Instruction
Are Robots the Future of Golf Instruction?
For the past four months, I have been asked, “Are robots the future of golf instruction,” or words to that effect, by almost every student and client. Now that’s a crystal ball question if ever I heard one, and my stock answer at first was, “I don’t know.” Then my answer became an emphatic, “YES!”
So… what changed? Well, I went over to the True Temper Testing Facility here in Memphis, saw their robot, and I got a glimpse of the future. Their machine moves the club the way a human does. I could see the turn and the wrist cock on the way up to a perfect set at the top, and then the swing down and through to a complete finish. I watched this machine hit whatever shot was requested perfectly… every time. I learned that this robot is completely programmable as to speed, plane, and impact.
True Temper’s machine, the Miya 5 Swing Robot, was designed to test golf shafts and subsequently, in concert with Doppler-radar technology, motion-capture sensors and high-speed photography, to test clubs and balls as well. Its technology is light years beyond an “Iron Byron.” As I watched shot after shot, my imagination was screaming, “I want to do that! I want to feel that!” The ultimate learning experience would be to hit balls doing that. I want to learn to do that!
The challenge, and I don’t think it’s going to a simple task by any means, will be fitting this technology to humans (without tearing off our arms), but engineers love challenges! The future is out there, but unfortunately it’s not tomorrow.
Surely by now, you have raised the question: “Why is anyone asking this guy about the future of robotic golf instruction?”
This past March, suddenly and quite unexpectedly, a RoboGolfPro, a towering 9-foot high, $150,000 state-of-the-art golf swing training robot, was delivered to Vantage Point Golf Center. I was permitted to use it, teach with it, and learn from as much and as often as I wanted. It was a really big deal, because there are only 15 of these things in the U.S., and they’re mostly all in upscale golf academies like Pebble Beach. I took advantage of the opportunity, using it at a public driving range in Memphis every day for two months and then for five days at the FedEx St Jude Classic, where I gave over 200 very public, one-on-one, introductory lessons using the machine.
I saw mechanical genius at work.
So… what did I learn? Well, the golf swing is fundamentally very simple and easily felt when assisted by a robot. I also learned that I didn’t really appreciate just how difficult it could be for some people to match up their body movements to the movement of the club, even in slow motion. Almost anyone can experience the basics of an on-plane golf swing while using the machine. It’s an engaging and wildly expensive tool, and when used properly it’s a productive experience.
For those who are not familiar with the RoboGolfPro, I will give you a general idea of what it is, what it does, and what it doesn’t do. First, the RoboGolfPro quite simply is a robot with six independently powered and computerized arms that attach to a flexible and responsive “plate” that has a device that holds a training golf club. The arms slide up and down while pivoting and rotating independently of each other to produce the movement of the training club as dictated by the selected program.
What the RoboGolfPro does is move the golf club into and through set positions at any speed desired as instructed by the computerized swing program that has been selected for that session. There are hundreds of individual golf swings stored in the computer’s memory. These programs range from very basic one- or two-plane swings to every professional whose swing was ever visually recorded. I really enjoyed taking the swing of Ben Hogan and modifying it to what I can do physically. Using RoboGolfPro, I could adjust the arc, the lag, the wrist cock, the backswing, the down cock, the release and follow-through at any speed. I could stop at each position and allow my body to feel what I suspect Hogan felt. Through the process of “muscle memory,” I am attempting to make Hogan’s swing my swing, truly becoming “Hogan’s Ghost” (which I wrote a book about).
RoboGolfPro’s basic program identifies the 10 basic positions of the golf swing: the setup, takeaway, 9 o’clock up, the top, 9 o’clock down, delivery zone, impact, follow through, 3 o’clock, and the finish. Using it, I can take a student from setup to takeaway and back to setup as many times as necessary to instill the correct feeling of the correct movement at any speed desired. Then I can expand the experience to begin at setup and move the club through takeaway to the 9 o’clock-up position and then back to setup as many times as desired. I learned to move the training club from any position to any other position within the swing sequence depending on the needs of the student. Most movements are done in slow motion into the desired position where there would be a pause so that the student has the opportunity to feel the correct position. Slow motion and stop action in correct positions is the beginning of the “muscle memory” process.
Now for what RoboGolfPro doesn’t do. You can’t hit balls with it. The training club, which is attached, is just that. It’s a facsimile of the golf club that you hold on to. Second, it doesn’t directly move your body into correct positions; it moves the club into correct positions. This is where an instructor’s assistance is necessary. Step by step, using stop action at each position, the student can feel the correct process of turning, loading, rotating, balancing and weight shifting while maintaining the best possible posture.
What does all of this mean for most golfers, and how does it apply to you? In my first article for GolfWRX, “Can anyone become a short game legend,” I stated that there are four distinct and separate segments that make up what I call “Perfect Practice.” The most basic, and really the foundation for learned excellence in all fields of endeavor, is Remedial Learning. It’s used to develop a particular skill or shot, and it’s best done step by step in slow motion or in a static mode. RoboGolfPro is an excellent tool for golf remedial learning. Slow-motion and stop-action movements, repeated correctly hundreds of times, is possible with this machine. Doing repetitions in sets of 10 to correct an identified flaw or learn a correct position takes just a few minutes each session.
And that brings us to the next drawback, or misconception, of what this machine does. It isn’t an on/off switch that instantly creates an ideal swing that will allow you to go immediately from your first robotic training session on to the practice ground and proceed to hit perfect golf shots. The RoboGolfPro can guide you through your ideal swing, but it doesn’t teach you to hit the ball. You learned how to hit the ball, in most cases, before you ever saw this machine, meaning you have developed a learned behavior, a habit. And we all know how hard it is to get rid of a bad habit.
Now, to be absolutely fair, I have seen video of pure rank beginners who, immediately following a robotic lesson, did go out and hit perfectly stuck golf shots. To be absolutely truthful, I didn’t personally witness that result myself, but you can see an example below.
The final misconception is that working on the machine is practicing. It’s not; it’s remedial learning, as outlined above. Practice, by definition, is repetition to improve skill. Skills are improved by moving the club and striking the ball correctly hundreds, if not thousands of times. The emphasis is placed on correctly improving speed and fluidity. Correct movement develops “muscle memory,” implicit memory, motor skills, and motor programs. As the motor programs are developed, refined and habitualized, they begin a process known as “feel.” So, within this context, the RoboGolfPro is a useful training aid to feel increases in the speed of a golf swing, but it isn’t directly useful in hitting the ball correctly on the range.
So what’s the bottom line?
As I was working on the RoboGolfPro, all I really wanted to do was to get out of slow-motion and stop-action movements (remedial learning) and go outside and hit perfect golf shots. A machine that allows, assists, directs, and teaches while the student hits perfect golf shots would be fantastic. With such a robot the student could learn draws, fades, punches, half wedges, and stingers, not to mention crushing each and every drive, while at the same time experiencing and gaining the sensations that come from practice.
That’s not to say the RoboGolfPro doesn’t have a place into today’s golf instruction. If you have access to one, it can absolutely help your game in a way no other current technology can. It’s a glimpse into the future of golf instruction, just not the whole picture.
There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” on RG.org each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more Tips!
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Dave R
Jul 28, 2017 at 9:55 pm
Would sooner take a lesson from robot bill than someone who can’t break a 100.
ButchT
Jul 28, 2017 at 6:13 pm
I will keep an open mind until I get a chance to try it. Anything that gives you a little insight might be helpful.
Lloyd
Jul 28, 2017 at 5:20 pm
I hear RoboGolfPro are developing an accessory robot that clamps on to the golfers hips with a shaft up the spine and another clamp for the head. It will be behind the golfer and rotate his hips, align his spine and keep his head still while he uses the swing robot. A controlled swing from the front to the back and on the head. I’ll wait for it.
Lloyd
Jul 28, 2017 at 12:42 pm
Your the negative one here. You reject science truth. sooo obvious.
Lloyd
Jul 28, 2017 at 5:15 pm
No I’m not but I like to read scientific comments. Stifle yerself.
Lloyd
Jul 28, 2017 at 7:11 pm
I read to learn and understand. Your a stupid troll. sooo obvious
Jason
Jul 28, 2017 at 6:46 am
Robots are basically the future of everything. As an accountant I’m watching computers and robots filling roles around me, that 10 years ago we all thought were automation proof.
At first they came for our checkout clerk’s…then they came for me the golf instructor..
Matt
Jul 28, 2017 at 1:29 am
Terrible story for someone who admires Hogan to see his name attached to this. I hope it isn’t the future of golf.
Lloyd
Jul 28, 2017 at 2:13 am
It’s just another ripoff perpetrated by devious people scamming vulnerable golfers.
leon
Jul 27, 2017 at 3:52 pm
Sell it to Bubba Watson, John Daly, or Jim Furyk to see how it works. Golf swing is very personal and there is no “standard” method to swing a club.
I tried this machine couple months ago and I have only one thought: what a waste of time and money.
allan
Jul 27, 2017 at 9:10 pm
Would you call yourself ‘gullible’ for trying this machine as stated by Obsrvant and Penick?
George
Jul 27, 2017 at 2:42 pm
Looks like a haptic feedback system to me, where a pre-programmed correct-at-every-point path has been established. If it adjusts for individual height and physical limitations, then I think it has great potential. Too many golfers, myself included, think we’re doing it the correct way and are a little surprised when the video tells a different story.
George
Jul 27, 2017 at 2:31 pm
It looks like a haptic system to me, where a pre-programmed path is inputted. I think it has great potential for both the beginner and for those with ingrained habits. I’d be curious to see what 100-200 repetitions per session x 3 per week would accomplish over the course of a month or so.
Chris B
Jul 27, 2017 at 12:05 pm
Looks like an expensive way of learning a sport that is rapidly becoming expensive to play again.
marc
Jul 27, 2017 at 11:31 am
From one PGA professional to another a friendly piece of advice: muscles don’t have memory nor ever will.
Lloyd
Jul 27, 2017 at 12:21 pm
But some muscles have a response reflex… like when the doctor taps your knee and your lower leg kicks out on it’s own …! Too bad you can’t kick a golf swing into some non-athletic golffing klutz’s.
Lloyd
Jul 28, 2017 at 7:12 pm
Did I kick you? Good!
DK
Jul 27, 2017 at 9:18 am
David Leadbetter predicted something like this 20+ years ago.
Lloyd
Jul 27, 2017 at 12:23 pm
It took Leadbetter 2 years to rebuild Faldo’s golf swing, and he admitted it was a lot of guesswork too.