Golf Town picks up student golf invention

Here's something to take your mind off winter.

A new high-tech golf training aid developed by an Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation master's student at McMaster has been added to the product list of one of the Canada's largest golf retailers.

Kelly Curry's Swingnature is now being sold by Golf Town, just in time for the holidays. Retailing for $99.99, Swingnature is a specially designed club shaft that helps you develop proper swing technique and club head speed for distance and accuracy.

“It is very exciting,” said Curry. “It has been a lot fun and late nights to get the product into Golf Town.”

Swingnature is made up of a two-toned shaft, a removable weight, and an interchangeable grip system. The system is designed to build power, which requires both heavy (strength) and light (speed) training. To work on strength, weight is put into the shaft. To work on speed, the weight is removed. Training only with heavy swing aids can actually slow a golfer's swing.

A two-toned shaft indicates whether or not a technically sound swing is being made. The colour of the shaft should ideally change from solid red on the backswing, to solid white on the follow-through. If you see too much red, then you are opening the clubface. If you see too much white, then you are closing the clubface.

Two types of grips come with Swingnature. A molded training grip is used to ensure proper hand positioning on the club and a normal grip is for regular use.

A next generation SMART-grip version is already in the works.

“We have completed the Swingnature SMART prototype which is a grip that has a small computer built into it that tracks your swing in real-time and notifies you when you have done something wrong,” explains Curry. “This will also plug-in to the training portal when it is launched.”

Other initiatives Curry is working on include closing an investment deal, arranging an endorsement with a PGA Tour star, and expanding the number of retailers selling Swingnature in Canada and internationally.

“If I can execute on my marketing initiatives for 2009, this should be a successful company,” said a modest Curry.

So, if you have a golf enthusiast on your list, a Swingnature may prove to be the perfect gift.

Republish this Article for Free

Republish this Article

We believe in the free flow of information. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivs 2.5 Canada (CC BY-ND 2.5 CA), so you can republish our articles for free, online or in print.

All republished articles must be attributed in the following way and contain links to both the site and original article: “This article was first published on Daily News. Read the original article.”

Here&#039;s something to take your mind off winter.  <br />
<br />
<p>A new high-tech golf training aid developed by an Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation master&#039;s student at McMaster has been added to the product list of one of the Canada&#039;s largest golf retailers.<br />
<br />
<p>Kelly Curry&#039;s Swingnature is now being sold by Golf Town, just in time for the holidays. Retailing for $99.99, Swingnature is a specially designed club shaft that helps you develop proper swing technique and club head speed for distance and accuracy.  <br />
<br />
<p>"It is very exciting," said Curry.  "It has been a lot fun and late nights to get the product into Golf Town."<br />
<br />
<p>Swingnature is made up of a two-toned shaft, a removable weight, and an interchangeable grip system. The system is designed to build power, which requires both heavy (strength) and light (speed) training.  To work on strength, weight is put into the shaft.  To work on speed, the weight is removed.  Training only with heavy swing aids can actually slow a golfer&#039;s swing.<br />
<br />
<p>A two-toned shaft indicates whether or not a technically sound swing is being made. The colour of the shaft should ideally change from solid red on the backswing, to solid white on the follow-through. If you see too much red, then you are opening the clubface. If you see too much white, then you are closing the clubface.<br />
<br />
<p>Two types of grips come with Swingnature. A molded training grip is used to ensure proper hand positioning on the club and a normal grip is for regular use.<br />
<br />
<p>A next generation SMART-grip version is already in the works.<br />
<br />
<p>"We have completed the Swingnature SMART prototype which is a grip that has a small computer built into it that tracks your swing in real-time and notifies you when you have done something wrong," explains Curry.  "This will also plug-in to the training portal when it is launched."<br />
<br />
<p>Other initiatives Curry is working on include closing an investment deal, arranging an endorsement with a PGA Tour star, and expanding the number of retailers selling Swingnature in Canada and internationally.<br />
<br />
<p>"If I can execute on my marketing initiatives for 2009, this should be a successful company," said a modest Curry.<br />
<br />
<p>So, if you have a golf enthusiast on your list, a Swingnature may prove to be the perfect gift.

Media Enquiries

Phone: (905) 525-9140 ext. 24073
Email: comms@mcmaster.ca

The Communications and Public Affairs Office is staffed from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.

The University has a broadcast quality television studio to facilitate live and pre-recorded interviews with media. Learn more about our experts.