K-vest feedback

[Where's the Cart Girl?]

Didn't know whether this belonged in Tips or Equipment but it seems like this forum gets more attention so...

Who has experience using a K-vest? And what were your impressions?

I found one old thread about it but no real info.

For any unfamiliar, the K-vest is a training tool that uses a 3D computer model in conjunction with remote sensors to give real-time feedback on your positions during the golf swing. It consists of two simple straps with radio tranmitters on them (one for your upper body, one for your hips.) You calibrate it by standing striaght up, then store ideal positions throughout the swing onto the computer. Your goal is to match your body positions as you swing to what you have stored as the "correct" positions. When you do good, the screen image is green and plays music. When you do bad, the image goes red and the music stops.

http://www.k-vest.com/

I'm curious if anyone has used this thing more than just at a demo or something because I signed up for a 3-month package at an indoor golf training facility in the area and unlimited k-vest use is included. I took a lesson from the pro there with the vest and was pretty impressed.

But I'm just wondering if the novelty wears off, or if the fact that the vest attempts to idealize your swing actually does more harm than good.

Thanks.

[dogfood10us]

I have used it a good number of times. I think the usefullness of it depends on the teacher using it. I use it to check my sequencing. One of my problems is that my hips start at the same time as my shoulders, rather than before. So I would simply make a backswing with less hip turn until the red image turned green. I think the red green thing is more for practice swings, not full speed shots. If you have a good instructor, it can defintley show you things that no camera will. But remeber that there are things that K vest can't show you like a 2d camera will.

[Where's the Cart Girl?]

Hmm. I expected some more responses, I was hoping from one or two of the instructors on the site who'd maybe used this thing.

Regardless, FWIW, I've done 3 sessions with the vest thus far and my impressions are mixed. It's an incredible tool as far as establishing good positions through the swing. The caveat is, as I anticipated, it's extremely sensitive to deviation. You can spend a long time trying to optimize all the angles in your position and channel alot of focus away from the actual swing.

And if one part of th vest shifts at all as you're swinging it can really throw your numbers off.

So i would say - if you ever get the chance to use one of these, do it. But take the feedback it gives you with a grain of salt. It's unlikely you're ever going to develop a true tour-caliber swing, so if you can score well and you're not k-vest perfect, don't sweat it.