The range at PGA Tour events is far different from the range at your local muni. For one, the swings are just a bit better. And these pros work on their games in a totally different way than your average joes.
Having top instructors and coaches helps in this endeavor, but beyond that, most pros are equipped with a launch monitor to give them precise measurements of every shot they hit. These machines aren’t cheap, so it’s unlikely many weekend warriors have access to one. But at the range of a pro event, they’re nearly compulsory.
The same goes for Tiger Woods. Even as one of the most accomplished players of all time, even he relies on the data provided by launch monitors.
Specifically, Woods trusts the Full Swing KIT. This is what he’s been using all week at Augusta National to prepare for The Masters.
Full Swing KIT
The outdoor launch monitor comes from the simulator company Full Swing, which has long been one of the industry leaders for indoor launch monitors. But with outdoor launch monitors becoming more and more popular, they saw an opportunity to expand their technology to cater to golfers using launch monitor technology outdoors as well.
“We looked at the category and we saw some opportunities for innovation,” said Ryan O’Keefe, senior marketing director for Full Swing. “We wanted to deliver a product that was in the premium performance category but at a price point that would be a lot more accessible.”
And so, the Full Swing KIT was born.
Around that same time, Woods’ close friend and confidant Rob McNamara became a board member at Full Swing. He explained that the shot-tracking technology Woods had been using previously was too inconsistent and didn’t pick up certain shots on the range. With Woods’ health in a fragile state, he couldn’t afford to be hitting extra shots every practice session. So, the Full Swing crew got to work building a superior product.
“He basically challenged us to build a device that would be that consistent and accurate product,” O’Keefe said.
Nine months after Woods’ horrific 2021 car accident, the Full Swing KIT made an unassuming appearance in one of the most viral videos of the year. As Woods hit balls for the public eye for the first time since the accident, the Full Swing KIT was camped out at the bottom of the screen.
“The traffic we received from it, from a percentage basis, you can’t even dream of it,” O’Keefe said. “The reception has been through the roof.”
The Full Swing KIT provides 16 points of club and ball data for every swing. It utilizes a 4K camera to film every swing, and all of the data is stored in the cloud. If you want a friendly product, there isn’t a launch monitor much easier than the Full Swing KIT.
Plus, if Tiger Woods is using it, it’s got to be good, right?