Rory looks for help

June 24th, 2008 | PGA European Tour Golfers, Putting Biomechanics

McIlroy asks Harrington ‘Doc’ to cure his putting ills
By Karl MacGinty

Tuesday June 24 2008

RORY McILROY has asked Padraig Harrington’s ‘doctor’ to help cure his putting ills.

Ireland’s teenage sensation has started working with short-game specialist Dr Paul Hurrion in an effort to improve his putting averages on the European Tour.

“I decided to go and see Paul a couple of days after the US Open qualifier at Walton Heath because I didn’t want my poor putting to linger on,” explains McIlroy.

McIlroy languishes in 63rd place on Tour with average of 29.7 putts per round, two more than the best in Europe.

“I said to myself, I’m not putting well and I need to do something about it.

“Putting has been the only aspect of my game letting me down over the last few weeks,” added McIlroy, who missed his second cut in three events at last weekend’s International Open.

“So I’ve done something about it. It was my own decision to go to Paul. I’d met him when I was at Padraig Harrington’s house.

“Since Padraig’s probably the best putter on Tour, I thought: ‘Why not go and see Paul?’ I spent a whole day at this lab and now I am working hard in practice.”

A scientist who specialises in bio-mechanics, Dr Hurrion also counts Paul McGinley, David Howell and Philip Archer among his clients.

“Really, what he has done is pick my technique apart and put it back together again. I still have a long way to go but, hopefully, I can soon start seeing the results,” McIlroy explains. “If in the next five to 10 years I can take two shots a round off my scoring, it’s going to make a huge difference.”

Now 90th in the Order of Merit with €170,352 won in 15 events this season, McIlroy needs around €50,000 to retain his card. Yet his sights are set higher. Principally, he’s targeting a first win on Tour.

TPI CGFI Seminar – (Biomechanics Level 2)

June 23rd, 2008 | Full Swing Biomechanics, Putting Biomechanics, TPI

 The TPI Level 2 Biomechanics sourse was held in Oceanside, CA. June 21 & 22 2008. Over 50 people registered for the course, along with the TPI Biomechanics Advisory board. It was a very interesting 2 days, followed by an advisory board meeting…

The second level in Biomechanics track is designed to teach the golf professional how to identify and overcome any physical restrictions that are limiting your students potential. The workshop featured the latest in 3D Motion capture, kinematic sequences, the big 12 swing faults and the most recent research and development in the field of golf swing analysis.

The course was taught by TPI Co-Founders Dr. Greg Rose & Phil Cheetham.

I would encourage anybody serious into the mechanics of the golf swing to do Level 1 as soon as possible. You never stop learning…

Rocket Science for everyone!

June 12th, 2008 | Padraig Harrington, PGA European Tour Golfers, Putting Biomechanics, Quintic Video Software

Arnold Palmer has recently been credited with being the single most important sporting icon to begin the transformation of golf into the ‘game for everyone’. A generation before marketing became a byword for charlatanism with testosterone, Palmer’s looks, undoubted athletic prowess and his charisma made him much more ‘bankable’ than any other golf professional of his age. But here’s an interesting thing… Recently re-produced photos of Arnie in his heyday show the young dragon pouting strangely. This was mentioned in passing to John Lewis from Bay Hill by Palmer UK & Ireland, who explained that it’s because the young Palmer smoked like a chimney, but modern custom forbids this and so the Lucky Strikes have been airbrushed out but the facial expression of the habitual smoker remains. It’s representative of how sport has turned against nicotine and related sybaritic pleasures – many would have thought that golf didn’t really number among the sports where selfdenial and discipline were that evident.

At the Open in 1976, Johnny Miller walked away with the champion’s purse of £7500,having beaten Jack Nicklaus in to second place by 6 strokes. And the biggest attraction on the Royal Birkdale ground was the Guinness Tent, says an observer of the time. Golf was slightly rarefied, slightly Bertie Wooster, slightly… well… naff. Then Tiger Woods happened. With his shameless athleticism and firebrand physicality he has 60 PGA victories and 13 majors and will surely go on to break the Jack Nicklaus record of 18 majors … ‘did him no good at The Open, mind you. Padraig Harrington didn’t gain possession of the Claret Jug at The Open using a metal detector. His training regime is strict, well-researched, rigorously executed. And what’s behind it all?

Biomechanics…

When kids go to school today, if they’re taught physical education by a recent graduate of any decent training college, biomechanics will have been written large in the syllabus of what physical education teachers have to master. For those of us who aren’t aware of the term Sports Biomechanics uses the scientific methods of mechanics to study the effects of various forces on the sports performer. It is concerned, in particular, with the forces that act on the human neuromusculoskeletal system; velocities, accelerations, torque, momentum, inertia… It also considers aspects of the behaviour of sports implements, footwear and surfaces where these affect athletic performance and injury prevention.

Harrington has mastered this concept, because as an athlete his in depth knowledge of how his body works in golf competitions allows him to monitor his performance in fine detail, accentuate positive and eliminate negative aspects, as well as avoid strain or injury. Dr Paul Hurrion is a doctor of biomechanics, and consults regularly with Padraig, as well as with the likes of Paul McGinley, David Howell, Philip Archer, and Lee Westwood. During interviews with the press at the Scottish Open, much was made of Westwood’s recent visit to a putting lab to sort out his erratic performance on the greens.

“The laboratory is a room with a hard floor, green carpet, cameras all over the room and mirrors – it’s a bit kinky really,”
Lee Westwood

It’s quite an accurate description of ‘The Quintic Putting Lab’ in the centre of England
where Dr Paul Hurrion is based. It would also describe the set up Padraig Harrington has at his home in Dublin; a faithful replica of the lab at Quintic.

“Quintic Performance Analysis Software provides com-prehensive, easy to use, tools that allow me to analyse my full swing, chipping and putting in fine detail, whether I’m on the practice range, indoors or away on Tour,” explains Padraig. “I am able to synchronise and compare my swing action and tempo immediately, whilst the use of the drawing tools enables me to calculate the speed and acceleration of my club and arms.”

This science is what is making the single most meaningful contribution to sport in our time…

To read the complete article please click here download the PDF document
Hurrion – Golf Ireland.pdf

New Golf Equipment: GEL Putters Paul Hurrion signature putter range

June 7th, 2008 | GEL Golf

By Senior Equipment Editor, Sean Ramsdale
http://www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/Golf/News/searchresults/May/may7-gel-hurrian-putters/

Today Golfer Gear News

GEL Golf have joined forces with top sports biomechanist and putting coach Dr Paul Hurrion to design an impressive new range of putters.

The new GEL Paul Hurrion signature putter range incorporates the groove and insert technology of the standard GEL Groove Putter range along with 10 years of research and development by Hurrion into the art and science of putting.

Hurrion’s biomechanical analysis of putting has shown that the performance of a golf ball during the start of its roll is the most crucial part to send the golf ball accurately towards the hole. He explains:

“All the testing that has been undertaken on putters proves that grooved putter faces produce greater grip with the golf ball at the moment of impact, therefore enhancing a putter’s ability to produce the desired topspin roll on the golf ball,”

Despite the serious science behind these new wands, these are really cool looking putters with bright coloured inserts and funky grips and we can’t wait to put them to the test in our magazine putter special this summer!

There are four different models in the new Paul Hurrion Signature Range as follows:

SEDO putter (Smooth)
A heel-toe, weighted blade with a goose neck and slight offset. Loft 3.0 degrees. Lie 73 degrees. Standard shaft length: 32″ to 35″. 431 stainless steel material. (370gm head weight)

SEDO II putter (Smooth)
A heel-toe, weighted modified blade with a ‘crank-neck’ hosel and full shaft offset. Loft 3.0 degrees. Lie 73 degrees. Standard shaft length: 32″ to 35″. 431 stainless steel material. (380gm head weight)

SCINDO putter (Split / Separate)
A modified alignment, face-balanced blade, with an increased club head offers more weight and maximum forgiveness. A centre-shafted, no offset, cavity-back, blade-style head design. Loft 2.5 degrees. Lie 73 degrees. Standard shaft length: 32″ to 35″. 431 stainless steel material. (365 gram head weight)

REGO putter (Straight)
A modified alignment, face-balanced blade with an inline weighting, perimeter weighting with a centre shaft and no offset. Weight alignment arms create unique weight distribution within the putter face. Three-line alignment system squares the putter face to help focus the putter to the target. Loft 3.0 degrees. Lie 73 degrees. Standard shaft length: 32″ to 35″. 431 stainless steel material. (380gm head weight)

All four GEL Putters putter models cost £165 each and you can find your nearest retailer or buy online at www.gelgolf.co.uk

Comments:

Sedo 2 Hurrion Putter: I bought a Sedo 2 at the London Golf Show 3 weeks ago and I cannot believe how much of a differce it has made to my putting. The contact with the ball is so crisp and the roll of the ball straight off the putter head has made judging distance so much easier. GEL’s slogan is ‘Believe in the Roll’ and you really can!!!! I advise EVERYONE to go and check them out because it is undoubtedly the best putter i have ever held 

Agree with Oli1982, I bought a Rego centre shafted putter at LGS. I have a handicap of 3 and quite frankly never used a better putter yet. Weighting is slightly heavier than most putters but beatuifully balanced and gives a true roll to the ball. Spot on GEL, I will be recommeding to my mates!

http://www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/Golf/News/searchresults/May/may7-gel-hurrian-putters/

Archer & McGowan qualify for US Open

June 3rd, 2008 | PGA European Tour Golfers, Philip Archer, Putting Biomechanics

England’s Ross Fisher and Scotland’s Alastair Forsyth led the seven qualifiers bound for Torrey Pines for next week’s US Open Championship after successfully negotiating their way through the qualifier at Walton Heath.

Phillip Archer and local Ross McGowan finish at six under par to book their place to San Diego next week. Quintic would like to wish the pair the best of luck in the season’s second Major Championship of 08.





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