Checking out the Chili Wacker

[natureboy]

29 minutes ago, Hacker James said:

ha ha..only if you hit it!  

And even if you hit the noodles at full swing speed.

[Hardspoon]

4 hours ago, iacas said:

Because your instructor told you or you are not a dolt?  

Well, I'd be 1/2 at least. 

Would it be able to help with the takeaway portion of the pitching technique?  I'm thinking you could set it up so that if you bring the hands too far back (instead of raising the club head using wrists) you'd hit the noodle.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, Hardspoon said:

Would it be able to help with the takeaway portion of the pitching technique?  I'm thinking you could set it up so that if you bring the hands too far back (instead of raising the club head using wrists) you'd hit the noodle.

Yes. I filmed some of those earlier today. This video is still uploading but should be ready soon.

Full swing is first.

[Hacker James]

@iacas  Nice job on the videos. I have fooled around a bit with a home made version. The concept is fine, works well, but (for me) not much better than a simple alignment rod stuck in the ground at an angle to simulate hitting under shoulder plane. I can see a benefit in gradually swinging through a narrower slot and also the ability to show effects of "getting stuck" using the lower arm. Thanks for the excellent demo.

[ChiliwackerEC]

On 10/24/2016 at 10:28 AM, iacas said:

I received on Saturday and will today begin messing around with a new training aid, the Chili Wacker (https://chiliwacker.com).

As you can see, it's a couple of pool noodles on a tripod with a tilting mount (ball head). It costs $169.95 with free shipping at https://chiliwacker.com/products/chiliwacker.

The ChiliWacker was dreamt up by Minnesota PGA Professional/Director of Instruction Eric Chiles over his 22 years in the golf business. As with any good idea, Eric needed help making his idea a reality. You can read a bit more about it here: https://chiliwacker.com/pages/why-chiliwacker.

Some videos:

 

---

As with many training aids, yeah, you could build one yourself. But it won't be the same quality, you won't be supporting a guy's efforts, you won't get the nice carrying bag… and you're not valuing your time.

If you have any ideas for how Chili Wacker can be used, please post them here and I'll try to make a video testing out your idea.

Hi guys. It's Eric the inventor of The Chiliwacker.   I just joined your site.  I appreciate the feedback both positive and negative.  I am 45 and not all that computer savvy.  I am going to do my best to answer your questions as to how or why The Chiliwacker is designed, built, or used.  Be patient with me at first, I'll try to catch on fast! Cheers, EC

 

On 10/24/2016 at 5:20 PM, newtogolf said:

I have a $1500 Gitzo that I'd never use for this but have some cheaper Manfrotto's that would work well with it.  For me it's as much about storage room as it is price.  My wife already complains that my golf and photography equipment takes up too much space.  

Thanks for inviting him, it's worth asking.  

The tri pod we finally went with is the most 'heavy duty' of multiple that we tried over multiple generations until we felt ready to go into production. We included a tri pod based on the assumption that not all of our users are teaching professionals or camera/photography enthusiasts. However, as a teaching pro myself it was talked about.  

 The connection between the foam bumper mounts and the tripod also took more than one attempt to get strong enough to take the impact and energy transfer from one of my best player/students. Clayton Rask (PGA Tour Canada) has Driver speeds in excess of 120mph so we definitely broke a few while maximizing the Chiliwackers durability.  Thank you, Eric

 

On 10/24/2016 at 11:39 AM, Hacker James said:

Interesting. As one who often fools around with making training aids from items laying about the house much to the chagrin of these inventors, I will probably play around with the tripod I have. I never would have thought about using the pool noodles perpendicular to the target line as most are set up to mimic your swing plane . I can see that you could place the tripod far enough away to avoid striking it, yet close enough to hit a noodle if off plane. I agree with Erik from the standpoint of supporting the guy's efforts. I've come up several ideas that probably could have made it to commercial production yet I did not pursue it. Kudos to Mr. Chiles.

Just a thought, but if the tripod could be adjusted low enough to the ground, a noodle could be affixed and extended to mimic a swing plane with infinite amount of adjustment capability.  or....stick an alignment rod in the very end of the support member shown, adjust the support member to the lowest point to the ground, alignment rod 90 degrees ...and you get the idea.

Hi Denny,

My first prototypes were pvc.  But they kept breaking. Lol. I went through a lot of epoxy in the early stages.  (5minute epoxy in between lessons sometimes)  It's taken multiple generations and multiple years to get something that I trust will represent me and the company.  She can take some serious abuse, but direct hits to the tri-pod are a failure in common sense.  I appreciate the kudos. I never realized how many hoops there are to take a prototype to production- it's been eye opening but worth it in my opinion.

The reason the foam is elevated higher is due to my years teaching swingplane based positions.  After years of teaching plane/path (ESPN Schools and Hank H) I came to the conclusion that if a player can get the shaft on plane and proper at (position 4 we'all call it) halfway down on the downswing - the party is pretty much already over at that point. (Face not included- but let's hope that's proper)  From that position you are either correct and can just 'let it go' or if not, you need to manipulate that shaft and club head - which, over time is just not repeatable nor is it as fast as possible.  Hope this helps. Thank you, Eric Chiles?

PS. Just swing it through the foam bumpers and your plane/path will be proper and in the 'speed pocket' as Roberto Diaz calls it.  

[Hacker James]

@ChiliwackerEC.... I like the versatility of the product and the ease in adjustments for any players physique.  Since the foam bumpers are oriented in a horizontal plane, there is no need to try and manipulate the correct angle at address i.e. shaft angle. Also with the speed slot, you have a much better chance of having a consistent path as opposed to a simple foam covered alignment rod stuck in the ground which allows you to swing under plane, but does not prevent you from being excessively low, or "around" the body, getting "stuck behind" e.t.c.  I do not really have the latter problem however.

As pointed out by a few, I would like to see the product offered as an attachment only for any tripod, but there is no way of telling from your videos if that is feasible without having to go back to the drawing board. This would help keep the retail price down and possibly increase profit margin. OTOH, the choice to have a heavy duty tripod would help eliminate complaints when people used it on their own "cheap, flimsy" tripods and blame the product rather than their own application of it.  I am sure you more than likely considered this and decided to go the "quality" route.  In any event, good luck, and hope you enjoy much success with it.

James (not Denny) ha  ha....

Edited October 26, 2016 by Hacker James

[CarlSpackler]

I was trying to figure out how to attach a camera to record your swing while using this, but I'm thinking it would be too close without a wide angle lens.

Welcome to the site @ChiliwackerEC!

[iacas]

16 hours ago, Hacker James said:

@iacas  Nice job on the videos. I have fooled around a bit with a home made version. The concept is fine, works well, but (for me) not much better than a simple alignment rod stuck in the ground at an angle to simulate hitting under shoulder plane. I can see a benefit in gradually swinging through a narrower slot and also the ability to show effects of "getting stuck" using the lower arm. Thanks for the excellent demo.

We never use alignment sticks in the ground where people can hit them. We occasionally have a foot or so away, and always covered in a pool noodle… I've seen so many videos of golfers hitting the end of the alignment stick and snapping their shaft or whatever that it's just not something anyone should try. Even covering it in a foam noodle doesn't always do the trick, and you have to place them far enough away to be "safe" that it's almost not worth doing at all.

1 hour ago, CarlSpackler said:

I was trying to figure out how to attach a camera to record your swing while using this, but I'm thinking it would be too close without a wide angle lens.

Welcome to the site @ChiliwackerEC!

Yeah… just record it from farther back. It would be too close. The Chili Wacker is too close, so yeah, you can't really record from there. It's unlikely to be at the right height and stuff, and if you whack an arm and topple it over your camera could break.

[billchao]

Looks interesting. I like the instant feedback it gives you, as opposed to always checking the video to make sure you are doing something properly.

Count me in with the "interested in a cheaper tripod-less option" crowd.

[Hacker James]

@billchao I guess you could say you get positive or negative feedback depending on whether or not you hit an arm. From that standpoint, you don't even need to look other than to see which arm you struck. OTOH, if the arms are too far apart, it would defeat the purpose. In any event, I like it thus far, and it seems to improve subsequent swings after you remove the device. (for awhile).

[iacas]

24 minutes ago, Hacker James said:

@billchao I guess you could say you get positive or negative feedback depending on whether or not you hit an arm. From that standpoint, you don't even need to look other than to see which arm you struck. OTOH, if the arms are too far apart, it would defeat the purpose. In any event, I like it thus far, and it seems to improve subsequent swings after you remove the device.

Two quick things…

1. You have to select the name to @mention someone. https://thesandtrap.com/how-to/mention-members
2. The point is to learn a "feel" that you can then ingrain with the Chili Wacker (or any training aid), and then it will be easier to do it without the training aid.

It's basically the same as any other training aid (the effective ones). They should all train you to use them so that you eventually don't need it.

[ChiliwackerEC]

47 minutes ago, iacas said:

Two quick things…

1. You have to select the name to @mention someone. https://thesandtrap.com/how-to/mention-members
2. The point is to learn a "feel" that you can then ingrain with the Chili Wacker (or any training aid), and then it will be easier to do it without the training aid.

It's basically the same as any other training aid (the effective ones). They should all train you to use them so that you eventually don't need it.

Gents,

What he said! ???. The end goal is to not need the feedback provided by The Chiliwacker with enough reps.  After some serious reps- The ball flight and your contact with the ground (divot) should be telling you without the Chiliwacker.  But, until it's mastered- it's the best way I have come up with so far after 22 years instructing to 'dictate someone's path'.  Thanks guys, Eric C. 

PS.  I am seeing all your requests for a tripodless version.  The committee has been notified. ?

[ChiliwackerEC]

13 hours ago, ChiliwackerEC said:

Gents,

What he said! ???. The end goal is to not need the feedback provided by The Chiliwacker with enough reps.  After some serious reps- The ball flight and your contact with the ground (divot) should be telling you without the Chiliwacker.  But, until it's mastered- it's the best way I have come up with so far after 22 years instructing to 'dictate someone's path'.  Thanks guys, Eric C. 

PS.  I am seeing all your requests for a tripodless version.  The committee has been notified. ?

Guys.  ? = a thumbs up Emoji.   Sorry for the confusion.  

[iacas]

I continue to work with this as I go. I think one new use for it would be to put it beside your left hip at setup so that you can maintain contact with it during the backswing (or even possibly push forward into it during the follow through, though that may require a center column weight so that you're not constantly knocking it over).

[Rainmaker]

I did something similar with pool noodles and 2 boom microphone stands that I had laying around.  It worked great and I thought at the time it would be a great training aid for somebody to produce.  I actually got the idea from one of Eric's videos . . one where he was holding a pool noodle for somebody.   I've used it a bunch of different ways but my favorite is to set it up in front of me so my left wrist can bash it at impact. 

Edited November 6, 2016 by Rainmaker

[ChiliwackerEC]

58 minutes ago, Rainmaker said:

I did something similar with pool noodles and 2 boom microphone stands that I had laying around.  It worked great and I thought at the time it would be a great training aid for somebody to produce.  I actually got the idea from one of Eric's videos . . one where he was holding a pool noodle for somebody.   I've used it a bunch of different ways but my favorite is to set it up in front of me so my left wrist can bash it at impact. 

The Chiliwacker was built out of necessity.  As a PGA Director of Instruction I felt it would help me be more efficient during a group lesson if I could just make something to hold the foam.  It's placement and knowing where to put it, is the key!  Thanks for the feedback.

-Eric Chiles

[iacas]

Here's another really solid way to use the Chili Wacker. This one may be one of my favorites.

I demonstrate it improperly a few times, and then properly.

[Crazycanuck44]

Hmm very interesting indeed. May have to pick one up on my way to Texas in March..