Why Force Data Can Help Your Swing

Improving your golf swing can be daunting considering the variables that affect the motion of the club.

Spending time at the range can be frustrating when you don’t see progress from all the hard work. A quick cell phone video can show how the club moves in 2D planes, but it never seems to tell the whole story. Even in slow motion, the footage is often misleading since there are no measurements to compare swings.

Ground forces are tangible indicators of weight transfer, speed generation and swing timing. Not only can forces be measured, but they can also be compared to other data for reference.

The best players in the world have been known to use ground force measurements to improve swing speed, sequencing and correct movement patterns related to injury.

How can I Measure Ground Forces?

Until recently, you would need to find a local coach or golf swing studio with ground force plates and schedule an expensive session to gather that data.

This is far from convenient when trying to improve with limited practice time and budget. BAL.ON has looked to change that by creating the BAL.ON Smart Kit with a starting price of $599.

The Smart Kit is a portable force measurement system packed into a pair of removable bluetooth shoe inserts. The system can measure vertical force and weight distribution during your golf swing, and that data is then integrated into their companion app to provide insights about your swing.

Getting Started

When I first received the Smart Kit, I opened the case and followed the simple instructions to assemble and install the shoe inserts. I should note that the inserts come in a range of sizes, so make sure to select the right one for your shoe size.

After putting the inserts in my shoes and downloading the BAL.ON app, I quickly and easily followed the on-screen instructions to connect them via bluetooth. I made a few selections and started my first session!

You can either use the basic function to start your swing, which prompts you with vibration in the soles, or activate the beta “Auto Swing Detection” mode that allows you to swing when ready and retroactively capture the data.

I tried both methods and each has their benefits:

• The triggered start method requires some practice to time it correctly (which felt less natural than how I would normally start my swing)
• The auto start method seems to pair the force data with the face-on video and works fairly well (this method does not seem to work as well if you have a fair amount of pre-swing motion, though)

My Experience

I was amazed from the start when I saw a live feed of the weight distribution in the soles. I could move around with near-instant feedback in the app.

There was a bit of a learning curve with the setup. Finding how to get the battery clips to sit comfortably will be different for each person, but it really wasn’t a big deal. After the first swing I received an overall score and detailed metrics including:

• Rhythm
• Max Vertical
• Transition Timing
• Vertical Timing

The app also gives separate scores for Setup, Backswing and Impact so you can isolate trouble areas you want to work on:

You can replay any of the swings, which includes face-on swing video, detailed heat mapping of each foot and pressure/balance graphs.

The app also directs you to training content in the case your metrics are outside the target ranges, though the additional training content and some of the most detailed metrics are only available with a monthly subscription to the app.

What I Learned About My Swing

Using the BAL.ON Smart Kit app for a few weeks I discovered my weight transfer was late and that I was underpowered on vertical force. The app pointed out that I was a little late in transition getting my weight to my lead leg. This can lead to low point control issues and difficulty rotating.

I used the drills in the app to make significant progress and have been able to move the metrics into a more acceptable range to improve my strike consistency and ball flight.

I really enjoy using the real-time heat maps to see where my weight is while moving through my swing. It helps me feel what the correct positions are and where I have been losing my timing.

Why BAL.ON?

If you are a coach or golfer looking to get ground force data but can’t justify the high price of commercial ground force plates, BAL.ON may be for you.

The Smart Kit allows you to get a lot of the data expensive systems offer in a portable and affordable package. I should point out that you will not be able to capture rotational or horizontal forces with the BAL.ON shoe inserts, but getting the vertical force data, weight transfer timing and swing metrics for $599 seems like a lot of data for the price when compared to paying thousands for a commercial solution.

Interested in the BAL.ON Smart Kit? Check it out on Amazon!

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