Tour Striker

[filthee]

Mine came in the mail today (fast!).

 

I took it out to the range today for a test spin.

 

I'm a terrible ball striker and consistently hit waaay behind the ball.

 

It took me a few (chipping) swings to 'get it' but it started to sink it pretty quickly. The feeling compared to my typical flip move was obviously different.

 

The ball flight was very low. Maybe waist high and about 30 yards. But that's because I'm not able to get the center of the club face directly on the ball yet. I was hitting towards the bottom of the face.

 

But I'm happy because my impact was coming down right on the ball rather than 4 inches in front of it. This is a new feeling for me and it feels 'right'.

 

So I think if I continue to practice I'll be able to strike the ball with the middle of the club face and get a higher ball trajectory *fingers crossed*.

 

I think it's been a good investment so far. :drinks:

 

Has anyone else tried it and if so, how long did it take you to hit it properly?

[demo190]

Thinking about getting one myself. Which one did you get anyway? Good luck

[filthee]

I just got the regular one. The Pro version is for peeps with fast swing speeds, which ain't me.

[2bGood]

I bought one recently, and I am very impressed. I have a fast enough swing for the pro, but I went with the regular as I had gotten myself into bad flip mode. I have hit it well since I got it, but if you don't hit down on the ball you find out very fast. I have found it a great training aid, with a bonus - this club is great to hit off matts! I find matts and a regular club does not work out, but the hard the matt, the more you have to hit down with the tour striker. The TS make matt practice productive.

[Jetlv25]

I have the pro version and it definitely makes you concentrate and will help you with lag. I think it's a solid swing aide that can help you develop a better swing.

[seniorgolfer1947]

This looks like a really good training club. I will be watching this topic, and hope to read more positive feedback. I would also like to confess to the world that 8 or 9 years ago I bought the Swing Jacket.......sold it at a garage sale for .50 regards

[carrera]

The Tour Striker is a great club. I have the pro and ordered it the same specs as my regular 7 iron (+0.5" and +1 degree upright). I use it for my first dozen or so warm up swings either in my backyard set-up or at a range with either mats or tight lies.

Great thing about it is when you make a good swing, the ball goes like a normal good 7 iron (I think the non-Pro model is an 8 iron). But if you don't get forward shaft lean, ,then the mis-hits are not some embarrassing thing that makes everyone at the range look at you...they go off as low line drives like a bellied shot with a wedge. So no "dork factor" on the range which is a negative aspect of some training aids like the Whippy Tempomaster or the Medicus....with those clubs if you make a bad swing the result can be horrific.

Last, there is no way to "cheat" the Tour Striker to get a good result with a bad swing...something that is possible with the Medicus and other aids. If you don't have your hands ahead of the ball at impact...YOU WILL HIT A LOW LINE DRIVE...no ifs, ands or buts about it.

[Elsie Urn]

I´m a solid shaky double-digit guy with weak iron play, no dreams left, no pride, no hope, just an unstoppable overswing, in Monte-terms a passive cast, un-timed flip, slightly underplane, yes- hit the big ball first, the whole middle-hcp mediocre world before me, on every swing, every day.

Had the original TS but just for fun bought the Pro model. To my great surprise my personal record is five good high ones in a row??! Explain this, if you can, Martin Chuck...

[filthee]

Yeah, I was pretty much hitting the low line drives all session but at least I was making ball-first contact, which is an improvement for me.

Hopefully soon I'll be able to get the ball up in the air.

Is there anything I can consciously try to do to move my hands further forward at impact?

It's sooooo tough to just 'do it' during the downswing.

[dees72]

What is the difference between this and just getting a 7 iron blade to take to the range to hit? I mean, blades are very hard to hit just right, give you lots of negative feedback when you hit them wrong.....plus I can get one at the used bin for a couple of bucks.

Not trying to poo-poo the Tour Striker (I actually am thinking of buying one), just want to know how it is different.

[Smack Daddy]

[quote name='dees72' date='07 February 2010 - 10:12 AM' timestamp='1265555535' post='2233855']
What is the difference between this and just getting a 7 iron blade to take to the range to hit? I mean, blades are very hard to hit just right, give you lots of negative feedback when you hit them wrong.....plus I can get one at the used bin for a couple of bucks.

[/quote]

You can hit a blade in the sweet spot without forward shaft lean but you can't hit a Striker without forward shaft lean.

I bought a Pro model but haven't been able to use it as of yet.

[Tuba]

I have the pro model and love it. I do not have a lot of clubhead speed, but this combined with the PBS will really help with maintaining lag through the ball and keeping pressure on the shaft through the ball. I would also suggest a TALY from time to time.

[jacksonlui]

i read somewhere that there is another model coming out?
is there a discount for golfwrx members?

[carrera]

[quote name='Elsie Urn' date='07 February 2010 - 02:38 AM' timestamp='1265539115' post='2233641']
I´m a solid shaky double-digit guy with weak iron play, no dreams left, no pride, no hope, just an unstoppable overswing, in Monte-terms a passive cast, un-timed flip, slightly underplane, yes- hit the big ball first, the whole middle-hcp mediocre world before me, on every swing, every day.

Had the original TS but just for fun bought the Pro model. To my great surprise my personal record is five good high ones in a row??! Explain this, if you can, Martin Chuck...
[/quote]

What kind of mat are you hitting off? If the mat doesn't give you a relatively tight lie, or if it's not a high quality one like Country Club Elite etc, you can hit under the ball and get the ball to hit off the face of the club. Can you hit good high ones off tight lies?

[darpar]

Just ordered the Pro model,I'll give some feedback next week.

[dumbgreenguy]

I just received mine today (I decided to give it a try after reading feedback on this forum). I'll be taking it for a spin within the next few hours and plan on posting some immediate feedback here once I do.

[hoganfan924]

Seems like you could take an old blade 7 iron to the grinding wheel and then add some lead tape to get the weight back up and voila! tourstriker!

[KevCarter]

[quote name='hoganfan924' date='11 February 2010 - 02:11 PM' timestamp='1265919070' post='2244265']
Seems like you could take an old blade 7 iron to the grinding wheel and then add some lead tape to get the weight back up and voila! tourstriker!
[/quote]

hoganfan924,

I thought the same thing from the pictures, until I ordered one. I think it would be quite a bit tougher than that to make. I was surprised at how well made it is, good looking club, and a great teaching tool. I really am glad I bought mine!

Kevin

[dumbgreenguy]

So some thoughts on using the club having just wrapped up my first session with it:

(please keep in mind I didn't touch a golf club until this summer, nor am I particularly versed in the terminology, so a lot of my explanations and descriptions may fall short of ideal.)

So the Tour Striker came in the mail today, with me diligently tracking it online like a kid following Santa on NORAD's website. When it did come I patiently waited for the one work call I had to make before running out to the range. At this point, I should mention a caveat of sorts: today was my first day hitting in about five days, and in those last five days I've been scouring this site and picking up on as much info as I could (following the youtube links and grabbing The Impact Zone), so this week has been quite a true and literal education in golf for me. I mention this because I've been diligently deconstructing my swing and really truly thinking about it for the first time, so it's not as if I have a clear "before and after" with the Tour Striker and the Tour Striker alone. In fact, it happened to coincidentally arrive on the heels of my doing the most in-depth thinking about my swing that I ever have, so it's difficult to say how I would have hit the club had I picked it up 7-10 days ago.

I mention all of this because I hit the club very (and unexpectedly) well. I had visions of dribbling lots of shots and/or sending worm burners down the range, but quite the opposite was true. I started with some chipping (it seemed to me the most logical place to start since I know I'm maintaining the shaft forward position) and quickly moved to the full swing when that went well. The distance was about what I expect from my 8-iron, and my normal trajectory (fairly high and ballooning) was definitely in place. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I started hitting from the normal hitting mat (i.e., the more "fluffy" stuff) but quickly moved to the hard-pack "standing only" mat and continued to hit that well as if nothing had changed. I then moved back to the ground (frozen solid), hit a few from there and had similar results. So I do feel that the results were valid...

Now, I am by no means a good, or even decent golfer. I've gone as low as an 86 on an easy course with not a lot to account for other than "grip it and rip it," so to speak and as high as a 128 on a tougher course with lots of water and bunkers (both of those scores came within 5 weeks of one another). I can be incredibly, incredibly inconsistent and I imagine my swing to be pretty unattractive in the grand scheme of things. But it is clear I'm at least hitting down on the ball (at least at present)....something I wasn't sure would be the case because I rarely take a divot. Even with the TS, I get the impression I was *barely* getting into the right spot/position. Though I hit very well (relative to my normal shots) I could clearly see (given it's a new club) that the dimple marks were just barely clearing the iron clunker and getting onto the grooves - all of those dimples were on the first 2-3 groove lines and maybe only one or two made it any higher. I imagine that owes itself to the root cause as to why I rarely take a divot or hit it fat....something I'd like to get to the bottom of.

Don't get me wrong, I got a bit cocky with it and it definitely let me know with worm burners and the like, but all in all I was very (and pleasantly) surprised by how well I hit. So all of that said, here were some thoughts on the club (based on only one hour and limited golf skills).

[list][*]I love the immediate feedback. My clubs are definitely very forgiving beginner's clubs, so while I can sometimes tell I've mishit by the sound or "feel" I'm certain there are innumerable times I've struck it poorly, but the forgiving nature of the club allows me to get away with it.[*]It has an amazing ability to provide a sense of that "snapping of the whip" (I believe the same as lag based on my reading of this board and TIZ, but I may be way off). Ironically, my mishits (i.e., line drives or ground balls) "felt" like good swings at first. After a few, I quickly came to realize that my swing could be solid for 90% of its journey, but if I didn't have that final 10% down the club let me know. I was able to very easily identify when my hands were working correctly and when they weren't (something I don't imagine I could have developed or at least recognized in such a short period of time without this club). When I translated that to my normal 8 iron, I immediately noticed a tad more distance with a far easier, or at least more fluid swing - something that's been eluding me.[*]It gave me confidence that there's at least something I'm doing well as I start down this course. Up until now, all I had was my shot itself. While that may be more than sufficient for a competent golfer, I tend to think (based on my own experience) that so many beginner's can't feel, articulate, explain or otherwise understand why their good shots were good - they just recognize they're few and far between and hope they'll become more regular. With this club, the feedback is very objective and you quickly come to understand *specifically* what's going right or wrong, an aspect of practice missed by many beginners in ALL sports.[/list]All in all, I'd certainly recommend it based on my experience thus far.

[Cmartingolf]

[quote name='dees72' date='07 February 2010 - 10:12 AM' timestamp='1265555535' post='2233855']
What is the difference between this and just getting a 7 iron blade to take to the range to hit? I mean, blades are very hard to hit just right, give you lots of negative feedback when you hit them wrong.....plus I can get one at the used bin for a couple of bucks.

Not trying to poo-poo the Tour Striker (I actually am thinking of buying one), just want to know how it is different.
[/quote]


Dees, you can make your own. You need to do one of two things. Grind on a Jerry Barber Shankless Iron. I'd recommend a 9-6 iron. Add back weight with lead tape. Voila, the original Tour Striker!! Or you need to weld a plate on an existing iron. Then the grinding begins!! An angle grinder works best.

It's kinda fun if you have a time;)

[jacksonlui]

dumbgreenguy,
if you're hitting the tourstriker fine, it doesn't sound like it's really doing anything for you?
maybe you already hit down with a forward shaft lean.

[bath4golf]

DOes it come with an instructional video?

[Cmartingolf]

Yes. It comes with a short DVD. Also, I'm happy to help if you have any follow up questions.

Cheers,

[jacksonlui]

when is the new version coming out?

[Cmartingolf]

It will ship concurrently when the infomercial begins to air toward the end of March. I think you guys will like it.

On that note; here's a little story about the development of the Tour Striker.

The Tour Striker Pro was infact the first "Tour Striker." The fellow who got it ready for mass production talked me into an easier version prior to launching the product in December '08. I really struggled with the idea of having something be "easier."

Anyway, with his recommendation (this guy has designed some of the most successful clubs in recent times), we created the "Tour Striker" with a lower leading edge height. Immediately after that we came out with the "Pro" version.

The "Pro" version is the club that will really challenge golfers and the one I hope everyone buys. You see, I don't want people being able to cheat impact alignments, but I don't want people to absolutely hate the challenge and quit either.

So, if you are going to get a TS club, get the PRO and be patient. It's worth the effort.

Cheers,

Martin

[Cmartingolf]

[quote name='Elsie Urn' date='07 February 2010 - 05:38 AM' timestamp='1265539115' post='2233641']
I´m a solid shaky double-digit guy with weak iron play, no dreams left, no pride, no hope, just an unstoppable overswing, in Monte-terms a passive cast, un-timed flip, slightly underplane, yes- hit the big ball first, the whole middle-hcp mediocre world before me, on every swing, every day.

Had the original TS but just for fun bought the Pro model. To my great surprise my personal record is five good high ones in a row??! Explain this, if you can, Martin Chuck...
[/quote]

Elsie,

Thanks for your note. I could see how and educated flip can have moderate success with the TS, but not with the TS Pro. You may be hitting shots off lies which are too fluffy? Five in a row is good going.

PM me, send me a video. Let me take a look. Perhaps I can help your action.

While not so much anymore, there have been a lot of GREAT players that have played with an educated flip. My old friend George Archer, to name one.

Sincere thanks for your support.

Martin

[KevCarter]

http://www.tourstriker.com/

[yasu123]

[quote name='BelTelMel' date='28 February 2010 - 05:00 PM' timestamp='1267394425' post='2283744']
The "Pro" version is the club that will really challenge golfers and the one I hope everyone buys. You see, I don't want people being able to cheat impact alignments, but I don't want people to absolutely hate the challenge and quit either.

So, if you are going to get a TS club, get the PRO and be patient. It's worth the effort.

Cheers,

Martin


[b]Wish I had known this sooner......I just placed my order for a TS on 2/25/10.[/b]
[/quote]


+1 Just got mine two days ago, its been raining but today was clear so I went out and hit a full bucket with just the TS.

What a great training club!!!

I just wish I had gotten the Pro version..."sigh"

[jaco]

Hello Martin,

I am in the process of trying to decide which of the Tour Striker models to buy, is there an additional model being added later this month or will it still be either the TS or the TS Pro? I am obviously leaning towards the the Pro model after reading your post, but after checking your website, it appears to be on backorder. Any idea how long it will take, before they are being shipped? I originally wanted just the TS, because an 8 iron has been one of my favorite clubs to practice with, can you provide any more info. about the upcoming infomercials and or products? I am looking forward to using your training aid, it seems that to be almost foolproof in it's design. Thank you for your time.

Jaco

[scotee]

This looks like a good training device but one question. For someone fighting an already steep downswing, is this a good choice? Seems like it might encourage a steep downswing. I tend to be a little steep and get the hands higher at impact than at address to compensate. I am working on shallowing out the downswing.