Titleist started gathering data from players in 1995, with the goal of identifying common traits of elite golfers. That project turned into the 2004 founding of Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) in Oceanside, California. It has expanded into a training and certification program that has grown into a worldwide network of professionals.
Research
A building block of TPI has been research. As TPI New Media Artist Joe Hafera put it in a 2008 interview, the goal was to find out how elite players could "crack the whip" in their golf swings despite each player's different biomechanics. "There's no one swing that works best for everyone, but all the top players we've tested hit the ball as efficiently as one another," TPI co-founder Greg Rose told the Wall Street Journal in 2010. TPI's research, involving recording hundreds of different swings using 3D technology, has helped it identify keys to a good golf swing.
Exam
Armed with the knowledge of what makes a powerful swing, TPI has built a testing program that identifies golfers' weaknesses. Testing includes an interview, physical exam and analysis of the swing using video and a 3D motion vest.
Improvement Program
The data collection helps TPI prescribe ways to strengthen weak areas. For example, TPI knows how much the difference is that elite players have in the rotation between their hips and shoulders. If a player suffers from a poor turn because of hindered flexibility, TPI can add specific training to make the player more limber. Even if the physical traits are fine, TPI can prescribe a change in technique or a change in the fit of the clubs.
Certification
TPI has worked with elite players such as major champions Zach Johnson and Padraig Harrington at its Oceanside facility, but it has expanded its reach by establishing an ongoing, global certification program for training and medical professionals. Within its first six years, it certified 3,200 in 47 countries.
Access
Golf players wishing to improve can pay thousands of dollars and visit TPI in Oceanside for a full screening and custom regimen, or you can search Mytpi.com for a local certified trainer. Some of the certified workers at local golf improvement centers use similar technology to screen a player's swing.
TPI experts also make regular appearances on the Golf Channel's "Golf Fitness Academy," and its Mytpi.com site includes free access to fitness videos and articles for registered users.
Member Comments