MAUMEE, OHIO – aboutGolf, the world leader in indoor golf simulator technology, was the “secret weapon” in the success of Canada’s University of Waterloo (UW) and its star player, Garrett Rank, during the 2010 spring season, the company announced today.
The University of Waterloo’s engineering school-widely regarded as Canada’s best-was the beneficiary of an aboutGolf PGA TOUR Simulator in November 2009 to allow collaboration between aboutGolf and UW golf equipment and biomechanics researchers.
While engineering students use the aboutGolf PGA TOUR Simulator for research, including investigations into new shaft and clubhead designs, biomechanic modeling, motion capture and golf ball simulation and optimization, Waterloo’s men’s and women’s golf teams also use it to train. The simulator presents an opportunity to execute range practice with reliable data for analysis, prepare for difficult tournament holes with similar holes on the simulator and prepare for difficult weather conditions, such as high winds.
Waterloo’s men’s team benefited from its new “secret weapon” aboutGolf technology with a seventh place finish in the RCGA University/College Championships in New Brunswick. After a winter of indoor work the team finished as the top team from its league in the 20 team National Tournament, putting up the low team score over the last 30 holes.
More recently, on July 23, Waterloo second-year golfer Jack Gibson-after correcting a major swing flaw through hard work on the aboutGolf PGA TOUR Simulator-posted a 10-under par, three-stroke victory in Canada’s Investors Group Ontario Junior Boys’ Championship. Gibson-who defeated a field that include five Division I scholarship players and the World University junior champion-will represent Ontario at the Canadian Boys Junior Championship in early August.
Gibson used the aboutGolf PGA TOUR Simulator last winter to completely revamp his swing, using the side spin and horizontal launch angle measurements of the simulator to implement corrections that turned his excessive hook into a lovely draw.
“aboutGolf’s PGA TOUR Simulator played a substantial role in the improvement of our teams in 2010,” says Dave Hollinger, the Warriors’ men’s golf coach. “The biggest advantage of aboutGolf’s PGA TOUR Simulator is that it is ‘right-on,’ so accurate. We can work on the swing, make adjustments, fine-tune and see results immediately. It’s a great environment to experiment in. Many of our students are golfers and engineers, so we do a lot of experimenting with and understanding ball-flight laws.”
In this year’s World Championships, Waterloo’s Garrett Rank was outstanding-qualifying for individual play thanks, in large part, to his dedicated work on aboutGolf’s PGA TOUR Simulator. After 53 holes in Spain, Rank was the event’s individual leader, eventually finishing five strokes out of a medal, in 10th place.
Entering the 2010 season, Rank’s biggest challenge was to raise his low ball flight and maximize his driver trajectory, Hollinger says. Mission accomplished, thanks to the aboutGolf PGA TOUR Simulator.
“Garrett worked incredibly hard on the simulator during the winter,” Hollinger says. “He spent more time on it than anyone else on the team, and now he is a terrific driver and hits the ball much higher.”
Rank’s outstanding play this past spring qualified him for the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, at which he advanced to the round of 16. He also made a hole-in-one during his Porter Cup qualifying round and was named a first team all Canadian as an athlete and an academic.
“This is yet another example of how the aboutGolf PGA TOUR Simulator can help golfers of any skill level improve their performance and train for competition,” says Chuck Faust, President and COO of aboutGolf. “Congratulations to the Warriors and we know we will see continued improvement as they train in the ultimate learning and practice environment.”
aboutGolf is currently working with Waterloo to equip their system with technology updates and integrated performance tools including swing analysis and weight transfer analysis.
Prior to the donation by aboutGolf, the Warrior’s golf team evaluated three simulator systems and rated aboutGolf as the top system.
About University of Waterloo
In just half a century, the University of Waterloo, located in Waterloo, Ontario at the heart of Canada’s Technology Triangle, has become one of Canada’s leading comprehensive universities with 28,000 full- and part-time students in undergraduate and graduate programs. Waterloo, as home to the world’s largest post-secondary co-operative education program, embraces its connections to the world and encourages enterprising partnerships in learning, research and discovery.
About aboutGolf
aboutGolf, the world leader in indoor golf simulator technology, finalized a long-term licensing partnership agreement with the PGA TOUR in December 2008 for the development and execution of aboutGolf/PGA TOUR-branded simulator products. Thanks to the agreement, aboutGolf and the PGA TOUR have an exclusive, worldwide licensing partnership to manufacture PGA TOUR Simulators as well as an exclusive, worldwide licensing partnership to offer TPC courses on the PGA TOUR Simulators, including the TPC Sawgrass’ PLAYERS Stadium Course, site of THE PLAYERS Championship, which is considered professional golf’s “fifth major.”
aboutGolf is a 20-year-old Maumee, Ohio-based company that has been dedicated to golf for its entire history. aboutGolf is the world leader in indoor golf simulator technology, producing PGA TOUR Simulators, aboutGolf Performance Products and Henry-Griffitts Custom Fitting. Historically, aboutGolf also produced Microsoft Golf, Greg Norman Ultimate Challenge Golf and World Tours, which is the world’s most-widely-distributed golf simulation. aboutGolf® is a registered trademark of aboutGolf Limited, Maumee, Ohio.
Contact:
Mary Beth Lacy
760-346-6942
email: mb@mblacy.com
AboutGolf Ltd.
352 Tomahawk Drive
Maumee, OH 43537
Phone: 419-482-9095
www.aboutgolf.com
