Sonic Golf System-1 Golf Trainer

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From Todd Berman

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Courtesy of Sonic Golf; used with permission

Manufacturer's Site

Pros

Immediate audio feedback on rhythm/tempo
Portable
Useful at range and during on-course practice

Cons

Multiple steps required in time-consuming set-up
Many pieces needed for operation (tape, batteries, headphones)

Rhythm and Tempo Through Audio Feedback

Using the Sonic Golf System-1 Golf Trainer, for me, was like eating a hardshell crab. You know that once you bite into the meat it's delicious and satisfying - but on the other hand, it's a lot of work to get there. And that is the pro and con of the Sonic Golf System-1 Trainer.

Created by Dr. Robert Grober, A Yale physics professor, The Sonic Golf System-1 Golf Trainer is a high-tech instant audio feedback system that imparts the notion of instilling rhythm and maximizing speed in the golf swing. Both of which are very important, in pursuit of an improved swing.

I opened the Sonic Golf package with great anticipation. I didn't know that getting to the point where I could use the Sonic Golf System-1 to practice would involve so many steps. For starters, be prepared to separate yourself from your grips on the clubs with which you want to use the System-1. Sonic Golf uses a proprietary system of Golf Pride grips with a removable end cap.

OK, step 1, I removed grips on my driver, 6-iron and sand wedge and replaced them with the System-1 grip.

Setting It Up

Courtesy of Sonic Golf; used with permission

Then, the brains of the outfit - called the SX-1 transmitter insert - needs to be fit to each shaft snuggly. Why? Because a loose fit would have the sensitive brains of the operation flying all over the practice range. I didn't know that each club would need to accommodate the transmitter in a different way. Each transfer of the SX-1 involved either adding or subtracting tape wraps. And there was no way to get the correct amount of wraps without some trial and error. But at least for the 6-iron, I got it to fit.

Now that my Sonic Golf grip was dry from the install, the SX-1 transmitter was fitted snuggly, I was set to go, right? Well, almost. The RX-1 receiver (still with me?) needs to be turned on and set to receive on the same channel as the SX-1 is transmitting on, and then a pair of earbuds inserted into the receiver. Sonic Golf provides a belt clip if wearing the receiver works better for you than putting it in your pants pocket.

So I plugged in the supplied earbuds and took my stance.

Finally Ready to Go

Upon waggle, my "aha" moment happened. A glorious sound of what could have passed as the New York Philharmonic filled my ears. I took a practice swing and the sound got stronger, the pitch went higher. And I realized: that is what the Sonic Golf System-1 was made for.

OK, so, how did it work?

I took a few swings without the headphones and my shots flew just about how they always do, not consistent, but OK. After putting back in the earbuds and working for just a couple of minutes with the Sonic Golf System-1, my shots were all flying about the same trajectory and distance - amazing!

It then took some effort at the driving range to remove the transmitter from the iron and correctly fit it for the driver. In fact, it took a lot of effort. In 15-20 mph winds, it was not an easy task to guesstimate how much tape needed to be removed from the SX-1 to fit it to the driver.

But, when finished, I again had the pleasure of hearing glorious tones in my ears as I tried to repeat a swing that would maximize the sound volume and pitch at the moment of impact. That was the aural proof that I was swinging to my max. I also had to make sure that the audio climax was properly positioned within my swing.

Conclusions

My take on the Sonic Golf System-1 is that it is a very worthwhile training aid. I think every teaching pro should have one in his or her bag to use with students. The trainer offers immediate feedback and uses a sensory cue that is often overlooked in teaching/learning golf, as so much emphasis is put on visual cues.

However, for the general public, there are several drawbacks including time to set up the system, the need for different types of club grips and the time and effort needed to switch between clubs for practice.

I neglected to mention that the Sonic Golf System-1 comes in its own hardshell plastic case. Maybe that's why it reminded me of trying to eat a hardshell crab. To get to the savory meat inside, it does take some work.

My suggestion to the folks behind Sonic Golf is to introduce a model that is a standalone practice club, one that is less expensive (the MSRP on the model tested is $399.99) and is all set to perform upon purchase. That would be sweet music to the ears of all golfers wanting to improve their tempo and hit the ball more consistently.

Manufacturer's Site

User Reviews

5 out of 5

great tool, Member iluvgolf

I recently got a Sonic Golf and it has really helped my game. I haven't hit this well ever. I got the hesitiation out of my swing by learning to swing rhythmicaly. I didn't find it difficult to set up like the reviewer. Had to try the taping once or twice but it isn't hard. I mostly used it in my 6 iron and driver so the swap only takes a second.

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