want to improve their game.
